At what gradient does weight become more important than aerodynamics in cycling?

Question

I can’t make up my mind whether to concentrate on lighter setups or on aerodynamic ones. Is there a specific angle which could be referred to as the point of no return where weight is much more important than aerodynamics?

Answer 1

Considering slopes steeper than 7%-8% angles, the importance of weight becomes greater than that of aerodynamics. This may be different based on the strength of the rider, as more powerful ones may need to push hard at slight gradients. However, the general trends suggest that riders can benefit from optimizing aerodynamics and efficiency till such times that they reach climbs which are quite steep.

Comments

Goes to show when doing a MTB race old school tight cycling jersey & Lycra shorts are the best option even though the trend in MTB clothing is baggy.

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man, that "climbing vs aero gradient depends on the power" is so important. Ever since manufacturers started talking about that 6% line, my question has always been "yeah, but at what power and w/kg". Obviously aero is going to matter a lot more for a rider at 400W and 6w/kg. But I'm at 270 and 4.2, when all my local climbs are 6% or more, and it's a no-brainer.

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Great series. Thank you! The discussion on weight reminds me of a story a friend told me. He was, in his younger days, into cycling and bikes etc and was dreamily eying the latest, lightest (a nice easy metric for manufactures etc to focus on) bike. A conversation with the bike shop owner went to and fro about weight saving, price etc before the guy suggested, rather bluntly, that he might be better off running round the block a few times and losing some weight!
I have become less interested in weight since wrapping myself in 25kg of DF velomobile for my daily commute. Previously, my best time for the 22km to work was about 45 mins on a bottom of the range Cruzbike recumbent (approx. 35 degree seat angle). That was a full gas effort. Best time on the DF - 36 mins, not eyes-popping-out effort as it gets too scary to be doing 60kmph on bad road surfaces etc. I am 53 and in no great shape. Could lose 5-7 kg! Aero is king! Now to find some low friction chain tubes… gains…

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Rock Bar cycling sells a case with weight that is narrow enough to have minimal drag.   Having tried it, weight does matter until body gets stronger and adapts to the weight. That is why aero has a big advantage over weight.  The more aero you are, the less effort you have to do relative to being less aero. Also, wind drag increases exponentially as speed increases. Weight drag does not change effort as speed increases unless going downhill.

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perhaps getting lance on the show and talk more on the cadence technique for all sorts of terrain like on flat, tt style, rolling, sharp short climb, long climb n etc would be great addition.