It has been said that balance is the key to life (by a non-cyclist, I’m sure). With this thought in mind I started wondering why I needed to go through the pain of physically losing more weight in order to ride faster up hills (my main goal this year because of the vertical nature of the two Etapes du Tour). Heck, can’t I lose pounds any other way?
Yes I can, and all I need is money (sometimes more readily available than the willpower needed to stay away from chips and beer). Take this real-life example:
My Current groupset (Shimano 105 – Triple): Weight = 2700 grams
Campagnolo Chorus groupset (compact): Weight = 2106 grams.
My Current Wheels (Fulcrum Racing 7): Weight = 1949 grams
Mavic Ksyrium Elites: Weight 1550 grams.
There is the little matter of 1500 Euros for this upgrade, but the weight savings would be 1 kilogram. That’s like, how many bags of chips!? This calculation doesn’t even figure in the ‘awesome factor’ of riding Campy equipment, by the way. Imagine owning bike components that aren’t yet made in Taiwan or China (no disrespect T and C).
Stay tuned to find out how itchy Mr. Patterson’s ‘Buy’ finger is. And remember, it’s all about finding the equilibrium…and the money!
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