“How Much Does Your Bike Weigh?”
by Meandering Bicyclist
I have no idea how much my bike weighs. It seems to be a good bike though. Around here, on these perfect and cold mornings with eagles over the Mississippi and foxes darting on the path, I truly believe that we Minnesotans are among the most blessed people on earth to enjoy this abundance of wonders. And to have so many trails to explore them by bike!
I don’t know the rolling weight of my wheels. They were built by my friend, Karl. He is an attentive wheel builder and a master of his trade. It is a psychologically satisfying thing to say, “My friend built these wheels.” The hubs and rims are strong, the spokes are sturdy, and they inspire confidence. We ride over potholes, and limestone, and grass and so on. These wheels seem to work just fine.
I don’t know the weight of my drivetrain components. The brake hoods are comfortable and up long steep hills they shift low to butter and going back down they shift high like smooth steel. They only ask for a little finesse, and it feels good to know that with care, these brakes, derailleurs, and shifters have miles to go before they wear out. And well, it’s a proud thing to wear out a bicycle part. Plus they are shiny which is awesome.
This bicycle weighs enough to make weightless the human spirit. Through the miles come the strength, endurance and experience that makes us good bicyclists. It is wise to know our equipment and care for it. It’s better to just ride often and see the beauty of our world on these wonderful and imperfect machines, propelled only by our own finite human power.
