Sunday, November 7

Simple Commuter CRM

Low Cost Digital Scale will Weigh Items up to 6Kg (13Lb)
Chandra is both my inspiration and my fear. In his post, here, he discussed the merits of "CRM." CRM stands for "Poop Reduction Management." He's my inspiration because there are few of us that can't find something we can do without while riding and he got a scale to help his CRM program. He's my fear because I'd hate to wind up lugging a handlebar bag weighing over 14Lb.

I travel fairly light. While I run Buddy with a trunk bag and fenders, and carry four lights for the commute (2 in front and 2 more in back), I try not to carry too much extra stuff. For example, I do not bring a lock along with me on my commute, my bike does not utilize a kickstand, and for the cool mornings, I only fill my water bottle up half way. However, inspired by Chandra, I invested in a small scale and decided to do a little impromptu CRM of my own.

Sure enough, I managed to validate a bit of past CRM and found some new items to omit.

First off, I found that carrying a CO2 pump along on my commute cost me 81g. Considering that my Topeak pump is perfectly workable, and I only get a flat every few thousand miles, it seemed worth leaving behind. Next, I've been taking the Bontrager multitool along that I got at the HH100. It is a deluxe multitool, but for commuting purposes, the Park multitool includes enough for roadside purposes. Swapping for the Park saved another 79g. Finally, I removed the valve cap and loose hardware on my spare tube for another 2g savings. It isn't much, but there seems little point to carrying around stuff that duplicates items that don't fail and aren't strictly necessary in the first place. Total savings: 162g (nearly a half pound) for a net cost of nothing, an investment of about five minutes and a net loss of no functionality. Crimeny, this is MUCH EASIER than a diet!

Hmm, this weight savings thing looks like it has promise...

8 comments:

cycler said...

hmm, how many grams does a 40 pound lugged steel raleigh equal?

I actually have never weighed Gilbert, but Robert, his predecessor weighed in at about 42 lbs unloaded.
I consider it my upper body workout getting him in and out of bikeshed and elevator every day.
Every so often I am particularly unlucky and have to carry him up a flight of stairs or two.

Steve A said...

18,140 grams. Not including the extra stuff added since it was last weighed.

Oldfool said...

My cargo bike weighs 65 pounds but I have tools to fix what you broke. In the event that it can't be fixed I can take you and your bike home.
I guess I'm not into ounces and seconds.

John Romeo Alpha said...

Since the total elevation change on my commute is about eight feet (give or take), I'm not that concerned with CRM. I like having stuff in case I need it while commuting. On non-commute rides, though, I am all for the CRM, and cut down as much as practical.

limom said...

Famous last words: "I won't be needing this."

Pondero said...

Steve, I think you made quite reasonable choices. Thanks to you and Chandra for the inspiration. I think I'm pretty much where I need to be, but I'm gonna think about it anyway.

cafiend said...

Valve cap on spare presta tube keeps pointy end of valve from chafing through tube in seat bag. The spare tube is the only one I use a cap on. And I always throw away the "stem ripper" knurled nuts from the valve stems as a matter of course.

GreenComotion said...

a) You can have a heavy bike - I do. b) But carrying stuff that's superfluous, can add extra weight, which one can avoid. The combination of a) and b) can be quite a lot.

As a person with physical limitations, I found it useful to analyze the load. Plus, as you mention, Steve, it is also fun to do such analyses.

So, kudos to you!

Peace :)

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