Mikey D
Registered
Adding any weight to the bike is no bueno. However if you add anything that will move with the frame (chassis) it is considered sprung weight and not too bad. Unsprung weight is weight that will move with the wheel(s).
Consider that your springs must be stout enough to hold up the bike and spongey enough to alow the suspension to travel. By adding unsprung weight, you cause more mass to travel up an down with each bump.
Look at it like valve float on an engine. If you run the cam too fast, the springs will not have enough force/time to close the valves. The same thing applies to your suspension. By adding more weight, you make the suspension have to work harder to keep the wheels on the ground.
Some folks pay big $ to drop a pound or two with custom wheels. The bottom line is if you don't notice a difference, don't worry about it.
Consider that your springs must be stout enough to hold up the bike and spongey enough to alow the suspension to travel. By adding unsprung weight, you cause more mass to travel up an down with each bump.
Look at it like valve float on an engine. If you run the cam too fast, the springs will not have enough force/time to close the valves. The same thing applies to your suspension. By adding more weight, you make the suspension have to work harder to keep the wheels on the ground.
Some folks pay big $ to drop a pound or two with custom wheels. The bottom line is if you don't notice a difference, don't worry about it.
