The obvious can pass your mind sometimes - Page 3 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

MARTINSR · 08-02-2010, 11:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by euromodder

6 pounds here, 25 there, some more elsewhere ...
In the end they all add up to a sizeable weight reduction that will be noticeable.

Sad but true.
I've lost a spare tyre over the last months

You've all hear the old rule about taking a pound from a race car.......take an ouce from sixteen places. I know a lot of guys who literally do this with touring bikes! Heck, a couple of new bolts for my friends water bottle saved him a couple of ounces and only cost about 15 bucks.

But honestly, first off, how about looking for the lightest spare and jack. A super light aluminum wheel and smaller jack (aluminum?) is going to save you a bunch AND you get to have a spare.

Brian

NiHaoMike · 08-02-2010, 11:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

She's cute and all but I don't think I should ever look like that...

Who said that hypermilers should not look like networking specialists? (Believe it or not, networking specialists can look like models!)

And here's one of the hypermilers who made a world record:

gascort · 08-02-2010, 04:19 PM

6 pounds from taking out the floormats is something I'd do. Except my car didn't come with floormats.

tasdrouille · 08-02-2010, 05:54 PM

Members present at the SMCC economy rally in Montreal earlier this summer can attest, it would have sucked had I not have a spare in my truck. Luckily the flat happened after the run! But you never know when it'll hit you.

Frank Lee · 08-02-2010, 06:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiHaoMike

Who said that hypermilers should not look like networking specialists? (Believe it or not, networking specialists can look like models!)

If it gets to the point where I should wear a bra, that means I've GAINED too much weight!

jamesqf · 08-03-2010, 02:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by NiHaoMike

The PHEV Prius has a tire repair kit instead of a spare tire.

I have a problem with that. These days, with steel & kevlar belts and all that, I almost never get a flat in the tread area. It's usually a piece of road debris punching a thumb-sized hole in the sidewall, and I don't believe that there's a repair kit that will fix that sort of damage.

Quote:

Not very easy but real hypermilers should try to do it. After all, obesity wastes gas...

Well, I'd need a sex change to achieve THAT, but my waist measurement is less than either hips or chest. Which is an irritation sometimes: I get SO tired of shirts that fit like tents.

Piwoslaw · 08-03-2010, 02:31 PM

I've heard that tire service stations HATE those flat kits. The whole inside of the tire and wheel is covered with a sticky goo (latex?) and they don't want to touch it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by jamesqf

but my waist measurement is less than either hips or chest. Which is an irritation sometimes: I get SO tired of shirts that fit like tents.

Lucky!!! But I'm on my way back to how I looked in collage. No, really. Only 5-7 kg and I'm there.

Arragonis · 08-03-2010, 04:16 PM

I asked my local tyre place about those repair can things and they have stuff they spray on which removes the goo quite well once the tyre is off the wheel. The whole repair just takes longer which is sometimes a pain if they are busy.

I carry all three - a can, a spare and an RAC card. Given my first car was 1680 lb and my current one is almost 800 lb more the weight I save is not worth the hassle.

I'm also the same size I was in college. Unfortunately I was a fat bugger then too.

gone-ot · 08-03-2010, 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arragonis

I'm also the same size I was in college. Unfortunately I was a fat bugger then too.

...using todays' Politically Correct wording, that would be something more like: "...overtly robust..." or "...statuequely stout..." or "...robustly rotund...", etc.

ecofreak · 08-03-2010, 05:21 PM

Two words: splitting hairs. If you really cared about weight, you'd have already replaced your auto body with foam and fiberglass. Touring bikes, to me, are the most practical, like cars. They're not exactly overbuilt, but they're made to carry and last many miles. Truthfully, if you're not competing, you should keep anything worth use in an emergency, and also the money saved by driving with a few pounds off the car probably can't outweigh the money saved by overinsurance. I don't get angry at carbon fiber cyclists, but you have to put the line somewhere when it comes to practicality.