fivebrick

Yes nh014 you nailed what I was thinking when I posted originally, but you said it better than I did!

When I posed the question I should have clarified a bit. I don't mean a fatter rider vs a rider with low body fat. I really meant two riders of equal skill, experience and body fat %… etc. I don't think there's any debate that a fatter rider's performance will suffer from most physical contests versus his leaner counterpart. Certainly a 300 lb. lineman with 10% body fat is probably, again all things being equal, a better player than a 300 lb. lineman with 20% BF.

Was thinking a bit about the physics of trials- in a laymen's sense. Is it possible that a heavier rider may have an advantage over a lighter rider, all other things being equal? The heavier rider gets more traction presumably, and has a greater weight to bike weight ratio. Perhaps the heavier rider has more control in the sense that the heavy rider is less prone to being influenced by the bikes actions. Over a rocky creek for example the bike is reacting to the terrain, can a 200 lb. rider influence the bike to do what he wants more than a 150 lb. rider of equal skill. Does the extra weight make the bike have less "say" in its trajectory and give the rider more control? Anybody have any thoughts.

Anybody find a set a grips that don't tear hands up? I hold on too tight, guilty. But I need your advice on good grips you all like.