I’m always going on about commuter miles and often refer to my trusty old (’94) Kona Kula. I’ve done more miles on that that any other bike. It is light, I’m sure that it weighed around 23 or 24lbs. Well after Will fit a new chain and a 12-23 cassette the bike got weighed: 26lbs with all the bits on (not bad) but 41lbs with the panniers (they are canvas and the bike had been out in the rain). That is old school downhill weight. I often ride the bike back with the panniers loaded so maybe that is why I seem to be able to maintain a degree of strength despite not doing the conventional miles of training.
There’s a positive in everything. Always look on the bright side of life…..