Bandera

The digital scale in my bathroom agrees w/ my doctor's balance beam scale, accurate enough.

Weigh self = A
Pickup bike = B
B-A=Bike weight

"Back when" the only person who was really concerned about getting bike weight as low as possible and got good race results was a person known respectfully as "The Pixie from Hell". Being tiny & explosive on light kit worked, for bigger guys not so much. The devotees of Hi-E rims, alloy FWs, drilled chains and other extra-lightweight gear didn't seem to be there post-crunch, go figure.....

It's not about the hardware, and never has been.

-Bandera

RobbieTunes

Fish weight = money in markets, so I'll be they're either very close or tend to the heavy side....you may be lighter!

RobbieTunes

Maybe we need a bathroom scale thread.
I've been doubting mine lately. I argue, but it won't listen.

RobbieTunes

Lake Erie water, regular water, or "heavy water?" (Those who remember the early nuke days may recall the heavy water).

shopco43

It's not about the hardware, and never has been.

There are many for whom it is about the hardware. We are not all bicycle racers, or even particularly competent riders. The fact that a $15 clock from the drug store keeps better time than my 1942 ship's chronometer in no way diminishes the beauty and precision of the later. In fact, your statement rather begs the question of what you are doing on C&V in the first place.

Bandera

Not that I owe you an answer but my gear has become C&V by attrition, I built it up when new "back when" and it has remained in continuous service for decades. What I'm "doing" is actually riding it as I have for many years.
Here's a pic of my lightest steel framed bike.

Now, what's your fascinating C&V story?

-Bandera

RaleighSport

I personally use a luggage scale whose results have been compared with the airlines versions and came out accurate, if anything it also weighs to the slightly heavier side but hey, that gives us all something to whittle away right?

gomango

Heh Bandera,

I like your bike. Very cool.

In addition, I am very impressed that you can tool that baby through the Texas Hill Country.

My parents live in Kerrville and I have ridden in that area quite often.

I routinely have to ride double digit grades just to get back to their house.

Some of the most beautiful and challenging riding I've ever seen.

Bandera

Thanks! Just put 20 miles on it this AM.
That's not the machine that I ride from Vanderpool to Leakey but riding FG on the road has been part of my routine for a very long time.
Kerrville and surroundings are within my road bike range, nice country and a great town with some stiff hills.

We are off to Po Po's in Welfare for the best fried chicken in the world this evening: PO PO Restaurant
Hill Country cuisine at it's best.

Regards,

-Bandera

RaleighSport

Do you have better pics? I like it, but I'd love to see it close up.

kbarch

Pardon my newbness, but I'm putting a steel bike together and figured this being a fairly recent thread, it would be as good a place as any to insinuate myself into the conversation without hijacking it too much....

I think there will be something classic about this bike, but I've tallied up all the parts and think I must be missing something significant, because it's coming in just over 16 lbs without really trying. Frame does come with a carbon fork, though, and with that is only 1520g. Groupset is 2409g; stem, bars, seat, seatpost and wheels (Aksium) total 2778g; I've allowed 500g for tires, pedals, tape and cables - is that too little? What am I missing?

Since the forks are carbon, I'm going with a carbon seatpost (Superleggera!) but nothing so fancy for the bars and stem. Kinda wanted a Cinelli quill stem, but limited selection of bars and all that have dissuaded me.

By the way, does anyone think it's possible to put together a set of low-profile, custom Gran Fondo-worthy wheels with shiny silver hubs and rims and still have the set approach the weight of Mavic Ksyrium (1520g)? Off the rack, I'd prefer Campy Neutron Ultra, but frankly those seem overpriced, especially considering how a set of custom wheels with their Record hubs could be put together for much less, I'm sure.

Bandera

Thanks for your interest.

Sorry, that's my only pic & the Nikon is in the Far East on loan to friends.
It's my ex-race bike, once full NR, converted to FG when I built my Vitus in '92.
My 1st coach had us convert road bikes to FG for winter training "back when" so as usual the shifters/derails & outer ring went and a the FG drivetrain installed.
Everything else remained as it was, road bikes are road bikes FG or FW.
It runs a 48x18 1/2X3/32 (~70GI), track style hub & clinchers F&R.
Scoots along nicely for the last 22 years in this config, you can see it up close on Bexar & Kerr county F&M roads......

Regards,

-Bandera

gomango

Haven't been to Po Pos but thanks for the food tip.

Really, there are so many decent restaurants in that area, it's hard to choose.

My boys love bbq and they are rarely disappointed when they visit their grandparents.

kbarch

Maybe Bandera was only referring to performance when saying "it" has never really been about the hardware?

I never really imagined that light weight would be about performance, it's about aesthetics. It may sound weird, but one of the things that got me going and made me want to get my first bicycle in decades happened by accident. I was a moto official at a race and standing around afterwards, I accidentally knocked over some high-end race bike someone had leaning against a curb. When I went to pick it up, I couldn't believe how light it was. I stared at it and the whole thing all of a sudden seemed so sexy. Before that, none of the bikes particularly appealed to me, but after feeling it, I wanted to have it and I wanted to ride it!

Lightweight-ness is like quietness in cycling. It's an aesthetic merit. Like quietness, it doesn't make riding physically any easier, it makes it more enjoyable. We may not appreciate it on the road much if at all, but lightweight-ness definitely makes a difference getting on and off the bike, taking it up and down stairs or just over a curb, getting it out to start a ride, cleaning it and putting it away afterwards and in all such things that we have to deal with when we decide whether we want to ride or not. Its the kind of thing that can make cycling more or less attractive.

RobbieTunes

Asking questions, it appears, like anyone else. All are welcome here. Many people are on more than one forum, and come at C&V from more than one angle. Many times, when I'm out banging around on a modern carbon bike, or climbing on a modern steel bike, I wonder if I really need to own several C&V bikes. All I have to do is ride one, and the question is moot; the answer is "of course," until such time as I no longer feel like it, and I don't envision that any time soon.

RobbieTunes

Your scale may be off. 1520g steel is high end territory, or perhaps one of those affordable new frames from a US builder of good repute. Given the parts, especially with Aksiums, you may be allowing too little for tires, pedals, tape and cables. It's possible, though. Low-weight low-profile wheels that are light are certainly possible. I had some Ambrosio rims laced to Hope Tech hubs and they were certainly less than 1500g (tubular).

When you get right down to it, you build the bike, you ride it, and whatever it weighs is really whatever it weighs, within reason.

kaliayev

A really light set of clincher tires like Veloflex weight 180g each. Even if you you use some light weight tubes like Bontrager XXX your still looking at 460g right there. A 1520g frame is about what my 53cm '99 Voodoo Rada weighted made of 853 Team Pro. If the 1520g is with an all carbon fork your talking about a 1200g frame! Also confused that you are considering using a quill stem? Must mean that you have a carbon fork with a threaded steel steerer. That's at least 400+ grams. Your forgetting a head set, add 100g. I'm also betting the weight you are giving for the wheels are minus skewers and tape. Even with light weight stuff here you are looking at another 100g. Also you must consider advertised weight can be off by quit a bit. Personally I think you are being really optimistic on what the real weight of the bike will be.

kbarch

Thanks for the points, guys.
I figured the "listed" weights might be off on the light side, but wanted to know if my optimism was really oversight. In the end, I'm sure it will be well under 20 lbs and I'll be quite content; if it really does come in well under 17, I'll be thrilled.
The frame is on the higher end (Casati Laser La Speciale), but honestly I'm getting this particular design as much for appearance as anything. Just doing a search for what was available in steel frames, it seemed the most appealing. Price was significantly less than stainless (initial preference), and I really dig the recessed seat post fastener. I wanted the quill stem for the sleek, classic look, but that's not happening for reasons you mention, K (among others). Shiny sliver Athena group may make up for it somewhat.

ksryder

Nowhere near sub 20 but I appreciate this thread because I realize the 21.2 lbs (bathroom scale but close enough for me) for my Lovell I just bought is pretty respectable. Plus the bike is an absolute blast to ride and that's all I really want out of it.

iab

I looked at the Castati spec, its 1520 for the frame alone. Add at least another 350 for the fork. If you want weight weenie, going top end on the groupset will lose 500 grams. Carbon wheels can lose you another 500 grams. And figure at least and additional 400 grams for tires/pedals/cables/tape.

I have a modern steel bike coming in at 7.0kg. I could get it to UCI 6.8kg but that would require a cassette that wears out just looking at it and losing the stainless steel bottle cages that match the stainless steel frame.

kbarch

Thanks - I see now that while the price includes the fork, the listed weight does not. I did find another site that indicates the fork that comes with it is 340g. Now it's starting to look more realistic - giving a better allowance for miscellany and without changing the spec, we're really looking at over 17 lbs or nearly 8 kilos. Still not bad The frame is costly enough, and the point is really to go for a more classic look anyhow, so carbon wheels are out. Upgrading beyond Athena would mean more carbon, and the bike I have now is carbon enough - frame, wheels and dark gray throughout.

Henry III

My 1993 Paramount is nearly finished as I just need to install my CK headset but on our scale at the shop it tipped in at 17.8 lbs. that's with two bottle cages and pedals and the mount for my pump.

Henry III

My 650c road bike is hovering right above 17lbs also with just a carbon post and 11spd chorus group and aluminum reynolds wheels and steel fork. Both bikes are just running clinchers also.

jyl

Tires are typically 250-300 g each for clinchers, plus say 100 g per tube.

Pedals vary but if you're talking clipless, 200 g per pair is very light, 350 g per pair is not unusual.

jbchybridrider 

I rebuilt up my EL-OS Olympia today. She weighs in at 17.3 lbs or 7.8kg That's ready to ride with all modern components accept it's still got the steel fork with a quill converter and old record seat post.