Originally Posted by
jonathanf2
I'm currently using a carbon gravel/endurance type frame as my road bike. It's not the lightest, but with almost full carbon components except alloy stem and drop bar, it weighs-in around the 17-18 lbs. range. I don't have many complaints about the frame and I have the option of going with wider tires if I choose, but I'm currently using 28-30c road tires (frame accommodates 45c tires). Though I do like road climbing and I've been entertaining the thought of getting a dedicated carbon road frame especially for hills. I don't do any competitive racing and I do alright keeping up on group rides. I would most likely do a parts swap to the new frame and use the older carbon frame as a dedicated gravel bike (my current gravel bike is alloy). Another option I was thinking was doing more weight cutting on the current frame maybe going with an integrated carbon stem/drop bar combination plus other weight cut measures, but I'm not sure it would make that much of a difference.
Anyways, just looking to get opinions if getting a lighter road frame would make sense for my intended purpose. Also I would do the work myself and I think the swap would be fairly straight forward. Thanks!
Just off hand, take it for what it's worth.... you know what I'd do with that bike? It's a pretty darn light bike as-is, and is absolutely capable of being a "gravel bike" with the 45mm tire spec. But would be a nice light weight full-on road bike too.
Maybe a second set of wheels with skinnier (i.e. 25mm), lighter tires and tubes. You probably have nice wheels already, but maybe can get even lighter wheels as a second set. Depending on what you have, you can also save some weight in tires, tubes, handlebars, saddle and seat post - maybe a half pound or more combined - without getting into a whole new groupset, for example.
The second set of wheels, even if they dont differ radically in weight from what you have, are a vehicle for lighter, road-specific tires and tubes and the combination will be lighter and subjectively (maybe even slightely objecively) faster. Two wheels means you have full-on road bike with the right tires and tubes, and a full-on gravel bike if you put 35-40mm on one set of wheels.
What you have is plenty light for staying with a group ride, imho. but instead of the middle ground of 28-30 mm tires, get a set of wheels with really nice road tires and tubes and some actual gravel tires on the other set.