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How is this weight by today's standards?

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How is this weight by today's standards?

Old 08-14-22, 10:00 PM
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Symox
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How is this weight by today's standards?

I'm just curious, my favorite road bike is a 2007 Specialized Roubaix Comp Carbon with wheels I build myself and a few minor tweaks. With pedals and it weighs 18 lbs. How does this compare with today's higher end bike weights?

I'm not about to trade up, just wondering.
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Old 08-14-22, 10:16 PM
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Not a very useful comparison, and weight certainly isn't a big deal, but both my 2002 and 2020 road bikes come in under 18lbs (including pedals).

There are modern disc brake road bikes in the professional ranks that tickle the 6.8kg (~15lb) UCI limit.
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Old 08-15-22, 01:14 AM
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Doesn't matter what the bike weighs, you're still too fat for this sport.
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Old 08-15-22, 06:21 AM
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Some brands list the weight of their bikes with no pedals, bottle cages or computer. Those items weigh 300 grams on my bikes, so I subtract that amount when comparing. Disc brake models will weigh more than a rim brake bike, but there are few high level rim brake bikes sold these days. Concern over aerodynamics has resulted in integrated aero bar/stems with all hidden cables on many new bikes and less concern over weight. Integrated bar/stems that actually weigh as little as a conventional setup usually cost a lot more or weigh more on lower cost versions. My carbon bars with aluminum stem weigh 325g. Aero bar/stems at that weight might cost $700.

The rider's body weight is relevant. Those carrying significant amounts of extra weight should think about the whole package and how trivial an extra pound on the bike is, compared to excess body weight. I weigh 60kg or 132 pounds now, but I'm sure I could lose a couple more pounds.

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Old 08-15-22, 08:15 AM
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I've done plenty of racing on my old road bike which weighs about 20.5 lbs "all in" -- i.e., with pedals, bottle cages, pump mount and computer mount. I did weigh it once, but otherwise have never given it a second thought.
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Old 08-15-22, 09:23 AM
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18 pounds is respectable by any days standards.

You can subtract a pound for the downtube shifters of yester-year.
You can subtract a pound or 2 off the frame for moving from steel to aluminum.
You can subtract 2-4 pounds off the frame going from steel to carbon.
You can aubtract a half pound going from aluminum rims to carbon rims.
You can subtract a half pound going back to aluminum rims but tubular.
You can subtract Ľ to ˝ pound by using Berd spokes.
You can add a pound of frame weight going to disc over rim brake...Add a half pound more for using hydraulic disc.
Tubeless will weigh the same or more than tubes.
Tubular will weigh less, still.

All that is to say: A well crafted steel bike with downtube shifters on tubular wheels and rim brakes from 1982 will weigh what your bike weighs.
What modern bells & whistles get you, (the everyman) is all the modern conveniences, comfort, & aerondnamics at the same weight & in a higher performance package than the racing bikes of old.

If you are looking for an excuse to buy a low weight production road bike, the high water mark that springs immediatly to mind is the Vial Evo Disc...the Aethos is pretty good canvas to strart from, too.

At 18 pounds, likely all the low hanging fruit has been picked.
But companies like AX-Lightness, Darimo, Extralite, Carbon-Ti, Berd, Tune, et.al, can definitely help if you are looking solely at a number on a scale.

My steel framed, hydraulic disc, tubeless bike in size 57 weighs 16 pounds 4 ounces as ridden with pedals, 120ml of tubeless sealant, bottle cages & nice Shimano hydro/mechanical shifters. I could save more weight with chainrings I think are ugly (KCNC), a cassette that is smaller & less useful (11-25), & by switching to DoubleTap (which I find grating) or going wireless altogether, (which I philosophicaly disagree with)

In the end weight doesn't really matter as much as people would like to believe. It's the combination of the whole package. Does it inspire you to hammer down? To put in the miles? To try your best? Do you enjoy the ride? The feel?

18 pounds is average in the consumer performance road bike game. A porker to some, lighter than others. But the metric itself is borderline silly.

Last edited by base2; 08-15-22 at 09:43 AM.
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Old 08-15-22, 10:34 AM
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Originally Posted by znomit
Doesn't matter what the bike weighs, you're still too fat for this sport.
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Old 08-16-22, 12:39 AM
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Weight comparisons generally are for a bare bones bike without any accessories and no pedals. (FWIW, wheel weights are similarly measured - no rim tape or skewers).

Weigh your bike that way and you can compare. Generally speaking 15lbs being a light bike has been the benchmark for many years. Depending what is on your bike when you weigh it, you could be pretty close to that magic number. If, just as a game to play, you want to get lower weight, an easy way to get a pound or so off is strictly ties and tubes.
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Old 08-16-22, 12:42 AM
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Going up long climbs, it makes a difference. Especially if you yourself aren't that heavy.
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Old 08-16-22, 11:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Koyote
I've done plenty of racing on my old road bike which weighs about 20.5 lbs "all in" -- i.e., with pedals, bottle cages, pump mount and computer mount. I did weigh it once, but otherwise have never given it a second thought.
All in (including clip on aero bars) is 20.5 lbs for me too.
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Old 08-17-22, 12:03 AM
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Aerodynamics is more important than weight. Think about the weight of you together with the bike, 1kg is a minuscule difference. But to reduce 1kg of weight on the bike, it’s going to cost a lot.
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Old 08-17-22, 06:14 AM
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Aerodynamics is important, but it's not just the bike that should be considered. Rider position on the bike greatly affects total wind resistance. Sitting relatively upright on an aerodynamic bike is a waste. Look at the saddle to bar drops used by pros. I set mine at 10cm on a small frame.
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Old 08-17-22, 10:52 AM
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Originally Posted by Symox
All in (including clip on aero bars) is 20.5 lbs for me too.
18 for my C3. For one more data point.
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Old 08-17-22, 01:54 PM
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Two modern bikes here. Weights listed with bottle cages and pedals, but anything that I can take off without a tool (saddle bag, phone mount) removed:

Lynskey R270, ML. Titanium frame, Ultegra Mechanical with hydraulic brakes, Light Bicycle 45mm carbon rims laced to DT240s, SPD pedals. ~19.4lbs
Cannondale CAAD8 (2016), 54cm. Alu frame, Force22 with rim brakes. Campy Zonda wheels, carbon bar, seatpost, and Praxis carbon crank, with SPD pedals. ~18.0lbs

I'm likely to switch to Look pedals on the Lynskey for the bigger cleat (getting hotspots on SPD >50mi). If I do, I think the weight will drop close to 0.5lbs, at the expense of double-sided clipping and the ability to use shoes that are easy to walk in.
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Old 08-17-22, 03:35 PM
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Originally Posted by jackyharuhiko
Aerodynamics is more important than weight. Think about the weight of you together with the bike, 1kg is a minuscule difference. But to reduce 1kg of weight on the bike, it’s going to cost a lot.
I rather ride an 8kg bike than a 10kg bike. How about you?
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Old 08-17-22, 04:31 PM
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Originally Posted by ZHVelo
I rather ride an 8kg bike than a 10kg bike. How about you?

I love the "aero" is more important than weight - especially at the speeds that most mere mortals ride. I'll take my wilier zero.6 frame (684g) over the "super-aero" frames any day. It's not like some of that "aero tech crap" isn't being figured into my nice light frameset.
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Old 08-17-22, 04:49 PM
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The Lynskey that I listed above weighed ~20.7lbs until a few weeks ago - the new wheels and cassette knocked that down to the current weight.

Near as I can tell, I'm 2-3% faster on the bike - but I chalk up that speed difference more to the deeper, 45mm rims (vs 30mm on the old wheels), and the newly available 16T and 14T cogs in the new cassette, rather than the weight savings.

That said, wheels that are 500g lighter are definitely more fun to pull out of a hole coming out of a slow corner or accelerating from a stop.
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Old 08-17-22, 09:57 PM
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My somewhat chunky carbon disc gravel frame is at 17.8 lbs. in road configuration with 28c tires. Though I'm running carbon wheels+clincher tires, tpu tubes, ultra lightweight cassette, CF saddle/bars/seat post/rd cage, cable/hydraulic disc brakes and using a mix of 105 5800/R7000 components. I'm planning to swap out the frame and shifters to cut more weight. I do mostly climbing, so less weight the better.
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Old 08-17-22, 10:18 PM
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Originally Posted by ZHVelo
I rather ride an 8kg bike than a 10kg bike. How about you?
Of course, and every statement comes with some assumptions.

if budget is unlimited I want a bike with aero AND ultra light weight.

But if I have to choose, I won’t mind a 8-9kg aero bike.
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Old 08-18-22, 12:17 PM
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Originally Posted by cyclebycle13
I love the "aero" is more important than weight - especially at the speeds that most mere mortals ride. I'll take my wilier zero.6 frame (684g) over the "super-aero" frames any day. It's not like some of that "aero tech crap" isn't being figured into my nice light frameset.
Why are you mad at physics?
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Old 08-18-22, 12:27 PM
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My 2018 Storck weighs 16 lbs. with bottle cages, pedals, and computer mount. My fat ass makes that weight fairly irrelevant when comparing to someone else's bike.
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Old 08-18-22, 12:31 PM
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Originally Posted by Eric F
My 2018 Storck weighs 16 lbs. with bottle cages, pedals, and computer mount. My fat ass makes that weight fairly irrelevant when comparing to someone else's bike.
You have a Storck in the US?
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Old 08-18-22, 01:07 PM
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Originally Posted by ZHVelo
You have a Storck in the US?
Yes. I bought mine used from a guy in NV. I'm not sure where he bought it originally There are 2 other Storck riders in my area who bought from local distributor a while back, but I think that pipeline is dry now.

My Storck...
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Old 08-18-22, 02:44 PM
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That's a really nice looking bike.
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Old 08-18-22, 03:13 PM
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Originally Posted by Seattle Forrest
That's a really nice looking bike.
Thank you. Unfortunately, the motor is not nearly as good looking, and has a disappointing power/weight ratio.
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