77record

I have a 77 Record that I've owned since it was new and I still ride it regularly strictly for fun & exercise. My riding area has a mix of fairly level and a few larger hills. My average ride is 30-60 minutes.

I got thinking about road bike weights then & now. Currently as it's set up and carrying a medium sized handle bar bag with a few essentials in it (maybe 3-4 lbs.), the total weight is about 28 lbs. I'm getting older with more aches and pains so I was wondering if a new lighter road bike would really benefit my enjoyment. I see that overall, they're a lot lighter than that now. I'm not interested in a carbon fiber frame at all, it's out of the budget. I'm not yet interested in an ebike but eventually may go that route in a matter of a few years.

Would shedding a few bike pounds really be that beneficial?

Thanks.

stevel610 

Only way to truly know is to ride a lighter bike. There are three other options.
1. Just ride more which will make you stronger and seem easier.
2. Get new tires with lower rolling resistance.
3. Get a new set of lighter wheels. 700c would give you more tire options.

Gary12000 

well the more experienced weight conscious folks here will chime in i'm sure.. what i can say from personal experience is... i had a 2010 Raleigh Grand Prix built with Reynolds 520 made in Taiwan or china one of the two.. decent enough bike i rode it for 10 years, but i worked my butt off trying to keep up with modern bikes, as i started collecting vintage stuff, i got a 1971 Raleigh International all 531 tubing and with campy hubs, my wife kept saying slow down i cant keep up, then i got my Tommasini and its newer and full campy and it flies and i feel like i'm barely peddling, all this riding has been done in Louisiana so IOW no hills, i think there is a lot that plays into this, shoes, pedals clips, pedal cages, rolling resistance of tires, gearing, i think to summarize the more you spend(wisely) the easier the ride, if your bike is 20-30 steel then sure its heavy, but you could help it out by better wheels different gearing better tires, that can get expensive unless you can do the work yourself, i love vintage stuff so my recommendation is to buy a restored or well maintained vintage bike off a member here in your size. but make sure you buy what will really work for the type of riding you want to do.

Good luck...

Soody

imo nice low gearing makes a bigger difference for hills than dropping weight. What's the gearing like now?
And better brakes. You might also enjoy a higher stem.

romperrr 

I'd say shedding 3 or more pounds will make a noticeable difference. That's going off my personal experience switching between bikes. Keep in mind, geometry also (arguable more so) effects ride experience and as the stevel610 points out above me, so will tires. Lighter wheels will have the biggest effect on ride experience. Also yes, ride more, lose weight, and get stronger.

Happy riding!

TPL

If the newer / lighter bicycle will increase the actual amount of time spent riding ....go for it

Slowride79

Looking from the catalog on Kurt’s site, yours has 27” steel rims. Alloy rims would make a big difference not only due to lighter weight overall but also due to lower rotational mass. Either swap in an alloy wheelset or look for a bike that has them already . The cost may not be much different if you’re looking at buying a wheelset and having it shipped to you versus finding a local bike. Sticking with Raleighs of same era , you need a Super Course or above to come standard with alloy wheels.

wrk101

1. Put it on a real bike scale and get an accurate weight, I bet it weighs more than you think.

2. IMHO, maintenance makes a difference. Last time bottom bracket and wheel hubs were serviced? Pedal bearings? Chain? Freewheel flushed/cleaned and re-lubed?

3. The last factor is gearing. A lot of the older stuff had limited gearing, and lots of mashing. Spinning feels easier.

Bikes can be lightened at very low cost just by lighter inner tubes, lighter tires, lighter pedals.

Vintage Schwinn

As wrk 101 pointed out, you wouldn't be a good carnie person guessing weight within 3 pounds...

That Raleigh RECORD was between 32 and 33 pounds from the factory when brand new in 1977.

It might be as much as a pound less now assuming that you've maybe removed the reflectors and now have perhaps a lighter saddle and possibly lighter pedals now.

Here is supporting documentation in the pdf of the 1978 Raleigh catalog. The 1978 RECORD weight is listed as no less than 32 pounds!

https://www.sheldonbrown.com/retrora...talog-1978.pdf

Fredo76

If the pounds your bike is shedding are off the wheels, yes, IME. The points about alloy rims and about maybe getting them via a whole used bike are relevant. There used to be a saying "A pound off the wheels is worth ten off the frame". If you like your Record, it would be worth pursuing, I would think.

77record

Thanks for all the info!

The 28 lbs. is actual weight from a digital scale. About 5 years ago I installed a tall stem and that helped a lot with a more upright riding position. I think the bike fits me pretty well right now. I have new smoother tread tires to put on and am in the process of buying alloy wheels. The freewheel is geared 14/28. In the not too distant past, I cleaned, greased and replaced bearings in the bracket, and installed new cables. I tried to add a photo but I have to make 10 posts before I can do that.

I really like the bike but every so often wonder whether I should keep putting money into it or make an investment in something lighter. My frame choice would be aluminum, but I've been told that's a more jarring ride than the steel frame, and my back doesn't need that for sure. Also, if I lose any more weight, there won't be anything left of me!

I'll be doing the maintenance soon and will see if the ride gets easier as soon as the weather in upstate NY warms & dries out a little.

Chuck M 

My newest bike is an aluminum 2018 Trek Domane. I also ride a 1980 high tensile steel Takara and a 1984 cro-mo Raleigh. I think the Trek is the easiest riding of all of them due to the weight, gearing and geometry. But I can tell you I love riding the older bikes too. I think you may want to explore getting a newer, lighter bike with an endurance geometry and hill leveling gears. But keep the '77 Record for the love of it.

Slowride79

Others have told me this is a good source for replacement wheelsets. $150 for the set and as they are 27” no adjustments needed for brakes. Alternatively they have 700c. Sun cr18 have a good rep as being robust and versatile. https://www.velomine.com/index.php?m...2fqufhnq8kdmk7

T-Mar

Some people are senstive to variance in bicycle weights, while others aren't. Borrow a similar sized and lighter bicycle from a friand and see if you consider the difference to be appreciable. Another thing to consider is that it is typically less expensive to sell your current bicycle and buy a lighter, used bicycle, than upgrade an existing bicycle.

Classtime 

You've been maintaining that Raleigh for 45 years and I think you deserve an upgrade. Find one of the nicer Raleighs from that era like a Competition or International.

77record

Maybe you're right about that, I'm going to look into a new one soon. I've seen a couple possibilities online and am going to an LBS with my current bike for guidance.

Thanks everyone for the input.

Classtime 

Does your LBS have a selection of 1977 high end Raleighs?

markk900

77record You have a lot to think about from the above suggestions; here's another one. Try putting flat or Northroad style bars on the bike for an even more upright riding position, and get a saddle that works with the higher bars. I found that made a huge difference to riding comfort, and IMO if you are comfortable riding the weight will mean nothing. I enjoy my 40+ lb Humber 3 speed as much as my 25lb Trek due to the comfort factor.

(Oh and lighter wheels will make the bike feel much more nimble and lighter).....

Finally, go get a new(er) bike if you want one. If you don't like it it will be easier to sell; if you love it you can keep your old one and not ride it - it owes you nothing after 45 years!

dddd

My 1984 Miyata 912 weighs 24lbs, so that Raleigh with a 3-4lb bag on it has to be at least 30# in my estimation.

Whether a scale is "digital" or not says nothing about it's accuracy.

The Raleigh is a fine bike for what it is.

Cheaper to buy a lighter used bike than to try making the Raleigh much lighter. I would only do weight upgrades on an "opportunistic" basis (using cast-off parts from better bikes that have perhaps been upgraded?)..
Alternately, any lightweight, wrong-sized used bike you find at a crazy-low price might make a perfect parts-donor to your Raleigh, assuming that the parts will fit and are of the type needed for your own usage.

Continental Ulltra Sport tires are available in both 27" and 700c and are perhaps the liveliest tires you can find at their price point. Highly recommended.

BFisher

I'll second dddd's recommendation on the Conti Ultrasports. I have them in 27x1 1/4 and find that they are surprisingly nice riding for what they cost me. They also measure a tad wide on an old pair of Weinmann aluminum rims.

77record

Thinking about this some more....I haven't done anything yet except confirm LBS hours, so I'm doing further research and reading.

I haven't bought a bike for myself since the Record (except a few for the kids over the years). And in 1978, as a college kid, I just went into the bike store (another city) and looked around a bit and said "I want that one" without riding it or anything. I don't want to open a can of worms, but what do you think about buying online? I've done about 90% of my own maintenance over the years and assembled one online bike recently.

There are only a few bike shops around here and they have limitied brand and price selection. Absolute top budget is $1000, but $600-900 would be better.

77record

No one has Raleighs around here that I can determine. And I rarely see them on craigslist.

clubman 

What size is your frame...seat tube and top tube?

77record

I don't know offhand, I'll have to get back on that tomorrow. I've often thought that it's a little too big for me, as the standover height is slightly too high. I'm 6' with a 34 inseam and according to charts I've looked at I really need a large or medium large depending on what brand I look at.

Classtime 

My inseam is 34 and 57cm is often too small and 60 is rarely too big. What city/state CL is your area?