Some may have been exaggerated but others definitely were not. A James ordinary was authoritively weighed at 11lb 2ozs and I know of two ordinaries which still survive weighing in on accurate scales under 20lb. And in the early days of Cycling Plus I weighed a Dursley Pedersen which was a special which I weighed on C+'s accurate bike scales at 4.9kg (10.8lb) complete with tyres, pedals and ready to ride! The wheels were 24in sprints - the original wood sprints with incredibly thin spokes, the wheel nuts were about the same size as most would attach mudguards with - everything was specially made. I also have a pre-WWII Pierre Collin aluminium frame made in France. On the same C+ scales the bare frame without forks weighed 2.4lb - however the scariest part was the fork that flexed back and forth continuously when ridden. Superlight frames were certainly possible too with Reynolds High-Manganese tubing (this was the first high strength alloy steel tubing Reynolds launched in 1933) in the 1930s. This was made in an extra light version with 24/26g double butted top and down tubes and a single butted seat tube. Not surprisingly the number of frames made with tubing which survive is very small.
Hilary Stone, Bristol, England
> Brandon Ives wrote:
>> I have also heard legends of, but
>> never seen, sub 3 pound time-trial frames from the 50's and 60's. I have
>> held in my hands Eddy's hour record bike and one of Beryl Burton's time-trial
>> bikes and both were scary light.
>
Chuck Schmidt wrote:
>
> My opinion: The unrealistically low reported weights of bikes and bike
> parts is notorious.