In the latest copy of Vintage Bicycle Quarterly (V4, No 1) there are several articles that discuss weight of bikes back in the 'early days', and one from 1938 on page 15 that compares Narcisse and Singer 'prototype' bikes that were ridden in races of the day - and they're in the 17 lb territory. This sure surprised me. [There's a great picture on page 10 of bikes being weighed in at a 1953 Belgian race, with one of the racers watching on, as he smokes a cig and protects his leather saddle from the rain with his rain jacket.]
As an aside, I'm a confessed 'MagaZineOHolic' and way too many come in the door here in Van Nuys. So I was a bit wary of sending in the $30 subscription last year for VBQ, but I can say its become the ONLY mag that gets a total read, from cover to cover, when it arrives.
Rich Pinder Van Nuys, CA
Martin Appel wrote:
>i had a discussion with a friend last night about "serious weight
>weenieism" - the hunt for grams.... (in lack of a better word for it).
>in its modern sense.
>
>But what about the history.
>So, this list has "The vintage lightweight racing bike" as title.
>Sure it must have been known even to the founders of our sport back in
>the beginning of the 20th century, that a bike (usually) is faster,
>esp. uphill, when its lighter.
>
>But when started Weight Weenieism? Can there be a date put to it?
>
>i can see a few milestones, like......