In the search for the Holy Grail less weight you get $10,000 Bicycles. When I signed up for a tour in Northern Italy in 2005, two of the male riders had bought new bikes to climb the Stelvio and Gavia Passes. They both had concluded that the lighter the bicycle the better it was to climb. A myth in my opinion. I know that it is recuperating weight that you want to reduce and not static weight. It is the ability to accelerate after decelerating where weight loss is critical. I.E. wheels and drive. For the greatest weight loss lose weight or be very careful on amount of weight you carry such has tools, food, and clothes, etc.
But like all not knowable riders I talk to most are , "In the search for the Holy Grail less weight " no matter were it is obtained.
The two riders on tour with me paid $8000 ( discounted when purchased in Italy) and $10,000 for their bikes. One Ti and the other Carbon fiber. They were pure race bicycles and in my opinion worth what they paid for what they got.
However one could be very close to what they got for a lot less money by buying light weight wheels and drive train and going with very with a steel lugged KOF frame.
I have built up light wheels light spokes and used them on my Steel lugged Strawberry frame and noticed right away the difference. Ability to accelerate was very evident.
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Charles Nighbor
Walnut Creek, CA