[CR]was 18 LBS - now size & weight

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Date: Mon, 20 Oct 2008 21:00:15 -0400
From: "Angel Garcia" <veronaman@gmail.com>
To: "CLASSIC RENDEZVOUS" <classicrendezvous@bikelist.org>
Subject: [CR]was 18 LBS - now size & weight
In-Reply-To: <48FD2562.1080407@burlingtontelecom.net>
References: <200810202346.m9KNknSV005134@berna.ucdavis.edu>


My 1972 Cinelli, which is a production special lightweight FRAME/FORK, weighs 18 lbs 14 ounces complete as seen here: http://italiancyclingjournal.blogspot.com/2007/08/reminiscing-about-my-1972-cinelli.html When the bike was built up almost all the Campagnolo bolts and nuts were replaced with custom made Ti parts; it is also set up as a TT bike with a single chainring.

Size is 57cm

Angel Garcia Long Valley,NJ

---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: David G. White <whiteknight@burlingtontelecom.net> Date: Mon, Oct 20, 2008 at 8:42 PM Subject: Re: [CR]was 18 LBS - now size & weight To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org

As a rider of tall bikes, I'm curious about this question of size vs weight as well. Other cyclists have suggested that size doesn't make much difference in weight -- they claim a few extra cm makes little difference because the tubing is so light. Yet in the "my bike is lighter that yours" comparison, I've always felt inadequate.

The lightest on-topic vintage bike I've owned is my 62cm Art Stump at 20.8 lbs:

http://www.wooljersey.com/gallery/David-G-Whites-Bikes/Stump/

Next closest vintage and KOF bikes are:

20.5 lbs -- 1997 Waterford 1200 -- 63 cm seat tube c/c 21.8 lbs -- mid 80s DeRosa -- 64 cm seat tube c/c 22.0 lbs -- 1975 Argos time trial bike (now owned by Gabriel Romeu) -- 62 cm seat tube c/c 22.2 lbs -- 1990 Celmins -- 63 cm seat tube c/c 22.5 lbs -- circa 1982 Colnago Super -- 62 cm seat tube c/ 22.5 lbs -- circa 1987 Chuleewah -- 65cm seat tube c/c 22.3 lbs -- circa 1980 Cuevas -- 65cm seat tube c/c 22.8 lbs -- 1981 Lotus Super Pro Aero -- 62 cm seat tube c/c 22.9 lbs -- 1977 Richard Sachs -- 64 cm seat tube c/c 23.0 lbs -- early 70s MKM -- 64 cm seat tube c/c 23.3 lbs -- circa 1990 Colnago Master Piu -- 63 cm seat tube c/c

I've just bought an off-topic 2009 Specialized Roubaix (all carbon) @ 64 cm. I expected ultra light-weight. Yet it turns out to weigh in at a robust 18.3 lbs. Yes lighter than all the above, yet for all the much-touted benefits of modern materials -- not all that much lighter. And I hear other folks make much lighter claims about their modern bikes.

So my impression is that vintage or modern -- large bikes like mine are considerably heavier. (Or am I simply a wimp in the weight weenie wars?).

David

David G. White Burlington, VT

Kim Carney wrote:
> What size frame is referenced when discussing weight of the bikes mentioned
> thus far or any frame/bike for that matter? I'm also curious as to how
> much weight is added for every cm increase in size of say a full Renyolds
> 531 frame?
>
> Kim Carney
> Davis, CA
>
>
>
>> Can ANY CR members name an on-topic catalogue bike that tipped the
>>>> scales in the 18 lbs range ?? That's an interesting question for the
>>>> list.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>
>>> I can name two. Rene Herse and Alex Singer. During the trials in the
>>> late 40's and early 50's in France, the constructuers would try to build
>>> the lightest bike. Some of them weighed under 17 lbs.
>>>
>>>
>> Those weren't catalogue bikes. If by catalogue bike, you mean a production
>> bike, then it might be hard - you'll have to look at Alans and such.
>> Caminargents were production bikes, and their claimed weights were very
>> light. However, I never have weighed one that came in under 19 lbs. So the
>> advertising claims have to be treated with some circumspection.
>>
>> If you just mean a custom bike with production components (rather than
>> modified ones, such as used by the technical trials machines), then you
>> still have quite a few options among the French makers, and probably many
>> others.
>>
>> Rene Vietto rode a Barra in the 1948 Tour de France that weighed 17.6 lbs.
>> with a steel seatpost, steel-railed saddle and totally stock components.
>> (Blatant ad: The bike is featured in our new book "The Competition
>> Bicycle.") Replace the saddle with an alloy-railed Ideale and alloy
>> seatpost, and you'll get below 17 lbs. And any customer could have bought
>> one like it from Barra.
>>
>> Jan Heine
>> Editor
>> Bicycle Quarterly
>> 140 Lakeside Ave #C
>> Seattle WA 98122
>> http://www.bikequarterly.com