[CR]Re: StupidLight bikes

(Example: Framebuilding:Brazing Technique)

Date: Sun, 16 Mar 2008 13:02:28 -0400
To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org
From: "Lee Levitt" <lee@wheelman.com>
In-Reply-To: <21335499.1205672788456.JavaMail.root@m02>
References: <21335499.1205672788456.JavaMail.root@m02>
Subject: [CR]Re: StupidLight bikes

At 09:04 AM 3/16/2008, you wrote:
>Donald Gillies <gillies@cs.ubc.ca> wrote:
>
> Bike weight, with an equivalent margin of safety, has probably dropped
>only 2 lbs since the 1970's. If you rode a 21 lbs bike in the 1970's,
>go ahead and pay $1500 for a 19 lbs bike today. If you want something
>lighter, imho, you are taking large risks with your health and life,
>imho.

Don,

My first racing bike, a 1972 Atala Competition, weighed 21 1/2 pounds. Cost $200 new (on sale from $250. I shoulda bought the all Campy Atala which I think was $300! At the time, the Raleigh Pro was $385.)

My current everyday bike, a '99 Merlin ExtraLight, with Campy Record 9 components, a Reynolds carbon fiber fork and Ksyrium SL wheels, weighs 17 1/2 lbs.

It cost a bit more than $1500 (or would have if I were not a savvy ebay shopper!).

I don't feel any less safe on that bike than on the Atala, and in fact, the Merlin is a *lot* more stable.

The CF fork may have a different set of fatigue and failure characteristics than the Atala's steel fork, but I'll take the better control in exchange.

Just my .02.

Lee

Lee Levitt
Needham, MA USA