Jeff, As a vintage weight weenie - I am so out of the closet!
Peter, Can't comfort and light weight be expected to be almost mutually exclusive or at least tradeoff factors? Consider especially tires and wheels.
Jon M. Crate Marietta, Georgia USA
-----Original Message----- On Behalf Of Peter Naiman Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 1:32 AM To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org; Jeffery Pyzyk Subject: Re: [CR] Very light-weight Basso frame, confessions of a vintage weight weenie
It's funny because with my daily rider which is not KOF on this group, it's a Ti-frame with a full carbon fork, mostly Ti and Carbon componants and it weighs out at a mere 17lbs, but I'm getting tired of the weight issue. I'm 61 years old and not going to be any triathalons soon, so why be so weight obsessed.
A few year ago I had purchased an early Hetchins Novus Ductor prototype model probably from the mid to late 1980s or early 1990s that was sent to Bicycling Magazine for testing, and a full article was written about the Ductor with a full Campy Record triple group. My point is the frame and fork weigh in at about 6.25 pounds, and fully built weighed in at 23lbs. When I first received the frame I put on an older Campy eight speed group and found it to be a really great ride and one of my most comfortable riders. It's going into Franklin Frames hopefully soon for repaint, and when I get it back I'll be putting on a later 9spd Record or Chorus group. The weight I found out didn't matter much, as it's the quality of the ride. It will most likely be one of my two daily riders.
Regards, Peter
P.S. to Dale for bringing up the non KOF bike but it helps bring out the point I'm trying to make. I'll behave myself now !!
Peter W. Naiman Owner: Cream City Online. Registered Ebay Sales Broker/ Trading Assistant Glendale, WI USA 53217-5034 Phone: 414-429-4362
From: Jeffery Pyzyk <jpyzyk@sbcglobal.net> Subject: [CR] Very light-weight Basso frame, confessions of a vintage weight weenie To: classicrendezvous@bikelist.org Date: Tuesday, June 29, 2010, 11:03 PM
I recently picked up an early '80's, or possibly late '70's Basso Gap frameset. At 55cm, I was surprised to find it weighs a paltry 1755 grams, excluding the fork, and 2390 grams with the fork. I have two other similar, but slightly later Bassos and actually found the framesets to be somewhat heavy, like 2100 grams sans forks, compared to several period Colnago Supers I haved put on the balance, which typically weigh say, 1950 grams. I know, I know, a weird obsession - weighing vintage framesets. But it's kind of interesting - I have a digital scale built in to my bike stand.
The only other vintage frames I own that are of a similar light weight to this Basso are a Raleigh Team Pro built with Reynolds 753, and an Austro Daimler Ultima SL, built with 531 SL, both weighing in the 1700's without forks. I have an early Colnago Mexico (possibly KL) that is slightly heavier, in the neighborhood of something over 1800 grams. My Columbus SL Grandis frame was pretty light when stripped, also in the 1800's. An early '80's crimped tubing Colnago Mexico weighed in the mid 1800's.
The Basso frame is presumably built with Columbus SL tubing, but I can't say for certain. I have no idea why it weighs so much less than my other, circa 1984 Basso Gap framesets, and other Columbus SL frames by other makers. All of the above referenced frames are in the range of 54cm to 56cm. Anyone have any thoughts?
Jeff Pyzyk
Milwaukee, WI