Folding Bikes - Is the Xootr swift really 22 lbs?

I know that's what the website says, but mine feels much heavier. I have a lighter saddle on there and reasonably light pedals (Forte Campus SPD/platform combo). I am thinking it's more like 25 lbs. Has anyone weighed one? Mine is a medium.

Yeah, more like 24 lbs or so. Doesn't really matter though, 2-3 lbs is essentially a negligible difference.

I know that's what the website says, but mine feels much heavier. I have a lighter saddle on there and reasonably light pedals (Forte Campus SPD/platform combo). I am thinking it's more like 25 lbs. Has anyone weighed one? Mine is a medium.

Yeah...there seems to be some different standards for weighing bikes. "Real bikes" for enthusiasts get weighed without seat and pedals while practical bikes for normal people get weighed in total. The Xootr is marketed as a "real bike" (http://www.xootr.com/xootr/swift/swiftforme.shtml) so the quoted weight is probably sans pedals, etc.

Also, they could be weighing the "small" size, with the short stem and seatpost.

The truth is, it's heavy because it's totally bulletproof. You could probably get it well below "normal bike" weight, especially since 20" wheels are stronger than larger wheels at any given spoke count. 28-spoke wheels with lightweight rims would make a huge difference, and still be pretty far on the sturdy side.

My self-built-up one is sub-19lbs. (Once I take all the gadgets off, that is. :P )

I weighed mine. I bought it second hand with some modification. Fenders, carrire rack etc.
After I removed the unnecessary stuff and restored it to "factory" status, it weighted 24 pounds.
I was surprised.

Since then, I replaced the tires with thin high pressure tires (Schwalbe Stelvios) and the saddle with a lighter racing saddle. I added some weight by putting on a longer stem. It now weighs 23.5 pounds.

Jur,
How did you get it down to 19 pounds? Where was the extra weight?

I weighed mine. I bought it second hand with some modification. Fenders, carrire rack etc.
After I removed the unnecessary stuff and restored it to "factory" status, it weighted 24 pounds.
I was surprised.

Since then, I replaced the tires with thin high pressure tires (Schwalbe Stelvios) and the saddle with a lighter racing saddle. I added some weight by putting on a longer stem. It now weighs 23.5 pounds.

Jur,
How did you get it down to 19 pounds? Where was the extra weight?

Thin tires don't save as much weight on small wheels because even the fat ones are pretty light. For example, switching from marathon racers to stelvios on a 700c bike saves a pound while on a 20" bike it only saves 2/3 of a pound.

You'd probably get the most bang for your buck buying an ultralight seatpost. Ditching some spokes is also probably a good idea because smaller wheels don't need as many. After that I think jur just threw money at the rest of the components.

Jur,
How did you get it down to 19 pounds? Where was the extra weight?

There is a whole thread on it in the archives. Search for posts started by Jur with some obvious key words.

I know that's what the website says, but mine feels much heavier. I have a lighter saddle on there and reasonably light pedals (Forte Campus SPD/platform combo). I am thinking it's more like 25 lbs. Has anyone weighed one? Mine is a medium.

Wasn't there a redesign due to some frame failures that resulted in an extra pound or so?

Wasn't there a redesign due to some frame failures that resulted in an extra pound or so? They made some parts thicker tubing. I wrote them and asked about that, but the sales drone droned that it is 22lbs.

You'd probably get the most bang for your buck buying an ultralight seatpost.

I don't own a swift, but I think the seatpost is part of the structure - it holds the two pieces of the frame together. Switching to an ultralight seatpost might be a dangerous move, unless I am missing something here.

I don't own a swift, but I think the seatpost is part of the structure - it holds the two pieces of the frame together. Switching to an ultralight seatpost might be a dangerous move, unless I am missing something here.You're right, advice which I am ignoring. But I trust that post I have, it is thicker and appears stiffer than the original. Plus I am monitoring the situation very closely. I have actually stuffed a light seatpost on the Swift before, but caught it before anything bad happened. It had started making squeaking noise as I rode.

I don't own a swift, but I think the seatpost is part of the structure - it holds the two pieces of the frame together. Switching to an ultralight seatpost might be a dangerous move, unless I am missing something here.

I don't have a swift either, but lighter isn't always weaker. Sometimes it's just more expensive.

And so what if it's part of the frame? Since when is there something wrong with swapping to a lighter frame? It just so happens that on folders a large piece of the frame is called "seatpost" and can be swapped relatively cheaply and easily.

Thanks for the hint. I found the thread. It makes for very interesting reading.
http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=286609&highlight=swift


There is a whole thread on it in the archives. Search for posts started by Jur with some obvious key words.

I don't own a swift, but I think the seatpost is part of the structure - it holds the two pieces of the frame together. Switching to an ultralight seatpost might be a dangerous move, unless I am missing something here.

Aside from its strength, for anyone considering making the Xootr Swift lighter by using another seatpost, the critical dimensions of any replacement seatpost for the Swift are its diameter and length. The two sections of the seat tube must remain on the same axis; there should be no wiggle or play that could translate too much stress to the seat stay, especially where it is welded to the seat-tube.

In a later production run of the Xootr Swift (not sure which year) the gauge of the rear triangle tubing was increased, as others have mentioned. The gauge increase would beef up the rear generally and make it more resistant to play-induced stresses; it would also offset the welding-induced reduction in strength of the 6061-T6 alloy in the weld's heat-affected zone.

I weigh almost 200 pounds and the Xootr Swift has so far proved a very sturdy lightweight ride. Mine has a short-travel CaneCreek Thudbuster with 33.9mm Ø extra-extra-long (507mm) post.

Regards
T