Road Cycling - Heavy bikes

... get a bad rap. Not heavy like Wal-Mart Huffy. Heavy like maybe a 25-26 pound decent entry level steel.

A couple of weeks ago, I broke out my former primary ride, a '93-ish Bianchi Alfana, normally used primarily for riding in inclement weather, and occasionally pressed into commuter service. It was sweet! A little harder on the hills, and slower to spin up the MA-2s (each a mind boggling 40 grams heavier than my Open Pros!!;)). Once you got 'em spinning, the extra rim weight had kind of a flywheel effect. Folks, this frame is nothing to write home about, but the ride was sweet. Maybe it's partly because I rode this bike so much that I had the fit dialed, and my body just recognized it when I got on.

I guess if I have to find a point to this spiel, it's that people looking for a decent road bike and don't have the GNP of a small nation at their disposal, don't get too bent out of shape about the weight issue. There are lots of good rides to be had on any decent bike.

Sounds like you have a great bike.My rides about 25 pounds.I don't think I would gain any more speed with a bike 5 pounds lighter and my steel frame will survive (may it never happen) most crashes.I think I would be better offf losing about 5 pounds off me.My frames got lugs and a chain peg.New bike with downtube shifters.Shes a rolling piece of art.Making my own adventure...KC

http://home.atcjet.net/~whitlow/paramtsm.jpg

Need I say more? Beautiful steel lugged frame, chain peg and the whole deal. What's it weigh? Who knows! Rides like a dream, and keeps an old man like me in the saddle. And the A riders can sure go a lot faster than me, but on occasion I have surprised a few when they look in thier mirrors and see this beauty (ol' Blue, not ME!) chugging along behind them! And as hilly says, I will be better served to lose pounds rather than my magnificent Paramount!

I just love some of the old Paramounts. What year is yours and how much does it weuigh?

My Paramount is a 1989 model, so in November, she will turn 13! Not even middle aged for a good steel frame! To be perfectly honest with you, I have no idea how much this bike weighs. I am thinking it is probalby in the 25 pound range. Thanks for the inquiry, I do love that bike!

Nebil,Is that there machine of yours a double or triple chainring?:confused: Me LOVE triples.Only way I can make it over that hill:D

Nebill, you probably already know it, but your Paramount is hardly "entry level steel." The Paramounts were Schwinn's flagship for years, built (if I'm not mistaken) at what's now the Waterford bike works. You have a gem.
(Insert drooling smiley here.)

HEE HEE! Yes, roadbuzz, I know exactly what I have! The 277th Paramount built in the Waterford plant in 1989! She is really a sweet ride, too.:D That wonderful bike has helped me to do things I would have never dreamed of, and continues to surprise me the more we ride together!

I love to show it off, too, so if you want to see the big picture, you can click
here. (http://home.atcjet.net/~whitlow/paramt.jpg)

HIlly, she just has double chainrings....but my secret weapon is the 11x28 cassette! Patty, my mentor and owner of the LBS, fixed me up with that! Gives me all the speeds I need, and I can keep up a pretty good cadence on a hill and putter along at a stately 9 mph without any trouble! Sure works for me!

One day when I was feeling rather obnoxious in the Birchwood Youth Hostel in Missoula I got sick and tired of listening to these moderately obese ladies (?) arguing with one another about the merits of this or that bike. [I had crossed swords with them earlier when I DARED to do such a heinous thing as to cook pork chops in the presence of their pathetic vegetarian haughtiness.]

I asked them, why bother to worry about an extra pound here or there on your bike (or equipment) when 'it would be far more effective to take ten pounds off your fat asses?' After the laughter died down they went to the hostel manager and tried to get me tossed out for the night, but it turns out he was laughing the hardest in his office.

Take 2 pounds off the bike and you MIGHT notice. Take ten pounds off your body and you'll ride faster and live longer.

I have never had a touring bike that impressed other riders with its awesome technology. My first couple trips were with a 'Schwinn LeTour.' Then I got my Fuji-S-12-S; and for my world tour a Cannondale t-700. Now I am back to beloved Fuji.


roughstuff

How cool, Roughstuff!! I picked up an old Le Tour at a yard sale this year. As soon as I am done with the Nishiki, the Le Tour will get a good going over.

I can relate to your affection for your Fuji! I still have both of mine. (Wanna see a picture??) (http://home.atcjet.net/~whitlow/both.jpg) When I started riding ol' Blue, I could not stand to part with my trusty Roubaix, even though I had an offer equal to what I had paid for her! However, she continues to serve, mounted on my training stand for those days or evenings when I can't ride outside. About time to return the Roubaix to road configuration, so just might have to give her a spin one of these days!

Steve and Nathan completed the 4660-mile "Red aCross America" (www.redacrossamerica.org) on two old 14kg / 30 lb. Schwinns, a LeTour and a hybrid with drop bars.

I would be proud to own an old Paramount. (I have the next-best thing, a Schwinn "team red-white-and-blue" 1988 KOM-10 mountain bike, itself no lightweight at 28 lbs./ 13kg. I am riding it in the TV news frame on the redacrossamerica website.)

Roadbuzz,Ya got a picture of that Bianchi Alfana?I kind of got interested in Bianchi after seeing 'The Pirate' kick tail his one Tour of glory(Us bald dudes gotta stick together).Bianchi was in the running before I went real low budget and bought a Motobecane Mirage.What can I say,I am a humble man especially in the wallet.Cash saved went for pedals,shoes,saddle and whatnot.

Originally posted by hilly100man
Roadbuzz,Ya got a picture of that Bianchi Alfana?
Nah. One of these days I gotta break down and pop for a digital camera. All my spare money keeps going on bike junk.
The Alfana is probably 1 cut above entry level, actually. I never weighed it, but I think it's around 26 lbs., maybe more. Frame was actually built somewhere in the far east. Tubes are joined with simple lugs (but a unicrown fork. Yech.) Shimano 105 components. It's got good paint for a bike w/minimal poseur potential... kind of irridescent white, with royal blue lugs and stays.
On the whole, I like really like Bianchis. The company is basically the Italian equivalent of Trek, but they seem to use a sensible mix of components and features. I mean, they don't seem to try to make an "enthusiast" level road bike look like a race bike by adding cheesey wannabe clap trap. And they offer a full spectrum of road bikes, from a sport touring triple to fully tricked racer. Each decently designed and appointed.

Hey NeBill:

What brand stem is that on your Paramount? I like that hi-rise esp. since I ride essentially one-handed due to a motorcycle accident.

I found an old Specialized mtn bike stem that's similar and it's on my Colnago but I have more than one bike and the adjustable stems I'm using now look cheesy.

Function is all-important but if I can have function and good looks at the same time.....:)


:beer:

Nebill (and all),

Tell me about your Nishiki. I have one, a 1970, the first imported to the US. It was called American Eagle, but the US bike Mfgs made Nishiki stop calling it that. It is a very unusal bike that is very tall, yet has a very short top tube, and 165 cranks. It was bought by a friend to replace a '65 Schwin Continental that was lost to a thief when he was using it while I was overseas. Before that, I had a BSA 5 speed that someone had souped up by putting on an old 3 speed internal hub and making it a 15, with a lot of duplication.
Best diamond frame I have now is a '94 Diamondback Expert, a 25 pound, 21 speed that I have upgraded to STI shifters. Although it is heavy by today's standards, it is also a "sweet ride". Did one unsupported century on it. Now my main ride is the awesome RANS Velociety Squared, being set up for long distance touring.

Ah....Bikes!

Goatbiker

Goatbiker,I've got a 1990 something Diamondback Ambition (hybrid) that weighs in at 30 pounds,my new 25 lb roadbike seems feather light compared to it.I really don't see any difference in performance though.If some people think their 19 pounders make them fly like Lance then its a good thing for them.We want a bike to be around a long time.25 pounds is about right don't ya think.You must of got the good chromoly frame before the Expert went to a aluminum frame.Did it come with downtube shifters?...KC

Hilly100man,

Yes. It is the Candy Blue one, with downtube shifters. I added RSX STI, SPDs,a suspension seatpost, front and rear racks, a third bottle cage, and dropped the 30t ring down to 26. Very nice "poor man's" light tourer. And with the racks off , it boogies.

Tom

I am in the market for a new bike. I currently have a Fuji Roubaix - can't even remember the year. It's bright blue with a chrome-moly frame and a Kenesis fork. I just got back from a 50 mile ride on the 105 equipped leviathon.

I now know why you can't find any of these on ebay. They last forever and are bombproof. I know they are making aluminum models in the 17 pound range, but I feel great. No aches or pains. I'm sure these guys could outclimb me.

Here is the deal. I am afraid to buy a new bike, because I think I might be riding the Fuji a week later. Yes, I get the snotty looks from people with the "nice" bikes - and some of them are nice. All I know is I have not had one mechanical failure since I bought the bike. It's kind of like an old TV that wont die - like my Hitachi. The bike runs as good as it did when I bought it.

I think Fuji makes some of the best bikes out there - or they used to.

I am in the market for a new bike. I currently have a Fuji Roubaix - can't even remember the year. It's bright blue with a chrome-moly frame and a Kenesis fork. I just got back from a 50 mile ride on the 105 equipped leviathon.

I now know why you can't find any of these on ebay. They last forever and are bombproof. I know they are making aluminum models in the 17 pound range, but I feel great. No aches or pains. I'm sure these guys could outclimb me.

Here is the deal. I am afraid to buy a new bike, because I think I might be riding the Fuji a week later. Yes, I get the snotty looks from people with the "nice" bikes - and some of them are nice. All I know is I have not had one mechanical failure since I bought the bike. It's kind of like an old TV that wont die - like my Hitachi. The bike runs as good as it did when I bought it.

I think Fuji makes some of the best bikes out there - or they used to.

I'm very curious; why didn't you start a new thread? :)

I love my 1989 Paramount OS3... upgraded to Tiagra/105/RX100/Ultegra/600 STI and components, weighs about 23lbs with Eggbeaters and has the SWEETEST ride of any road bike I've owned. Lugged Tange... nice stuff. Gotta love the chain peg!

Never weighed my Atlantis (64cm steel with Brooks saddle and midline mountain bike components), but I'm sure it's at least 25 pounds. Wouldn't trade it for a 16-pound carbon Anything, though.
Weight is important when you're climbing or racing, but I think we overemphasize it in ordinary riding. My bike and I together weigh something like 240 pounds. I'm not sure I'd even notice a five-pound reduction.

Steve and Nathan completed the 4660-mile "Red aCross America" (www.redacrossamerica.org) on two old 14kg / 30 lb. Schwinns, a LeTour and a hybrid with drop bars.


My Univega hybrid weighs about 30 lbs and it feels better than my Alu Bianchi (Milano) at almost the same weight! There's something magical about a 30 lb bike and you lose alot once you get below 25 lbs. I was considering beating that Univega for a couple of years and then selling it for 10 bucks. Not anymore. I've recently put over $200.00 dollars into this bike this year and will probably do the same next year when I upgrade the wheels. I can see myself riding this bike for years. There's just something special about a low level chromoly frame.