Road Cycling - Weight – Are the manufacturers lying??!!

When buying a bike we always want a bike to be as light as possible, so we look at the company data sheets, compare and decide.

O.K. we have a brand new bike that is suppose to weigh 8.7kg, but as we come home the bike is 9.1 kg, then we put on the pedals and we are looking at 9.5 kg.

So are the manufacturers lying or not, what are your experiences on the matter??

The quoted weight usually refers to a 54 cm frame [or a 52 cm frame] without pedals. If your frame is larger, then that's where the discrepancy is. There are more important things to worry about in cycling than 400g. In fact, I can't think of a single serious cyclist [of my acquaintance] who wants a bike "as light as posible." Light, yes, but that's not their main concern.

Yes, manufacturers lie about weight all the time.

They don;t always lie, but there are too many variables to consider when weighing, they just "forget" to tell u the details.

Just seen something today that was interesting. Litespeed is selling a model called the Ghisallo. This frame 54cm weighs in at 31 oz.
And for your 3150.00 you get a Certified weight card. Hmmmmm.:confused:

Originally posted by D*Alex
Yes, manufacturers lie about weight all the time.
They're not the only ones. I know a few people who lie about their weight too.

Well, vovk25, I'm not sure if they lie, but they certainly, and sometimes grossly, understate their bikes' weights (The same occurs with components, tires, tubes, etc.). As velocipedio said, usually the weight of the smallest frame is advertised (And, based on my experience weighing things, it was probably a 41 cm bike with 650 wheels, custom built for a junior racer), so anything larger will have more frame material, longer cables/housing, longer stems, wider bars, longer fork steerer tubes, maybe longer crankarms, etc. As a result, years ago I purchased a certified hanging scale and a counter-top gram scale so that I could ascertain the actual weights of cycling stuff. But I must say that this approach can be unhealthy, if you become obsessive about it, and I'll have to admit that I'm about as obsessed as they come.

However, and contrary to velocipedio's comments, many "serious" cyclists do consider weight to be a main concern (For instance, I wouldn't want an extra 400 grams in my wheelset if I could avoid it). If it wasn't a main concern, we'd all still be riding/racing 20 to 23 pound bikes like we were doing 30 years ago (I've got a 21 pound Columbus SL/Campy Super Record Italian bike that was the light-weight, hot set-up in '81, and is certainly still a joy to ride, but it's performance pales in comparison to that of my 15.8 pound Ti/Carbon, Campy Record '10' Triple bike. Given a choice, most of the serious cyclists I ride with would, and do, choose the lightest bike they can (Which, by the way, is pretty light these days), and then strive, over time, to make it even lighter, with the goal being to make it as light as possible - if nothing else, it's easier to get on and off the roof rack!?

So I agree with you about wanting your bike to be as light as possible* and sympathize with your concern about false advertising. I recommend you get a scale & fight back!

*In an attempt to minimize retro-grouch (And I'm called one a bunch) feedback, let's define "as light as possible" as a bike that safely and efficiently acccommodates your riding style & experience, fitness level, and pocket book (Though this last one seems to hardly matter most of the time, at least, unfortunately, for me). For instance I'm currently lusting after Campy carbon cranks and 350 gram clincher wheels. Do I need this stuff? No, but wouldn't it be neat to have a 15.5 pound bike...

Gruppo. While weight is important, I don't know of a singe serious cyclist -- group ride, crit racer, whatever -- who cares about 400-500g either way in the total weight of a bike. Sure, no one wants to pull a 24 lb behemoth up a hill, but their primary concern in selecting a new bike just isn't whether it's 18 or 18.5 lbs. All sorts of things like geometry, component spec, rigidity, etc. are much hifgher on the list. In other words, while everyone wants a light bike, given a certain weight range, I don't know of many riders who are that focused on weight.

Rotating wheel weight is another thing, and I would agree that I would be pretty anal-retentive about 400 extra grams on the outside of my wheels. However, I'd say that's another issue entirely. Again, most of the serious cyclists I know will buy the bike that meets their various specs [geometry, spec, etc.] and then worry about reducing weight on the wheels when they buy their race wheels.

Vovk25, let me put it this way, unless you're racing crits or climbing hard, you simply will not notice the diference between 400g overall weight. If it is an issue, then you should first lose the weight off of your biological frame. It's easier anc cheaper.

Side note: In the good/bad old days, bicycles with tubulars were officially weighed with pedals, but sans tyres.

As a serious, but nonracing, recreational and transportation hill-climbin' fool, I do want light weight, but I am not willing to sacrifice durability, safety, or a princely sum of cash to obtain it. I have no near-term plans to replace either my 10kg, 20-year-old Bianchi or my 11kg, 43-year-old Capo, even though the latter weighs as much as some of today's high-end mountain bikes.

Do internet daters/flirts tell the truth about their looks and sexual prowess?


Answer: NO!

Well, velocipedio & JohnE, you've confirmed my worst fears, but, at the same time brought a smile to my face, so thanks! Velocipedia, I know all that "racer chaser" stuff; and JohnE, I, too, have old racers that I love & still ride and intend to will to someone. However, that's not the point (Note my simple definition of "as light as possible" bike and other "tongue in cheek" comments), but I'm going for a ride instead of trying to explain it and risk, well you know.

Hmmm, should I take my old heavy racer or my newer lightweight rocket or my fixed gear bike or my 'cross bike or my hardtail mountainbike or my cruiser with the wicker basket or my single speed or...? What I know is that regardless of which bike I ride, I will have a great time (Hey maybe that's the point).

nah