What do us old guys think of Rodriguez S3 steel frames being "well under 3 pounds"?
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What do us old guys think of Rodriguez S3 steel frames being "well under 3 pounds"?
Is it too light?
https://www.rodbikes.com/articles/steel.html
"We've built hundreds of these now, and the lightest to date was just 2.2 pounds. Most S3 frames wind up well under 3 pounds. That's guaranteed, verifiable on the digital scale. It's not the fairy-tale printed catalog weight that someone is trying to pass off as real. Here's an article I wrote to address the incredible dishonesty that is part of a lot of bicycle manufacturer's advertising."
https://www.rodbikes.com/articles/steel.html
"We've built hundreds of these now, and the lightest to date was just 2.2 pounds. Most S3 frames wind up well under 3 pounds. That's guaranteed, verifiable on the digital scale. It's not the fairy-tale printed catalog weight that someone is trying to pass off as real. Here's an article I wrote to address the incredible dishonesty that is part of a lot of bicycle manufacturer's advertising."
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Well bike manufacturers have been lying about bike weights since I started cycling back in 1971. I think if you want light go carbon, in steel, a good construction with quality tubing means it will be light enough. Kind of like Rolls Royce used to say about their engine horsepower - it is sufficient.
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No, a tig welded frame with careful selection of bits (or none perhaps no seat binder bolt fitting, you provide a collar) can get there in the smaller sizes. If you notice they in the body text of descriptions note medium sized frames are about 1/2 lb heavier, one cannot dodge the extra length of tubing.
Frames made with a sloping top tube also have shorter tube lengths and some of that weight will go to the seat post.
Remember those weights are frame only, not the fork.
Essentially, he is making the case that if it is carbon it is not necessarily super light and this is true. The super light carbon frames are not cheap, now north of 6k.
Frames made with a sloping top tube also have shorter tube lengths and some of that weight will go to the seat post.
Remember those weights are frame only, not the fork.
Essentially, he is making the case that if it is carbon it is not necessarily super light and this is true. The super light carbon frames are not cheap, now north of 6k.
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There're trade offs with everything. The pictured frame is made with oversized tubes for stiffness, its probably very thin walled for lightness and it has no lugs.
I'll take my take Ti bikes any day of the week....
I'll take my take Ti bikes any day of the week....
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If I had money.. titanium. But I don't have money so.. steel. I'm actually probably getting rid of that aluminum 50-miler bike that he referred to.
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I think several frame builders are now under 3lbs for a steel frame.
One of the magazines had several completed steel bikes in the 15-16lb range.
I imagine they're strong enough to do what they're built to do.
I think they're very cool, I know they're fairly expensive, and I'm fine with the ones I have.
That's what I'm thinking at the moment.
"old?"
One of the magazines had several completed steel bikes in the 15-16lb range.
I imagine they're strong enough to do what they're built to do.
I think they're very cool, I know they're fairly expensive, and I'm fine with the ones I have.
That's what I'm thinking at the moment.
"old?"
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