Kommisar89

I always find it interesting how modernistas who favor compact frames like to point out how the sloping top tube makes the frame so much stiffer (even apart from large diameter aluminum or carbon fiber tubing). Apparently nobody cared about frame stiffness back in the day or they would have been building compact frames back then. Instead tubing kept getting thinner and frames kept getting flexier through the early 90's and the advent of large diameter steel and aluminum tubing. Anyway, as to the OP's question, if what I've heard is correct, a typical complete CroMo steel frame weighs about 2.5 lbs. less than a similar hi-tensile steel frame. If I had to guess I'd say a CroMo main triabgle would probably account for close to 2 of those 2 1/2 lbs. and that's the big difference. A hi-tensile steel frame will typically have a slightly harsher ride due to the thicker tubing but will flex more in the area of the seat tube where the front derailleur attaches due to a thicker, stiffer bottom bracket (or so says Jan Heine in Bicycle Quarterly). This agrees with my seat of the pants experience with CroMo and hi-tensile steel frames.