Everyone wants the newest, lightest bike. But when you are just getting into cycling, body mass matters more (as long as your bike fits). When I first got into road biking I lost 35lbs in the first season. By the time spring of the second season came, I couldn't believe how much better I climbed and faster I rode. After that season I shed more weight and gained more speed. I went from hanging onto the back of the B-group, to leading the A-group hammerfests in a few seasons. Pretty sure if I bought a uber-light bike and kept the pounds on I'd still be hanging off the back of the B-group.

Nowadays, the Wife is starting to tell me to stop losing weight. Sounds like a good way to convince her to let me buy that carbon wheel-set I have been lusting for.

The ones who need the lightest bikes are the conditioned riders with no body weight to shed. That and the ones with ample disposable income.