Hello framebuilders and all,

Hope this is the right forum to ask this (if not, it can be moved). I've been looking at the Jamis Coda Sport -
http://www.jamisbikes.com/usa/thebik...asport_rd.html - as a relatively affordable, steel framed road-type bike.

It's sure lighter than my current, front-suspended hardtail - the Coda Sport weighs in at 26.75 lbs.; my current bike is nearly 34 lbs. - but it's still not a "lightweight" bike.

What I'm curious about is this: Are there/can there be/what factors go into significant differences in the weight of steel frames between, say, the off-the-rack aforementioned Jamis Coda Sport and a custom made, $1500+ steel framed bike of the same style (flat handled road/fitness hybrid type)?

Somewhere I saw a post of a steel framed road bike that weighed roughly 15.5-16 lbs. While I'm sure the owner had done everything with the components he could to shave off some pounds, I had to wonder - if a bike like the Coda Sport were stripped bare of all its parts, leaving only the frame, would it weigh considerably more than a higher-end steel frame - and why?

Looking forward to your responses. Thanks!