Originally Posted by
chas58
I’m not so sure I would agree that weight isn’t important (but then again I only way 165). A good Madison race is 10 miles of intervals – hard acceleration, relax, repeat. The bike has to accelerate or I will kill myself just getting up to speed (of course the handoff helps a lot too). Weight is important, but stiffness is even more important for this type of event. Flexy cranks and frame, and a heavy frame and wheels makes this type of event difficult (a missing & out is somewhat similar if less intense).
Plus you're likely to be doing more hard maneuvering in a madison than in most mass start events, and it's easier to move a lighter bike around under you. That was one of the bigger things I noticed in going from steel to aluminum.