Originally Posted by prooftheory

It was a serious question. You get people who are carrying their bikes up 4 flights of stairs and for them a 17 lb. bike is way better than a 24 lb. bike. Most of the difference you'll notice in bike weight is in rapid acceleration and not really as much in dealing with hills. Most people find that the weight in the wheels makes a bigger difference than the weight in the frame. Once you get to a chromoly frame the comparative advantage of lighter materials is less because steel can give a smoother ride. There aren't a whole lot of fixed gear weight weenies though. I'm not sure why that is.