kyledr, Once tires, tubes, rim tape, handlebar tape, bottle cages, and pedals that 17 lb. bike is more realistically ~20 lb., perhaps more. Add another few pounds worth of seat bag with maintenance items and full water bottles...

When it comes to touring or commuting, reliability and dependability trumps weight savings. Of course nobody wants to have a heavier bicycle than needed, just heavy (duty) enough to perform the task at hand.

Brad