So my Dawes Lightening DLX which I gifted (http://www.bikeforums.net/bicycle-me...gift-bike.html) has been returned to me in excellent condition. The kid couldn't stand people asking him what a Dawes was :-)

I road the Dawes for the heck of it and it was smooth and solid. I did a few comparative runs which I always do on my Breezer and was astounded that despite feeling just as fast on the Breezer I was intact 2.5+ mph slower over several 25+ mile routes on similar conditions on the Dawes. Note the speed difference is not due to lights (the rides are on a MUP), wind (there was none) or time (the rides were a few days apart).

So I'm curious why the speed difference?

The differences b/w the bikes are below. Which is likely to cause the speed difference?

a) Weight the Dawes is just over 21 pound the Breezer just under 19 pounds. 3/4 pound comes from the wheelset and the remainder comes mostly from the groupset differences.

b) Endurance (Dawes) vs Racing (Breezer) geometry

c) Stiffness? The Breezer and its Campy wheels are claimed to be stiffer.

d) Lighter and better wheelset. The Breezer wheelset is 1750 grams with sealed bearings and the Dawes is 2100 grams with the regular ball and cones.

e) Groupset: Claris (Dawes) vs 5800 (Breezer)