weight?
 

i would be a first year racer. i came in second last in a few pre season heats last year and then got too busy with work. late in the summer my bike was stolen. i just put a bid on a 56cm steel GT frame on ebay, trying to scrape a bike together for the season ($ a big obstacle) somehow, despite the oversized lettering, i missed out on the fact that the seller doesn't recommend the bike for racing. the frame is 5lbs 8oz. i remain the highest bidder at $80.00 and it looks like i'm buying the frame. i have pushed the pedals lots, but am completely ignorant on a competetive level. can you tell me if i can race with confidence just with the local club? maybe consider it a trainer for next year... although the years are starting to add up now!

it weighs about 3lbs more than the frames of the guys you will be riding with. One can probably assume that some of them are probably carrying an extra 3 lbs of body weight, at least.

So to be quite honest, yes the bike will be acclerate slightly slower than a lighter bike, and in your head you will be thinking, wow, this things a tank, but once you are rolling along, weight of the frame is pretty negligible. Especially at the level you will be competing at. The Markeing Department will make you feel like you cant compete unless you have the latest carbon bits, but that thier job, to drive up the sales.

If you spec out the bike with slightly lighter than average components, You will be riding and racing with what amounts to basically a litte more than a full 30oz water bottle in weight. Big Deal. You will do better in races by adding a day of intervals to your weekly training schedule than by buying any bicycle related item. Except maybe a stem... lol If the frame fits, and you can obtain an good aero position, your going to be a lot faster than you would be on a Poorly fitting SCOTT CR-1.

The European Pro's time trial bikes of a few years ago had similar frame weights.

My advice would be to just train hard and don't think about it.

excellent advice. just what i wanted to hear. thanks i used to courier and i have always used a tough gear. i eat too many fried foods. so i am a guy who can go all day at a medium pace. i have pretty good conditioning, but i need to improve my cadence and up my aerobic training. since i lost my bike, i've started jogging, and am improving. if being bullheaded and fighting for speed is what i should be doing, then that i can do. i was just worried my efforts might be pointless.