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frame weight?

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Old 01-20-12 | 02:45 AM
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Bikes: Casati, Look, Torelli, Ridley, and a bunch of steel bikes from the 80s and the 90s..

frame weight?

I can't seem to find how much my LeMond Zurich weight (frame only). I am real curious and want to compare to my SL Casati. I know the LM is much lighter, but how much? any info on the subject? 54cm
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Old 01-20-12 | 05:57 AM
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It would only take a few hours to weigh it.
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Old 01-20-12 | 06:44 AM
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Originally Posted by look171
I can't seem to find how much my LeMond Zurich weight (frame only). I am real curious and want to compare to my SL Casati. I know the LM is much lighter, but how much? any info on the subject? 54cm
To find out exactly you'll have to gut and weigh both of your frames. You maybe able to estimate from online searches.

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Old 01-20-12 | 06:44 AM
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I stripped a bike down to bare frame once to lighten it. Then I discovered I couldn't ride it that way so I didn't bother weighing it.
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Old 01-20-12 | 07:19 AM
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Originally Posted by jimmuller
I stripped a bike down to bare frame once to lighten it. Then I discovered I couldn't ride it that way so I didn't bother weighing it.
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Old 01-20-12 | 08:26 AM
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Skip a meal or two before biking, THAT will lighten the frame...but you will run out of gas at the first hill! I'm glad I'm in flatland Florida, hills are kind on my 79 LeTour (6lb 4oz naked frame). According to Weight Weenies, a 57cm runs 1770 grams. They have a LOT of numbers over there.
https://weightweenies.starbike.com/li...ype=roadframes
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Old 01-20-12 | 08:32 AM
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I don't know what you consider a big weight difference. Last year I had two frames that I was building up. One started out as a low-mid level french frame with the company's own seamed tubing. (54cm) It weighed 30lbs before I disassembled the bike.

The other was a top of the line Reynolds 531DB. (56cm) It was the best bike you could get from that company. This mfg.'s frameset, as a complete bike weighed 22-23lbs and had a fair amount of success in professional racing.

I took both framesets to the local post office and weighed them with their respective headsets/BBs included. French frame had a stock headset and a cottered BB set. The other had Campy NR. On the initial weigh in the French frame was within 3/4lb of the other. I switched out the cottered BB for a Stronglight Competition and the Frenchy got within 1/4lb of the other.

Reassembled the French frame with a Stronglight 93 crankset and upgraded the steel rims to Super Champion Model 58s. (and left the kickstand off). The bike weighs 25lbs now with a Blackburn rear rack on it.

Clearly, the components weights are far more important than the frame.
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Old 01-20-12 | 08:59 AM
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As a follow up weight weenie story, last year during the summer I was on an eighty mile ride preparing for a century. I was riding the French bike in the previous post. With about 30 miles left I pulled into a convenience store in the middle of nowhere to use the "facilities." I bought myself a cheeseburger and quickly inhaled it. They had a 2 for 1 sale going on 64oz Gator/Powerades, so I bought 4 of them. I went out, strapped them to the rack and continued on. As I hit some hills, I noticed that I had become sluggish. I thought that the cheeseburger might have caused it. Then I realized that I had strapped 16lbs on to the back of the bike! On the hills it was very noticeable.
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Old 01-20-12 | 10:17 AM
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Originally Posted by seypat
As a follow up weight weenie story, last year during the summer I was on an eighty mile ride preparing for a century. I was riding the French bike in the previous post. With about 30 miles left I pulled into a convenience store in the middle of nowhere to use the "facilities." I bought myself a cheeseburger and quickly inhaled it. They had a 2 for 1 sale going on 64oz Gator/Powerades, so I bought 4 of them. I went out, strapped them to the rack and continued on. As I hit some hills, I noticed that I had become sluggish. I thought that the cheeseburger might have caused it. Then I realized that I had strapped 16lbs on to the back of the bike! On the hills it was very noticeable.
If that had been 8 litres of litres of wine that you were carrying and a small quiche that you had consumed, the effect wouldn't have been so pronounced - on a French bicycle.
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Old 01-20-12 | 01:53 PM
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Originally Posted by T-Mar
If that had been 8 litres of litres of wine that you were carrying and a small quiche that you had consumed, the effect wouldn't have been so pronounced - on a French bicycle.
If it had been some wine there would have been many "refreshment breaks" followed by a call to the family SAG wagon!
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Old 01-20-12 | 03:28 PM
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Originally Posted by jimmuller
I stripped a bike down to bare frame once to lighten it. Then I discovered I couldn't ride it that way so I didn't bother weighing it.
That's called learning by experience!
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Old 01-20-12 | 03:33 PM
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Originally Posted by seypat
I don't know what you consider a big weight difference. Last year I had two frames that I was building up. One started out as a low-mid level french frame with the company's own seamed tubing. (54cm) It weighed 30lbs before I disassembled the bike.

The other was a top of the line Reynolds 531DB. (56cm) It was the best bike you could get from that company. This mfg.'s frameset, as a complete bike weighed 22-23lbs and had a fair amount of success in professional racing.

I took both framesets to the local post office and weighed them with their respective headsets/BBs included. French frame had a stock headset and a cottered BB set. The other had Campy NR. On the initial weigh in the French frame was within 3/4lb of the other. I switched out the cottered BB for a Stronglight Competition and the Frenchy got within 1/4lb of the other.

Reassembled the French frame with a Stronglight 93 crankset and upgraded the steel rims to Super Champion Model 58s. (and left the kickstand off). The bike weighs 25lbs now with a Blackburn rear rack on it.

Clearly, the components weights are far more important than the frame.
Sounds like a UO-8 or similar Early Boom frame, compared to nearly any upper end Brit or Italian double-butted frame of the '60s or '70s.
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Old 01-20-12 | 03:58 PM
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Originally Posted by Road Fan
Sounds like a UO-8 or similar Early Boom frame, compared to nearly any upper end Brit or Italian double-butted frame of the '60s or '70s.
You are correct. The Frenchy is a Bike Boomer but not a Peugeot. Both frames were made in 1972. I purposely left the brands a mystery to eliminate any tubing preconceptions. The Frenchy gives a great ride just like all French low to mid level bikes do.

Last edited by seypat; 01-20-12 at 04:01 PM.
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Old 01-20-12 | 04:29 PM
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I was surprised to find that my PA10 with proprietary Peugeot tubing weighs a bit less than my PX10.
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Old 01-20-12 | 07:16 PM
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For me I was surprised when wieghed my Jeunet 620 with Hi-Ten frame is a couple of pounds lighter than the bikes I have wither nicer 531 frames.
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Old 01-21-12 | 12:43 AM
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Bikes: Casati, Look, Torelli, Ridley, and a bunch of steel bikes from the 80s and the 90s..

I know the Casati (SL) is a heavy sucker (in bike weight) compare to the 853. I was just wondering how much difference without having to strip it down just to weight it. Also, just how much difference compare to a modern 1200g carbon frame? I couldn't find much info on the net just on frame weight alone. Thanks,

Jeff
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Old 01-21-12 | 12:48 AM
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I spend some time in porta potties during the mid 80s to late 90s. Right before the race we go and try as hard as we can to take a dump and pee out whatever was left in out systems to keep ourselves lighter. You gotta eat, but you don't want to keep crap around. Thanks for the link Rubberlegs.

jeff
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