The day I got my frame back from the Powdercoaters I gave it a weigh:





4.460lbs

Not too heavy for a steel frame I don't think. I weighed the fork too but I didn't take a picture of it so now I'll never remember. It wasn't bad either.

531 Reynolds FTW!

Start light, use light components like Ultegra, External BB crankset, CF seatpost, Titanium rail saddle, and you still end up at 30lbs. I wonder how much it would weigh if I hadn't weight-weenied the thing the whole way?

I got curious, and used an electronic luggage scale on my current rides...

The Bianchi and Benotto both are the same at 24.3 lbs. After I built the Benotto, I thought it felt 'lighter' than the Bianchi, which is smaller. The Benotto is supposedly hi-ten too.

Red Tape-017 by WNG555, on Flickr

Passion: If you gotta ask... by WNG555, on Flickr


My recently completed project came in at 27.4 lbs Not too bad, given the steel stem.


Giant Smurf-001 by WNG555, on Flickr

I did check the Park scale against a small food scale I have and they were within one ounce of each other with a 10lb weight.

They could make a fortune selling bathroom scales with that formula!

the Pin frame is 4 Lbs 10 oz. with fixed cup attached, fork is 1 lb 10 oz.

83 Colnago Superissimo: Brooks (1lb), Silca, Cateye Wireless II, SS bottle cage, Tubulars with GL330 rims, spare Tubular under seat, <23 lbs. Got a picture somewhere. Need to load it.

My Serotta is 20.2lbs on the bathroom scale. From this thread, it looks like a sub 20 lb vintage bike is tough to do.

I also would be skeptical of recorded weights unless the scale is calibrated. I have weighed my bikes, but only as a rough reference, as I have not calibrated my fish scale.

24.34 lbs : 1974 Alex SiNGER (53.5cm) 531
23.66 lbs : 1973 Legnano (55cm) Flack tubing
23.22 lbs : 1981 Mercian KoM (54cm) 531
22.66 lbs : 1987 Masi GC (53.5) 531 + ?
28.38 lbs : 196? Dawes Galaxy (58) 531 + ?
06.15 lbs : 1985 Mercian KoM frame&fork (57.5) 531 , This was my blue Mercian that I tore down to sell the frame and fork bare. This was measured on a nice digital food scale.

It's very tough to do. I went semi-bugdet weight weenie on my 58cm Cannondale SR and with 1600g wheels and full 7700 DA I barely got into the 19 pound range.
Needless to say I was disappointed and when I found my Trek 560 it got all the DA and the Cannondale got stripped and sold.

I remember the day (early 1970's) when you were doing well to get to 21!

Actually it's not so difficult if you start with a mid level bike like Supervitus 980 framed Peugeot PSV which is genuinely a 21 pound bike in 56cm size, with it's OEM components. Just change out a few of the components with lighter replacements and a tubular wheelset, and you'll be surely in sub 20# territory.
I was able turn get mine down to 19.25 pounds with a lighter saddle, a Mavic 801 drivertrain, Stronglight 106 crankset, Spidel LS brakeset, modern Look Keo Classic pedals and a Mavic 330GL rimmed wheelset.

My 1984 Peugeot PSV as described, but wearing period correct PP76 Look pedals in this pic.

1972 Bottecchia Pro, 55cm, Columbus SL, Campy Nuovo Record, on Mavic GP-4 tubulars, Look pedals: 21 lb 9 oz.

1983 Colnago Super, 55cm, Columbus SL, Campy Super/Nuovo Record mixed, Mavic GP-4 tubulars, Look pedals: 21 lb 0 oz.

1987 Bottecchia Team, 55cm, Columbus SLX, Campy C-Record, Ambrosio clincher rims, Conti GP4000 clinchers, C-Record toeclip pedals: 20 lb 15 oz.

1995 Bianchi Campione d'Italia, 54cm, Dedacciai Dbl Butted CroMo, Campy Mirage, Campy clincher rims, Look pedals: 22 lb 13 oz.

There's a lot of weight in some saddles, pedals, and freewheels. The pedals on my bikes weigh 14+ oz per pair. My saddles are 135 - 200 gms.

Most manufacturers' brochure weights are without pedals, and with a minimalist saddle.

https://www.rusticworkbench.com/prod/ruler.htm

That wouldn't just come in handy for fishermen!

Brings a whole new dimension to online dating, anyway.

Yes, that was true in my experience too.

When the Teledyne Titans arrived, the scale got redistributed.

It was pretty easy to get a Titan to 18 lbs.

One client got under 14. It took quite a bit to get to there, Art Stump milling, ti chain, Aluminum freewheel, Cool Gear plain plastic saddle, 28 hole wheels w/ ti spokes, 195 gram Clement tires, Weyless parts... about the only place where he did not go absolute lightest was no Huret Jubilee drivetrain. He stayed Campagnolo.

1989 56cm Schwinn Prologue (Tange Prestige) weighing in at 21.9lbs as pictured with pedals and cages. I'll probably change out the cassette and wheels to bring it near 20lbs.

Currently has a MTB 7 speed cassette and pedals that weighs like a brick.

6600 Ultegra crankset
6600 Ultegra Calipers
Tektro levers
Shimano RS30 Wheelset
5700 105 Rear Derailleur
Shimano 600 Front Derailleur

Yes, saddles, freewheels and pedals are the big variables. Assuming 400 gram rims, and 350 gram tires, (tubulars).
There is some component of frame variability for a typical steel bike. Between SL and SP, you can vary 150-200 grams. If you have heavy lugs, BB shell and crown that also adds mass.

I have brooks pro saddles that vary quite a bit between them, and those have steel undercarriages.

The one advantage the old bikes have over most modern bikes though is wheels. A 32 hole 300 gram rim, 300 gram tires is hard to beat with the modern stuff unless you spend big dollars.

Keep in mind these are either 62 or 63cm frames

'84 Bianchi 26.8lbs


'83 Trek 28lbs


'01 Cinelli 21lbs (not really vintage but the bars, stem, saddle, and brakes are!)


'86 3Rensho 18lbs

I think some of us have different size pounds. Mine must be small so I need more of them.

So did your teeth.

Speedwell Ti Frame: 1.30kg (2.87 lbs.)
Speedwell Ti fork (with Zeus race): .52 kg (1.15 lbs.)
Total: 1.82 kg (4.01 lbs)

Lightest vintage bike in the garage , 1988 Peugeot Chorus , full Reynolds 753. Weighs in at 21.6 lbs. with non original gear (Trek 460) .

I started measuring mine again using the bathroom scale method, but I'm noticing they've all gained a lot of weight since the last time I weighed them.

Going from memory, my 60cm '87 Centurion Ironman Expert weighs ~23 lbs. That includes the nine speed Tiagra drivetrain, San Marco Regal saddle, two King stainless bottle cages, stem adapter/stem/handlebars replacing the originals, original Wolber Super Champion wheelset with the rear rebuilt with an Ultegra 600 hub, and Michelin Krylion 700x25 tires. I could probably get it down to 22 pretty easily, but why? I've got lighter aluminum and carbon bikes if I need them.

In the early 80's, I worked at a company that was vertically organized (they made their own stuff). One of the mechanical engineers bought some TI and was making parts for his bike in the model shop to get his bikes weight down.

Listed at 26 pounds in the Schwinn Catalog my wife`s upgraded 1980 Schwinn Voyageur 11.8 weighs in at 25.2, on my digital bathroom scale, as pictured with empty water bottle and bag.