fender1

Bike weight and the myth of 'fast' bikes - VeloNews.com

Pogliaghi

I have one bike that comes in well under 20 Lbs, it is a Freschi Super Cromo with a lot of period trick titanium bits such as the chain which is a Regina Titano. I really need to get this bike out for a ride!

tmh657

Not really old enough to count I don't think. '96 Bianchi EL-OS with carbon fork, tapered tubes at BB. Dura Ace and 600. I would have kept it if it was a leeeetle bigger, hence the 8 miles of seat post. 19.7 pounds. It rode like a rocket ship.

inkandsilver

This is a really interesting way of thinking about this. Thanks for a thought-provoking post in a generally tired debate.

himespau 

Can you ride that without the rear wheel rubbing the seat tube?

Pogliaghi

Yup, the seat tube is indented.

Salubrious

Two years ago I sold my Terry O'sell to a good friend of mine. It was set up as a 2-speed using a SA kickback hub. The frame was a track frame (fillet brazed) and had no provision for a rear brake so the SA did that with a coaster brake, supplemented by a caliper on the front fork. Total weight was barely over 17 pounds. Trying to find a photo...

xuwol7

Love the coaster brake.
My ice bike is an old Peugeot mtb, and it has studded tires and a shimano coaster brake.
(way over 20 lbs with the fenders, rack and gas pipe frame, but it handles and rides incredible on the ice/snow).

I have a 27 x 1/4 aluminum wheel set with conti gator hardshell tires from harris cyclery with a shimano coaster brake.
My next project is to find a lightweight Peugeot road frame and build it up as a summer commuter.
That should easily be my 20 lb or less bike.
I would like to find a PX-10 frame for this but I am afraid if I did this to a PX-10 I would be banned for life at CV...lol

Please post some pictures Salubrious, I would love to see it.......

tommyblair22

O.P. here. Down to 20.83lbs. Switched out the skewers, saddle. Any suggestions for the last 0.83lb?

holden west

Joking and sarcasm aside, I really sympathize with OP and how frustrating that last few ounces must be. Yes, yes, I read the Velonews weight article and agree completely with it. However, this is not necessarily a rational argument, and face it, most of us here in C&V are not rational people. Hands up if you've spent Saturday night using Mother's polish on a vintage aluminum part that is probably obsolete anyway.

Now we enter the realm of the unreasonable. Would you consider replacing your pedals with expensive (and some say impractical) Aerolite pedals? That's a few ounces.

randyjawa 

I managed to get this old Windsor down to 17lb 7oz, using some clever and rarely unheard of bikelitetricks...



Both top tubes, the seat tube and down tube are filled with helium, as are the tires and and handlebar. The saddle sports alloy springs and hard to obtain lightbutted saddle cover over a rubber band mattress support.

The bottom bracket, head set, spokes, chain guard, and drive chain are all made of Dupont's Delrin plastic, replacing the heavier and more commonly used steel components, found on most 20lb+ vintage road bicycles. And yes, Delrin is the same stuff that brought fame to the Simplex transmissions of the day, one of the lightest transmissions offered at the time.

To this impressive combination of little know bikelite components chosen, add the crowning glory of lightness. That being the hot air offered by the owner, at the time these pictures were taken. That said, the pictures were taken the morning after a pretty significant Aurora borealis, which as everyone knows, offers considerable lightness to any situation it touches.

Sadly, nothing could be done, on the Windsor, to make the rear lite, light:-(

noglider 

People say light bikes don't achieve the goal, only a lean and strong rider does. But wait, what is the goal? If the goal is to have a light bike, then to achieve that, you'll need a light bike.

I like riding light bikes more than I like riding heavy bikes. I don't know why that is. I can make the claim that I like them without claiming that they make me faster.

Scooper

This is probably going to sound a little picky, but shouldn't we post the size of the frame along with the weight?

It's easier to build a steel framed bike that weighs less than 20 pounds if it's a 49cm frame instead of a 61cm frame.

This 61cm frame with a steel fork weighs 20.28 pounds as shown; it's ready to ride with pedals and one water bottle cage. The saddle is pretty heavy at 315g (0.7 lb).

David Newton

That's not fair, its a single speed, and one brake is incorporated into the rear hub.
I've never heard of the helium trick, but I suppose that can make it a LOT lighter!

shoota 

1987 Trek 560
Sram 10s, 38mm carbon wheelset
19.5 lbs

RobbieTunes

Here is a picture of my sub-20lb steel C&V bike, all 5 of them:
















(Your internet connection is just fine.)

Scooper

JohnDThompson 

Ok. Just tell people that you don't have to work as hard with a light bike.

ksryder

Sorry I don't have any tips but that is a very nice looking ride, job well done IMO.

crank_addict

Any of the above vintage steel at 20 lbs. is impressive enough. For grins on Sat. at a LBS, weighed a few bikes. Without trying or any concern for weight reduction, my '80 RRB 58cm w/ Champ. T-deuce tubed, lugged, all early 600 DT shifter group, 600 hubs, 32 hole Matrix rims, 600 pedals with steel toe clips, 600 brakes and levers with top feed cables, a leather RHM saddle (Brooks steel frame), Tufo tubular clinchers, Campy aero post, Cinelli quill stem, Cinelli bars, Stronglight crank and BB, steel fasteners, single bottle cage - came in at 22 lbs..

Now for the surprise. A brand new Felt AR5 carbon aero w/ full Shimano 105 and NO PEDALS weighed 18 lbs.
'14 Felt spec:
NO PEDALS

• Frame:Felt Aero Road UHC Performance Carbon Fiber w/BB30, carbon fiber dropouts, replaceable derailleur hanger, and internal cable routing (electronic compatible).
• Fork:Felt Aero Road UHC Performance Carbon Fiber Monocoque Construction, AeroTaper 1.125" - 1.25", and carbon fiber steerer tube w/ integrated crown race, crown, blades and dropouts
• Shifters: Shimano 105 5700 STI (10-speed)
• Front Derailleur: Shimano 105
• Rear Derailleur:Shimano 105
• Crankset:FSA Omega BB30, 50/34T
• Chain:Shimano 10-speed
• Bottom Bracket:FSA BB30
• Brakes:Shimano 105 dual pivot caliper
• Handlebar:Felt Aero Road
• Stem:Felt SuperLite
• Seatpost:Felt VariMount Aero Road flip position UHC carbon fiber, 350mm length
• Saddle:Prologo Zero T2.0
• Rims:Felt Aero R3
• Hubs:Front: Felt R2, sealed cartridge bearing, 24H, Rear: Felt R2, sealed cartridge bearing, 28H, 10-speed(11-speed compatible)
• Sizes: 48, 51, 54, 56, 58, 61cm

Salubrious

Here is the Terry O'sell track frame I mentioned, built into a 2-speed kickback embodiment with a front caliper brake. Sorry for the bad focus- its really hard to take a decent photo with an iphone in poor lighting! In the second photo you can see the nature of the quality fillet-brazing- this frame is a work of art. The bottom bracket is lugged but the rest is brazed. Total weight came in just over 17 pounds. There is no carbon anywhere on the bike. Wheels are Velocity with stainless triple-butted spokes- Campy front hub, Sturmey Archer 2-speed on the rear (w/coaster brake). Front brake is also a Campy. Brake leaver is Cane Creek. Mr. O'Sell told me that this is one of two frames of which are the lightest he has ever built.

Scooper

I believe it. What size frame was the one you weighed?

crank_addict

Stan- Either a 56 or 58. Definitely an interesting and reasonable price point bike with stealthy aero details yet appears lighter than it is. I handled the saddle just before installation and sort of felt heavier than expected. Just a guess but perhaps the rest of the weight handicap is in the 105 group.

I used to be a weight weenie back in the 1980's. Built a Colnago with a mix of components and hardware - no loyality to any brand or groupo. Come early 1991, a re-do with some trick built wheels, changed out to a Kestrel carbon fork, Sampson Stratics Ti BB, Ti hardware everywhere (including Dura-Ace ti parts), etc.. Wasn't easy but was sub- 20, maybe dangling 19. After that bike was stolen, I caved into ever doing again.

Although I appreciate it, now long out of my bike building mentality. The only thing I seek in an older race bike and to find speed is in the wheels and rubber.

crank_addict

If one wants to stay true to vintage and not into tubulars, some of these older clinchers are really lightweight. Add a 70 gm latex tube and you're in the tubular weight category. Of course not the same in ride quality but.....

jeirvine 

Downtube shifters would do it.