Go Back  Bike Forums > Bike Forums > Touring
Reload this Page >

is my touring bike obese?

Search
Notices
Touring Have a dream to ride a bike across your state, across the country, or around the world? Self-contained or fully supported? Trade ideas, adventures, and more in our bicycle touring forum.

is my touring bike obese?

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old 08-03-07, 10:13 AM
  #1  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
is my touring bike obese?

just wondering what your naked touring bikes weight...i just stripped the xtracycle off my trek and though it seems lighter, it still feels a bit portly... here are the specs

2006 Trek 520
Front Wheel - Shimano Dynohub laced to Deep V
Rear Wheel - XT hub laced to Deep V
Jannd Extreme front and rear rack
B17 Saddle
XTR crankset
Nitto Rando bars corked and shellaced, bar end shifters

and the thing weighs about 40lbs sans panniers...is that heavy? average?
xcapekey is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 10:25 AM
  #2  
Senior Member
 
late's Avatar
 
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Southern Maine
Posts: 8,946
Liked 1,508 Times in 1,117 Posts
Touring bikes are tanks. You can cut the number down with more lightweight parts; but it can get silly quickly.

One option, and an expensive one... is to switch to lite touring and
get a sport bike. My bike loaded for a week long trip with a couple water bottles is about 50 pounds.

Another option is a custom Ti touring frame, XTR everywhere you can put it, and a Tubus rack. Sanity is not my strong suit

One thought... You are using Deep V rims. How big are the tires? For me, the whole point of a large tire is to lower the pressure and get that sweet ride.
With such a narrow rim you will have to keep the pressure up there.
late is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 10:38 AM
  #3  
Senior Member
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Aug 2005
Posts: 357
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I'm running 32s on the deep Vs....Continental Contact with a light tread and reflective sidewalls...max PSI is 90, so it's not super high pressure....

I was in a bit of a jam recently...when I removed the xtracycle I noticed that the rear rim was cracked in several places....i tried to get a hold of a dyad, but no one had it in store so i bought a Deep V, which was recommended by some tourers and built the wheel yesterday out of an XT hub I removed from a mtb wheel....
xcapekey is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 06:17 PM
  #4  
Just Ride!
 
Pigtire's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: No Longer In Venice
Posts: 182

Bikes: Diamondback Overdrive, Karate Monkey, Kona Cinder Cone, Beaten up Beach Cruiser, Surly Long Haul Trucker, Surly Pugsley

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My LHT with an Axiom rack and a Light & Motion Commuter light and battery attached weighed in at 29 lbs. Here are my specs:

LHT Frame and Fork(uncut)
On one Midge drop bars
Shimano Aero levers
Mavic MA3s front(105 hub) and rear( Deore Disc hub) 32 holes.
Continental Twister Pros 38c F & R
Shimano LX Touring(triple) Cranks
Titec MTB Seatpost (cut down)
Bontrager FS MTB saddle
Nashbar Canti Deluxe brakes
XT front and rear derailleur
Ritchey MTB pedals
Generic stem


I'm sure I can drop the weight to around 25-26 lbs by removing the lights, racks and replace the cranks with a double Ultegra and bottom bracket. I weigh 210 lbs so I pick my parts wisely to make sure it won't break down on me mid commute and light enough so it won't be a tank. I'd say your bike is heavy at 40 lbs. Heck my Pugsley weighs less than your bike and I consider that a tank.
Attached Images
File Type: jpg
pugs 2.JPG (42.8 KB, 135 views)
Pigtire is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 07:14 PM
  #5  
Leather and Canvas Fetish
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: SoCal
Posts: 263
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
I like the Jandd Expedition racks, but they are HEAVY! I bet a set of those almost weigh as much as your frame.
ronzorini is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 07:40 PM
  #6  
In Real Life
 
Machka's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Down under down under
Posts: 52,151

Bikes: Lots

Liked 600 Times in 332 Posts
Machak weighs 27 lbs without panniers or any bags.
Machka is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 07:57 PM
  #7  
Dropped
 
JunkYardBike's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Northwestern NJ
Posts: 6,080
Liked 21 Times in 18 Posts
Originally Posted by xcapekey
and the thing weighs about 40lbs sans panniers...is that heavy? average?
Are you sure? That sounds awfully heavy. What method did you use to weigh it?

For an accurate measurement you need something like THIS.

Last edited by JunkYardBike; 08-03-07 at 08:06 PM.
JunkYardBike is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 08:02 PM
  #8  
www.Click-Stand.com
 
tomn's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: Aberdeen, WA
Posts: 374

Bikes: Owner built touring & tandem

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks xcapekey,

My bike weighs 31# with racks, but no panniers. It is talk like this that makes me feel OK. Everytime I find some way to "fix-up" my bike it adds another pound !!!!!!! I am still trying to do the add a pound to the bike loose a pound myself thing, but I am falling behind (no pun intended).

Tom
tomn is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 08:07 PM
  #9  
cycling n00b
 
Black Shuck's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: West Coast of Finland
Posts: 582

Bikes: EAI Brassknuckle fixed Sannino fixed, Thorn Club Tour, Soma Smoothie

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My bike is around 29lbs with the rear rack on. Lighter than I thought, but no featherweight.
Black Shuck is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 10:32 PM
  #10  
Mad bike riding scientist
 
cyccommute's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: Denver, CO
Posts: 27,635

Bikes: Some silver ones, a red one, a black and orange one, and a few titanium ones

Liked 4,450 Times in 2,486 Posts
Originally Posted by xcapekey
just wondering what your naked touring bikes weight...i just stripped the xtracycle off my trek and though it seems lighter, it still feels a bit portly... here are the specs

2006 Trek 520
Front Wheel - Shimano Dynohub laced to Deep V
Rear Wheel - XT hub laced to Deep V
Jannd Extreme front and rear rack
B17 Saddle
XTR crankset
Nitto Rando bars corked and shellaced, bar end shifters

and the thing weighs about 40lbs sans panniers...is that heavy? average?
My T800 weighs in at a svelte 27 lbs with

Headset: Red Chris King
Front Derailer: Tiagra triple
Rear Derailer: XT
Front wheel: Phil Wood/Mavic
Rear wheel: Phil Wood/Mavic
Tires: Cont. Top Touring 37mm
Handle bar: Salsa Bell lap
Seatpost: Race Face Evolve
Saddle: Brooks B17N
Crank: Race Face Turbine
Bottom Bracket: Race Face
Pedals: Shimano 520
Cassette: Sram
Brakes: IRC canti
Stem: Race Face
Levers/shifter: Shimano 105
Rack, rear: Tubus Cargo
Rack, front: Tubus Tara
Pump: Topeak Road Morph

Everything on it was chosen with an eye to durability not light weight.
__________________
Stuart Black
Plan Epsilon Around Lake Michigan in the era of Covid
Old School…When It Wasn’t Ancient bikepacking
Gold Fever Three days of dirt in Colorado
Pokin' around the Poconos A cold ride around Lake Erie
Dinosaurs in Colorado A mountain bike guide to the Purgatory Canyon dinosaur trackway
Solo Without Pie. The search for pie in the Midwest.
Picking the Scablands. Washington and Oregon, 2005. Pie and spiders on the Columbia River!



cyccommute is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 10:41 PM
  #11  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 8,546
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
My 17" 520 weighs about 33, tubus cargo/tara, fenders, 3 bottle cages, handlebar bag bracket. why is it sooo heavy????

mooo. yeah, your bike is fat.
valygrl is offline  
Old 08-03-07, 10:47 PM
  #12  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Boulder, CO
Posts: 8,546
Likes: 0
Liked 5 Times in 5 Posts
+1
valygrl is offline  
Old 08-04-07, 09:01 AM
  #13  
Senior Member
 
halfspeed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: SE Minnesota
Posts: 12,275

Bikes: are better than yours.

Likes: 0
Liked 4 Times in 4 Posts
My 61cm '85 620 weighs 32 lbs with racks, fenders and no bags.
halfspeed is offline  
Old 08-04-07, 03:34 PM
  #14  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 684
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Originally Posted by xcapekey
Front Wheel - Shimano Dynohub laced to Deep V
I have one of those Shimano dynamo hubs - they're heavy mother truckers...
whatsmyname is offline  
Old 08-04-07, 07:20 PM
  #15  
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: south jersey
Posts: 1,207
Likes: 0
Liked 1 Time in 1 Post
my bike with racks and fenders weighs about 30lb.
add about 40 to 50 lb gear = 70 to 80 pounds + 185-200 pounds tourer (me) equals 255 to 280 lbs moving in a forward direction!

my bike (chro-moly db) weighs about 30 lb!
tomg is offline  
Old 08-04-07, 11:49 PM
  #16  
Year-round cyclist
 
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Montréal (Québec)
Posts: 3,023
Likes: 0
Liked 2 Times in 2 Posts
My 520 weighs a bit less than 40 lb when I ride it. But it has:

– 25" frame
– Full lighting setup (SON dynohub and two wired headlights, plus 4 battery taillights)
– Front Bruce Gordon rack and rear Burley Moose Rack (the one that came with the Piccolo)
– A 2-legged kickstand (500 g or 1 kg, heavy, but worthed)
– One pannier with rain gear, lunch, and basic repair tools
– U-lock + cable
– Anywhere between 1 to 4 bottles, depending on weather.
Michel Gagnon is offline  
Old 08-05-07, 07:10 AM
  #17  
GATC
 
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: south Puget Sound
Posts: 8,737
Liked 52 Times in 30 Posts
LHT ~35# according to bathroom scale (rack, fenders, bottle cages, pump, 36 spoke wheels, 26x2" tires, kickstand, brooks). Empty panniers are 5# together, tared them out at farmer's market yesterday. Now *that* seems heavy. Not as heavy as w/30# of apples in them though.
HardyWeinberg is offline  
Old 08-05-07, 09:49 AM
  #18  
Senior Member
 
lighthorse's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 498

Bikes: LeMond Buenos Aires, Trek 7500, Scattante CFR, Burley Hudson

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My Burley with a rear rack, aero bars, Brooks Pro saddle and 700X28 tires is just under 30#.
lighthorse is offline  
Old 08-05-07, 11:32 AM
  #19  
Senior Member
 
tpelle's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2007
Location: Kentucky
Posts: 1,068
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My LHT weighs just about 25#, which includes two bottle cages and bottles, a CatEye Astrale 8 cyclocomputer, a seat bag with two spare tubes, a patch kit, tire tools, combo tool, and a cheap Nashbar frame pump. I run 700c x 28 tires on a 60cm frame. So far no racks, panniers, fenders, or lights.
tpelle is offline  
Old 08-05-07, 05:29 PM
  #20  
Out fishing with Annie on his lap, a cigar in one hand and a ginger ale in the other, watching the sunset.
 
Tom Stormcrowe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: South Florida
Posts: 16,056

Bikes: Techna Wheelchair and a Sun EZ 3 Recumbent Trike

Likes: 0
Liked 22 Times in 17 Posts
26 pounds stripped down to the bike and racks, 1986 Schwinn Passage.
__________________
. “He who fights with monsters might take care lest he thereby become a monster. And if you gaze for long into an abyss, the abyss gazes also into you.”- Fredrick Nietzsche

"We can judge the heart of a man by his treatment of animals." - Immanuel Kant
Tom Stormcrowe is offline  
Old 08-05-07, 08:43 PM
  #21  
slk
Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 45
Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My 62cm Surly LHT with racks and fenders, but no bags, bottles, lights, etc. weighs around 33-34 pounds (via the 'bathroom scale delta' method)

Configuration:
Surly LHT complete build, 62cm
Brooks B-17 saddle (champion special)
Schwalbe Marathon 700x40c tires
JandD Extreme rear rack
Old Man Mountain AC front rack
SKS P50 fenders
3 cheapo bottle cages (hey, they weigh something)

Real errand/commuting weight with 3 water bottles (16-17mi one-way and it's HOT), lights, 1-2 panniers, lock, toolbag, pump, etc is closer to 45 pounds.

With lighter tires and no racks or fenders, it'd only be about a 28 pound bike, but it wouldn't be nearly as useful.

Right now, my cheapest/easiest way to reduce weight is to concentrate on the rider (who is 25lb lighter than when he started cycling, but could still stand to drop another 25-35lb) before worrying about the bike.
slk is offline  
Old 08-06-07, 01:13 AM
  #22  
Full Member
 
jurjan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2006
Location: The Netherlands
Posts: 236

Bikes: Idworx Easy Rohler (2012) / Velotraum Speedster Single Speed (2019) / Batavus Stabilo (1995, now decommisioned)

Liked 3 Times in 2 Posts
mmmhhh, my bike weighs 18 kilo's (I think that would be about 40 pounds).
that would be the complete bike,dynamo, lights, lock, bottles, fenders, pump etc., but without any panniers.
I wonder why all (most of them anyway) your bikes are so mucht lighter.
btw: here's a picture of my bike .
jurjan is offline  
Old 08-06-07, 05:19 PM
  #23  
My tank takes chocolate.
 
FlowerBlossom's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2005
Location: Olympia, WA
Posts: 6,344

Bikes: Trek 600 series touring bike, Trek 800 hybrid, Bianchi

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
My 1985 Trek 620 weighs 27 lbs w/o panniers (this is the 21-inch frame).
__________________
Feminism is the profound notion that women are human beings.
FlowerBlossom is offline  
Old 08-29-07, 11:59 PM
  #24  
Wildman in the Sky
 
voileauciel's Avatar
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: New Brunswick, NJ
Posts: 219

Bikes: Bianchi Bergamo

Likes: 0
Liked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Woof, I think my Volpe may need to go on a diet...36lbs with mostly stock components, Origin stem, B17, Continental Contacts, TopPeak rack, TransIT panniers and lights all around.

Bloody ell, though I can still keep up on the group rides at 18+mph with all my work stuff packed into the bags...always a good way to work up an appetite for dinner, eh?
voileauciel is offline  
Old 08-30-07, 03:43 AM
  #25  
Membership Not Required
 
wahoonc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: On the road-USA
Posts: 16,855

Bikes: Giant Excursion, Raleigh Sports, Raleigh R.S.W. Compact, Motobecane? and about 20 more! OMG

Likes: 0
Liked 16 Times in 15 Posts
All of my tour bikes have been in the 30#+ range with none topping 40#. I ride tall (65cm range) frames and choose components for durability over all else. I haven't weighed the current two that I have but I know the Giant Excursion is at least 35# fully dressed, but no bags. I vaguely recall an article from Bicycling years ago where they took at "gaspipe" Huffy and stripped it down, the frame was only a few ounces more than that of the current average race bike of the era. The biggest difference was in the various components.


Aaron
__________________
Webshots is bailing out, if you find any of my posts with corrupt picture files and want to see them corrected please let me know. :(

ISO: A late 1980's Giant Iguana MTB frameset (or complete bike) 23" Red with yellow graphics.

"Cycling should be a way of life, not a hobby.
RIDE, YOU FOOL, RIDE!"
_Nicodemus

"Steel: nearly a thousand years of metallurgical development
Aluminum: barely a hundred
Which one would you rather have under your butt at 30mph?"
_krazygluon
wahoonc is offline  

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off



Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Your Privacy Choices -

Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Use of this site indicates your consent to the Terms of Use.