what does the 520 weigh?
 

???

http://worldwideshoes.org/polandtoestonia/trek520.html lists it at 25.3 lbs. I weighed mine once (before racks and fenders) with SPD pedals and a Brooks saddle at around 27 or 28 lbs. Can't remember.

huh, i wonder what the point in going for it over an lht would be then.

also, it's bizarre, but i weighed my bike at 29lbs and the 520 felt a lot lighter than that to me at the bike store. i wonder why.

Does it matter much, since you're going to pile all your camping gear on it anyway?

i was just looking for a commuter and grocery getter actually. to have a 20 lb bike that could haul things would be nice. it would have to be able to hold me (215lbs or more) and 50+ lbs of groceries.

with certain upgrades and a tubus rack mine weighs 23- 24 pounds

13 kg,
my large frame not quite stock 520 weight is 13 kg,
changes from stock model include swapping the seat for a B-17,
37 mm City Ride tires, two water bottle holders, a large rear light, computer,
shimano platform pedals. the stock triple chain ring is replaced by a double (probably
a slight loss there), however the rear cassette is an 11-34 vs stock 11-32.
ps, this was on a fancy electronic scale at LBS

Fully loaded for a weekend camp out, mine weighs about 250 lbs. including rider.

I suppose I should qualify that. My frame was from 1993 and so it is true temper AVR with lugs. The drivetrain needed to be replaced and I need something that is a little more club friendly. I am training for a century this fall. I switched out the deore crankset for a dura ace. I put a 9 speed cassette on the rear (with a new wheel- I think that is where I lost the most weight). I also replaced the downtube shifter with short reach shifters. Some other changes happened also, but they were more for fit reasons: Cinelli XA stem and salsa pocos. I am still looking for a seat post to match my silver stem.

I weighed my bike by standing on a bathroom weight scale while holding it and then I subtracted my weight. Not the best way but it gives a good range.

"I am still looking for a seat post to match my silver stem."

If your seat post is anodized black you can use easy off oven cleaner and some steel wool to take the black off. I did this to an old seatpost to match my stem.

thanks but since I was trying to get my bike closer to 20 pounds I think I am going to try out a Thomson stem. I just have to be willing to fork over the dough.

what is the cheapest way to get a touring bike to abou 20-22 lbs?

Helium in the tires, strip the racks, and take off the saddle and pedals and never ride it. ;)

Could use a modern road bike and a trailer. One of my tourers is a modern mountain bike with a rigid fork but handles front and rear panniers, about 23 lbs. Or you could cut a LHT in half and learn how to ride a unicycle :)

The cheapest way is probably to buy another bike.

If you're looking at just the frame, a heavy frame is 4-5 lbs, an ultralight one 2.5 lbs or so. If the typical touring bike is 25-26 lbs, you'd have to swap out pretty much everything to chop off 6 lbs.

More importantly, weight is almost completely irrelevant to performance. Rider position, tire width, tire pressure, tire tread, and aerodynamics (e.g. # of spokes in your wheels) will have more impact than, say, 4 pounds of frame weight.

Also, some aspects that make a touring bike feel slower than a standard road bike can't be changed -- namely the geometry and wheelbase of the bike.

And, let's face it, most 20 pound bikes just aren't made to haul groceries. They're made to get you from A to B as fast as your little legs can take you.

If I were you, I just wouldn't sweat the 5-10 lbs unless you're doing fast group rides.

wheels

My 58CM bare weighed 29lbs. Fenders,bottle holders (3), spd, Deore LX crankset, STP shifters, racks (front & rear) brought it up to 32 lbs. With all gear on board 71 lbs.;)