djb

lee, what I am curious about is related to how I notice quite markedly if I am climbing steep stuff on my cross bike with just "essentials" ie pump, spare tube, fixit tool, and a water bottle--vs the same bike with a pannier with maybe 5 or 10lbs more of stuff. There is a real diff and I can be in higher gears with less weight for the same hill, so it makes sense to me that if a bike weighs 10 lbs or 15lbs lighter than what I am used to, that there would be even more of a diff feel.

bradtx

djb, Road bike with bottles and repair stuff is ~24 lbs., touring bike with the same is ~31 lbs. I can tell the difference between the two when climbing an overpass near my home. It isn't so great as one may think, but if I keep the T bike to the same gear inches the climb is a little harder at the same speed.

Same overpass with ~ 15 lbs. additional on the T bike and it's a drop a couple of gears time. Not so much because of the weight, but I like to stand uphill and usually rock the bike and the rate at which I can rock it is less with weight in the panniers, so now I'm climbing with more weight and out of my preferred rhythm, if that makes any sense.

Brad

rodar y rodar

I know what you mean. A few years ago, I was in the LBS for parts, and ended up taking a light weight road bike out for a test spin (Jamis Eclipse- "miracle steel" frame, Ultegra 2 x 10, price tag slightly north of 3K IIRC, and must have been a bit under 20#). I guess that falls under "mid-high level, fairly light" in the context of modern road bikes? Aside from the price, it wasn`t really "my thing", but it was fun for a few minutes, and it satisfied that curiosity. Definitely made me feel fast. I`m somewhat envious of the light weights too, but even if I ignored the money factor, I don`t like the compromises. All my favorite components and styling preferences seem to be intrinsically heavy. As you mentioned later, I know that even my own bike used to feel relatively speedy when I`d strip the touring stuff from it, but now that I use it as a daily commuter, it never goes into svelte mode any more.

FunkyStickman

My 54cm 26" LHT with Axiom racks and fenders, dynohub and lights, weighs in at just over 35 pounds. I could probably get it below 30 if I used actual light parts... LOL. With 1 set of panniers and my commuting load, it was around 50 pounds. Haven't done a fully loaded tour with it yet.

djb

I have never even done that, test rides I mean.

If my cross bike is at min weight, so a good 29 lbs at least (with fenders, rack, a B17, pump, tube, repair tool, water bottle) I can go up pretty steep stuff in third gear (30 granny-24 rear) which is 33.5 gear inches.
A compact 34-25 is 36 g.i., and a 34-27 is 33 g.i., so I am certain that even with a 25 cassette, a light bike at 10 or more lbs less, would be doable, and with a 34-27 for pretty steep stuff and for older gents like myself. (but I still find a triple useful for not cross chaining so much, and middle chainring so utilitarian)

I always remember after a tour, or during a tour, with bags off, being so surprised how quickly you cant shift up anymore and winging along. It would be cool to be on a carbon wonder after getting into great shape.....

rodar y rodar

^ There ya go. We just need to tour more so that we get to feel like Alberto for the first week after comming home and unloading. About the gearing/weight/hills thing, I got a few short steep climbs on my half hour test ride that I`m sure I managed in higher gear than I would have done on my own bike, but even then I doubt I could have sustained an effort like that for a long climb. I have a lot of long grades in my stomping grounds, and an aversion to "training", so I won`t even consider a bike without a deep granny. Maybe what I need is a carbon fiber triple painted to look like an old school Sugino with faux dust caps to keep that square taper look

chris1548

My 56cm Gunnar Sport for light touring is 22.5 lbs. -- it has Campy shifters, derailleurs and cassette, a Sugino triple 46-36-24 crank, 28c Continental Gatorskins and includes a Tubus Cargo Rack.

My 58cm LHT with XT drivetrain and stock Surly Alex wheels, with Tubus front and rear racks, and 32c Continental Touring Plus Reflex tires weighs 28.25 lbs.

chris1548

Here's photos of both.

The green Gunnar is on a tour in SW Utah 2 months ago.

The bigger Surly is mine, the other one is my wife's.

Jim Kukula

My setup is about 60 pounds... Kryptonite NY lock, tools, first aid kit, etc.:

Myosmith

1990 Trek 700 frameset with Deore and LX components, 28mm Specialized All Condition Armadillo Elite tires, cages and rear rack but no bags = 30.5 pounds

Still the most comfortable bike I own.

Western Flyer 

Just weighed it at 27#, but that is set up for winter commuting. That is with Open Pro rims - I tour with 719s. My touring tires are significantly lighter than the Schwalbe Marathon 28mm greens used for winter commuting. Rear rack and pump are on, but only 2 of 4 cages are on. Finders are on and come off at the first sign of spring Tire kit under the saddle is attached and doesn't change for touring. So the answer for touring is I really don't know.

agent pombero

Western, are you using "Schwalbe Marathon Greenguard Tires"? I just put a set of 1.5s replacing Kenda 2.3s and LOVE them! They feel much zippier than the tires they replaced.

bradtx

Jim, Yours is the first bike I've seen (I think) with the brake studs on the rear of the fork.

Brad

nun

It's interesting to read this old thread and see some LHTs at over 30lbs, that just seems to be punishing yourself unnecessarily. Recently I've found that the Cervelo RS functions well as a touring bike if make some changes to the stock components and you have a light load. Mine weighs 19lbs and with gear the total is 38lbs. Other relaxed geometry carbon bikes would probably be ok for road touring too.

https://wheelsofchance.org/2012/12/25/gear-list/

Jim Kukula

I don't know why they did that. Some folks say it reduces brake squeal. Well, they don't squeal! I think it doesn't really make much difference.

seeker333

I just weighed a LHT with rear rack, cages, fenders, pedals and 26x1.5" tires, 28#. Adding a front rack would make it tour-ready and make the total weight 29-29.5#.

I could push this weight to 30# by substituting 26x50mm Marathon tires and a B17.

Jim Kukula

without bags or bottles, my Thorn Nomad MkII, including front Schmidt generator hub & front & rear lights, front and rear Thorn racks & SKS fenders, Brooks Champion Flyer saddle, Marathon Winter tires...

looks like about 40 pounds.

Western Flyer 

Yes they are Greenguards - 700x28. They roll well for such a heavy tires and I don't have to worry about missing a dental appointment because of a flat tire. They are the first "semi-pneumatic" tire I have ever used. They have great traction for the rainy muck Portland dishes up in the winter. My only complaint is the hard ride; too hard for touring, at least for me.

rodar y rodar

Drooling over that thought. I wonder where the weight on my bikes comes from. Lead infused into my fenders?

Since most bikes with cantis have the studs on the front of the forks and the back sides of the seatstays (which would be like mounting on the rear of the fork legs), I don`t see either how it could matter for squeal or strength or anything else affecting actual function. My guess is thatt the "normal" way is just to make them easier to hook/unhook and adjust. For what its worth, SWB recumbents sometimes have them on the back side of the fork legs so that the cable doesn`t have to do weird things in order to avoid the chain. I think I`ve also seen that on small wheeled folders.

Yumadons

1991 Raleigh Technium mtn bike w/ 2" lined slimed tires, water bottle cages, & Blackburn rear rack : 30#.

All loaded up with me & my sister's stuff: 84#

https://bicyclelife.topicwise.com/doc...pic_id=1407112

alexaschwanden

My Trek 520 is about 35 lbs with rear rack, panniers, lock ,water bottle etc., it is 28lb stock. i set it up to be used for all different purposes at once.

Wil Davis

I think my Super Sport weighed around 21lbs at the last weigh-in.

My dentist loves this pic:

Super Sport

…a 'Spinach Moment' I think

- Wil

redbike72

My Cannondale T2000 weighs somewhere about 32 lbs empty but I rarely ride it without packing along a lock and cable and some tools and a water bottle and..... you get the idea.
As it's been noted above, shedding my own personal spare tire could vastly improve my power to weight ratio.

fietsbob

I weigh More.

My 700c -40 wheel rig , built with assisatance of Human Powered Machines
a cargo bike builder, is built like Farm Equipment.

but under a touring load it is solid as a rock..

My lighter framed bike, a late 80's specialized expedition, with the panniers packed,
flexed a little with every pedal stroke.

the tail literally wagging the Dog.

my second Touring bike rohloff hub Koga Miyata WTR is not light either..
nor the tour worthy Bike Friday Pocket Llama, I use as Daily Transportation.

I don't even have a Scale to weigh myself. .. have a nice day ..

staehpj1

That number is surprising to me. I'd be curious what specific items that includes.

We all carry different stuff and that is fine. I have used a pretty wide range of packing styles and also gone with a variety of bike weights. I tend to be on the other end of the spectrum from you these days. Last tour (mountain bike) I think my total unloaded bike weight with all of the repair stuff was 22 pounds. The weight with clothing plus cooking and camping gear was 11 pounds 3 ounces. Total loaded bike weight minus food, fuel, and water was a little over 33 pounds and even with food and water never hit 45 pounds on the trip.