mdilthey

Hi all,

Looking for some suggestions for a lightweight frame I can use to build up a geared CX/Light Touring rig. I have all the other components, or I can get them.

Right now I have a Raleigh Roper. Built up, it's a whopping 28lbs. I'm looking to get closer to sub-25.

Gotta be budget-friendly. Any ideas?

Thank you!

MichaelW

In the UK, Kinesis is the goto model.

dellwilson

Surly Straggler

niknak

Budget-friendly and lightweight aren't an easy combo to obtain unless you consider something used. Since cross season is over I bet you could score a carbon frameset from the normal used market sources.

fietsbob

CoMotion. Moots, Rodriquez , one of many Hand built frames .

Invest .. might be time to Just go for a Frame Built For You rather than just put up with what you get imported.

Or for travel by air ease Bike Friday .. you just let go of your attachment to big 28" wheels ,
20 " helps their designs pack into suitcases to pass as Luggage with out its a Bike Fees..

Woos, My Koga Roloff Trekking bike weighs in at almost 50 # ..

mdilthey

Fietsbob, I frequently find myself somehow wandering on the page for the Moots Routt 45, with happy tears in my eyes. That day will come, soon.


In the meantime, I'm looking for a stopgap, something more fun to ride (less piggish) for the thousands of miles of riding I'm doing today, while I'm still a student.

The On-One Dirty Disco looks good. Any in a similar vein? I love the Surly Straggler, but the weight means I'd be getting just about the same bike as what I have. Looking for something probably Aluminum or Carbon, if I can swing the budget (~$600?)

kpfeif

Damn, 28# is heavy. Likely heaviest contributors are frame, fork, and wheelset. You could probably save a couple pounds replacing the wheels and fork; the Raleigh has anchors for both. If you really want to build something new, pretty much any production aluminum frame is going to be a lot lighter. Almost all new cross frames are disc ready since the uci made discs legal. Or just get that bikesdirect ti cross bike. I had the BD ti hardtail for a while and I still regret selling it.

Leebo

Cheap and light and strong, pick two? Looked at Soma? Flat bar or drop bar? How much gear are you looking to carry? Checked out something like the Specialized awol? Flat bar you could look at some 29ers with a carbon fork.

bmike

soma disc double cross?
Double Cross Disc | SOMA Fabrications

salsa warbird?
Warbird | Bikes | Salsa Cycles

nickw

I'd consider one of these:

carbon cyclocross bicycle frame cyclo cross disc cycle cross bikes frames Light-Bicycle

I think they generally sell for $500-$600.

mdilthey

Soma Double Cross Disc is on the list. So is All-City Macho Man. Salsa Warbird would be on the list, but I'm not sure I can buy just the frame.

I know I can't have one bike do everything. I can't have a 15lb bike for a low price. But, I suspect I can have a 23-24lb bike for a low price, given that many of the components I already own are pretty light.

I'll cross the replacement wheel bridge next, looking to go for the frame first.

VT_Speed_TR

I was just at the LBS looking at the All City Macho Man Disc during my lunch break, thinking of building up a dirt road bike. Was thinking of a frame, but still undecided. The LBS did tell me that that All-City had 20% off currently on the complete bike. They were checking to see if there was any deal on frames.

hueyhoolihan

IMO, it's unlikely to save 3 or 4 pounds from just a frameset switch unless one goes carbon or expensive aluminum. the Raleigh's weight is as likely attributable to non-frameset items as it is to the frameset.

mdilthey

Maybe my wheelset, but I can't think of anything else.

Easton seat tube
Salsa bar and stem
1x10 drivetrain with Shimano XT cassette, derailleur, and chain
Shimano Sora crankset with Wolftooth chainring
WTB seat

The wheels are Mavic 719 rims and XT hubs, not light but not the heaviest. A relatively inexpensive "race" wheelset will only cut 1lb. No, likely, the frame and fork are almost 10lbs, I suspect. Going carbon would mean a 3.8lb frame/fork combo. Even weighing everything else generously, that'll put the bike at less than 24lbs, maybe less.

kpfeif

my goodness. my steel touring bike comes in under 24 pounds, and i'm six feet tall.

that sora crank is an anchor though. you could save half a pound easily by trading that in.

mdilthey

Yeah, good idea. I honestly thought I was on the lighter side for a while. I'm 6" too, and jealous.

fietsbob

Reduce drive train to 1 speed .. that will take even more off.. & run up that credit card so you wont have to carry stuff.

bmike

or carry a smartphone and pay in bitcoin...


24#s. i'm pretty sure my TI IF rigged for rando riding (fenders, dyno, lights, brooks saddle with ti rails) weighs more than that.

bgav

Gunnar Fast Lane or get a Hyper-X and add rack eyelets. I was amazed at how light my Hyper-X (lightweight True Temper OX Platinum) frame was before my dealer did the assembly. Right at 21lbs for complete build, albeit with an ENVE CX Disc fork with fender eyelets but not rack eyelets, and my choice of components was driven by reliability and durability over weight savings. If I was going to do light touring I'd use PorcelainRocket, Apidura, or Revelate Design bags.

bmike

Yup, 26.4 with PDW FullMetal Fenders, lights, old SON dyno, USBwerk, Brooks Ti Swallow, Time ATAC pedals, Mavic Open Pro rims, steel IF fork.
Would love discs on this bike. Fork is easy enough to swap, but the rear would need frame modification.

seeker333

Diet for three days, lose 3 lbs. Continue life as usual without purchasing a truly unnecessary additional bicycle.

Not the fun solution, but the practical, logical one (at least for most of the normal population).

bgav

Talking someone out of buying another bike?? Blasphemy!!!

In all seriousness though, while it might only be 5 pounds lighter, a frame with the right tubing will have a much better feel/ride quality and will feel even lighter. My ~21lb Gunnar with True Temper OX Platinum feels waaaaaayy lighter and livelier vs my '90 Trek 750 (True Temper AT) than the 5-6lb weight difference would suggest, and responsiveness in handling and putting power down out of the saddle is like night and day.

bmike

Just had my friends Surly Krampus 29+ bikepacking rig in my hands. Single speed, whiskey carbon fork. Maxxis Chronicle 3" tires on WTB scraper rims. 2 bottle cages. 25#s.

So, one would think you could get there.

mdilthey

Here we go again... My body weight is actually low enough to where I'm eating a little extra pizza this week to make sure I'm not underweight for my height. I'm 6'1" and 160lbs.

Someone always wants to throw this little gem around to make guys with a belly feel bad about wanting a nice bike, I say get lost.

I spend at LEAST 1.5-2 hours a day on my bike. That's about 10% of my waking hours spent on a bike. 1/10th of my time on this earth after age 18 includes that much time on a bike. if I want to reduce the bike's weight by a few pounds so I can enjoy the pickup at red lights, feel the acceleration during group rides and races, enjoy climbing a bit more, and marvel at the beauty of my machine, I'm going to.