I recently ran into a rider on a bike so light I dare not even mention it here.
You would suggest he wasn't telling the truth and that even my "lift/feel" picking up the bike was totally unreliable.
While not a "every day" bike for training, this bike was out, with other riders on a 20-40 mile ride over roads with imperfections.
But it got me to wondering. I see the road bikes in the gallery and the frames listed.
BTW I have a good friend with a newish Scott road bike, all dura ace etc which comes in about 15.0 pounds flat so I am familiar with the feel of picking up a light bike.
So anyway, this bike I saw and lifted is made with a custom made aluminum frame.
All the tubes carefully selected for a ride who only weighs about 133 to 135.
Those Scott (and others) frames have to be built in such a way that some 240 pound guy might jump on for a ride.
So how light could you make a frame for a "real" bike (not just for show) if you only had to support a 135 pound rider?
The Scotts seem to be listed at about 905g etc. and there is one Giant prototype listed at 804 grams. But those are both carbon.
I just saw this bike so briefly at the top of a climb that I didn't have more than 30 seconds to give it a lift before the guy and his group pedaled off. I couldn't tell you one more thing about the parts etc... Can't even remember the name of the custom frame builder.
I will only say this. As the rider went to hold my bike, and me his, I grabbed it by the stem/handlebar and it almost floated off the ground.
A weird feeling like you get when you go to lift a milk carton that you think still has a quart in it and it really only has 2 ounces......where it kind of just flys up off the table before your mind/muscles adjust.
You would suggest he wasn't telling the truth and that even my "lift/feel" picking up the bike was totally unreliable.
While not a "every day" bike for training, this bike was out, with other riders on a 20-40 mile ride over roads with imperfections.
But it got me to wondering. I see the road bikes in the gallery and the frames listed.
BTW I have a good friend with a newish Scott road bike, all dura ace etc which comes in about 15.0 pounds flat so I am familiar with the feel of picking up a light bike.
So anyway, this bike I saw and lifted is made with a custom made aluminum frame.
All the tubes carefully selected for a ride who only weighs about 133 to 135.
Those Scott (and others) frames have to be built in such a way that some 240 pound guy might jump on for a ride.
So how light could you make a frame for a "real" bike (not just for show) if you only had to support a 135 pound rider?
The Scotts seem to be listed at about 905g etc. and there is one Giant prototype listed at 804 grams. But those are both carbon.
I just saw this bike so briefly at the top of a climb that I didn't have more than 30 seconds to give it a lift before the guy and his group pedaled off. I couldn't tell you one more thing about the parts etc... Can't even remember the name of the custom frame builder.
I will only say this. As the rider went to hold my bike, and me his, I grabbed it by the stem/handlebar and it almost floated off the ground.
A weird feeling like you get when you go to lift a milk carton that you think still has a quart in it and it really only has 2 ounces......where it kind of just flys up off the table before your mind/muscles adjust.