Crazy things happen if you start weighing your bikes . . .

[merckxman]

Exactly how I would describe my MX Leader which I've owned since 1994.

I like to try different bikes, sometimes the same material and others with with different materials. It's always interesting to me how bikes can be so different from one to another.

Originally Posted by dgauthier

People on this forum have praised heavy classic steel bikes like the MX Leader (never personally ridden one) for its stability, power transfer and descending prowess.

[exapkib]

Grams . . . where bikes and budgets collide . . .

As I said in the original post, I do not intend/cannot afford to make a habit of weighing my bikes. I knew neither was light. I won't be changing any parts out on either bike anytime soon. I love the ride of each bike, and each serves its respective purposes very well (the BMC gets me to work in all kinds of weather and takes me on adventures in the trail network that crisscrosses our foothills, the Yamaguchi makes me smile and bolsters my street cred (and now gives me an extra feeling of accomplishment when I pass others while climbing)).

The primary surprise was the fact that the BMC is lighter than the Yamaguchi.

Riding both bikes gives the opposite impression, again reaffirming the fact that there are ride characteristics created by frame geometry that exist independent of weight. The Yamaguchi moves so much more quickly--feels so much faster.

[Clean39T]

I'm not at all surprised on the weight - my Yamaguchi is/was at 21+ lbs for a 59cm - and when I weighed the frame/fork, it was 3.35kg or 7.4lbs! Steel certainly does not have to be that heavy, but our bikes weren't built using anywhere near the lightest tubing or joinery available...is what it is. She's about to get a switch over to DA 7800 - hopefully with some light wheels (thinking about DA 7850 carbon tubs) - so we'll see what that does.

Anyway, I think about it like a 1960s muscle-car - it'll go fast (and feel faster than it actually is - my '64.5 Mustang was harrowing at 100mph), but it'll take a lot more juice to get there - and be a ton of fun along the way given the styling and sound and head-turns.

In contrast, the 14.5lb carbon whip I've been playing on for a couple weeks is more like my BMW i3 - it's incredibly fast and efficient, but harsh and nowhere near as viscerally appealing. I am PR'ing every climb I hit on it though - by a big margin. It's a combination of the weight and stiffness, plus the 39/25 or 39/23 gear I'm hitting the climbs on - if you can turn that gear and carry speed with it, the impact is incredible. If you've been default dropping into a 34/28 and spinning on every pitch, try 34/21 or 34/19 and powering up at full tilt. It's quite fun

Anyway, back to the point, I guess an Italian supercar would split the difference - soul plus efficiency - but I'll never have the money to experience one of those.

I may however get to experience an Italian super-bicycle one of these days - a Wilier Zero.7 or Nago C-60 or ?? would certainly be fun.

I am quite excited to see how I get on with the Ti frames showing up at my door today - they may also split the difference and give me the soul/efficiency ratio I'm in search of..

[benb]

Well.. your commuter doesn't have fenders or a rack.. so I wouldn't worry about it weighing less than your "fast" bike. Put the fenders and a rack on it like it should have and it will probably weigh more than the fast bike!

[pdmtong]

The Yam is great and if you want a certain aesthetic, the alloy group and metal cockpit are part of the equation. so the only thing left is wheels. I would think even neutrons or shamals would be fun to try and also yield a difference you can decide if you like.

I do think a light bike rides "nicer" but that also depends on what kind of riding (speed, distance, elevation) you plan to do.

reducing overall weight on a lugged metal frame/fork can get expensive, and since you already have it built looking great, I would try a new wheelset and then decide if you like the ride result and are willing to make an investment.

FWIW I think my vanilla with the boras is now in the high 18s or low 19s...I'd have to weigh it. it was closer to 20 with the 32h OP CD wheelset

[Lewis Moon]

Originally Posted by AngryScientist

as eluded to by pdmtong above, the feel of lighter, stiffer wheels on a sweet steel road bike can totally transform the ride.

if you get the opportunity (or create the opportunity), try some lighter wheels on that bike, carbon tubulars perhaps. you'll be surprised, for sure.

I second this 100%. My sewer pipe Benotto track bike came with a set of machine built Origin8 wheels, and it felt decidedly doggy. I built up a set of Archtypes I had hanging in the garage with Dura Ace track hubs and Sapim race spokes annnnnd....wow.

[jumphigher]

IMO frame geometry and wheels make much more of a difference than bike weight. Thus sometimes heavier rides can seem much livelier than lighter ones. Not every time of course, and lighter is generally better, but I dont think lighter counts for as much as a lot of people think.

Also notjng that what some people are calling 'heavy' in this thread are still lightweight bikes by most standards. Just not as light as the ultralight stuff.

[Catman]

I learned long ago much more effects the "weight" than actual weight. Bearings, wheel weight, & drag will all make a huge difference!


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