What would I notice riding a very light carbon bike?

[buddybikes]

Another option, since you like your FF, have another one made - same geo - in their Carbon/TI mix, that will get you down to 16. Totally confuse comparisons..

[texbike]

You could always pick up a Look 585 or Time VX series and give it a shot. They're inexpensive these days and are fairly easy to get to 15 lbs or in the 14 lb range with lighter parts. Both have a nice level of comfort and ride fantastic. They're classics for a reason...

Texbike

[NHAero]

Just to correct the math.... 3 lbs off the bike is 2% of bike + rider in my case (145 + 15 = 160; 2% is 3.2 lbs)

Originally Posted by zmalwo

it's a trade off between a light bike that sheds 0.2% of your total climb weight or an extended family vacation to Baja. Taking a dump in the morning before you climb will save you about 3x the amount than from a light frame.

[Mark McM]

Originally Posted by NHAero

Just to correct the math.... 3 lbs off the bike is 2% of bike + rider in my case (145 + 15 = 160; 2% is 3.2 lbs)

Anecdotally -

I've got a lightweight Ti bike that is about 5 lb. lighter than my steel bike, so a difference in total weight of about 3%. Without a reference point, it is hard to discern any difference in climbing speed between the bikes.

However, I regularly do my club's hill training ride, where the same group of people do intervals on the same climbs each week. Everyone climbs at their own speed, and the distance between riders when we reach the tops of each hills are fairly uniform week to week. For example, on a 1 km hill, I might typically be about 100 meters behind another rider at the top when I ride the heavier bike, but when I ride the lighter bike I might only be 70 - 80 meters behind that other rider - a difference of between 2% and 3%, which is what one would expect with a total weight difference of 3%.