Is 10kg too heavy for a roadie?
- Thread starter CP
- Start date
Elbo
pesky scooter kids git off ma lawn
Thanks for the pics Dr Rob. Looks very nice!
I had some pics of our Alan frame and I was trying to find them but can't. I will post them up when I do. I'm more determined than ever to build it up now. The paint is in terrible condition though. It has some fancy scrollwork type stuff on it which we've taken photos of in case we need to strip it back and start again. I want to treat it to some new wheels and a few drive train bits. Just love the old roadies. I think yours is the first complete Alan I've seen. Love the intricate parts of the frames. Beautiful craftsmanship.
pi11wizard
Likes Dirt
Sorry for the threadjack but at least it is keeping it alive....Thanks for the pics Dr Rob. Looks very nice!
Riding the Alan is a bit like riding a wet noodle. It is a very 'forgiving' frame in terms of comfort. When seated and cranking hard, you can watch the bottom bracket flex a good 2-3 cm from side to side with each pedal stroke. The wobble in the fork under hard braking is something else too
It's nice to ride something with a bit of history though.
akashra
Eats Squid
It might be worth trying to figure out where the 700g went. If they're just really heavy wheels, then go the 105 one and get some decent wheels. FWIW my TCR Alliance is now ~9.2kg thanks to the heavier wheels (PowerTaps are pretty heavy) and I'm not exactly falling off the back of bunches.
Isn't Tiagra 9sp? If so, I'd be going 10sp for upgrade path - if you're on a different speed drivetrain you'll have a bitch of a time having to upgrade everything to 10sp, since you'll have to do the STI shifters, mech, cassette and chain all at once.
You might also want to have a look at what Cannondale have to offer, they seem to be one of the few brands which are now cheap(ish) after the late-2008 price increases, particularly by Giant.
Isn't Tiagra 9sp? If so, I'd be going 10sp for upgrade path - if you're on a different speed drivetrain you'll have a bitch of a time having to upgrade everything to 10sp, since you'll have to do the STI shifters, mech, cassette and chain all at once.
You might also want to have a look at what Cannondale have to offer, they seem to be one of the few brands which are now cheap(ish) after the late-2008 price increases, particularly by Giant.
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Elbo
pesky scooter kids git off ma lawn
Alan Frame
Sorry for thread hijack (I will make a thread in Post Your Ride later)
Finally got pics of the Alan frame. We think it's about 55-60 years old, but not exactly sure. It belonged to my Grandpa who raced it. Plan is to recreate the decals on the computer, get the frame stripped and repainted and get it back up to scratch. It will be a long project but I'm looking forward to it.
Sorry for thread hijack (I will make a thread in Post Your Ride later)
Finally got pics of the Alan frame. We think it's about 55-60 years old, but not exactly sure. It belonged to my Grandpa who raced it. Plan is to recreate the decals on the computer, get the frame stripped and repainted and get it back up to scratch. It will be a long project but I'm looking forward to it.
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b_S
Likes Bikes and Dirt
Very true, quoted again to reinforce the statement. How many riders will say "wow I could've gone x faster if my bike was y lighter"... not many, and until you're at your absolute peak, weight saving is a futile affair - mind you it's a fun way to spend money
CP
Likes Bikes and Dirt
I'm still procrastinating on a bike, but what I've found that (on my test rides) with a 10kg bike I approach a hill and as I'm riding up it, it feels moderately difficult and a bit of a struggle. Rideable, but challenging. Then swap to an 8.5kg bike and it just loves it. You're more inspired to get out of the saddle and push hard because you know it will pay off. I was more inclined to sit and pedal on the heavier bike.
I may be getting fitter on the heavier one, but don't want the weight to become a factor when deciding whether to go for a quick ride or not. Ie 'nah a few big hills, bit of a pain, I'll go tomorrow' compared with 'can't wait, this thing eats hills so nothing to worry about'.
Since I started looking, the budget has moved from $1.5k to $2k, now to $2.5k. This is the danger though hey. All part of the fun I guess
I may be getting fitter on the heavier one, but don't want the weight to become a factor when deciding whether to go for a quick ride or not. Ie 'nah a few big hills, bit of a pain, I'll go tomorrow' compared with 'can't wait, this thing eats hills so nothing to worry about'.
Since I started looking, the budget has moved from $1.5k to $2k, now to $2.5k. This is the danger though hey. All part of the fun I guess
vandenberg
Likes Dirt
i've got an early 90's sr litage lugged alloy roadie that weighs 9kg with 36 spoke box section rims. where's all the weight coming from in current bikes? the extra 3 cogs on the rear cassette?
weird...
weird...
Sort of sums it up really. The 15kg HT could probably go on a diet though
Buriedpast
Likes Bikes
.
Weight = / Meh.
My bike is 11.3kg. I have beaten under 6.8kg bikes up the local hills many many times (as in, weekly) and never have a problem sticking with the 'quick' groups until the serious A graders decide to really hit it. It aint the bike holding me back
My bike and I together is roughly 82kg or so. Less 5kg would be a $9-10,000 operation for what I want (Rosa ) would be less than a 5% reduction in weight...I hadly think I perform any worse when I have my wallet, phone, keys in my jersey and 2 full bidons than when I do not. Go figure...
Imho 10kg is fine. Sure 8 would be nice, and 6.5 would be great...But I highly doubt I'd suddenly be noticably faster. Australian road conditions, traffic, bad road debris, have more a factor on how fast I get anywhere on the bike than the actual bike ever does.
If anything, the best investment you could make is real tyres. Gp4000s, Attack Force, Corsa Evo3's etc will make you faster, handle better and stop faster than any other modification you could do.
Weight = / Meh.
My bike is 11.3kg. I have beaten under 6.8kg bikes up the local hills many many times (as in, weekly) and never have a problem sticking with the 'quick' groups until the serious A graders decide to really hit it. It aint the bike holding me back
My bike and I together is roughly 82kg or so. Less 5kg would be a $9-10,000 operation for what I want (Rosa
) would be less than a 5% reduction in weight...I hadly think I perform any worse when I have my wallet, phone, keys in my jersey and 2 full bidons than when I do not. Go figure...Imho 10kg is fine. Sure 8 would be nice, and 6.5 would be great...But I highly doubt I'd suddenly be noticably faster. Australian road conditions, traffic, bad road debris, have more a factor on how fast I get anywhere on the bike than the actual bike ever does.
If anything, the best investment you could make is real tyres. Gp4000s, Attack Force, Corsa Evo3's etc will make you faster, handle better and stop faster than any other modification you could do.
mtb1611
Seymour
It's even nicer to ride something that isn't going to fail with extreme prejudice, sans warning and send you face first into the gravel at 60km/h.Sorry for the threadjack but at least it is keeping it alive....
Riding the Alan is a bit like riding a wet noodle. It is a very 'forgiving' frame in terms of comfort. When seated and cranking hard, you can watch the bottom bracket flex a good 2-3 cm from side to side with each pedal stroke. The wobble in the fork under hard braking is something else too
It's nice to ride something with a bit of history though.
taibo
Eats Squid
i was in the same position a few months ago CP, started at around 1.5K and in the end ended up blowing the budget by more than 3 foldI'm still procrastinating on a bike, but what I've found that (on my test rides) with a 10kg bike I approach a hill and as I'm riding up it, it feels moderately difficult and a bit of a struggle. Rideable, but challenging. Then swap to an 8.5kg bike and it just loves it. You're more inspired to get out of the saddle and push hard because you know it will pay off. I was more inclined to sit and pedal on the heavier bike.
I may be getting fitter on the heavier one, but don't want the weight to become a factor when deciding whether to go for a quick ride or not. Ie 'nah a few big hills, bit of a pain, I'll go tomorrow' compared with 'can't wait, this thing eats hills so nothing to worry about'.
Since I started looking, the budget has moved from $1.5k to $2k, now to $2.5k. This is the danger though hey. All part of the fun I guess
ps...hurry up and get the roadie so we can do nite rides on the road
Choppo
Likes Bikes
I'm still procrastinating on a bike, but what I've found that (on my test rides) with a 10kg bike I approach a hill and as I'm riding up it, it feels moderately difficult and a bit of a struggle. Rideable, but challenging. Then swap to an 8.5kg bike and it just loves it. You're more inspired to get out of the saddle and push hard because you know it will pay off. I was more inclined to sit and pedal on the heavier bike.
I may be getting fitter on the heavier one, but don't want the weight to become a factor when deciding whether to go for a quick ride or not. Ie 'nah a few big hills, bit of a pain, I'll go tomorrow' compared with 'can't wait, this thing eats hills so nothing to worry about'.
Since I started looking, the budget has moved from $1.5k to $2k, now to $2.5k. This is the danger though hey. All part of the fun I guess
What do you weight yourself? (not trying to be rude) But if you're buying a bike to lose weight or get/keep fit, its much easier and CHEAPER to lose 1.5Kg of rider than bike.
Can that be your motivation to get out and ride?
It helps me along.
Wednesday
Likes Dirt
Thats the sh#t with all respect. I used to work in a bike shop on weekends and the amount of punters trying to crunch you on price for the next ride 'up' (carbon composite/carbon forks/ultegra groupset blah blah) for weight saving purposes whilst they are resting their folded arms on a hard earned and well rounded gut is always amusing. Loose some weight fatboy!