Manufacturers claimed weights - swizz!

Cubist
Cubist Posts: 73
edited April 2012 in MTB general
From the reading ive done and the time ive spent on forums, ive been made aware that manufacturers claimed weights arent to be trusted, but when I weighed two cube acids today (claimed weight 12.8kg) and found the the 14" frame to weigh 13.6kg and the 18" frame to weigh 13.75, i was a little surprised to say the least! And somewhat disappointed. How do they get away with this? :shock:
I obviously mean complete bikes - not just frames.

Comments

  • MrChuck
    MrChuck Posts: 1,663
    I think they often weigh them without pedals, for a start. But yeah, it's a bit off.
  • cooldad
    cooldad Posts: 32,599
    Depends which nutter you believe - gravity fluctuations can be caused by:
    Aliens
    Object of super massive density (get your backpack ready - it's the end of the world.)
    Weigh them in India where gravity is lower (Actual scientific fact)

    Or maybe they just use my bathroom scales - I weigh the same as Kylie but look like Fat Bastard.
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  • leaflite
    leaflite Posts: 1,651
    Its not all down to the frame manafacturer-especially with things like tyres, the claimed weights are averages(some are lighter, some are heavier). If you are unlucky, and every component is 20-50g heavier than claimed, your bike could be significantly heavier than other examples of the same model.

    If the manafacturer, instead of weighing a finished bike, adds up the claimed weights of all the components this can also cause the claimed figures to be off-some small bits may not have been included(eg cable outers) and some parts may be heavier than claimed again.
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  • mcnultycop
    mcnultycop Posts: 2,143
    I cleaned my cassette today, that easily saved 50g. Multiply by the rest of the bike. Easy to get it wrong.
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  • The Spiderman
    The Spiderman Posts: 5,625
    As mentioned,if all the parts on your bike were over by a margin of 5-10% that would add up to quite a bit.
    And pedals can weigh 1/2 kg.Then theres stuff like pump,brackets,computer,bottle cage that people forget.
    Theres a reason that weight weenies weigh every part and consider every detail.If you can save half the weight of a bolt by replacing it with ti or alumnium and multiply by the number of bolts that all adds up.

    Some manufacturers refuse to quote weights.
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  • Northwind
    Northwind Posts: 14,675
    I remember an interesting comment from Kawasaki, when they were designing a new 600cc sports bike... They were benchmarking it against the competition, and when they weighed it were surprised to find it was 20 kilos heavier than everything else. So they weighed the competitors and found out it was because they were all lying. So, rather than committing commercial suicide and announcing an accurate weight, instead they calculated a fair weight- they lied by the same amount everyone else did.

    What's the point of this story? Well, I like stories!

    Oh OK. Also, that all it takes is for a few companies to tell fibs, before everyone else gets drawn into it- otherwise if you announce a good new product but you quote the honest weight, people will say "Why is it so heavy". It sucks obviously, but it's something you just have to get on with I think.
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  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Giant don't give weights for bikes. On their website they say:
    How much does this bike weigh? It’s a common question, and rightly so. But the truth is, there are no industry standards for claiming bike weights—and this leads to a lot of misinformation. Variances exist based on size, frame material, finish and hardware. And as bikes get lighter, these differences become more critical. At Giant, we believe the only way to truly know the weight of any particular bike is to find out for yourself at your local retailer.
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  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    Cubist wrote:
    From the reading ive done and the time ive spent on forums, ive been made aware that manufacturers claimed weights arent to be trusted, but when I weighed two cube acids today (claimed weight 12.8kg) and found the the 14" frame to weigh 13.6kg and the 18" frame to weigh 13.75, i was a little surprised to say the least! And somewhat disappointed. How do they get away with this? :shock:
    I obviously mean complete bikes - not just frames.

    So what was the claimed weight for?

    Read the small print.
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  • Cubist
    Cubist Posts: 73
    nicklouse wrote:
    Cubist wrote:
    From the reading ive done and the time ive spent on forums, ive been made aware that manufacturers claimed weights arent to be trusted, but when I weighed two cube acids today (claimed weight 12.8kg) and found the the 14" frame to weigh 13.6kg and the 18" frame to weigh 13.75, i was a little surprised to say the least! And somewhat disappointed. How do they get away with this? :shock:
    I obviously mean complete bikes - not just frames.

    So what was the claimed weight for?

    Read the small print.

    Thats just it - too little info - just a weight symbol and 12.8 kg. I shouldnt have to trawl through smallprint to buy a bloody pushbike! :roll:

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