Forum home› Road cycling forum› Road buying advice

Lightwight Climbing Bike - Frame?

TMRTMR Posts: 3,986
edited July 2012 in Road buying advice
I currently have a 2011 Cervelo RS. Am considering making a lightweight climbing bike. I'm trying to decide between the Cervelo R3 Team and the Cannondale SuperSix Evo frames. Which do you think would be the best choice?

Price wise, I can get a new Evo frame for £1599. The cheapest I've seen a new R3 Team frame is £2499.

Posts

  • smidsysmidsy Posts: 5,273
    Dale Supersix Evo is supposedly the lightest production frame and Dales have always climbed well.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • styxdstyxd Posts: 3,234
    Cannondale for sure. Lighter, cheaper, cooler and an extra £900 to spend on proper light components.
  • pmannion9pmannion9 Posts: 278
    + Cannondale.
    Have 2011 SuperSix. Awesome bike...
    Would love to get the EVO frameset .. in a few years though !!!
    2020 Argon18 Gallium 2013 Kinesis Racelight TK32011 Cannondale SuperSix2008 Specialized Allez Elite
  • ugo.santaluciaugo.santalucia Posts: 28,028
    Silly question, but is the RS so heavy?
    Surely it's already under 1 Kg... how light needs a frame be?
    left the forum March 2023
  • Chip \'oylerChip \'oyler Posts: 2,323
    Remember this superlight climbing bike has go to go down the other side as well!

    I'm wary that these featherlight bikes will be stable and handle well enough when plummeting down a windy descent at 40mph plus?
    Expertly coached by http://www.vitessecyclecoaching.co.uk/

    http://vineristi.wordpress.com - the blog for Viner owners and lovers!
  • Monty DogMonty Dog Posts: 20,614
    You'd be as well asking over on Weightweenies - I agree that any gains from a lightweight bike uphill will be massively outweighed by poor downhill handling - flexy forks are a nightmare.
    Make mine an Italian, with Campagnolo on the side..
  • TMRTMR Posts: 3,986
    ugo.santalucia wrote:
    Silly question, but is the RS so heavy?
    Surely it's already under 1 Kg... how light needs a frame be?

    It's not that bad actually, around 1040g for the frame and just under 400g for the fork. but it was designed for Paris-Roubaix and the other Northern Classics and has curved seat stays, so it's not as stiff as it could be. The R3 is 0.7cm lower HT and straight seat stays.

    Ideally I'd like to have a spin on a R3 Team and see what it was like. Not sure if any dealers in the SE offer test rides though.
  • TMRTMR Posts: 3,986
    Monty Dog wrote:
    You'd be as well asking over on Weightweenies - I agree that any gains from a lightweight bike uphill will be massively outweighed by poor downhill handling - flexy forks are a nightmare.

    Thanks for that Monty. I have asked and had my thread locked straight away for not searching first. The thing is I had searched and found nothing. Nazi Mods :(
  • TMRTMR Posts: 3,986
    Chip \'oyler wrote:
    Remember this superlight climbing bike has go to go down the other side as well!

    I'm wary that these featherlight bikes will be stable and handle well enough when plummeting down a windy descent at 40mph plus?

    They will with me on it :)

    I've hit over 42MPH on a descent in the UK, so I know my RS is fine. The R3/Supersix are supposed to be better.
  • ShutUpLegsShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    You can get a frame as good as the R3 for £1599 :?: Go for it.
  • JamesBJamesB Posts: 1,184
    and has curved seat stays, so it's not as stiff as it could be.

    that is probably going to be biggest factor in getting a `better` climbing frame, stiff to minimise power loss when pushing hard uphills.
  • genkigenki Posts: 305
    Chip \'oyler wrote:
    Remember this superlight climbing bike has go to go down the other side as well!

    I'm wary that these featherlight bikes will be stable and handle well enough when plummeting down a windy descent at 40mph plus?

    R3/R5 handle superbly downhill. Right from the first ride I had on a 2011 R3 I realised how stable it felt at high speeds, and it has none of the cross-wind yaw you get with the flatter sided S-series. The R5, to me is even more stable even though it's lighter. I maxed out at 56mph the other day, about 5mph more than I've been on any other bike and it felt fine. If you shop around there are R3 Team's for 10-20% below the £2500 price, probably cheaper if you look at some french websites. Or look for an 2011 R5. Saw one the other day for £1600 including the Rotor cranks but it's not there now.
  • TMRTMR Posts: 3,986
    ShutUpLegs wrote:
    You can get a frame as good as the R3 for £1599 :?: Go for it.

    No. It's £2.5K for the R3. It's the Supersix Evo that can be bought new for £1599.
  • smidsysmidsy Posts: 5,273
    The Mad Rapper wrote:
    ShutUpLegs wrote:
    You can get a frame as good as the R3 for £1599 :?: Go for it.

    No. It's £2.5K for the R3. It's the Supersix Evo that can be bought new for £1599.

    Was in Leisure Lakes Nottingham yesterday and they wanted £2300 for the supersix evo frame so £1600 is a great deal.
    Yellow is the new Black.
  • mrushtonmrushton Posts: 5,182
    Or you could lose 1kg in body weight which will prob.be cheaper
    M.Rushton
  • napoleondnapoleond Posts: 5,992
    I know where you can get a 2011 R3 frame and fork for less than 1200 quid...
    Insta: ATEnduranceCoaching
    ABCC Cycling Coach
  • ShutUpLegsShutUpLegs Posts: 3,522
    NapoleonD wrote:
    I know where you can get a 2011 R3 frame and fork for less than 1200 quid...

    Would it fit a long legged freak :?:
  • bigpiklebigpikle Posts: 1,690
    with that frame already I reckon you'll notice absolutely 2/10's of censored all real world performance difference. It will all be in the head and the pocket is the only place you'll really feel it.

    Of course if you want the sexy new bike anyway.... ;)
    Your Past is Not Your Potential...
Sign In or Register to comment.