are spec weights a load of tosh???

richg1979
richg1979 Posts: 1,087
edited November 2009 in MTB general
weighed my bike tonight and was quite suprised at the outcome.

have a guess of the weight.

yeti 575 carbon rear (large)
hope hoops ex5.1d
RS rev 2010 race forks
thomson stem/post
sunline v1 carbon bars
xtr rear mech xt front mech xt shifters
xt crank/cassette
sram pc991 chain
hope tech m4s 203f loating 185r floating
kenda nevegal 2.35 tyres
no pedals

my guess was about 27-28lb.

Comments

  • VWsurfbum
    VWsurfbum Posts: 7,881
    32?
    Kazza the Tranny
    Now for sale Fatty
  • Anonymous
    Anonymous Posts: 79,667
    29lbs?
  • jairaj
    jairaj Posts: 3,009
    30.5lbs?

    Does the person who guesses correct get to keep it? :D
  • 32lb?
    08 Pitch Pro
    14 Kona Unit
    Kona Kula SS
    Trailstar SS
    94 Univega Alpina 5.3
  • richg1979
    richg1979 Posts: 1,087
    29.6lbs and erm nope sorry. :lol:

    i was guessing it to be a bit lighter, not really fussed but just curious.

    weighed my bros std marin wolf ridge and thats was a hefty 36lb.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Seems about right to me. Some of those parts are definite cruiserweights.
  • richg1979
    richg1979 Posts: 1,087
    ye i know the hoops/tyres and m4s aint no light weights.
  • GHill
    GHill Posts: 2,402
    I'd be surprised if many quoted weights were for large frames, not sure how that factors in.
  • Most quoted bike weights are for mediums.
  • The quoted weight for a Charge Spoon saddle, with Ti rails is 240g-

    I weighed mine and it came in at.......... 239g :shock: :shock: :shock: :lol:
    08 Pitch Pro
    14 Kona Unit
    Kona Kula SS
    Trailstar SS
    94 Univega Alpina 5.3
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    1 gram? I'd have them for that ;-)

    But it is true, most quoted weights are on the very optimistic end, lightest sample, smallest size etc.
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    Most quoted bike weights are complete nonsense.

    there fixed that for you :wink:

    therre was a time when some manufacturers (notably cannondale, but there may have been others) publicly refused to publish claimed weights citing the tendency to underquote by upto 30%. They said they'd be forced to lie in order to appear competitive next to claims made by others. Anyone who's ridden a cannondale HT will know that heavy is one thing they are not.

    As for your (OP) initial guess of 28lbs and final of a hair under 30, you're within 6% I'd be pretty happy about that.

    My Ibis Mojo frame is claimed to be 1350g. In fact it's 1500 (medium) so even the small guys are at it.

    hit up weight weenies if you want to see where this obsession can lead.....
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • VWsurfbum
    VWsurfbum Posts: 7,881
    Most quoted bike weights are complete nonsense.



    hit up weight weenies if you want to see where this obsession can lead.....

    i did this bored at work the other day, its scary yet slightly obsessive!
    Kazza the Tranny
    Now for sale Fatty
  • richg1979 wrote:
    29.6lbs and erm nope sorry. :lol:

    i was guessing it to be a bit lighter, not really fussed but just curious.

    weighed my bros std marin wolf ridge and thats was a hefty 36lb.

    The wolf ridge makes you more of man! or just fecking knackered
    Santa Cruz Chameleon
    Orange Alpine 160
  • P-Jay
    P-Jay Posts: 1,478
    Cannondale were on to something, it only takes one to start bending the truth and everyone has to follow suit.

    I'm not that bothered about weight anymore, well rotational weight I pay attention to when I spec things, but otherwise, it doesn't make a heap of difference IMHO.

    In the words of Boris the blade: Heavy is reliable, I always go for reliability.

    My Cove comes in at a mighty 44lbs. So it was well worth the extra £300 for Ti Forks springs!!! Not.
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    P-Jay I'm with you to an extent, however the first time I pulled up on the bars of a sub 20lbs singlespeed popping up some steps and inadvertently threw the whole thing backwards over my shoulders I thought "I could be onto something here". Hence I have bikes that weigh in at 18lbs (ish), 30lbs and 40+. Horses for courses although I think that all up 30lbs is a good honest weight for a bike
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • Steve_b77
    Steve_b77 Posts: 1,680
    Bike weights are always a bit on the dodgy side.

    Really unless you've got a carbon dream machine anything with 5" to 6" of travel is going to do really well to get under 27lbs in a Medium machine.

    Once you add real world tyres (not silly light things) and pedals you start getting realistic weights. Most pedals you're looking at a minimum of 400g's for the pair.
  • _Ferret_
    _Ferret_ Posts: 660
    you can go over the top with weight watching.
    I tend to look less at the weight nowadays and more at the stability. However I used to be a little obsessed with it - changing all my nuts and bolts to aluminum to save some weight.
    My mate discovered a funny one though. He's got a Trek carbon Fuel built with all manner of crazy light parts. He tried to get his wife into biking and bought her the cheaper Trek and built it from the frame up - he was gutted to find out that her bike was actually lighter than his...

    I like the way manufacturers give the weight without pedals - 12,5kg for my bike apparently - stick some pedals on and some decent tyres and you're already way over 13kgs...
    Not really active
  • My personal favourite is my single speed road bike, steel frame and forks, but when people will ally geared roadie pick it up they're amazed... It usually weighs about the same!

    Same goes for my inbred, scary light!
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    How much does your inbred weigh?
  • I must confess,to weight weenie tendencies I have weighed all the components on my bike.

    In my experience,Shimano are fairly accurate,Schwalbe tyres scarily accurate,if not lighter than claimed,yet saddles,built up wheels and frames always inevitably weigh more than quoted or expected
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    I must confess,to weight weenie tendencies I have weighed all the components on my bike.

    In my experience,Shimano are fairly accurate,Schwalbe tyres scarily accurate,if not lighter than claimed,yet saddles,built up wheels and frames always inevitably weigh more than quoted or expected

    Same here :oops: I've weighed a lot of bits on mine. Everything i've weighed has been lighter or bang on what was claimed. I think i'm using a fairly accurate scale as well as it's a fooking expensive franking machine! Only problem i have is that the scale is at work, so i have to take bits off the bike, and bring them to work to weigh - gets you a few strange looks (especially when taking a photo of a part on the scales!) :lol:
  • VWsurfbum
    VWsurfbum Posts: 7,881
    adb1006 wrote:
    I must confess,to weight weenie tendencies I have weighed all the components on my bike.

    In my experience,Shimano are fairly accurate,Schwalbe tyres scarily accurate,if not lighter than claimed,yet saddles,built up wheels and frames always inevitably weigh more than quoted or expected

    Same here :oops: I've weighed a lot of bits on mine. Everything i've weighed has been lighter or bang on what was claimed. I think i'm using a fairly accurate scale as well as it's a fooking expensive franking machine! Only problem i have is that the scale is at work, so i have to take bits off the bike, and bring them to work to weigh - gets you a few strange looks (especially when taking a photo of a part on the scales!) :lol:
    LOL snap! :D
    Kazza the Tranny
    Now for sale Fatty
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Total weight is always more than the sum of the bits - cables and hoses are never added on to the weight of systems, and neither is grease that is used. Plus manufacturers weigh without pedals....
  • It`s surprising how the little bits add up,isn`t it?
    Cables can be 100g,hoses another 100g,even my XTR spds are 325g.
    Then there`s the little accessories like bottle cages,computers,pump/light brackets that people forget about.Could well be another 100-200g there.
    Anywhere between 1.5-2lbs that you could miss.......
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • adb1006
    adb1006 Posts: 938
    I've weighed all my cables and hoses :oops: Well, they were attached to my shifters/brakes when i weighed them :wink:

    Haven't bothered with grease though!
  • _Ferret_
    _Ferret_ Posts: 660
    I think when you start weighing the grease on your bike it's time for the mental home...
    Not really active