Weight Weenie Project

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DaveLeeNC
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 4:41 pm

by DaveLeeNC

I'm riding a nice (but old and on the heavy side) NivaCrom EL-OS steel frame (Campy Chorus 8sp groupset). I have decided that this is going to be my last (basically my first, FWIW) bike - current age 65.

I would like to take 3-4 pounds off this bike. I need to make a serious gearing change anyway (too old to be riding 53/39-12/25). So something like a 2014/2015 Chorus groupset is a consideration. That, along with the required wheel (or at least hub) change won't get me there completely. But I have no idea how much my current 1996 Chorus groupset weighs (without dis-assembling the bike, anyway).

Does anyone know how much weights have changed for this level of components since the mi 90's?

Thanks.

dave

ps. I'm not much of a bike mechanic, but I'm trying to learn. http://daveleemn.tripod.com/bianchi.jpg is a link to a pic of the bike. I didn't see a 'attach a file' dialog, but maybe that is because I am new here. OTOH, I did post the weight of an inner tube today :-)
Last edited by DaveLeeNC on Sun Jul 20, 2014 3:04 am, edited 1 time in total.

dogg
Posts: 291
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:37 am

by dogg

sounds like an interesting project, dropping 3 or 4 lbs will be a pretty serious undertaking but its probably doable.

pic link doesn't work btw. you want to upload the pic to tiny pic and copy paste the [ img ] text into your post

by Weenie


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DaveLeeNC
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 4:41 pm

by DaveLeeNC

dogg wrote:sounds like an interesting project, dropping 3 or 4 lbs will be a pretty serious undertaking but its probably doable.

pic link doesn't work btw. you want to upload the pic to tiny pic and copy paste the [ img ] text into your post


Wasn't sure what tiny pic is/was, so try this.

http://daveleemn.tripod.com/bianchi.jpg

dave

dogg
Posts: 291
Joined: Fri Jan 03, 2014 7:37 am

by dogg

its an image hosting website

Image

nice bike, super classy

ChiZ01
Posts: 477
Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2014 6:20 pm

by ChiZ01

getting a used carbon frameset from eBay will save you instantly 3lbs. Last generation frames like cannondale supersix, scott addict, giant tcr advanced, can be found dirt cheap less than $500 if you search hard enough. not only you lose weight, you also gain much better power transfer especially out of saddle efforts.

On the other hand, you have to spend ALOT of money to get steel bike down to under 20lb. My tange 1 steel bike with full dura ace 7900 are still over 20lbs. Unless you want to go for carbon fork, handle bar, seat, shallow tubular wheelset, it's often just cheaper to go for carbon frameset

DaveLeeNC
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 4:41 pm

by DaveLeeNC

ChiZ01 wrote:getting a used carbon frameset from eBay will save you instantly 3lbs. Last generation frames like cannondale supersix, scott addict, giant tcr advanced, can be found dirt cheap less than $500 if you search hard enough. not only you lose weight, you also gain much better power transfer especially out of saddle efforts.

On the other hand, you have to spend ALOT of money to get steel bike down to under 20lb. My tange 1 steel bike with full dura ace 7900 are still over 20lbs. Unless you want to go for carbon fork, handle bar, seat, shallow tubular wheelset, it's often just cheaper to go for carbon frameset


I completely agree about the cost observation. But (in this case) this is about the bike and not making an economic decision. What I think I can pull off is.

1) 3-350 grams with lighter clincher wheels/tires - off a base of 1996 Mavic Open Pro's. Could save a bit more if I went to tubulars, but .... My front wheel (with skewer/rim tape but no tire/tube) is 912 grams.

2) 300-350 grams with a carbon fork (that I would do if I felt that I could come up with a paint job that avoided ugly)

3) ??? on the groupset - have no idea what my base is here.

Haven't yet investigated seat/seatposts and handlebars. Would really like an educated guess on the weight of my '96 vintage Chorus Groupset.

Thx.

dave

Qman
Posts: 118
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:55 pm

by Qman

I agree with the others. You'd be better to buy a nice used carbon frame. I searched for some weights for your old groupset and these are the closest numbers I could find:

FD 100g
RD 245g
Brakes 380g
Shifters 420g
Cranks 700g
BB 260g
Total: 2150g

Here are the weights for the 2014 Chorus:
FD 76g
RD 186g
Brakes 299g
Shifters 337g
Cranks 667g
BB cups 46g plus bearings, approx 60g
Total: 1671g

I didn't include the cassette since it depends on your gearing, but you'd probably save a little more there. Difference is 434g, which is just under 1 lb. With new wheels you could easily drop 2 lbs, but going 3 or 4 lbs means changing every thing but the frame. Again, I'd keep the vintage experience of your old bike and get something else that's newer. I have a 1981 Bianchi (21 lbs), a 1996 Cannondale R6 (16.5 lbs), and a 2011 Cannondale SuperSix HM (14.2 lbs). Guess which is the best, most rewarding bike....(hint: older is not better!)

Qman
Posts: 118
Joined: Wed Oct 23, 2013 9:55 pm

by Qman

Just re-read your post. Sounds like you want to go compact. A new Chorus compact is 627g so that saves another 40g.

dmp
Posts: 422
Joined: Fri May 08, 2009 8:31 pm
Location: Seattle

by dmp

well, it is possible. My steel bike (1984 Pinarello Record, which I purchased new in 1984) is down under 19 lbs (I don't remember exact weights, and my scale is broken, but somewhere in the 8.5kg range) with a mix of 10 speed Campy Record and Chorus (Record RD,FD, compact crank, chorus brakes and shifters), with my lightest wheels mounted (hand built clinchers with Stans 340 rims, Alchemy hubs, C-xrays at 1270g). I retained the original Campy SR seat post and headset, and aluminum stem and 26mm bars. I did it for cheap sourcing parts on ebay and craigslist, too (except the wheels, of course).

DaveLeeNC
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 4:41 pm

by DaveLeeNC

Thanks for the additional information. This was very helpful.

dave

bikewithnoname
Posts: 1733
Joined: Tue Sep 22, 2009 1:29 pm
Location: Paris

by bikewithnoname

You can easily lose 4lbs (1.8kg).

You’ll save c. 500gms on the groupset. If your front wheels weights 900gm you should also be able to shed over 500gms by getting some lightweight (c.1400gm) alloy clinchers or closer to 800gms with carbon wheels.

Next big weight saving would be a carbon fork, something in the 350-350gm range, I’m guessing you’d save anything from 300-600gms there. Then you can add a light alloy stem and carbon bars and you’ll likely make up over a 250gm saving, finally, there’s the seatpost, saddle and pedals, all of which can shave off plenty of weight.

This won’t be a cheap exercise but it’s certainly doable. My Pegoretti is a c.58cm steel frame and comes in well under 8kg even with my heavy wheels on it
"We live in an age when unnecessary things are our only necessities." Oscar Wilde

DaveLeeNC
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 4:41 pm

by DaveLeeNC

Yes, it is probably both doable and expensive. I don't think anyone would chose this path on an economic basis. But from my perspective that is only part of the equation.

The big deal is that I would really like to get out of this 8sp world (quite limiting WRT wheels and somewhat limiting WRT cassettes). But there is no rush here - got to think about things and I am not much of a mechanic, so maybe this is my chance to change that.

dave

User avatar
kgt
Posts: 8749
Joined: Sun Jun 18, 2006 10:29 am
Location: Athens, Greece

by kgt

I agree you better leave your nice NivaCrom EL-OS steel frame (Campy Chorus 8sp is a fine looking and performing groupset) as it is (or sell it if you prefer on ebay) and look for a slightly used carbon frame/bike.
BTW you can find the weights of some vintage components here: http://www.velobase.com/

DaveLeeNC
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat May 24, 2014 4:41 pm

by DaveLeeNC

kgt, thanks for the additional/helpful resource.

dave

by Weenie


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boots2000
Posts: 1393
Joined: Mon Oct 15, 2007 9:28 pm

by boots2000

If you want low gears I would suggest going Shimano or SRAM instead of Campy.
When you go compact and wide range with Campy you run into compromises.
No mid-cage derailleurs and also limited cogset sizes.
With Shimano or SRAM it is easy to got 34/50 and 11-32.
The lowest that you can go on Campy (that works well) only goes to 29- and you have to give up your 11 cog.
But I agree with others. You could spend a bunch of time buying things for your bike or buy a used complete bike that is super light and does everything that you want.

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