What's the lightest aero bike/ frame

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bm0p700f
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by bm0p700f

grill that is so true. Tyres and pressure used dictate ride quality not the frame.

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stanseven
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by stanseven

If you are considering the Scott Foil, do a search and take a look at the reviews. It's a very stiff frame and many reviewers highlight the lack of comfort. It's a good way to get unbiased input. But the best thing to do is test ride it abc Nike your own decision if you cn

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

Grill wrote:
wheelsONfire wrote:
liam7020 wrote:wheelsONfire - I'm thinking about a Foil. What didn't you like about it? Cheeers.


In short, it is a harsh ride. Especially if you ride a bit longer.


Bollocks. I had countless centuries as well as 200, 300 and 400 mile rides on both of mine. If you're worried about comfort just run some 25-28mm rubber and lower pressure.


Grill, It is great if you like Foil, i did not. No need to be defensive is it?
I used Foil with Fulcrum Red wind xlr 50 and Mavic CCU, Schwalbe Ultremo 25mm, Conti Force and Attack, Comp 22 and Vittoria CX III.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

Grill
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by Grill

My point is that compliance is first dictated by tire size and pressure, second by contact points and third from the frame. Comfort is a combination of compliance, proper fit, and individual tolerance. If you read from the people who actually own the bike (massive thread on BR due to Westbrook) you'll see the vast majority have no issues with comfort.

The 400 miler I did on it was from the South of Wales to the north and back (27,000ft climbing). This was with Reynolds Attacks and 23mm Pro4 SC as well as a 15 pound saddle bag. I also did a week of centuries in Mallorca on RZR 46 Teams (probably the stiffest wheels made) and 22mm Ultremo HT's at 140psi with no comfort issues.

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luckypuncheur
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by luckypuncheur

Grill wrote:
wheelsONfire wrote:
liam7020 wrote:wheelsONfire - I'm thinking about a Foil. What didn't you like about it? Cheeers.


In short, it is a harsh ride. Especially if you ride a bit longer.


Bollocks. I had countless centuries as well as 200, 300 and 400 mile rides on both of mine. If you're worried about comfort just run some 25-28mm rubber and lower pressure.


^^This

The influence of the frame regarding the comfort of a bike is hugely overestimated in my experience. Wider tires alongside lower tire pressures are key together with flexing seatposts and comfortable saddles. Many aerobikes are especially lacking seatpost flex and are equipped with narrow tires and thus tend to feel harsh.
Get a bicycle. You will certainly not regret it, if you live.

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micky
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by micky

Back to the original topic's topic :up: has anyone ever weighted a Merida Reacto evo?

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wheelsONfire
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by wheelsONfire

luckypuncheur wrote:
Grill wrote:
wheelsONfire wrote:
liam7020 wrote:wheelsONfire - I'm thinking about a Foil. What didn't you like about it? Cheeers.


In short, it is a harsh ride. Especially if you ride a bit longer.


Bollocks. I had countless centuries as well as 200, 300 and 400 mile rides on both of mine. If you're worried about comfort just run some 25-28mm rubber and lower pressure.


^^This

The influence of the frame regarding the comfort of a bike is hugely overestimated in my experience. Wider tires alongside lower tire pressures are key together with flexing seatposts and comfortable saddles. Many aerobikes are especially lacking seatpost flex and are equipped with narrow tires and thus tend to feel harsh.


Ok, ride Foil and switch to Ax Lightness Vial EVO D and say that again.
Bikes:

Ax Lightness Vial EVO Race (2019.01.03)
Open *UP* (2016.04.14)
Paduano Racing Fidia (kind of shelved)


Ex bike; Vial EVO D, Vial EVO Ultra, Scott Foil, Paduano ti bike.

AndreLM
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by AndreLM

micky wrote:Back to the original topic's topic :up: has anyone ever weighted a Merida Reacto evo?


Tour Magazine did. 1010/399/66 g (Frame/Fork/Headset). Size 54.

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BeeSeeBee
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by BeeSeeBee

Using something like an ultralight frame to compare ride quality doesn't exactly help your argument imo. If you've got a very finite amount of material (carbon) to work with because you're aiming for a specific weight (in this case, very low, <700g), I think the (wildly overstated) argument of tuning ride quality with layup flies out the window. When you're pushing boundaries like they are, I imagine weight is going to be the big engineering goal, with most of the frame design dedicated to minimizing that, with ride quality specific layup a much less important goal because the bike is basically designed as having the least amount of carbon everywhere, while still being structurally sound.

We get people hand-waving away complaints about heavy Pinarellos and Colnagos because it's necessary for the renowned ride quality and on the other hand we've got people saying you can take a pound out of the frame and still get a phenomenal ride quality. My experience is that the frame doesn't matter in the least bit, and that's going from a "harsh" bike, to a "plush" bike, and now to an aero frame (so "harsh" by many people's beliefs, but it's a "new" aero frame, and the cycling Overton Window has shifted so those are now much more comfortable, despite I imagine, not being any more measurably compliant, just like carbon wheels were about a decade or so ago).


To the original question, it seems like most of the all out aero framesets sit around 1450-1600g for frame/fork/seatpost, at least I haven't seen any that are appreciably lighter.

AndreLM
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by AndreLM

I think WheelsOnFire argument is actually the opposite. AX Vial Evo is known for the plush ride.

My 770g (size L) NeilPryde BuraSL is also very smooth. Of course the 27.2 mm Syntace post, 25mm Veloflex tubulars and fit help a lot.

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BeeSeeBee
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by BeeSeeBee

I understood that he was talking about the ride quality as being plush as compared to him previously calling the Foil harsh. My point is that for frames where ride quality probably isn't a top engineering priority, people still wax poetic about the ride quality. And yet other people think the extra 500g that go into heavier frames that are known for their ride quality is necessary because of the meticulous layups, etc. Some people love the ride of Tarmacs, others find it too harsh. He says the Foil is a harsh ride, another person says it's not, there's not really any consensus. Basing this stuff on the perception of people (even reviewers, as another poster recommended) is just a poor way of teasing out any differences. Things like branding, tube shapes, sounds when you hit a bump, hearsay from other people, etc. all create expectations and form biases within us that make us.

I work in the sensory industry (food related), and we go through great lengths to blind things as best as possible because as soon as just a bit of information is given to our testers, they all of a sudden taste/smell/feel all the things that they "know" they should based on the brand/ingredients/etc. I absolutely believe we are subject to so many biases that if we don't control for them, experiences should be treated very tenuously.

AndreLM
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by AndreLM

Ok. I agree with that.

KarlC
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by KarlC

BeeSeeBee wrote: To the original question, it seems like most of the all out aero framesets sit around 1450-1600g for frame/fork/seatpost, at least I haven't seen any that are appreciably lighter.


My BMC TMR01 in size 56 is said to be around 1700g for frame/fork/seatpost

Frame - 1100g
Fork Uncut 350mm - 440g - ( I plan to cut this down a bit soon )
Seat Post Uncut - 191g - This is all I have weighed so far. Post is 118g Clamp is 73g. ( I plan to cut and tune soon )
Last edited by KarlC on Fri Apr 10, 2015 11:52 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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BeeSeeBee
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by BeeSeeBee

^ That fork weight is including the front brake/fairing too right?

My 54 AR2 is:

Frame: 1101g
Fork (210mm steerer): 302g
Seatpost (plus expander thingy): 262g

I wish more people would weigh individual components in their builds, I'd guess only about 5-10% of builds have detailed specs/weights listed these days :(

KarlC
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by KarlC

^ Yes I would think that the TMR 01 Fork Uncut 350mm - at 440g is including the front brake/fairing but I will know for sure soon.
C64 My Sixty 4 SR EPS 12

by Weenie


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