Once a weight weenie forever a weight weenie? am I cursed?

[andreszucs]

Curious to know if someone can relate to this.

I am a long time member here with an extensive amount of related topics. Life happens setting new priorities, goals, less saddle time, financial planing into different directions, but hell...the passion for cycling and the urge to own a basass bike is still here. Lets be honest here; we can all have the same exact amount of fun with a 30lbs bike or a 15lbs bike, but...I find myself on the fence in my attempt to let it go of weigh weenie activies lately. Here is the situation.

Decided to custom build a road bike with common sense in mind, afterall I am a simple man now, 'mature', a father, a weekender, with priorities straight right? so the things in mind for my custon bike build are around confort, reliability, simplicity, safety, all that translates to 1.25 tires, front suspension, 1x by, disc brakes. Figured the bike would be light enough since I already have good components and a carbon frame. So here is the assembly taking place with ZTR crest rims (light and cheap), 700c rear with Xo Xd hub, 27.5er front with extralite hub paired with a DT swiss XMM 26" 100m fork (adjustable axle-to-crown). Zipp Vuma Quad carbon crank with narrow wide 36T ring, Xpedo R-Force Ti pedal (very light), Zipp carbon handlebar, Bomb proof front tire Continental contact speed e-bike rated, Wheels are set with Tubes in it (easier to deal with), Saddle with noncarbon rails, XTR M9000 Derailleur with Shimano 105 STI's. Final weight is 19.40lbs. (8800g).

Ok so...great, I have a very good bike now....talking to myself 'don't open the excel spreadsheet', I am satisfied so went to bed. Next day I need to tell myself 'don't google ways to shave weight'!...don't do it..don't....do....it....wait; 442g save just by swaping the brake levers????? sh*t.

-105 STI levers (612) to Magura MTB levers (169.4): -442.6g
-Sram R2C 2x11sp shifter more or less: add 50g
-Front wheel swap (650g to 543.7g with another Crest Rim even lighter): -106.7g
-Contact Speed front tire 27.5x1.25(470g) to Conti GrandSport Race 28mm(330): -140g
-Fizik Arione Saddle Kium Rail (235) to Tundra (145): -90g
-Swap Tubes(164.3 x 2) to sealant 35g + 35g: -258.6g
-M9000 11sp (220) and tanpan(18.6) to Red 11sp long cage and adapter (175): -63.6g

That would bring the weight down to 7748.5g(17.08lbs)....daaaaamn....

But wait! if I ditch the suspension fork:

-DT XMM 26"Fork to cervelo C3 fork: -1169g
-Rotor swap 160mm(72g) to 140mm(61.5): -10.5g
-Front axle 15x10 (57g) to 12x100(61.9): add 4.9g

Final weight: 6573.9g (14.49lbs)....daaaaaaaaamn.

Now the forever question to be answered: Do I prefer riding a 19.4lbs bike or a 14.49lbs bike?

You obviously know my answer and I obsviously know your answer if the question was directed to you.

I'm cursed!

[Raccooningtanuki]

My 2 bikes which were “commuter do not modify” bikes were stolen. Remaining bikes are art>aero/weight.

[alcatraz]

What do you need suspension for with 1.25inch tires?

What kind of terrain are you riding?

[andreszucs]

What do you need suspension for with 1.25inch tires?

What kind of terrain are you riding?

Doesn't matter the tire type, having a suspension on the road actually adds safety on certain situations like going on a fast downhill, lets say there's that pothole that I can't see going at 40 miles/hour, think of it. Not a mandatory upgrade but think more like the difference between driving an ordinary car versus a Rolls Royce.

[Klaster_1]

What chainring is that, a Zipp stock inner ring from 52/36? Was such combo even available back then? To be honest, I've been thinking about MTB brakes too - R1r from my MTB - and Modolo Kronos epoxied to front tube like what @Fuchspk did. I'd have to design drop bar adapters though, similar to one available for Magura. This and lightweight tubulars will enable a sub-5kg road disc build even with my not the lightest frameset, but would I enjoy such a bike, especially after I move to an almost flat city? I don't think so.

[andreszucs]

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[andreszucs]

What chainring is that, a Zipp stock inner ring from 52/36? Was such combo even available back then?

Based on my extensive research, Narrow/wide 110mm bcd 4 bolts is inexistent in the market. I had to grind and drill a regular 106mm Mtb ring in order to fit with the Zipp crank...if anyone knows of a 110mm 36t or event better 38t please let me know!

I'd have to design drop bar adapters though, similar to one available for Magura

That's my design, the link you shared is from my designer store page. I'm still perfecting the adapter adding a feature to attach R2C shifters

[Klaster_1]

That's my design, the link you shared is from my designer store page. I'm still perfecting the adapter adding a feature to attach R2C shifters

Now I know who to bother if I have questions, lol. Do you think CNC machined 2021 aluminium alloy will be strong enough for this application?

[StanK]

... Lets be honest here; we can all have the same exact amount of fun with a 30lbs bike or a 15lbs bike, but...

... Now the forever question to be answered: Do I prefer riding a 19.4lbs bike or a 14.49lbs bike?

For me those two lines are contradictory. I prefer riding lighter road bike because is much more fun/joy than heavier road bike. Going from 9.8kg road bike to 7.4 kg road bike was - wow. And then when I drop another 1.1 kg to 6.3kg was - WOW.

So I pretty soon realized that in my book this is simply better, not just different, and because I know myself pretty well, I'm almost certain I will never own +7 kg road bike again. Sub 6kg it's more likely. Now I'm just sorry that I didn't pursue lighter bike sooner.

[andreszucs]

That's my design, the link you shared is from my designer store page. I'm still perfecting the adapter adding a feature to attach R2C shifters

Now I know who to bother if I have questions, lol. Do you think CNC machined 2021 aluminium alloy will be strong enough for this application?

My focus is entirely into 3D printing, I don’t make parts from CNC. The part from the link was made in infused bronze steel and is plenty strong. The downside side, it can rust. There is also the option to print in aluminum but I’d way more expensive.


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[andreszucs]

That's my design, the link you shared is from my designer store page. I'm still perfecting the adapter adding a feature to attach R2C shifters

Now I know who to bother if I have questions, lol. Do you think CNC machined 2021 aluminium alloy will be strong enough for this application?

My focus is entirely into 3D printing, I don’t make parts from CNC. The part from the link was made in infused bronze steel and is plenty strong. The downside, it can rust. There is also the option to print in aluminum but Is way more expensive.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[AJS914]

It doesn't sound like you are cursed with weight weenieism but rather upgraditis. You built a heavy franken road bike with shocks and now want to turn it back into a road bike....

[andreszucs]

It doesn't sound like you are cursed with weight weenieism but rather upgraditis. You built a heavy franken road bike with shocks and now want to turn it back into a road bike....

Haha, but it is a road bike! In fact there are plenty of stock road/gravel bikes being launched with that weight range. But mine is better


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[AJS914]

Maybe you'd like an actual gravel bike? I like my purpose built bikes. I have an S-Works Crux that is just so fun to ride and it's pretty darn light.

[JerryLook]

I think weight weenieism is something you can never really be cured of. I’ve been making things lighter since my first sports car, then my first motorcycle, and now my road bike.

I have two bikes now. My main road bike (13.5 lbs) and an older Cannondale (around 23 lbs) that is my rain bike. When I ride in (very flat) coastal Florida, I notice very little difference between the two. My average speed stays about the same.

When I ride in hilly areas, that’s where the 10 lbs difference makes a huge difference.

Even though I don’t really care to spend money to upgrade my rain bike, I’m always thinking of what extra parts I have laying around, that I can swap on it to save some weight.

It truly is a sickness.