In article <[email hidden]>,
B Lafferty said:"Joselas" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:
"Peter Allen" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
Quoted message said:"Bugsy" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
news:[email hidden]...
> I heard that bikes have to be at least a minimum weight is that correct
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:Quoted message said:Yes.
> Seems a shame to force bikes to be a minimum weight ! Why not let
> technology dictate the lightest bike possible, seems like a no-brainer
to
Quoted message said:> me !!
Legal minimum weight is 6.8 kg, or just a hair under 15 pounds.
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:Quoted message said:Because over the Tour, 75g on the bike costs something like 10 seconds.
If there were no weight limit, then some people would play games of
stripping the bike down to bare minimum weight and hoping it didn't break
under them, someone would get unlucky and be seriously hurt or killed.
On the other hand, the weight limit is where it is now because the UCI
thinks everyone still rides steel frames and hasn't got around to the
idea
that carbon frames can be made a lot lighter without compromising safety.
Quoted message said:Quoted message said:Please refer us to a 15 lb steel framed complete bike.
I was looking at the Columbus tubing site yesterday. They have a new steel
tube set (Life, I think) that is pretty light. I'd be interested to know
how light you could get a machine (say 54cm) with that tubing and all the
carbon gizmos on the market today. I'm going to guess 16 1/2 to 17 lbs.?
I would guess that it is quite possible to build a demonstration bike
with a steel frame that was under the UCI limit. It mostly depends on
how stupid you are willing to be with the component selection.
Behold the 10.93 pound bicycle:
http://www.light-bikes.com/bikegallery/BikeListing.asp?id=200
That's not the lightest bike on the site. The quoted weight for the
Dedacciai U2 frame (a fancy Al frame with carbon stays) is 900g. I'm
pretty sure 2000g frames are easily possible in steel. Assuming a
straight frame swap is possible, that leaves you with a 13ish pound
steel bike, and you're all ready to be fitted for your "Legalize My
Columbus Life Tubing!" jerseys.
Of course, our example bike is pretty stupid-light: sub 1100g wheelset,
carbon fibre chainrings, brakes that weigh 90g apiece, and downtube
shifters to save a few more grams. The scary part may be that I don't
see any really exotic parts on this bike besides those. Nothing that
wasn't ridden in last year's tour, anyways.
For a slightly less insane example, here's a 12-pound Scott with Ergo
shifters and aluminum chainrings:
http://www.light-bikes.com/bikegallery/BikeListing.asp?id=285
888g frame. Let's pretend that we swap that for our heroic 2000g steel
frame. Final weight: 6670g, just under the legal limit, and we didn't
even have to remove the 9g water bottle cage.
I don't have a problem with the present weight limit. Whether anyone
wants to admit it or not, a bike built to the weight limit these days is
still a pretty special thing. The trend in pro bikes will probably be to
hover near the weight limit, but optimize for better aerodynamics. Look
for deep-section wheels in more stages and races, for one thing, and on
days you wouldn't expect: if you can build a 6.8 kg bike with
deep-section wheels, why not use it on a mountain day?
--
Ryan Cousineau, [email hidden] http://www.wiredcola.com
Verus de parvis; verus de magnis.