# What weight a lightweight bike?



## fffast (18 Sep 2010)

My question is as the title - what weight does a bike have to be less than in order to qualify as a lightweight/racing bike?


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## iAmiAdam (18 Sep 2010)

I remember reading that UCI have a restriction that means a road bike has to be 6.5kg but I might of dreamt this.

There are some bikes that are <1kg.

You'd be hard pressed to find a bike that isn't lightweight for its features these days.


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## montage (18 Sep 2010)

lightest bike in the world is just over 3kg I think.

under 12kg sounds reasonable? Not that there is really any answer


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## gaz (18 Sep 2010)

Unless you are alberto contador. it's easier to loose weight from your self


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## MacB (18 Sep 2010)

About 15lbs is the race limit and, allegedly, weight has to be added to some of the pro bikes to reach that limit. But these sorts of weights tend to be the playground of the dedicated amateur, the wealthy hobbyist and, obviously, sponsored pro riders.

On a more realistic financial level then anything sub 9kg/20lbs is light and 10kg seems to be the 'claimed' weight of a lot of lightweight production bikes. Though these weights are often measured without pedals. Personally I'd class anything sub 25lbs as light, sub 30lbs as ok and sub 35lbs as liveable for a purpose, ie commuter.


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## Will1985 (18 Sep 2010)

iAmiAdam said:


> I remember reading that UCI have a restriction that means a road bike has to be 6.5kg but I might of dreamt this.


Close - 6.8kg.

My latest acquisition scrapes over 6.5kg, and it's only got Centaur on it! It's a hillclimbing weapon for me, and there isn't much more of me to lose which helps.


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## MacB (18 Sep 2010)

Will1985 said:


> Close - 6.8kg.
> 
> My latest acquisition scrapes over 6.5kg, and it's only got Centaur on it! It's a hillclimbing weapon for me, and there isn't much more of me to lose which helps.



I had a look because I thought that was a great weight....then I saw no mudguards, no rack, no puncture proof tyres, no hub dynamo with front and rear lights...very nice looking bike though


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## iAmiAdam (18 Sep 2010)

Ah, so I didn't dream it, cheers.


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## raindog (19 Sep 2010)

In answer to the OP it depends on the category. As stated above, the pro's bikes are light enough to need ballast to bring them up to the minimum weight. Most ordinary carbon/alluminium bikes are between 7.5 to 9.5 kilos depending how much money you spend. An 'old fashioned' steel racing bike will be 9.5 to 10.5 kilos.


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## Alembicbassman (19 Sep 2010)

Adding two bottle cages, bottles and 1.5L water = 2Kg, but you can counter this by riding with empty bladder and bowels


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## Globalti (19 Sep 2010)

Indeed. My cycling buddy, a gastroenterologist, tells me that professionals are now doing bowel washouts to keep the weight down.

For myself, a couple of pints of a good sticky ale with lots of pectin like Old Peculier does the trick.


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## Sam Kennedy (20 Sep 2010)

I think 9-11 kg is a 'reasonable' weight (lighter than most MTBs and BSOs, and light enough to keep up on a club run)
7-8kg is 'light' weight (lighter than entry level bikes, and light enough to keep up in a race)
6kg and below is 'silly' weight (light enough to make cross winds very noticeable, and cornering a bit sketchy, and you have to spend a 'silly' amount of money to get a bike this weight)

That's how I see it, I read somewhere that 17.5lbs (a touch under 8kg) is the 'perfect' bike weight: light enough for racing and climbing, but not so light as to compromise handling.


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## SMD (21 Sep 2010)

Sam Kennedy said:


> I think 9-11 kg is a 'reasonable' weight (lighter than most MTBs and BSOs, and light enough to keep up on a club run)
> 7-8kg is 'light' weight (lighter than entry level bikes, and light enough to keep up in a race)
> 6kg and below is 'silly' weight (light enough to make cross winds very noticeable, and cornering a bit sketchy, and you have to spend a 'silly' amount of money to get a bike this weight)



Out of interest I scientifically weighed my 93 Marin MTB on the Wii Fit board.
11.6 kg !!
So my old hack, which I'm riding again until I decide which road bike to get, is still nearly "lightweight"


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