Categories: The BikesThe RidesTraditionUnforgettable Rides

Weight Weenies

Parting the waters on a 24 pound bike.

My bike weighs about 6 kilos. It is no waify little thing either, with it having a 61cm frame and and three stories of seatpost. It has beefy tubes, a stiff bottom bracket and steerer, and deep section wheels which are laced 3x in the back and 2x in front. This bike has never made me go faster; only going faster has made me go faster.

Gianni rode Haleakala in the 80’s on a heavy steel frame with a 42T chainring and a 23T cog in the back. He rode it wearing a cuttoff sleeveless t-shirt; an offense which, had I known when we started this site, I would have put him on probation for. Then he did it again several years later on a titanium, campa-equipped steed with a compact and wearing proper kit. He rode it in about the same time, also proving that you go as fast as you want, not as fast as your bike is.

Gianni Bugno (different Gianni but possibly the source of inspiration for Keeper Gianni’s name), won back-to-back l’Alpe d’Huez stages on a 24-pound steel Moser, beating lighter carbon TVT’s to the punch both times.

Riding light bikes is fun, but they won’t make you go any faster. Pushing harder on the pedals does.

frank

The founder of Velominati and curator of The Rules, Frank was born in the Dutch colonies of Minnesota. His boundless physical talents are carefully canceled out by his equally boundless enthusiasm for drinking. Coffee, beer, wine, if it’s in a container, he will enjoy it, a lot of it. He currently lives in Seattle. He loves riding in the rain and scheduling visits with the Man with the Hammer just to be reminded of the privilege it is to feel completely depleted. He holds down a technology job the description of which no-one really understands and his interests outside of Cycling and drinking are Cycling and drinking. As devoted aesthete, the only thing more important to him than riding a bike well is looking good doing it. Frank is co-author along with the other Keepers of the Cog of the popular book, The Rules, The Way of the Cycling Disciple and also writes a monthly column for the magazine, Cyclist. He is also currently working on the first follow-up to The Rules, tentatively entitled The Hardmen. Email him directly at rouleur@velominati.com.

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View Comments

Mikael Liddy says:

Jun 29 2015 at 8:10 pm

@Oli

Why don’t my italics show up after posting when the option is there in the post editor wtf??

Because @Frank cares little for your nuances...
KogaLover says:

Jun 30 2015 at 1:50 am

@Nate

@unversio

@Nate

Gert does it with one bottle in the jersey pocket and one cage on the bike.

It’s the half-Anquetil, in the Krabbe mythology.

You know your classics!
KogaLover says:

Jun 30 2015 at 4:22 am

@HigherGround

@frank

@michel02

gert jan theunisse had a training wheel filled with lead, for training purposes needless to say…it worked! (-:

Fucking GJT was such a legend!

Why was his saddle taped up like that? Some sort of modification for saddle sores?

On a Dutch website I read that indeed he had a saddle sore when this pic was taken. But did not say what the tape was supposed to help. Apparently he had some blisters on his feet as well?

He does look differently now by the way:
Jay says:

Jun 30 2015 at 7:00 pm

@wilburrox

@Jay

I have always contended that it is not the bike, but rather the engine (as in rider) that is the most important component. I could ride on the most aerodynamic and lightweight TT bike with the most aerodynamic positioning possible, yet someone like Cancellara would kick my ass while riding a Schwinn Varsity. It comes down to how much power you can put to the pedals.

Nice article. For the record: I am no weight weenie, I go for durable.

Question: Would Ultegra be considered more durable than Dura-Ace ? And 105 even more durable still ?

I don't know the answer to that question, although I would speculate that there is some sort of reverse progression. In the everyday world Dura-Ace would most likely be as abused as Ultegra or 105, but those groups, particularly 105 are directed towards cyclists that can't or won't go all in in the most expensive stuff. Weight savings come with some sort of sacrifice regardless of the material used. My instinct tells me that the top end stuff is higher maintenance and most of us don't have the advantage of having our bikes overhauled completely by professional mechanics on a regular basis.

This is just an observation. I have no science to bolster my theory.
piwakawaka says:

Jul 1 2015 at 12:29 am

@Jay

@wilburrox

@Jay

I have always contended that it is not the bike, but rather the engine (as in rider) that is the most important component. I could ride on the most aerodynamic and lightweight TT bike with the most aerodynamic positioning possible, yet someone like Cancellara would kick my ass while riding a Schwinn Varsity. It comes down to how much power you can put to the pedals.

Nice article. For the record: I am no weight weenie, I go for durable.

Question: Would Ultegra be considered more durable than Dura-Ace ? And 105 even more durable still ?

I don’t know the answer to that question, although I would speculate that there is some sort of reverse progression. In the everyday world Dura-Ace would most likely be as abused as Ultegra or 105, but those groups, particularly 105 are directed towards cyclists that can’t or won’t go all in in the most expensive stuff. Weight savings come with some sort of sacrifice regardless of the material used. My instinct tells me that the top end stuff is higher maintenance and most of us don’t have the advantage of having our bikes overhauled completely by professional mechanics on a regular basis.

This is just an observation. I have no science to bolster my theory.

I guess the cheaper and heavier materials used, would wear better? I run DA @ 13500km pa, I change the chain @ 3500km, I haven't had to change cassette or chainrings yet, is that good or bad durability?
Oli says:

Jul 1 2015 at 5:43 am

@piwakawaka
Definitely good.
frank says:

Jul 2 2015 at 12:20 pm

@HigherGround

@frank

@michel02

gert jan theunisse had a training wheel filled with lead, for training purposes needless to say…it worked! (-:

Fucking GJT was such a legend!

Why was his saddle taped up like that? Some sort of modification for saddle sores?

I'm guessing it was a first attempt at grippy tape, but who knows. Maybe he was channeling Eddy Van Halen?
Gianni says:

Jul 3 2015 at 10:24 am

I believe the correct term for my jersey of choice on that ride was "wife-beater". I too was working the Gert headband and Gert wristband. Big sweaty bastard. 1985. Frank might have been right about the 42 on the front. It looks big. He was also right about what a shit climber I've always been.
Cary says:

Aug 9 2018 at 10:29 pm

i don't believe Bugno's Moser was 24lbs.
Teocalli says:

Aug 10 2018 at 1:11 am

@Cary

i don’t believe Bugno’s Moser was 24lbs.

0

Yeah - my 1978 Gios Brooklyn comes in at 21 lbs. Interestingly my 1995 Pinarello Sestriere with modern 11 Sp Athena Gruppo also comes in at 21 lbs. Though The Butler (1967 mid range Claud Butler) does come in at 24 lbs.