2manyoranges
Old School Grand Master
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So I have just read the review for the new BMC Fourstroke - which has an assisted dropper post which goes down as well as up at the press of a button. It take an additional air tank which ‘…is worth the weight premium….’.
But I remember attitudes to weight in the 80s … when the concept of Weight Weeny was invented. Weight premium was around the weight-strength relationship - ie how fragile and low weight can I go before the component breaks, fails and strands me, etc. We filed, we drilled, we selected, we ran road components and suffered sore arses from narrow ti railed perches, were punished by very light but stupidly narrow tyres and rims, and were totally weight-neurotic.
Now….we use 29 inch tyres which weight 1600grams, cranks which could survive a meteorite strike, forks with stanchions like sewer pipes, and saddles like armchairs and weight about the same.
The thing is, this all adds up - and reviewers are casual about each component which adds ‘a weight premium’ and it’s got us to rigs where 35lbs is considered a lightweight bike….
But I remember attitudes to weight in the 80s … when the concept of Weight Weeny was invented. Weight premium was around the weight-strength relationship - ie how fragile and low weight can I go before the component breaks, fails and strands me, etc. We filed, we drilled, we selected, we ran road components and suffered sore arses from narrow ti railed perches, were punished by very light but stupidly narrow tyres and rims, and were totally weight-neurotic.
Now….we use 29 inch tyres which weight 1600grams, cranks which could survive a meteorite strike, forks with stanchions like sewer pipes, and saddles like armchairs and weight about the same.
The thing is, this all adds up - and reviewers are casual about each component which adds ‘a weight premium’ and it’s got us to rigs where 35lbs is considered a lightweight bike….
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