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Why the big difference between calculated and advertised bike weights?
I've just been calculating the weight of a build using a Cannondale SuperSix Evo 105 as the basis. The bike weighs 8120g according to reviews but if I add up the weights of all the components I get nowhere near that. This seems to always be the case for Cannondale (whilst Canyon bikes typically add up to what you'd expect). Why is this?
Here's the breakdown:
Wheelset: 1735
Tyres: 460
Tubes: 200
Bar: 320
Stem: 149
Shifters: 486
Rear mech: 234
Front mech: 89
Brakes: 378
Saddle: 250
Crankset: 600 (guess... it's around the Ultegra mark)
Cassette: 251
Chain: 257
Frame "system" (i.e. forks, frame, seatpost): 1600
TOTAL: 7009g
Conspicuously missing are the bearings and cables but even then I'm at least 700g out. How? Same happens when I calculate the weight of the SuperSix Evo Hi Mod and my Synapse. Do they hide some lead blocks somewhere after assembly?
If you're new please join in and if you have questions pop them below and the forum regulars will answer as best we can.
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14 comments
90% of manufacturers give their weights without pedals and with the smaller sizes of components.
The weight you take from web may differ up to 10%. Also the frames for the same model has a little variation in the weight.
If every item manufacturer has gone 10% low (what cads, they'd never do that, would they), you are there.
Bike, frameset and wheelset from reviews. Groupset from a site that has all the groupsets weighed. Some other from blogs/forums. The rest from wiggle etc.
You're comparing claimed individual component weights to a claimed full bike weight and you wonder why there's a discrepancy? No two components will weigh the same from the same production line, the advertised weight is usually best case scenario so add a few % onto the advertised weight before buying.
Youll only get an accurate weight for an item when you have the part on a set of scales in front of you
Where are you getting these component weights from
I really think that when one considers that people often pay over a £1 a gram to lose weight on their bikes - that is way outside margin of error territory. . . then again ..?
I have noticed in the past that the labels one would expect to be are often not the lightest. I distincty remember weighing a Stronglight chain set against a Campag' one and the Stronglight was over an ounce (28g) lighter, to my surprise.
That in no way explains the divergence in weights mentioned though. Rather it adds to the inexplicable inaccurracies in advertised weights. Could be some kind of fraud maybe?
Do the review(s) give actual weight or catalogue weight?
The manufacturer might weigh an actual bike for a given size, and the component manufacturers do it differently (minimum weight of one from a batch of components)?
5 - 10% weight discrepancy is not a lot.
did you weigh the air in the tyres?
Grease. 300g of grease. Problem solved!
So if Natrix is right we are down to just 300g missing. I suspect that's margin of error territory unless I've missed something else?
Could be. There's 200g right there maybe! Good spot. Perhaps the other review included pedals (I don't recall where I found it however)
Frame size?? The review I read had it as 7.9kg anyway http://www.cyclingweekly.co.uk/reviews/road-bikes/cannondale-supersix-ev...
Doesn't look like it:
Bar tape: 50g
QR: included (but I'll add 170g just in case)
BB: 100g
Bolts: stem only not accounted for - 30g max I'd guess?
Cables: 250g
NEW TOTAL: 7600g
STILL MISSING: 500g
Cables, Bar Tape, Nuts and Bolts, BB, QRs...
700g really isn't a lot of weight for all of those bits