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Boardman Pro Carbon SLR..... Overweight?
I have just bought a small, Boardman Pro Carbon SLR. The medium size, on the Boardman site, is advertised at 7.3kg. Halfords, and review sites, including this one, have it at tiny fraction over 7kg. When I got it home I weighed it and it showed 7.8kg. The Halfords shop have weighed it with the same result. That's a massive difference. Boardman have told me and Halfords that the difference is an acceptable tolerance and could be down to; paint, wheels, saddle etc.
Any one got any thoughts?
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53 comments
As it's upsetting so many people, shall we draw this to a close?
@efail - I'd be very miffed if my bike was that 'over' the advertised weight.
Note you should remove any bits off the bike for an exact weight, the weight is not expected to include cages, pumps, pedals or any parts swapped out from the stock supplied parts.
Don't be bothered by the some of the voices here naysaying your post, I'd send it back or complain until Halfords or Boardman offered you some lighter piece of equiptment to bring it down to the advertised weight. which is reasonable.
If they just state that it's within tolerances, then just say that it's within your tolerances to reply daily to every twitter post of theirs with 'Boardman adevertise 7.3kgs when the actuial weight is 7.8kgs you have to ask what else might be within allowed tolerances?'
I suspect, that most of us buying a road bike, especially one with race geometry, are influenced by advertised weight, and half a kg is probably enough to sway our judgement between two bikes, all other things being equal. It may well make no measurable difference on the road, but I too would be miffed if I found the marketeers had put one over on me. As for describing it as "Superlight"? Come off it Boardman, with pedals on this is an 8kg bike!
@peted & @griff
Couldn't agree more.
Personally, I wouldn't be too annoyed by a 100 gram difference, but anything more is just a bit odd. If it was advertised at 7.3kg, I'd expect 7.5 at most...
It's not hard to calculate the fully built weight of a bike. I built up a tt bike recently, I worked out every component needed and added up all the published weights of said components - the true weight of the bike was only 50g different to the calculated weight.
The fact Halfords/Boardman say that bike is within tolerance when it is nearly 7% heavier, too mean means their tolerances don't give the quality I would expect for the type of bike.
I would not be surprised if every component varied from specified weight by a few grams, but it seems unlikely that every component would be over the specified weight, amounting to a full 500 grams extra.
What that would lead me to believe is that the bike frame and forks have a large manufacturing tolerance and that they are heavier than the nominal weight.
This, of course, assumes that you have weighed the bike accurately (whilst no bottles/cages/pedals were attached).
The 'have a poo' and my hair gel comment are as much tongue in cheek (steady).
We can be obsessive and may have jumped to a 'strave warrior' judgement but like many other comments, there is a tolerance that if you're paying for lightweight is deemed unacceptable.
I never thought to weigh any of my bikes upon receiving them though...
I would reflect on the amount we are all willing to stump up for lighter gear - we must be willing as they would not sell it otherwise. Anyway as an example take the 3T Funda Pro and Team forks, same specs except weight and price, the latter is 50g lighter and about £100 dearer. Great fun slagging people off but when many are prepared to spend £1K+ to reduce the weight of their steed by .5Kg (take a look at wheels!) he has a valid point.
Plus there is the fraud/disappointment/feeling of being misled aspect.
100% true but for me that's not the point. The point is the OP paid for a bike that weighed X & got one that weighs a fair bit heavier.
Yes he might not notice when he's riding it but I don't think it's unreasonable of him to ask Boardman & Halfords why it's so inaccurate.
OP bought a product
Product does not meet the description
OP gets mocked by various
If I had bought a computer processor or storage device which was lower than specified, I'd want a refund or a replacement. No different here.
I find it had to believe something could be engineered with a tolerance of 7%. I note the OP says Halfords agreed on the weight.
I think it's fair to query that the bike is 8% over the advertised weight, especially when the weight is one of the major marketing factors. In any arguments I wouldn't dwell on the effect it will have on your riding / performance which is three fifths of five eighths of not a lot.
My immediate query is whether your components are exactly the same as the one with the advertised weight, and if the weight is for the same frame size. As an example, I bought a cannondale super six hi mod frame, and had old dura-ace on it, with dura-ace wheels etc. As the same model was ridden in the TdF and claimed to be about 6.65 kg I was really disappointed that mine weighed in at 7.6 kg. However, in preparing it for a major race, I put carbon wheels on, carbon handlebars, seat post, cranks etc etc in much the same configuration as it would be ridden by the pros and lo and behold it came down to 6.55 kg. It's amazing how the little differences add up. The 2 biggest difference was carbon cranks on a hollow axle (300g) and the carbon tubular wheels (400g over DA alloy clinchers).
Some pretty harsh responses to the OP on this subject. Like some of the more sensible commenters have said, comparable componentry is important when weighing bikes as the frame is usually circa 20-25% of the total weight - but I read that you had bought a bike advertised at 7.3kg, right? IMO you have recourse here: it's certainly an advertising description issue and possibly fraudulent if consistent across the range. I'd start by demanding a full refund - first call Citizen's Advice - second call lawyer - third call, LBS for your next bike. Best of luck.
If your bike weight is "within acceptable tolerance" then perhaps as a geature of goodwill, Boardman's will track down and swap with a bike that is 6.8 Kg as that also will be within tolerance?
Fair trading act says all goods should be "as described". I think you have fair recourse under that. Take it back to where you bought it first, and take it from there.
Road cc. did a review, claimed 7.07 kg for the small with Sram force (which is seriously light for a bike with force)
Once again, thank you for all of the comments. I didn't expect this response. The dilema I have, is with the 10% off at Halfords, and a further 10% off from British Cycling, it makes the bike a very good buy, even with the extra weight included. I don't think I can find another bike like this for the price. It's a very nice bike. I have been offered a refund by Halfords and can only say how good they have been. I haven't taken this up, yet.
Perhaps the debate might, though there are doubts, make some of the manufacturers/suppliers be a little more honest. I have grave doubts about Boardman, as they still haven't replied to any of my emails.
Just to clarify. The bike is a small. Boardman advertise their medium at 7.3kg. Halfords advertise it at 7kg. It has been weighed by their chief mechanic in the shop at 7.8kg. At all times of weighing it has no pedals, cages, mudguards or ribbons coming out of the handlebars.
Hrm, that is a little disappointing that a small frame is coming up heavier than the claimed weight of a medium. I wouldn't feel particularly annoyed about the weight, however, I would be quite unhappy about Halfords selling something that isn't as advertised.
7.8kg for a bike that I'm guessing cost you a little less than £1500 (after discounts) isn't bad at all. Even Canyon only get to 7.6kg with their Ultimate CF SL 7.0 (which would cost you just under £1500 after shipping https://www.canyon.com/en-gb/road/ultimate/2016/ultimate-cf-sl-7-0.html
Some lightweight wheels and tyres will bring it down another 200 or 300 grams...
If you're happy with the bike & don't want a full refund I'd be going for some kind of part refund or a Halfords voucher as a goodwill gesture without a doubt.
I'd just buy a cheaper set of scales then and maybe it'll weigh lighter on there.
Good call, do Halfords do decent wheels - enourage them to get it down weight for you; super light wheels, carbon bottle cages, super light pedals, carbon helmet...
Just don't let them fit any of it..........
Did you check that a Halfords bike-build monkey didn't lose a spanner down the seat tube and it's still there?
Got me a new Canyon. Came with some hair loss prevention Alpecin. About 25 years too late...
Less hair means less weight though.
Interesting thread. I'm buying a new bike and the SLR was on the list. Not any more is it.
I did go to Halfords and asked if they could spec this bike with a wifli deralieur and 11-32 cassette..all met with blank expressions and a comment that I'd have to go to cycle republic for that.
The German bikes - Rose, Canyon seem more on spec from reviews I read. And you can get a lighter Rose or Canyon for about the same price...
In my newbie experience, weight off the rolling mass seems crucual - wheels, tyres, tubes makes a hell of a difference. Taking 400g off the wheels, 100g off the tubes and 250g off the tyres has bought me two extra gears for nothing and nearly a 1.5mph average speed increase. Feels more than the 15% performance gain.
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