[DRB]

http://www.cyclingnews.com/tech/?id=2005/news/08-12


Time was, the lightest frames around were made from titanium. Then carbon fiber technology became more affordable, we saw a rash of carbon frames at or under the 1000g mark and it looked like pretty much all metal-alloy frame materials had been left for dead. Litespeed begs to differ with its recently announced Vortex Compact, which is claimed to weigh a staggering 770g - over 100g lighter than the company's previous lightweight leader, the 900g Ghisallo.

 

[The Toninator]

i saw their add during the tour and forgot all about it.

 

[reflux]

I wonder what compromises they made in ride quality to have the biggest pe...I mean, lightest road frame.

 

[Westy]

I wonder what compromises they made in ride quality to have the biggest pe...I mean, lightest road frame.

Probably pretty flexy. I've been on some super light road frames that flex so much that you could probably steer the thing with few problems even if the fork was bonded directly to the frame.

 

[-dustin]

the Ghisallo was rather flexy, wasn't it? and had a weight limit? i remember when that frame came out...i was like "wow! a sub-2lb frame that i can never ride....wow!"

 

[ridetoofast]

so at what point is this uber light frame thing going to be considered absurd.

is there REALLY a performance gain for a 100g except for maybe the very top atheletes in the world

 

[jaydee]

I have a hard time trusting theses super-light road frames too. I broke 2 scandium Megapro Dedacciai Bianchi frames, the exact same ones that Pantani rode in the Tour he won. That was just riding and racing, no crashes. And I'm no Quadzilla. I think of those frames as disposable rides for pros and millionaires.

 

[ito]

I have a hard time trusting theses super-light road frames too. I broke 2 scandium Megapro Dedacciai Bianchi frames, the exact same ones that Pantani rode in the Tour he won. That was just riding and racing, no crashes. And I'm no Quadzilla. I think of those frames as disposable rides for pros and millionaires.

they certainly aren't the 3lb+ steel frames.

Anything with a weight limit just seems to be begging to be broken at some point.

The Ito

 

[DRB]

How long ago would we going on about a 1kg frame being disposable or prone to surprise destruction?

Now how many reliable production frames are in the 1kg to 1.2kg frames now? Tons of them.

This shows what is possible.

 

[Silver]

The funny thing, most people who will buy this frame could stand to lose a few pounds around the middle

 

[reflux]

Probably pretty flexy. I've been on some super light road frames that flex so much that you could probably steer the thing with few problems even if the fork was bonded directly to the frame.

What would be the estimated weight savigs of bonding it to the frame?

 

[Westy]

What would be the estimated weight savigs of bonding it to the frame?

78.6+/-.05 grams.

 

[indieboy]

my ti frame will probably be right around 2.7

 

[DRB]

my ti frame will probably be right around 2.7

2.7 use to be crazy light. Now its just average (depending on the size).

Just in case no one did the math. 770g = 1.7lbs.

 

[Changleen]

I like the idea of progression of the materials tech to make the frame lighter, but 100g on sub 1Kg weights and worrying about falling on your face? Not worth it to 99.9% of riders.

 

[CreeP]

pics i've seen of the front triangle are promising as far as stiffness, but then again, the wall thinckness that has to be used to reach that weight absolutely demands it. the dropout end of the stays seems to me an entirely sperate matter, you probably won't break the dropouts proper but i have trouble seeing the rear end as stiff. Whatever, you'll see for yourself soon enough.