Our last poll asked what your cyclocross bike weighs. The results were a little surprising, even considering our die-hard audience of dedicated ‘crossers.
Of those of you who reported weights, nearly half of you estimate your bike to be 18 pounds or less, with 16% of you have bikes under 17 pounds, with pedals. One reader, “CXMan” even said, “I think you need to ratchet your poll two pounds lower to 16-17 and 15-16 lbs.”
Using some fuzzy math we estimated the average weight of our poll takers was 18.81 pounds. It’s an impressive stat, especially considering the lightest carbon ‘cross bikes we’ve tested have still hovered around 18 pounds with pedals.
That average is also nearly a pound lighter than the average weight of a 50-bike weight sample by Brian Peterson that we took part in at the CCCP ‘cross race in late 2007. In that sample, which included bikes of all abilities from pros and C racers, the average bike was 19.7 pounds. And it should be noted that the sample includes at least five singlespeeds.
That discrepancy begs the question whether bike weights have come down in the year since that sample or whether y’all are doing a bit of overcompensating? With the growing popularity of both carbon and the lighter SRAM components (SRAM Rival being almost half a pound lighter than Shimano Ultegra SL), perhaps bikes are getting a bit lighter. Or maybe we’re all skewed from manufacturer and media’s published bike weights (without pedals, often small sizes) and that has messed up our point of reference and the calibration of our biceps.
Or is it that our audience of poll-takers simply has more weight-weenie tendencies than the average racer? We’re guessing that’s a big part of it.
Still, while “CXMan” says that “it’s not too hard to make a durable cross bike under 15 lbs anymore,” it takes quite a bit of money and we don’t know many who race such bikes. Andy Jacques-Maynes rides one of the lightest bikes in the pro field, and his single-ring Specialized weighs 15.76 pounds.
View brief descriptions of the 50 bikes in the sample and their weights below:
Brian Peterson’s 50-CX Bike Weight Sample:
