# Madone SSL 5.9 Weight issues



## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

Hi guys, 
I recenly just got my Trek Madone SSL 5.9 Project One bike with a Lance 7 time paint scheme yesterday and was a little surprised that my bike weighed 16.97lbs when a review in a bicycle magazine listed the weight of the Madone SSL 5.9 as 14.99lbs for a 56 cm bike. 

Mine is a 54 cm frame. Over stock parts, I opted for the Bontrager XXX Lite handlebars instead of the Race Lite handlebars on the stock frame and a Bontrager X Lite Limited Edition crank with BB instead of the Dura Ace double. Added 2 XXX Lite carbon bottlecages at 26 grams each. Other then that and the X Lite Carbon Aero wheels instead of the XXX Lite clinchers, the rest of my bike is the same. With dura ace pedals when weighed and 2 empty Discovery Team bottles(710ml each). 

http://www2.trekbikes.com/us/en/Road..._06_238090.php 

I'm not weight obsessed or anything, just a littl curious as to the large difference and wanted to know what I can do to make the bike lighter. 

The shimano dura ace crank with bb weighs 740g, my bontrager Race X Lite Limited edition crank 845 grams without BB. Both bottlecages weigh 26 grams each. Pedals are at 281 grams. Bottles, not sure, but 710 ml Discovery bottles. Wheelset 1400 grams X Lite Carbon Aero vs XXX Lite clinchers at 1350 grams. Tires at 255 grams vs 225 grams or so on stock. Handlebars XXX Lites at 170grams vs stock 235 grams Race lites. Others are all the same. Oh and 40mm spacers so far with Chris King Threadless headset vs Cane Creek headset. 

So, add 52 grams for cages, 281 grams for pedals, 100 for crank and maybe 30-50 for BB, 50 for wheelset, take out 65for handlebars. That made my bike weigh from 14.99lbs (56cm) jump to 16.97(54cm)???Whoa... any way to make it to low 15lbs? change to dura ace crank? Intend to for the stiffness in time. Other overweight issues? Thanks for the replies and tips as always. Oh and how do people get their bikes to weigh 14.6 lbs and such? Are those for a sloping top tube compact geometry? Appreciate the tips on how to lose bike weight. I know my crankset and BB is the chief culprit here. Don't intend on changing the handlebars as I doubt any bars out there would weigh considerably less than 170grams for a 42cm bar. They probably would cost a lot too should there be any around the 150 gram range or so. But, feel free to list any such bars, just to take a look. 

Thanks in advance again. 
Regards


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## alienator (Jun 11, 2004)

uzziefly said:


> Hi guys,
> I recenly just got my Trek Madone SSL 5.9 Project One bike with a Lance 7 time paint scheme yesterday and was a little surprised that my bike weighed 16.97lbs when a review in a bicycle magazine listed the weight of the Madone SSL 5.9 as 14.99lbs for a 56 cm bike.
> 
> Mine is a 54 cm frame. Over stock parts, I opted for the Bontrager XXX Lite handlebars instead of the Race Lite handlebars on the stock frame and a Bontrager X Lite Limited Edition crank with BB instead of the Dura Ace double. Added 2 XXX Lite carbon bottlecages at 26 grams each. Other then that and the X Lite Carbon Aero wheels instead of the XXX Lite clinchers, the rest of my bike is the same. With dura ace pedals when weighed and 2 empty Discovery Team bottles(710ml each).
> ...


Didn't you post this question at Weight Weenies and at the cyclingforum?

Well, anyway. I don't know what magazine you read, so I don't know if they used the manufacturer's claimed weight or an actual weight. If it was the former, then the difference can easily come from production variances in parts.

The part weights you have listed, did you actually weigh them or did you just used claimed weights? Again, the variance in production can make a big difference.

As to how someone ends up w/ a 14.6lb bike, there are many ways. There are frames out, now, that are significantly lighter than yours, so that can make a big difference. After that, you pick and choose parts. There's no mystery to it. A useful source for helping decide what to pick and choose is Weight Weenies and their weight listings. Be forwarned that it gets expensive--very expensive--getting very light. A 1000 or 1100g set of wheels isn't going to be cheap. 

Also, compact frames aren't necessarily lighter than traditional frames.


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## Gnarly 928 (Nov 19, 2005)

Frames come lighter than the Madonne production frame. Also, you Project One paint scheme may have added some significant weight. Seat post's are another place where weight can be saved at reasonable cost, and saddles vary greatly in weight. Stems, brakesets and bottle cages..all this stuff you can save weight on at reasonable cost, if you shop carefully with weight in mind..For instance, a Thompson seat post can save you sixty bucks and sixty grams over a Campy one..Two of the more popular Selle Italia saddles..flite weighs 250..or so..SLR is 135..they make one even lighter, but not for me..With just those two choices you can save almost half a pound.. Stuff like that you just have to check weights before you decide..One thing to remember..the lightest component in the world is worth nothing if it demands a huge sacrifice in performance or convenience from the rider...I tried to ride a USE Alien seat post for a while, because it was the lightest around and not outrageously expensive..but the saddle angle and positioning system on those just sucks and I often found myself riding a mal-adjusted saddle because I couldn't find the patience to get the stinking thing just right with the USE's hit or miss adjustment system..And of course, those dumb little allen head clamp bolts got all rounded out eventually with all the trial and error adjustment..Sold those and went back to the Thompson,,slightly heavier but very user friendly and durable...
Good luck..A lb or even two won't hold you back much and the Treks are really solid feeling when you ride em, unlike some of the fly-weight frames available..

Don Hanson


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## Argentius (Aug 26, 2004)

"I'm not weight obsessed or anything," then listing the bunch o' gram-by-gram weights? Sounds like you need to find a sponsor and take your first step... 

Also, most "claimed weights" are sans bottlecages and pedals. Dura-ace pedals aren't super-light. Two bottles plus cages is easily 150 gm, so all of those things combined are almost a pound. Just FWIW and stuff...


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## elviento (Mar 24, 2002)

I weigh my parts from time to time (not a weenie but just curious), and would be pleasantly surprised if the weight is within 5% of the advertised weight, and that does not happen very often. It's very common for the real weight to be 20-30% over claimed weight.


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## mikbowyer (Feb 20, 2006)

claimed weight usually doesn't include grease etc of assembly.

not that your madone has 2 lbs of grease, but strip off the paint and take the grease out of the entire bike (hubs bb etc) and it'll be 14.99


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## uzziefly (Jul 15, 2006)

haha this thread's 'dead' dude... thanks for the reply though


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