# Scale recommendations...



## 2ndGen (Oct 10, 2008)

Which brand/model scales (both for complete bikes/hanging type and for components/parts
table top type) do you guys consider "trustworthy" (accurate, consistent, etc...)?


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

I use a digital fishing scale for measuring large things like a whole bike, frameset, wheelset, etc. It measures to the ounce (mine doesn't do KG, but I think there are some that do) and then I get it down to a further rough degree of precision by adding a known 1/2 ounce item ( have a seat clamp that is almost exactly 1/2 ounce - 15 grams) . If it bumps it up to the next ounce, I put the "true" weight at X.5 ounces. If it doesn't, I put the weight at X.0 ounces. If you follow that. When I weighted my new frame/fork, my $20 fishing scale gave the same weight as my LBS's genuine bike scale (he had it set on pounds/ounces since that's what people want to know about their full bike). Weighing the bike to the nearest ounce (or 1/2 ounce) is close enough for me. 

For smaller items, I use the postal scale at work which weighs to 0.1 ounce (which is 2.84 grams). Yes, I get odd looks. I

We also have a very cheap old-school analog kitchen scale at home. If I zero it and read the measurement carefully, I think I can get very similar precision, but it's not as confidence inspiring as a digital reading staring you in the face. I truly believe a common ($30) digital kitchen scale would be very accurate, and would be easy enough to test.

I'm just a marginal weight weenie, so the above is good enough.


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## drdiaboloco (Apr 10, 2010)

I agree with the above poster... Unless you're out to have the total bike weight accurate to the gram, a good digital fishing scale (or digital luggage scale) is good enough and much cheaper than, say, the Park Tools scale.

I picked this up to weigh the bike and a few other things:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E7UJTG/ref=oss_product

There's even a $3 rebate on that so the end price is about $15. It also happens to fit very well on my repair stand when the clamp is oriented vertically, so it's easy to have a stable platform for your weighing... And you can choose lbs. or kilos, whichever your choice may be.

For finer weights (like individual components) I use a kitchen scale. My wife thinks I bought it to measure food portions... Heh heh heh. I bought this one:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001N07KUE/ref=oss_product

$25 and gets unbelievably good reviews, 5 stars with over 1000 people, uhhh, "weighing in" (if you are familiar with the consumer ratings of products on Amazon, almost NOTHING gets 5 stars if it has over a dozen reviews or so). That same scale is available from a few different manufacturers and I think one is as cheap as $20. There are also several colors if you want it to fit in with your kitchen decor.

And I do, in fact, use it to measure food portions. It's also been used to weigh packages and letters before going to the post office (11 pound capacity).


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## MerlinAma (Oct 11, 2005)

For complete bikes, the Ultimate Digital, Bicycle/Backpacking/Gear, Weight Scale: http://www.bikepartsusa.com/cgi-bin/category.cgi?item=02-16019&source=froogle

(a buddy and I split the cost so we own 50% each)

For parts, a digital postal scale I bought at Sam's Club.


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## drdiaboloco (Apr 10, 2010)

Any reason to suspect that spending four times as much will make it any more accurate? I think a fish/luggage scale will do the trick... In fact the scales are likely all pretty similar, but they put it in a different case and call them by different names, ratcheting the price around to suit their intended market.


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## Camilo (Jun 23, 2007)

drdiaboloco said:


> Any reason to suspect that spending four times as much will make it any more accurate? I think a fish/luggage scale will do the trick... In fact the scales are likely all pretty similar, but they put it in a different case and call them by different names, ratcheting the price around to suit their intended market.


I agree here - like I said, my cheap fishing scale gave the exact same weight as my LBS's real bike scale, to the ounce anyway.


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## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

Ditto the Ultimate; very accurate and nice that it's easily clamped into the work stand.


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## drdiaboloco (Apr 10, 2010)

If spending four times as much makes you happy, go for it.


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## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

drdiaboloco said:


> If spending four times as much makes you happy, go for it.


No need to be a too about it, lol. It's a personal choice just like what we each choose to ride. Or other purchases we make. I'm sure you choose something here or there that I'd consider an excess as well. I just don't choose to post useless rebuttals like you did. I also use it with my business for deadly accurate shipping weights. If you're comfortable spending less for a scale that may be as accurate then have at it.


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## drdiaboloco (Apr 10, 2010)

been200mph said:


> No need to be a too about it, lol. It's a personal choice just like what we each choose to ride. Or other purchases we make. I'm sure you choose something here or there that I'd consider an excess as well. I just don't choose to post useless rebuttals like you did. I also use it with my business for deadly accurate shipping weights. If you're comfortable spending less for a scale that may be as accurate then have at it.


Yeah, you're on to me. I'm a "too".

And I had a perfectly good "rebuttal" in that I suggested something a quarter of the cost of what you have that does the same thing... A scale measures weight, there's no argument that a gray area exists where one is better than another unless one is inaccurate. The one I suggested clamps easily to a bike stand and measures weight, just like the one you are championing (mine is accurate to 13 grams at 12 pounds, using a known weight as a calibration). If you're happy with your scale, that's grand. Yet your suggestion was to spend four times as much for no reason, and you're the one who's talking about "useless"?

Sorry I hurt your feelings.


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## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

Sorry, I missed spelling "tool" properly in my haste. Have a nice day. That's the beauty of it all; freedom of choice. It takes much more than anyone can post on the internet to hurt my feelings so no apology is needed there.


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## drdiaboloco (Apr 10, 2010)

So your feelings weren't hurt, but you felt it necessary to resort to childish behavior such as name-calling? Resorting to such a senseless escalation doesn't add up, but I'll take your word for it.

You, too, have a fine day. I'm going to go weigh things in my garage to keep the rain from wrecking my buzz.


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## been200mph (May 28, 2004)

drdiaboloco said:


> So your feelings weren't hurt, but you felt it necessary to resort to childish behavior such as name-calling? Resorting to such a senseless escalation doesn't add up, but I'll take your word for it.
> 
> You, too, have a fine day. I'm going to go weigh things in my garage to keep the rain from wrecking my buzz.


Have a nice day. Don't let the rain weigh you down now. :thumbsup:


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## Dutch77 (Jan 3, 2009)

Thanks drdiaboloco for those tips. Got the kitchen scale for components (and mixing my maltodextrin). Even got the red one to match my bike 

Didn't know that I could find bike scales under luggage or fishing scales! Same thing at a fraction of the price.


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