# How light is Lance's Madone frame?



## Jared (Jun 24, 2005)

Does anyone know what frame size Lance is using and how light it is?(Just the frame)


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## sgt_hedgehog (Jun 28, 2004)

He rides a 58cm and I think I read somewhere that it's in the 900g range.


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## Leopold Porkstacker (Jul 15, 2005)

That’s just insane. The kind of insane that I like. I wonder how much his whole bike weighs though – surely it’s something around 15lbs. or less. Probably made from scrapped UFO parts.

-he who stacks pork


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## FTF (Aug 5, 2003)

Leopold Porkstacker said:


> That�s just insane. The kind of insane that I like. I wonder how much his whole bike weighs though � surely it�s something around 15lbs. or less. Probably made from scrapped UFO parts.
> 
> -he who stacks pork


 Oh, this one is easy, 6.8Kg. The UCI weight limit is 6.8Kg, so more than likly that's exactly what his and any GC contenders bike is going to weigh. Actually I saw his bike hanging on the UCI scale and it was 6.9Kg.


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## split (Mar 22, 2004)

I don't know if you saw this previous post. Lance was riding a new Madone, SSLx, sub 900g claimed. Entire bike definitely right at UCI limit.

http://forums.roadbikereview.com/showthread.php?t=37020


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## terzo rene (Mar 23, 2002)

The SSLx is nowhere near 900g in a 58cm size. If it was stock DA would put him below the limit and there is no way he could be using a downtube shifter and be legal.


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## boris the blade (Aug 5, 2004)

i believe that his frame had an extra screw boss on it somewhere that allowed another water bottle screw with lead weights that could be used to add weight if needed. Also i have seen pics of him using an Al stem instead of carbon most likely to save weight.


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## sgt_hedgehog (Jun 28, 2004)

*he's always used aluminum*



boris the blade said:


> Also i have seen pics of him using an Al stem instead of carbon most likely to save weight.


Actually he has never used a carbon stem. The Bontrager Race XXX Lite carbon stems that were delivered to the team in the spring were all like 160mm so only a big guy like Hincapie could use them. Most of the team used the Race X Lite aluminum stem, which is a bit heavier than the XXX Lite, but obviously they had more lengths. In this Tour, Lance used the Race Lite stem which is even heavier (170) which helped to add weight.


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## FTF (Aug 5, 2003)

sgt_hedgehog said:


> Actually he has never used a carbon stem. The Bontrager Race XXX Lite carbon stems that were delivered to the team in the spring were all like 160mm so only a big guy like Hincapie could use them. Most of the team used the Race X Lite aluminum stem, which is a bit heavier than the XXX Lite, but obviously they had more lengths. In this Tour, Lance used the Race Lite stem which is even heavier (170) which helped to add weight.


 I actually think lance dosen't like CF much, his XXXlite wheels have a AL hub too.


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*heavier tires?*

during oln tdf coverage, they ran a story on the tubulars used; with the bike so light, you can get a bomb-proof tire. I think they said the tires had a kevlar layer. Correct me if I am wrong.



terzo rene said:


> The SSLx is nowhere near 900g in a 58cm size. If it was stock DA would put him below the limit and there is no way he could be using a downtube shifter and be legal.


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## Cruzer2424 (Feb 8, 2005)

PJay said:


> during oln tdf coverage, they ran a story on the tubulars used; with the bike so light, you can get a bomb-proof tire. I think they said the tires had a kevlar layer. Correct me if I am wrong.



Ahh. Rotating mass (to me and my finite knowledge base) sounds like a pretty crappy place to add if under the minimum.


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## leadag (Jan 4, 2005)

It wouldn't be an issue for the GC boys who put it in cruise mode when not in the mountains.
The rotating weight isn't a problem unless your need sudden accelerations, so i'm sure he'd gladly add it in to save chasing down the peleton after a flat. I thought i read someone that the new bonty wheels actually had quite a large rotating mass (err.. moment of inertia for the engineers)

Once they hit the mountains and he's got to chase down attacks it's a different story, and he's back on the xxx carbon hoops.


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## sgt_hedgehog (Jun 28, 2004)

*Aeolus*

ya the team used these big 'ol deep dish Bonty wheels this year,I think they're called Aeolus.


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## PJay (May 28, 2004)

*downhill safety...*

Yes, the rotating mass may be more of an issue on uphill-- but the very real problem of a blowout on a fast downhill makes you contemplate the trade-off between weight and safety. A flat-resistant wheel also may give confidence - which Lance and others have portrayed as a big part of Lance's game. And if anything requires confidence, it is sailing down an Alp when you have already fallen off a bike and broken your neck.

Compare the time lost due to a little extra rotational versus non-rotational weight (remember, when you basically need to choose where to add weight to be compliant, it is not just a matter of less is better) with the potential time loss and injury risk for having a blowout.

Thus, I am curious if anyone actually knows more specifically than I do.

"Once they hit the mountains and he's got to chase down attacks it's a different story, and he's back on the xxx carbon hoops.[/QUOTE]


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## Piles (Jun 25, 2004)

*Not so.*

Contrary to popular belief the SSLx is actually one of the heavier bikes in the pro peloton. A 56cm frame weighs 1315g. This is apparantly due to the bottom bracket having an element of Boron, which has good elasticity properties as not to burst in an accident but also increases stiffness in normal riding conditions.


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## Jared (Jun 24, 2005)

Piles said:


> Contrary to popular belief the SSLx is actually one of the heavier bikes in the pro peloton. A 56cm frame weighs 1315g. This is apparantly due to the bottom bracket having an element of Boron, which has good elasticity properties as not to burst in an accident but also increases stiffness in normal riding conditions.


Yeah i heard somewhere that the sslx is above 1kg for Lance's size.


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## sgt_hedgehog (Jun 28, 2004)

Piles said:


> Contrary to popular belief the SSLx is actually one of the heavier bikes in the pro peloton. A 56cm frame weighs 1315g. This is apparantly due to the bottom bracket having an element of Boron, which has good elasticity properties as not to burst in an accident but also increases stiffness in normal riding conditions.


I guess that would make sense because there was an article on Cycling News about how they drilled out, cut off, or sanded down almost every piece of internal hardware for his bike. 

Headset cup:


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## Jared (Jun 24, 2005)

sgt_hedgehog said:


> I guess that would make sense because there was an article on Cycling News about how they drilled out, cut off, or sanded down almost every piece of internal hardware for his bike.
> 
> Headset cup:


Does the normal production madone for next year have drilled out parts too?


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## sgt_hedgehog (Jun 28, 2004)

Jared said:


> Does the normal production madone for next year have drilled out parts too?


I seriously doubt it.


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## joe friday (Jun 15, 2003)

*A waste of money..*

if that Lance guy would just lose
a few pounds and train a little 
harder he would see more 
results than any foolish
bike tweaking can give him...
it's a shame that even the
'Pros' are now scurrying
to the bike itself hoping
that it will make up for
a lazy or ill prepared 
training regimine...


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## Nathan_P (Jul 28, 2004)

??? What do you expect, they can afford it any any edge they can get they do get. And Lance is retired. When he did race, he trained like the devil.


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## FTF (Aug 5, 2003)

Nathan_P said:


> ??? What do you expect, they can afford it any any edge they can get they do get. And Lance is retired. When he did race, he trained like the devil.


 I believe he was poking fun at the people who say that you should loose weight off your body instead of the bike. Sarcasm.


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## rocco (Apr 30, 2005)

sgt_hedgehog said:


> Actually he has never used a carbon stem. The Bontrager Race XXX Lite carbon stems that were delivered to the team in the spring were all like *160mm* so only a big guy like Hincapie could use them. Most of the team used the Race X Lite aluminum stem, which is a bit heavier than the XXX Lite, but obviously they had more lengths. In this Tour, Lance used the Race Lite stem which is even heavier (170) which helped to add weight.


Not a chance... 140mm


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## mwilcko2 (May 1, 2004)

58cm frame for Lance? Isn't that a bit large for someone his height?


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

Buy a CR1  My 56 came it 897 .

K


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## FTF (Aug 5, 2003)

mwilcko2 said:


> 58cm frame for Lance? Isn't that a bit large for someone his height?


With trek messed up geo(TM) it's the right size. Any trek size is about 2cm smaller than the number. Atleast that's the word on the street, I've never owned one.


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## ultimobici (Jul 16, 2005)

Silly observation, but when this thread started, LA had already been retired for a month!


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## CFBlue (Jun 28, 1999)

ultimobici said:


> Silly observation, but when this thread started, LA had already been retired for a month!



Annnnnnnd....? Does that mean his name must be stricken from the record of the world never to be spoken of again?

K


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