# Weight of Fantom Cross Pro? (Weird response from vendor)



## bender (Oct 13, 2004)

I'm considering trying cyclocross and am looking at options including an entry level Cannondale at the LBS, bikes from discount/direct internet sites such as the Fantom Cross Pro, and eBay for used of course.

I only weigh 140 pounds so I probably notice bike weight more than most people (power-to-weight ratio, LOL). A few pounds difference on my new road bike was really noticeable to me, and was quantifiable in average speed over familiar routes. Plus, in cross races you have to shoulder your bike and jump over obstacles, run up hills with it, etc. At the LBS I can throw a bike on their scale. On eBay, the majority of sellers either publish their weights (sometimes complete with pictures of the bike on a scale), or will quote a weight when asked. 

Well, I sent the following question to BikesDirect.com: "How much does a Motobecane Fantom Cross Pro Cyclocross Bike weigh, as pictured on your web site? (Not including pedals, with the bike ready to race, how much weight are you carrying on your shoulder as you run up a hill)? Thanks"

Got the following reply:

_The dirty secret of the bike industry
All bike shops lie about weights
All manufacturers lie about weights
even magazines quote weights without pedals and reflectors

Mountain Bikes in bike shops all weight around 30 LBS - almost all of them except ultra lights like the Motobecane FLY TEAM (the lightest ATB made -- at 20lbs)

Road bikes all weigh very close by group
2200 bikes - around 24
Sora bikes - around 23
Tiagra bikes - around 22
105 bikes around 20
Ultegra bikes around 19
DuraAce around 18 
(and this surprises most people - steel road bikes and aluminum weigh almost exactly the same)

The lightest production road bike is the Motobecane Le Champion 10 - 14.1 LBS
it is a race only bike with carbon cranks, carbon wheels, glue on tires, etc
Lightest 'normal' bikes are the Fuji Team SuperLight and Motobecane Le Champion SL - both these are 15lbs 

For fun, you might ask a few stores what their bikes weigh
then come back in with a fishing scale!! You will be shocked

This is a real problem to everyone in the industry
I wish that accurate weights were quoted and available
but 25 years ago Schwinn started quoting weights as much as 10 under actual
and everyone had to 'keep up'

I hope this helps
_

...So a Motobecane cross bike would weigh 19 pounds, as all Ultegra bikes weigh around 19 pounds (regardless of frame, wheels, tires, etc)? Or it would weigh 30 pounds because most "Mountain" bikes weigh 30 pounds (regardless of hardtail/dual susp/disc brakes/29 wheels, etc)? Or somewhere in between? This "logic" is ridiculous.

And what about all the slamming? "ALL bike shops lie" ? I don't agree with that. Like I said, mine lets me put any bike on their scale. I don't feel that a canned response was the best way to answer my question, since I asked about a specific model. Also, putting down local shops, and making statements such as "Dura Ace [bikes weigh] around 18" pounds, doesn't give me much confidence. 

A response such as, for example, "the bike you are looking at would weigh 20-21 pounds depending on size" would have been perfectly acceptible. Or even better, "a 55CM complete bike weighs 18.5 pounds." If an eBay seller responds to a weight question with "I don't have a scale" that is fine with me, he's just one guy trying to sell one bike. But when you make it your business, you should be able to answer such questions about your products. 

Just my opinion. I just thought that canned response was weird, and wanted to share.

Does anyone have one of these? Are they 20 pounds, or 25 pounds, or what?


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## fran2537 (Aug 28, 2006)

stuff like that makes Bikes.direct hard to love.
they should know the weights of their bikes--with obvious delta caveat that the biggest frame size will weigh a bit more than the smallest for the same model.
also slamming the LBS of the world is stupid way to respond to a simple question.


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## sonex305 (Jun 17, 2007)

I believe it is true that most don't know actual weights of their bikes because people don't actually want to hear the truth. Not to mention that most bikes come in various configurations and sizes so if you say that brand X weighs 17lbs, it sounds like a 50cm and a 62cm would be the same weight which we all know can't be true. This is my opinion and not up for debate.

As for your question, I have a Cross PRO on order. If I was to guess at the weight, I would say18.5-20 lbs. I have good reason to believe that to be true because I owned a Vent Noir with almost the same aluminum frame, same Ritchey wheels and same stem, post and bars. The main differnce is the 32c tires and Ultegra vs. the 105s I had on my Vent Noir. The Vent Noir weighed in at right about 18lbs so that is what I am comparing to with the different components taken into consideration. I had a 56cm frame at the time and I have ordered the 54cm Cross PRO.

I don't like the weight response they give either. It is the same canned response they have given to others that have emailed and asked. If you want a real answer, send a PM to Mike on the forum here. His screen name is bikesdirect. He will tell you what you want to know.

Mike, if you read this, I would agree with everyone else that the standard answer that gets sent to people that ask about weight should be changed. It sounds bad when you say "_ All bike shops lie about weights". _That is not true and should not be stated. I am one of your biggest supporters and you know that, but these responses, frankly, stink.

Hope this helps the OP some.


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## mgmoore7 (Oct 17, 2007)

I don't normally get into all the BD bashing, but I think I would be upset if I got that as a response. 

Just post the weight on the website with details of how it was done or reply with the same. It should not be that difficult.


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## ChilliConCarnage (Jun 1, 2006)

bender said:


> _The dirty secret of the bike industry
> All bike shops lie about weights
> All manufacturers lie about weights
> even magazines quote weights without pedals and reflectors
> _


I think this is just the canned response they send to anybody that asks about bike weight - it's obviously bad customer service to send canned responses, and bad customer service is the hallmark reputation of BD here at RBR.

I think it's also a bit hypocritical to be calling other companies liars - when your advertisements are about as dishonest as you can get.

But, back to the question of the Fantom Cross Pro weight: I think mine is comparable in weight to most sub $1k cx bikes. If I had wanted lighter, I would have had to step up in price. That being said, a weight somewhere around the 20lb vicinity is not that bad. Obviously, if you paid another $500, you could easily save a couple of pounds, but for me, the price-to-weight ratio of saving 2 pounds makes it not worthwhile. Incidentally, my main full-suspension mt. bike weighs about 38 lbs. My lighest road bike is 16.8 lbs.


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## Oversane (Mar 31, 2007)

How hard would it be to go out the warehouse and weigh a couple of friggin bikes? 

BD should be all over the weight of their bikes it would give their internet customers important info to help them make their buying decision.

BD has a shop in Phoenix, I think, where the bikes are set up. Couldn't they go over to Wal-Mart and buy decent scale and then publish the weights of the bikes? Right now all they know is the weight of one frame size and nothing more. They give a number and say it's "per the manufacturer." 

Take a look at the Ibex thread and at all the time the guy from Ibex spent in coming up with a weight on their new carbon bikes. It wouldn't hurt Mike, BD, Sportymama and their other Ebay stores to follow that example.


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## SleeveleSS (Jun 3, 2007)

My girlfriends 52 cm weighed around 23 on an ultimate scale (with some heavy commuter pedals). She only weighs 100 so its a bigger deal for her. Still a screamin' deal for the bike, so for what you save over the comparably equipped bike at the lbs you could lighten it up significantly with exactly the parts you want. 

I was surprised at the weight but the wheels look very beefy. As she only uses hers to commute (no real offroad) I think that will be the first upgrade to save a pound (or two if were lucky). 

I guess their attitude is "We're not gonna waste time responding to all these how much do they weigh emails (especially since if the bike shows up overweight we're gonna hear about it) so if they don't like the canned response they can pay a grand more at their LBS."

Honestly, I'm sure they're selling all the bikes they can make, and the service side of the sale is what your giving up for those amazing internet prices. If you love your LBS so much for letting you weigh them, buy a bike from them.


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## Lifelover (Jul 8, 2004)

bender said:


> ..._The lightest production road bike is the Motobecane Le Champion 10 - 14.1 LBS_
> _it is a race only bike with carbon cranks, carbon wheels, glue on tires, etc_
> ...


 
Interesting that they consider the Le Champion a "race only" bike.


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## FatTireFred (Jan 31, 2005)

Lifelover said:


> Interesting that they consider the Le Champion a "race only" bike.



IF
"All bike shops lie about weights"

AND
"All manufacturers lie about weights"

("The dirty secret of the bike industry")

THEN
I guess you should assume that quoted 14.1 lbs is most certainly a lie.


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