# question TCT carbon madone 4.7?



## clint eastwood (Sep 14, 2008)

I own a Madone 4.7. Great bike and just out of curiosity, does anyone knows what teh weight difference should be in frame with the higher level oclv frames?
I got a size 60.
I guess it is also a very good carbon frame. That's what the dealer told me anyways.
I hope someone can back me up and give me some expertise on this bike?

thanks, Eastwood


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

For simple reference sake, if it helps anyone, my 56cm OCLV Red 09 Pro Madone frame (only) is 829g. This is with a 2008 paint scheme for a 6.5Pro and RDH. I know this is probably meaningless unless you do a complete frame-off strip of your 4.7. 

The Black OCLV runs about 120 grams heavier, don't know about the White. Don't know about the TCT frames.

On a side note, don't worry about weights. Unless you are planning on doing Mt Washington, or Mt. Evans, or the various and sundry other uphill TTs, then it's not something you are really going to notice. My other bikes are considerably heavier than my Madone, and I am, for all practical purposes, just as strong on those as on the Madone.

HTH
zac


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## clint eastwood (Sep 14, 2008)

thanks zac!
I just like lightweight bikes because i like climbing mountains in the alps or pyrenees. You feel the difference rather fast..
grtz, Clint


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

FWIW, my Madone 56cm 6.5Pro with cages and D/A pedals, stock wheels is 15 1/2 lbs.

I think the 5.2 weighs in at about 16 1/4 +/- lbs. But some of that is due to wheels. I would suspect the 5.5 to be lighter as it has the lighter SRAM Force group. I bet the 2009 6.9 with SRAM Red and Bonty XXX Lite wheels is easily in the 14s...stock.

I have seen the 4 series being reported at 18 or so pounds. But that is mostly due to heavier outfit and wheels. Hell you can easily loose a pound and a half with just a saddle and wheel change from stock set up. That is pretty damn good!


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## clint eastwood (Sep 14, 2008)

so you're bike is about 7 kilo. Mine is 8 1/2 kilo.
I could go under 8 without losing quality? I mean, I would still have reliable wheels?

Clint


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## clint eastwood (Sep 14, 2008)

I would be happy with gaining 1 kilo. I know it sounds stupid, but I felt the difference with my old bike which was over 10 kilo..


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## GGW (Jul 13, 2008)

Hi there 

I think 1 kilo is a lot at this point .Every gramm cost money .Where would you start to take off 1 kilo on your bike ?


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## clint eastwood (Sep 14, 2008)

the wheels to start with. I also got a triple that I could turn into a compact. (I actually ordered a compact but they gave me a triple anyways. Otherwise I had to wait for a couple of months longer)
Than the sadle may be.
Any other suggestions?

I am gonna wait anyways. I like it as it is now, but as soon as I am going into the mountains (next summer probably) I would like to make it lighter.


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

clint eastwood said:


> so you're bike is about 7 kilo. Mine is 8 1/2 kilo.
> I could go under 8 without losing quality? I mean, I would still have reliable wheels?
> 
> Clint


saddle and wheels.

The stock Bontrager saddle is mid range, at best. My RXL is in the mid 200gram range (dont know exact off hand) I would suspect that the Race saddle on the 4.7 has to be in the high 200s. Just switching over to a SI SLR would shed 120+ grams.

Wheels are were you can shed the most weight. But weight loss comes at great cost. Once you go sub 1400grams, you are mainly looking at carbon rims and north of $2000 (US). The Bonty Race wheels have to be around 2 kilos for the set. The only bonus is the Bontrager RXL tire and tubes, which are about the lightest stock offerings on any bike. But there are many climbing wheelsets, available both in clinchers and tubulars. But I have to tell you, if you are not racing, I would stick with a heavier/stronger wheel. I had routinely run a set of somewhat heavy Mavic Cosmic Carbones (~1800grams) as my main everyday wheelset. Bombproof, climbed just as well as anything else, silky smooth, and fast as hell once you got them up to speed.

While you could also shed some weight by going with a D/A cassette, ~50 grams or so, the loss of durability is not worth it IMHO. Plus unless you find them on clearance, D/A cassettes are $$$$.

All that being said, I still think that the 4.7 is a very light bike. Ultimately I would upgrade the saddle, simply to get one that fits your body. I would then ride those wheels for a good season, keep them for bad weather days, and get a new set of good wheels the following season.

Good luck
zac


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## clint eastwood (Sep 14, 2008)

i ll think I'll follow our advice!

thanks Zac


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## GGW (Jul 13, 2008)

Hi there 

Yep wise advice there . Take your time put some marbles on the side and buy yourself a nice pair of wheel that can not only improve the weight of your bike but the bike itself .You can find some nice compact crank for good price 50/34 with a 12/27 or 11/25 and you wont see much difference with your triple and save some wait there for not to much cost and improve your ride .Just that and your bike will give you some good sensation .Have fun


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## 08Madone5.2 (Dec 25, 2007)

Its cheaper to go on a diet and lose 5-10 lbs!! Thats a difference you would notice!


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

08Madone5.2 said:


> Its cheaper to go on a diet and lose 5-10 lbs!! Thats a difference you would notice!


I hear that a lot, and for the many it is true, but some of us don't have much more to loose. I would think that anyone who routinely climbs some of the roads, the OP is climbing is probably on the light side of the body mass spectrum already. I am just under 6' tall and hover around 155lbs. I don't think I could loose 5-10lbs very easily or very healthfully.


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## zac (Aug 5, 2005)

clint eastwood said:


> the wheels to start with. I also got a triple that I could turn into a compact. (I actually ordered a compact but they gave me a triple anyways. Otherwise I had to wait for a couple of months longer)
> Than the sadle may be.
> Any other suggestions?
> 
> I am gonna wait anyways. I like it as it is now, but as soon as I am going into the mountains (next summer probably) I would like to make it lighter.


Somehow I missed the fact that you had a triple. But surprisingly, the difference in weight between an Ultegra 6603 (Triple) and a 6650 (compact) is only a couple of grams, and IIRC, the triple is lighter! My memory may be off from a few years ago, but you may want to check this out before opting for the "lighter" compact, over the triple.

zac


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## GGW (Jul 13, 2008)

Hi there 

Not to sure about a diet , always gainning more weight after the diet is over .The only diet i know and like is climbing hills ,eat and go back


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## clint eastwood (Sep 14, 2008)

i m affraid losing weight for me isn't an option.
I'm 1m90 and 78kilo
I could lose some k's but I'm already pritty thin


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## qwer (Jul 27, 2007)

Except for the saddle (it the stock one is not comfty) I wouldn't change a thing on the bike. Doesn't make much sense to me. 
If you really want to lighten the bike considerably, it would be a lot of $$$$ and you could as well have bought a better range Madone model.


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