Based on the 6.8kg lower bike weight limit for pro racers
Most bicycles in the pro peloton are well over the UCI weight limit (
here’s an 8 kg example before adding computers, transponders, etc.). That’s because grams that avocational riders obsess over do not matter even to pro racers.
If you do the calculations, even rotational mass at the periphery of the wheel (that counts double during accelerations) makes a typically trivial difference. The energies involved are negligible compared to a typical cyclist’s power. Nonetheless, people convince themselves that ‘light’ wheels, that weigh maybe 200 g less than ‘heavy’ wheels, are nothing less than transformative. I think this happens because there is a noticeable difference in inertia when the handlebars are quickly rotated through a large arc at walking speeds. In this unconscious test, the lighter wheel feels more nimble, responsive, agile, quick, etc. – all those words that bicycle reviewers use when they should be saying something important.
The magic of the wheel is that it takes the work out of carrying weight.
I don’t think a bicycle should weigh some proportion of its owner’s weight. Rather, it should be built for its intended purpose. If that is a lifetime of being thrown around bike racks and left outdoors in the rain with maintenance every decade whether needed or not, you end up with Dutch-bike weights. If it’s one season of racing, you end up with something pretty light.
But even if you’re racing, a comfortable saddle will probably make more difference than saving 100 g. And 400 g pedals with ball bearings are certainly faster over most courses than ultra-light pedals with plain bearings, despite the latter (plastic bushings) being the default choice on road bikes these days.
When I chose a set of components for a long life of solo rides, enjoyable blasts in fast groups, and a bit of practical transport, I ended up with something around 10 kg. For me, that’s a benchmark of sorts. Much below 10 kg leads to compromises I’m unwilling to make, and even the lightest machines are not usefully faster. Much above 10 kg gains me little in function and makes carrying the bicycle up the five flights of stairs to my flat needlessly hard work.
Some interesting weights are quoted
here.