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Solved Lightweight Aluminium Frameset/Bike

Sibreen

Maximum Pace
Jul 23, 2010
584
256
As the title says, I'm looking for a lightweight aluminium frameset - or, failing that, a lightweight aluminium bike - with a frame weight of around 12-1300g.
Ideally, I'd like a Giant TCR, CAAD 8/9/10, Felt F75/F85, or Specialized Allez Comp/Race, but I'm open to suggestions; 2010 frames or later, please.
I'm 178cm, so top-tube length of approx 54-56cm is best.

Anyone got anything they wanna sell?
If so, PM me!
 
Want to wait till March? I'm visiting a friend in Tokyo, and I'll be bringing my Allez with me and possibly selling it instead of packing it up for the trip home.
 
You might check out Y's Shiki. They had some house brand alloys for dirt cheap. Including a few Scandium Alloy versions. Not sure sizing, but I'd venture to say they might be flush on the larger ones...
 
What's your price range?

Any geometry requirements (other than the top tube)?

Time frame to buy (need something now or can it wait)?
 
@undftd1984 PM sent.
@GSAstuto will check it out next time I'm in the area, thanks.

@TokyoTurtle
Geometry - something aggressive, more like the TCR than the Defy.
Time frame - I hope to have it by March next year at the latest; sooner is good as well.
Price range - Hoping for around 30,000yen for a frameset (preferably with stem+bars+seatpost). More or less might also be ok depending on the frame.
 
You could go with a VISP. I know a lot of track riders that use the fixed gear frame for a spare bike and I have seen a standard road version - you can get them pretty cheap, around 15,000 JPY for frame and fork.
 
Price range - Hoping for around 30,000yen for a frameset (preferably with stem+bars+seatpost). More or less might also be ok depending on the frame.

Know of nothing in that price range. How much more are you wiling to go?
 
@FarEast
Thanks for the info. I checked out the framesets and the consensus seems to be that they are cheap and reliable. However, they weigh only a little less than my steel frame. I'm hoping for something lighter.

@TokyoTurtle
I'm not sure I understand: I'm asking after second-hand bikes. If you have a frame you want to sell for a little more, please PM me and we can discuss it.

@Musashi13
Cool. PM sent his way.
 
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Cool. Can you post some links?

From China
http://www.falcobike.com/index.php/falcobike/view_product?key=saker
"Online price: contact us"....
Also note, if you go onto Falco's overall homepage this model no longer appears. Discontinued perhaps, in which case special deals to be had for remaining stock?

From Singapore (made in Taiwan)
http://2013.bikesoul.com/faith/
Note, inquired about one of these over the summer, was told none in stock and not certain about when next production run is. That was months ago though.
Includes fork, headset, PF30 adapter for BSA BBs, and seatpost clamp

From Taiwan
http://www.velocite-bikes.com/bikes-and-frames/selene/
Special deal at the moment, blue colorway (old paint) - cheap, black (new paint) still good price. Full disclosure, I own a black one (still building it up, so no ride comments yet) and should still be in stock.
Price is for frame and fork, headset and seatpost clamp available but extra, shipping not included

Lastly, push the price a bit and your get:
http://tsunamibikes.com/wordpress1/sample-page/
Custom alu frames made in the US starting at $800

You'll find reviews online for these frames (perhaps not the Falco, haven't seen any) that are generally positive, especially for the Selene.
 
@TokyoTurtle
Thanks for the links.

In case anyone is interested, I emailed the manufacturers above and found out concrete prices:
Falco Saker is 600usd + 100usd shipping.
Soul Faith 2012 version is 580usd including shipping.
Velocite Selene is 300usd + 60usd headset + 15usd seatpost clamp + 100usd shipping.
Another frame I had been looking at, the Canyon Roadlite, is 900usd including shipping + stem + seatpost.

The Velocite Selene has uniformly excellent reviews, but the frame on sale is fugly as sin..
(Will be interested to hear a review when you get round to building yours up, TokyoTurtle)

All the bikes are a little out of my budget, so will keep looking for second hand bikes for the time being.
 
Another frame I had been looking at, the Canyon Roadlite, is 900usd including shipping + stem + seatpost

Nice frame, but not racing geometry like the Allez, CAAD or the ones I listed. Frame is 1450g listed also, a bit higher than your target range. Still, would build up nicely.

The Velocite Selene has uniformly excellent reviews, but the frame on sale is fugly as sin

Indeed it's not the best finish. The black one I have is nice but nothing head turning. Frame is long on performance though.

If these are out of your range, then 2nd hand sure, or NOS discontinued ones, if you can get them, would be nice. Think CAAD 9, Cinelli Xperience (2010 model year or earlier), BMC Streetracer
 
If these are out of your range, then 2nd hand sure, or NOS discontinued ones, if you can get them, would be nice. Think CAAD 9, Cinelli Xperience (2010 model year or earlier), BMC Streetracer
Thanks for the recommendations.
Cinelli experience is 1400g and on sale at Wiggle for 45000yen. Doesn't look too shabby either. May well plump for this if I can't find a suitable second hand frame before spring.
 
Cinelli experience is 1400g and on sale at Wiggle for 45000yen.

Cool, what's the colorway? Reviewers say it's about the best bike they've ridden in it's price class. A touch heavy but would be a killer bike. Was going to buy an Experience myself, but decided to jump up a price class and get a bike that I'll probably still be on in 6, 7, 8 years.
 
Bump

Anyone get a new bike for Christmas and want to sell their old bike?
Planning to upgrade in the spring?

Send me a PM!
 
Sibreen,

Just a word of caution...
When buying aluminum framesets, ride quality should be your top priority, followed by geometry, & weight, & so on.

The material properties of Al alloys are such that frame designers must overbuild their framesets to minimize flex. The degree of overbuilding has been fine-tuned over decades... read on.

I started serious road riding on Cannondale's harsh Al alloy frames back in college in '91. Over the years I rode CAAD 3's CAAD 4's, until I finally could afford Ti alloy. Ti alloy's material properties are such that framesets can be built close to steel in terms of ride quality, yet at ~56% of the weight. FYSA, aluminum is lighter still at ~30% the weight of steel... but, Al alloy frames need to be overbuilt.

Because of their inherent flex-less ride quality, I swore off Al alloy bikes altogether after a short stint with a Cervelo Soloist Al back in 2008. A couple of carbon bikes later (I'm a serial bike builder) & after reading much hype on Cannondale's newest CAAD10, I figured I'd give Al alloy another shot & build one.

I was utterly amazed at what Cannondale had achieved in terms of supple ride quality in the CAAD10. The geometry is practically identical to an Evo (same carbon fork mold, diff rake). Unlike many high-end, carbon boutique bikes, the CAAD10 is virtually indestructible. There's a good reason so many college teams ride CAAD10's; they're relatively cheap, & bullet-proof.

However, since you're so interested in weight, my complete 54cm CAAD10 frameset weighs just 1167g + 396g (frame/fork)! Lighter than many carbon frames on the market.

With common off-the-shelf parts, clincher wheels/tires, & a complete SRAM Red build, I was able to create a <6.4kg climber (see my avatar) & set a new PR Yabitsu Pass climb time... yet the bike is solid enough for use as my daily commuter! (Note: Avatar shows Easton EC90SL 38mm front + Zipp 303 rear wheels with Gatorskin tires which add ~120g over my Reynolds Attack/GP4000s wheels/tires)

In summary: For the money, I doubt there's a better Al frameset on the market. Everything I have read leads me to believe that a properly built CAAD10 will offer +85% of an Evo Hi Mod's pizzazz at <35% the price.

And in case you were wondering, I am not currently, nor have I ever been affiliated with Cannondale bicycles.

Ride Safe!
 
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Sure, had to call the wife over my lunch break to read off my post-build spreadsheet specs. Ah, true love... when your wife supports your obsessions (up to a point). Anyway, all weights are verified on either my Tanita (for parts <990g) or my Park Tools (for all other parts & final bike weight) scales.

NOTE: Now that I'm home I noticed discrepancies with my spreadsheet. Corrections are annotated with"**" & reflect actual weight... As you can see the total is not quite sub 6.4kg as I thought.

'12 CAAD10 54cm build:
Frame: 1167g
Fork (cut): 398g**
Headset: 78g**
Cannondale SI Evo compression wedge: 12g
Spacers: 2g
Stem, Ritchey WCS 260 110mm: 112g
Bar, Ritchey WCS 40cm alloy: 224g
Red shifters: 296g
Front derailleur, Red: 74g
Rear derailleur, Red: 144g
Chain, SRAM 1090: 228g**
Crankset, RED 50/34, 172.5: 566g
BB30 ceramic: 54g
Brakes, Red: 252g**
Seatpost, Ritchey WCS alloy (cut): 168g**
Seatpost binder: 15g**
Saddle, Cutters carbon: 156g
Wheels, Reynolds Attack carbon clinchers: 587g + 787g
Cassette, SRAM 1090 11-23: 132g
Rim liners: 21g + 21g **
Tires, Continental GP4000s: 210g + 210g
Tubes, Michelin: 70g + 70g
Pedals, Time Xpresso8: 198g
Skewers, Ti: 42g**
Cables, Jagwire: 90g
Bar tape, Fizik: 67g
Bottle cages/bolts: 50g
Misc: 40g**

Total: ** 6,541g ** for a complete, fully-built (w/pedals), climb-ready bike...

...albeit, when you add
a Cateye computer: 54g
a tool/tube bag, pump: 340g
= 6,935g **, but who needs all that stuff to weigh you down on a climb? Plus there's water near the top of Yabitsu, you can hydrate on the way back down. :)
Ride Safe!
 
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