How to optimize the weight of your racing bike?

Weight is the enemy! Such is the doctrine in the world of road cycling, even if it's not the only factor at play. Here, we'll look at how much weight you need for each type of bike, how to improve it, and what the limit is if you're entering the competition.

The racing bike of a beginner cyclist focuses more on comfort in order to get used to the position and invite improved performance. The frame is aluminum, as are the wheels, crankset and cockpit. Within the Wilier Triestina brand, the GTR exemplifies the weight of an entry-level racing bike, between 9 and 10 kg. The higher-performance Filante SL model weighs over 7 kg, while the ultimate Filante SLR flirts with 6.8 kg.

Every cyclist is unique. An amateur will be happy with an aluminum racing bike weighing less than 10 kg for comfortable Sunday riding (wider wheels, for example), while an initiate will prefer a lightweight bike weighing less than 8 kg, or even 7 kg, for regular climbing.

Please note that frame size, and therefore weight, will vary according to your size. You can't do anything about it, because your riding position, comfort and performance depend on it.

A racing bike weighing less than 7 kg has a carbon fiber frame. Depending on the type of fiber used, for stiffness or comfort, this one-piece molded part weighs less than 1 kg, and sometimes less than 700 g, like the Specialized S-Works Tarmac SLR (685 g).

Carbon material is used in virtually all components:

• The fork,
• wheels,
• Saddle post,
• The coat hanger,
• Handlebars,
• The pedals,
• The cranks.

The power-to-weight ratio is an essential parameter in racing bikes. If an amateur rides at 3 W/kg, a professional rides at between 6 and 7 W/kg. For a constant ratio of 7 W/kg, one kg less on a bike corresponds to a bike that's one second faster on a 20 km ride on the flat, and -8 seconds faster on a 10 km course with 500 m of ascent, according to this online calculator. The weight gain is therefore interesting for climbing the Col de Tourmalet, but less so than on the flat, where aerodynamics are more important.

Let's take a concrete example, since some brands don't hesitate to use precise figures to bait the customer. The Trek Emonda SLR reports a gain of 60 seconds per hour on the flat and 18 s/h on an 8% gradient compared to the previous model. Indeed, the optimized aerodynamics play a big part, indicating "182 g of drag saved", more than the lower weight.

In competition, the Union Cycliste Internationale regulates rules such as the minimum authorized weight of racing bikes. Riders are not allowed to ride bikes weighing less than 6.8 kg, a figure that has been fixed for over 20 years. It's a way of levelling out performance, putting the human rather than the bike first.

Good to know: the 6.8 kg includes pedals, power sensor, bottle cage and handlebar extenders. However, the UCI weight limit does not include accessories such as water bottles or on-board computers. This information is essential if you're going from a Sunday ride to an official event - one gram less and you're out!

Of course, all manufacturers are vying with each other to get as close as possible to the 6.8 kg limit imposed by the UCI. Such is the case with the Cervélo R5 of Dane Jonas Vingegaard for the 2024 edition, even lighter than the one that weighed 7.195 kg when he won the Boucle in 2023.

However, the Colnago V4Rs of arch-rival Tadej Pogacar weighs in at 7.27 kg, thanks to tires 's wider, more comfortable tires on a variety of surfaces (including this year's unprecedented gravel stage). In general, the weight hovers around 7 kg on the Tour de France (and other Giro or Vuelta events), varying according to the cyclist's size and profile.

An electric racing bike weighs several kg more than an equivalent muscle bike. The difference is due to the motor, battery and electronic components (controller, display, controls, cables, torque sensor, etc.). The best light and powerful electric road bikes weigh between 10 and 12 kg.

To give you an idea of the weight of one brand, the electric Bianchi E-Oltre weighs 11 kg. That's 4 kg more than the mechanical Oltre RC with the same Shimano Dura-Ace Di2 transmission.