I feel your pain my friend. My Riv is also a little portly and I am constantly scheming to lighten it up.
Here are my suggestions: Ditch the front derailleur and the biggest chainring, and the front shifter, go "one by". Get an electric pump and pump up your tires to a PSI that feels just right for you and your gear. Ride around wiht a notepad for a few weeks and try different pressures. I have this electric pump that is accurate to a half a PSI. https://www.amazon.com/EPAuto-Portable-Compressor-Digital-Inflator/dp/B01L9WSTEG Switch to Schwalbe Aerothan tubes (I just got one and I'm trying it out now. Feels lighter a little bit.) Get SKS plastic fenders or ditch fenders entirely for the tour (bring rain pants instead). Get a titanium railed Brooks? (expensive but kewl) Ditch the front rack and run two panniers plus a duffle bag or saddle bag on top. Ditch the dynamo and ride during the day? Switch to nylon pedals? I hope these help! Post a ride report from your camping trip please. Michael On Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 9:24:41 PM UTC-4 DavidP wrote: > I've got to agree with the others. A typical light-ish weight steel > touring build is maybe ~25lbs. I'm sure you could drop some weight but I > don't see 6lbs being worth the trading off in comfort or functionality. > > That said some places to look: > - saddle: drop a pound by switching the brooks for a plastic saddle > - fenders: another pound > - wheels: lighter wheel build (still need to be strong for loaded > touring), tubeless?, lose the dynamo and headlight; maybe save 2lbs? > - the last 2 pounds might take some work (stem, bars, crank, etc.) > > I think I'd keep the six pounds... > > -Dave > On Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 9:00:55 PM UTC-4 Steve wrote: > >> Bob, sounds like a great build for touring. I'm not trying to be flippant >> here, but you might consider adding lower gearing to your bike if you're >> using it for loaded travel. Sure, you'l go slower, but you'll enjoy it >> more. >> >> If you add up the weight of your bike + your gear + your body weight and >> then calculate the 2 or 3 pounds you might loose as a percentage you might >> just decide that decreasing the utility of the bike is not worth the >> trade-off. >> >> Steve >> >> On Wednesday, July 24, 2024 at 8:30:51 PM UTC-4 Patrick Moore wrote: >> >>> Addendum to frames and feelings: my much proclaimed fave bike of all >>> time: 1999 Riv road custom, different builder and different tubes. It was >>> the model for the 2003 which was an almost identical copy (58 c-c st >>> instead of 57 c-c). The 1999 has felt "fast" on every ride since I got it >>> 25 years ago, even with different tires. The 2003 was a near clone but felt >>> wooden. The 2020 Matthews #2 replacement feels like the 1999. >>> >>> Second gen Ram - blue. Not bad, but it never sparkled, even with first >>> gen Paris Roubaix "open tubulars." Both handling and pedaling felt -- well, >>> I felt I could do better, so that too was sold on. >>> >>> So, different frames and strokes for different folks. Suggestion: Try >>> other bikes for rides similar to those you do on your Sam and see what >>> difference they make. >>> >>> On Wed, Jul 24, 2024 at 6:21 PM Patrick Moore <bert...@gmail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Your Sam weighs just about the same as my Matthews #1 built to fit and >>>> handle (as much as possible) like a road bike while accepting 622X60s and >>>> fenders and racks and lighting system. Though it weighs much more than my >>>> road bikes it doesn't feel nearly as heavy or "plodding" as the weight >>>> difference might make me think. >>>> >>>> Besides, if you are adding a 20 or 30 lb camping load to the bike, >>>> taking off 5 lb won't make much difference, I'd guess. >>>> >>>> The riding position is much like that of my road bikes and I think this >>>> helps. Also, the tires are "fast feeling;" this defiintely helps. Lastly, >>>> the frame: it's built of OS but thinwall tubing and I expect that this >>>> makes it feel "light." >>>> >>>> I had a first gen Sam. It felt rather wooden, which is 1 reason I sold >>>> it. Chauncey Matthews also built me a road frame o mimic and replace a >>>> 2003 >>>> Riv Road custom, but of much lighter and normal --vs OS -- tubing; the >>>> Riv's f+f+hs weighed 7 lb. The #2 Matthews certainly feels less wooden -- >>>> less of a chore to pedal, especially when I'm tired -- than the Riv >>>> custom, >>>> same wheels, tires, drivetrain, gearing. I expect that it is probably the >>>> more flexible frame rather than the lower weight that is the principal >>>> difference. >>>> >>>> I expect that some people find some Riv frames stiff and >>>> unaccommodating; but then again, very many others exclaim about the >>>> "light" >>>> feeling even of Clems. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, Jul 24, 2024 at 5:40 PM Bob Warner <warne...@gmail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Would be grateful for reasonable/cost conscious suggestions for how to >>>>> shed some weight from my Sam; which is currently is weighing in at 31.3# >>>>> with the following configuration: >>>>> >>>>> - Velocity Dyad 36 / Ultegra 6500 rear with Ultegra 6700 12-30 >>>>> cassette; Velocity Dyad 32 with SP Dynamo & BM IQ-X >>>>> - Nitto 135mm Faceplater stem + Nitto Billie Bars; Newbaums & Oury >>>>> grips >>>>> - Sugino XD-2 crank >>>>> - Paul Racer brakes & Paul Levers >>>>> - Brooks B17 Special >>>>> - Nitto S-83 seatpost >>>>> - IRD QB-95 BB >>>>> - Shimano 105 5701 long cage RD >>>>> - Shimano 6500 FD >>>>> - Tubus rear rack, Nitto M18 front rack >>>>> - Blackburn SS cages >>>>> - Berthoud SS fenders & RH Barlow Pass tires >>>>> >>>>> I went on my first overnight bike tour and boy was my rig heavy. It >>>>> was a big adjustment for me pushing all that weight for 80 miles!! My >>>>> camping gear is pretty lightweight stuff for backpacking, so curious if >>>>> there are any reasonable priced alternatives to lighten up the bike. >>>>> Many >>>>> thanks in advance!! ~Bob >>>>> [image: SamH.jpeg] >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> -- >>>>> You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google >>>>> Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. >>>>> To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send >>>>> an email to rbw-owners-bun...@googlegroups.com. >>>>> To view this discussion on the web visit >>>>> https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ab023225-f949-41e1-8e3c-d80499b7c3cfn%40googlegroups.com >>>>> >>>>> <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/ab023225-f949-41e1-8e3c-d80499b7c3cfn%40googlegroups.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> >>>>> . >>>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> -- >>>> >>>> Patrick Moore >>>> Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum >>>> >>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> >>>> Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing >>>> services >>>> >>>> >>>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>>> >>>> *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* >>>> >>>> *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* >>>> >>>> *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* >>>> >>> >>> >>> -- >>> >>> Patrick Moore >>> Alburquerque, Nuevo Mexico, Etats Unis d'Amerique, Orbis Terrarum >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> Executive resumes, LinkedIn profiles, bios, letters, and other writing >>> services >>> >>> >>> ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- >>> >>> *When thou didst not, savage, k**now thine own meaning,* >>> >>> *But wouldst gabble like a** thing most brutish,* >>> >>> *I endowed thy purposes w**ith words that made them known.* >>> >> -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "RBW Owners Bunch" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to rbw-owners-bunch+unsubscr...@googlegroups.com. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/rbw-owners-bunch/82dd856f-836e-467e-9ea1-24d35c41f960n%40googlegroups.com.
