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. 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