The weight war in cycling: increasingly lighter frames
In the cycling sector, a true diet war seems to have broken out… but not among cyclists, rather among manufacturers. Brands are competing to develop the lightest frame on the market, both for road bikes and for mountain bikes.
If a few years ago a frame under one kilo was a revolution, now the psychological barrier is set at 700 grams, and there is even talk of frames dropping below 500 or even 350 grams.
Canyon launches a 665 gram frame: how far can it go?
One of the latest proposals is from Canyon, which has presented its carbon frame for the Ultimate CF EVO model, with a weight of just 665 grams. This bike is designed for maximum efficiency in competition, ideal for cyclists seeking every gram of advantage.
Although weight is a key factor in performance, a difference of 50 grams does not always make a difference. In many cases, it may be smarter to invest in other components such as wheels, cranks or seatposts to lighten the overall setup. Both in road bikes focused on long-distance performance, and in mountain bikes designed for competitive XC, the balance between lightness, stiffness and strength remains fundamental.
Is the graphene era arriving in cycling?
The great revolution seems to be in a material set to change the rules of the game: graphene. In July 2016, the British brand Dassi Bikes presented the world's first graphene frame. Although it contained only 1% of this material, the prototype already showed promise: 750 grams in weight and great development potential.
Graphene is 300 times stronger than steel, six times lighter than aluminum, and has a thickness of just one atom. It sounds like science fiction, but the technology already exists to manufacture frames of 350 grams with rigidity and durability superior to current carbon.
The limitations of graphene
Despite its incredible properties, graphene still faces two major challenges:
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The price: a gram of graphene costs more than a gram of gold.
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The difficulty of manufacturing: being such a thin material, it requires very complex handling and assembly processes.
Stuart Abbot, president of Dassi, assures that the future lies in the combination of graphene and carbon fiber, which would allow the production of ultralight frames with unprecedented performance, both in lightweight mountain bikes for competition and in road bikes designed for climbers and sprinters.
Graphene in components: Vittoria leads innovation
The Italian brand Vittoria is another example of graphene's progress in cycling. The company has invested more than 45 million euros in the development of tires and wheels made with a blend of graphene, rubber, and carbon.
The results are promising: tires with lower rolling resistance, greater durability, better grip, and up to 15% less weight. An advance that equally benefits road bikes seeking efficiency, as well as mountain bikes that require greater resistance to impacts on technical terrain.
Will the future of cycling be lighter and stronger?
Everything points to yes. Graphene could become the next big revolution in the industry, allowing the production of lighter, more durable, and more efficient bicycles than ever before. Although its use is currently limited by the costs and complexity of the material, brands like Canyon, Dassi, or Vittoria are already leading the way.
In a world where every gram counts, the combination of technology and new materials will redefine what we expect from our bicycles, whether they are road or mountain bikes.
