As I sit here this month and recover from a broken
fibula, I have more than my share of needed time to
read some of the threads here. I'm really amazed
at this pre-occupation with lugs and their weight.
For those of you to are 'newer' to the sport and/or
to those who, due to aesthetics, find the
look of lugs offensive, or if they cry 'old tech',
perhaps read no further...

Lugs add no more than two ounces to the overall weight
of a bicycle. If a builder chooses, the use of lugs permits
the use of a lighter set of tubes because the temperature
range needed in their employment does not necessitate
the need for thicker walled tubing to safeguard against
higher heat applications. A modern, made-for-everday-use
lugged steel frame weighs about 3.7 pounds. It's not prudent
to use Rivendells as a baseline for frame weight because
they are not built, sold, or marketed as frames which will
be used the same way some of you express your needs to be.
Grant Peterson is selling bicycles AND he'selling a lifestyle.
If you think anyone in any business is doing otherwise,
I question your definition of 'business'.

I also am miffed at how many people are chiming in and
are addressing the weight versus performance issue. As I
wrote privately to Hemanth last evening, I wonder how many
of the opinion makers ever been on a start line or have ever
trained to be fit enough to race so as to have the experiences
necessary to give advice as to why two ounces may or may not
make such a difference. In the scheme of things, the issue
of weight, particularly such a small amount of stationary
weight, is moot.

Because I both race AND build, and am also in business, I take
with a grain of salt this 'weight' issue. In my experience,
no racer who has achieved a high level in the sport has ever
said that his results were skewed by his chosen equipment.
Simply put, the bicycles don't go by themselves.

Most people buy most of what they buy for emotional reasons.
In the bicycle industry, as in others, there is a 'this year's
flavor' mentality. This is a key element is successful
commerce. After all, for most of you this is a recreation,
not a sport from which you earn a living. Regarding H?manth's
original query, I think his needs would be best served by
visiting Chris Kvale and ordering one of his superb bicycles.
Chris is a former National Class Cat. 1 rider and is among
those best qualified to sort through the marketing mumbo-jumbo
and produce a light, serviceable frame.
e-RICHIE