Author Topic: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?  (Read 4943 times)

Offline Mr.Jowee

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Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« on: August 21, 2010, 12:06:37 AM »
Just wondering if Flatland Fuel and Dans Comp weigh the parts themselves, or if they get the info from the manufacturer. I'd guess manufacturer. Seeing as how many people pay a considerable amount of money on parts based on weight, this may not be the best idea.

katobmx

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Re: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2010, 12:44:19 AM »
I always wondered why companies didnt just lie about the weight to get more sells and retain a stronger part.

Offline Mr.Jowee

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Re: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2010, 03:20:52 AM »
Well, I work for a scale company. The next time I buy a new part, I'm weighing it on a $2,000 scale and letting everyone know.

Offline Paradoxium

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Re: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2010, 04:35:17 AM »
The company will give a raw weight without the extras. For example, forks will be weighed before painting and without compression bolt and removable mounts. Frames also will be weighed raw and without removable mounts, tabs and guides.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2010, 03:04:43 PM by Paradoxium »

Offline PSchoolen

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Re: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« Reply #4 on: August 22, 2010, 05:04:33 AM »
The company will give a raw weight without the extras. For example, forks will be weighed before painting and without compression bolt and removable mounts. Frames also will be weighed raw and without removable mounts, tabs and guides.

At flatlandfuel we weigh about 90% of everything. There are a few suppliers whom we trust their stated weight, and most are fairly accurate, but we like to do it ourself. I have spent a lot of money on nice scales we calibrate regularly.
Patrick Schoolen
www.flatlandfuel.com

Offline stuntnuts

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Re: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« Reply #5 on: August 22, 2010, 05:09:08 AM »
My biggest complaint is that similar items are sometimes measured in different units. One stem for instance is in kilograms and the one I'm comparing it to is in ounces. Makes for a PITA when comparison shopping.

Offline kkmk

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Re: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« Reply #6 on: August 22, 2010, 12:37:39 PM »
The company will give a raw weight without the extras. For example, forks will be weighed before painting and without compression bolt and removable mounts. Frames also will be weighed raw and without removable mounts, tabs and guides.

Thats not the case in all companies.

Offline Paradoxium

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Re: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« Reply #7 on: August 22, 2010, 12:56:16 PM »
The company will give a raw weight without the extras. For example, forks will be weighed before painting and without compression bolt and removable mounts. Frames also will be weighed raw and without removable mounts, tabs and guides.

Thats not the case in all companies.

Thats right, but its still a method used to gain extra sales.
Whats sad is people going by weight, which bites you in the butt. Consumers buy the lightest parts. Companies then try to upgrade by reducing weight each year. For me though, weight loss each year is a downgrade because its less material each year.

Years ago, some guy ended up in a wheelchair because his forks snapped. Consumers driven by weight instead of strength are not helping anyone. Not helping themselves, the industry or the sport.

A well designed part with an excellent strength to weight ratio is far more important than the lightest part.  :mellow:

Offline The Brown Sound

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Re: Where do bike parts retailers get their weight info?
« Reply #8 on: August 23, 2010, 05:58:54 PM »
Do you think manufacturers are starting to catch on to this? Or do you think the lightest part trend is still in full effect? Trust I love a light bike like the next guy, but at the risk of part/frame failure, I'm all set with. I'd like a part to be as light as possible w/o sacrificing a great deal of strength.  -_-

A well designed part with an excellent strength to weight ratio is far more important than the lightest part.  :mellow:

I'm like the brown LL Cool J.