Attempting to reduce the weight of a bicycle is one of cycling's time honoured traditions. Whether you’re stripping a bike back to its essence in preparation for a hill climb race, or simply seeking to make your trusted steed just a little more lively, it’s likely we’ve all sought to shave a few grams off a build at one time or another.
Gustav Gullholm, better known in cycling circles as Dangerholm, has turned weight saving into an art form and we feature another of his masterpieces here. Vello, who operate in a different cycling sphere to Gustav but are no less ingenious, are also looking to do battle with the scales by designing an electric cargo bike that doesn’t weigh the same as a hippopotamus.
Selle Italia and Suplest get in on the act with a 3D printed saddle and a line of road shoes that look to have many appealing attributes, including being light enough to appeal to all the weight weenies out there.
Dangerholm does it again
(Image credit: Scott)
Gustav Gullholm, aka Dangerholm, is renowned for his exotic, lightweight custom builds. In the pursuit of a lighter bike the Norwegian (who lives in Sweden) will strip off paint with a knife and modify components to the nth degree, looking to save grams wherever possible.
He’s built mountain bikes that are the lightest in class and has now managed to put together a Scott Contessa Addict Gravel bike for his partner Pernilla Eriksson that tips the scales at just 7.49kg or 16.51lbs.
(Image credit: Scott)
For Eriksson the bike was a ‘dream build’, so no stone was left unturned. Highlights include the Unique Pi Rope wheels, which use Vectran fibre rope spokes in a custom dyed pink, a CeramicSpeed OSPW in Cerakote white, and a custom groupset comprising Easton EC90 SL carbon crank arms, a Garbaruk 42T chainring and a SRAM X01 rear derailleur that’s been upgraded with a carbon-fibre cage and titanium pins. Even the Shimano pedals are limited edition, with titanium axles and ceramic bearings. We did stay ‘no stone’!
(Image credit: Scott)
The bike is finished with a paint job that Gullholm describes as “liquid purple on rosé metallic” to complement the gloss carbon-fibre. Eriksson hopes that her ‘dream’ will inspire others to do the same.
“It doesn't matter if it's getting your new stock dream bike from your local bike shop, going full custom like this or just getting some small but nice little upgrade for your old trusty training bike,” she says. “Having a bike that evokes some feelings, that makes you happy when you look at it, is something that simply can bring even more joy into your cycling life.”
You’d be forgiven if you haven’t heard of Suplest. The Swiss company calls itself “one of the smallest cycling shoe brands in the world” after all. But they’ve been quietly making premium quality kicks for more than a decade and have recently launched a new range, the Edge+ 2.0.
The line-up consists of four road shoes, each with a specific target audience, with materials and performance details to match.
Suplest says the Edge+ 2.0 Road Sport is designed for those who want “high quality at a good price level”. This roughly translates to ‘entry level’ but being a Suplest shoe that still means a L6 Boa dial and clean looking PU microfibre upper, delivered alongside a sensible outsole that’s not overly stiff.
(Image credit: Suplest)
A rung up is the Edge+ 2.0 Road Performance model. Aimed at endurance cyclists it boasts a BOA Li2 dial, a carbon outsole and the brand’s anatomic wrap tongue construction and carbon shield combination that’s designed to enhance fit, comfort and foothold.
It’s technology that’s shared by the Road Pro shoe too, but here you get an extra Boa dial and carbon outsole that Suplest rates as 10 on the stiffness index.
The Road Pro 30.8 utlises many of the same features but is built for hot weather and steep climbs - the Matryx material, which contains kevlar yarns, helps bring the shoe’s weight down to under 240 grams.
Three dimensional printing continues to gain a foothold within the cycling industry. From Filippo Ganna’s record breaking Pinarello to Silca’s titanium Chisela computer mount, more and more brands are turning to the technology. And now Selle Italia is getting in on the fun.
The storied Italian brand has been making some of the best saddles for over 120 years, with its Flite and SLR models achieving iconic status along the way - and it's the SLR Boost that gets the 3D treatment here.
(Image credit: Selle Italia)
Available in two versions, one with carbon rails and the other with titanium, the saddle’s 3D printed cover has been developed using carbon DLSTM technology and uses a proprietary textured pattern that Selle Italia says has “differentiated areas which create progressive cushioning over the entire surface”.
It also uses the brand’s Superflow hole, a pressure relief channel, and is offered in two widths, the S3, which measures 130mm and the L3, which is 145mm. Both measure 248mm in length. The result is a saddle made entirely in Italy.
Crowdfunded e-cargo bike that hopes to punch well above its weight
(Image credit: Vello)
Electric cargo bikes are great. But they’re also pretty darn heavy. Vello, the company behind both the folding e-bike, the Vello Bike+, and the cargo concept bike, the ‘Biquattro’, is looking to change this with the announcement of the SUB smart utility bike.
The SUB, which will be available for pre-order via the indiegogo crowdfunding site, will be offered in two builds, titanium and chromoly steel. The titanium model has a claimed weight of just 24kg, while the steel framed model is said to weigh 28kg. For comparison, Tern’s GSD S10, which we rate as one of the best e-cargo bikes available, tips the scales at 33kg.
Vello says the low weight of both models is attained thanks to its “minimalist, pure approach to design, stripping all unnecessary weight from the frame, then matching it with some of the best components available”. These components include Bosch’s Cargo Performance Line motor, that delivers 85Nm of torque and is powered using two 500Wh Bosch batteries and a Gates Carbon belt drive paired with an Enviolo internal gearing system. Combined Vello says it will mean a “practically maintenance-free drivetrain with a 380% gearing range.”
(Image credit: Vello)
Given its low weight it’s no surprise that the SUB is on the small side; its 180cm length however should make it easy to manoeuvre while also allowing it to be taken on a train or fitted to a bike rack. To aid this portability, the SUB uses a collapsible handlebar and folding pedals to reduce its overall width to 29cm.
However, none of this appears to comprise the SUB’s ability to haul cargo. Vello says the total system load of 210kg means it can be a genuine replacement for the car. The tool-free, quick release accessory system also means you can change the SUB’s configuration, as well as adding child seats and cargo baskets.
The Vello SUB is available for pre-order now, with an expected delivery date of Autumn 2023.
Luke Friend has worked as a writer, editor and copywriter for twenty five years. Across books, magazines and websites, he's covered a broad range of topics for a range of clients including Major League Baseball, the National Trust and the NHS. He has an MA in Professional Writing from Falmouth University and is a qualified bicycle mechanic. He has been a cycling enthusiast from an early age, partly due to watching the Tour de France on TV. He's a keen follower of bike racing to this day as well as a regular road and gravel rider.
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