Weight difference in just alum vs carbon frame?

[wrayb]

Can someone tell me the weight difference between the aluminum levo frame (2020) and the carbon levo frame (2020)? No components just the frames.

 

[Kickngas]

Following. Curious if it is more than a pound(frame only).

 

[Mcharza]

2019 models.
The new carbon frame is said to save 800g in weight compared to the new alloy version.
2019 Specialized Turbo Levo E-MTB – Ten Things to Know

 

[Mcharza]

Btw, it takes 1 min to Google it

 

[CjP]

What’s google? How does it work?

 

[Al Boneta]

2019 models.
The new carbon frame is said to save 800g in weight compared to the new alloy version.
2019 Specialized Turbo Levo E-MTB – Ten Things to Know

I weigh every Levo we build in the shop, it averages at a half a pound weight difference. Not once have I seen one weigh 800g less

 

[Mikerb]

Carbon frame on a mtb is not about weight it is about stiffness and controlled flex for a given classification of use. Different story on a road bike.

 

[wrayb]

I weigh every Levo we build in the shop, it averages at a half a pound weight difference. Not once have I seen one weigh 800g less

Interesting. I always put more stock on actual data from a person who actually did something verses something I read from a website I googled. Can you clarify...are you weighting just the frames or the entire bikes?

 

[Fivetones]

Carbon frame on a mtb is not about weight it is about stiffness and controlled flex for a given classification of use. Different story on a road bike.

Given we’ve established the weights vary can you trust one Levo rides exactly the same as the next?

 

[Al Boneta]

Interesting. I always put more stock on actual data from a person who actually did something verses something I read from a website I googled. Can you clarify...are you weighting just the frames or the entire bikes?

I have weighed just frames and entire bikes. The biggest difference I have measured is 500g. I have seen weight discrepancies of up to 300g between two identically sized bikes in the same exact model.
This is why most companies won’t publish weights. Most that do only publish the average weight of the smallest size.
For example YT says the weight of the Decoy Pro is 48lbs in their website. I weighed the first one I ever worked on at 50.3lbs. I weighed a 2017 Levo Expert that I was also working on that day for a comparison. It weighed 51.2lbs and it’s completely aluminum.
The thing is on an Ebike a pound or two doesn’t amount to a whole lot of difference on a 48 to 50lbs bike anyway.
You can easily make up the difference with lighter tires tires and wheels which makes a much bigger difference in handling, rotational weight and range.

 

[Al Boneta]

Carbon frame on a mtb is not about weight it is about stiffness and controlled flex for a given classification of use. Different story on a road bike.

I completely agree on a regular mountain bike or road bike. On a Levo, there is no noticeable difference.
Carbon makes a bigger difference in letting everyone know you paid more. It feeds the ego not the ride.
I should know I have both

 

[Mikerb]

All manufacture has +/- tolerances. I would guess ally has a smaller manufacture tolerance overall than carbon since the tube manufacture is fully automated albeit there is no way you can accurately determine the weight added by the weld process. Carbon has a much greater manual layup component and I would guess tolerance % is greater. Assuming the tubes are prepreg and then cured in an autoclave, that part of the process should be pretty precise depending only on accurate heat setting and duration.

 

[Mikerb]

Given we’ve established the weights vary can you trust one Levo rides exactly the same as the next?

Since it primarily the intrinsic design of the frame that gives its ride characteristics and small weight variance would not be noticeable......even less so on an E MTB.

 

[Fivetones]

Since it primarily the intrinsic design of the frame that gives its ride characteristics and small weight variance would not be noticeable......even less so on an E MTB.

That does detract a little from the argument to go carbon. However, I expect Specialized/Merida have relatively high standards for their Taiwanese frames and the lay ups are relatively consistent.

 

[Mikerb]

That does detract a little from the argument to go carbon

Exactly!!

 

[Zimmerframe]

What’s google? How does it work?

I think it's like pornhub for people who haven't found pornhub ??

or for people who don't understand how to use wolfram alpha ?

 

[Fivetones]

It’s like DuckDuckGo but with added surveillance and privacy negation features.

 

[Forever Wild]

Can someone tell me the weight difference between the aluminum levo frame (2020) and the carbon levo frame (2020)? No components just the frames.

Not a weight issue. Stiffness is very noticeable. I only want to ride Carbon frames. I’ve had both.