U.S. Built Custom Bicycles in Titanium and Titanium-Carbon Mix
Some of us are geeks and engineers. Because of this, we take "weight limits" and "weight ranges" seriously. Weight ranges can be used for optimizing ride quality, determining the perfect tubeset, modifying frame geometry, ensuring proper weight distribution, recommending components, defining warranty parameters, and more. That's a lot to think about.
The primary "weight range" used by bike suppliers is typically referring to maximum weight limit for a bicycle. That limit usually means don't ride it if the rider (plus cargo) is above that limit.
"I just carry my ID and a food bar. That's less than half a pound."
Seven's default ideal cargo weight is 14 lbs. And, the chart below shows that we have a plethora of cargo categories from cyclocross racing to month-long bikepacking.
The primary purpose of this page is to show where 14 lbs. comes from. Most riders, including us, hear 14 and think that's what I'd need for an overnight off-road ride, not my typical ride. Right? Apparently not. We often forget all the stuff we need to carry to have a good ride.
Seven's carry weights are for our Rider-Ready line of bikes. If you get a full custom Seven, we can design to any weight you'd like. We can build a performance road bike that hauls 45 lbs of gear. Or, we can design a bikepacking rig that's optimized for 12 lbs. The point of all of this is that knowing what you're carrying, and how you're carrying it, makes a difference to the design of the bike.
Weight ranges by category: Our Rider-Ready bikes have nine carry-weight categories across dozens of models. Each model is optimized for a specific carry-weight range. This helps ensure that the bike performs optimally for it's intended use.
Total ride weight range: This is a recommendation for optimal ride performance. However, if your total ride weight is above the recommendation, the bike will still handle and perform significantly better than any stock bike. For specific component weight limits, check with the manufacturer.
Total ride weight includes you, your bike, and your cargo carry-weight. Carry-weight includes all on-bike clothing, equipment, tools, hydration, food, saddle bag, and any other items that weigh something. The total carry weight averages about 14 lbs. for a 3 to 12-hour self-sufficient early summer ride. To determine your total ride weight, add your birthday suit body weight, plus your raw bike (about 16-21 lbs.), plus your cargo carry weight (about 14 lbs.).
Seven doesn't have limits in the same way that many companies do. Our ideal weight ranges are for optimized ride performance, not for warranty purposes. Anytime we show a weight range or limit, it is for performance reasons.
Seven defers to component weight limits. Many companies have weight limits far below what Seven can build to. For example, the Fox 34 Step Cast fork and many of their other performance forks have a rider weight limit of 250 lbs. (113 kg). Fox is an excellent company that makes some of the best suspension forks and rear shocks. Fox clearly states not to ride their fork above this weight. While Seven's dual suspension bikes can be designed above this limit, we do not because that would go outside the bounds of reputable component availability.
Seven's cargo weight limit is 45 lbs. We do not build bikes for more than this weight. This is plenty of weight for a year long bikepacking or touring adventure. We find that bike performance begins to suffer in ways we cannot condone once the cargo weight approaches 22 kilos. We do not make exceptions to this.
Seven builds a lot of adventure class bikes: bikepacking, touring, randonneuring, endurance riding, and more. We build each of these bikes custom. We don't offer these models in our Rider-Ready program because, for example, bikepacking is such a broad category and we don't build kitchen sink bikes (unless a rider requests that). If there's ever a reason to get a custom-designed frameset and bike, it's for when you're deep into the multi-day adventure of riding.
To this end, we have a specific design guide for optimizing adventure bikes. Seven's unique cargo weight distribution form is comprehensive; it covers all of the where, when, and hows of cargo. It may take a minute or two to complete, but doing so ensures that the bike will perform better than any other. Any questions? Let us know.
