The arms race to produce the lightest possible bicycles for racing purposes is a battle that began many decades ago. Changes in material drove it; steel gave way to aluminum, which was quickly pushed aside by carbon. After many shots were fired, the UCI stepped in to call a truce, with rider safety its reasoning. A weight limit was established in 2000. More than a quarter of century later it still stands - for both road and gravel races - despite the advancements in engineering and manufacturing that make it somewhat outdated.
Of course, outside the professional area the fight has continued. We now routinely see bikes that fall well below the UCI limit of 6.8kg, dripping in featherweight components to help cheat the scales. While the pros have to tow the line, mere mortals can get as fancy as their wallets allow. For those wanting to shed grams from their steed, wheelsets are typically the focus after the frame itself. Ridiculously light road wheels are nothing new, but the ongoing popularity of gravel racing has seen a plethora of gravity defying hoops hit the market. And next up are the Jocassee wheels from Boyd Cycling.
