Bike type choices

[anaphase]

The main weight difference between it and your road bike is probably mostly in the accessories, not in the actual frame (which might likely be 3 to 4 lbs heavier than your road bike frame).
Heavier/wider tires and rims, racks, fenders, saddlebag, non-carbon parts, perhaps a third gear ring, etc....
Many people like very lightweight fenders rather than heavier metal old fashioned fenders. Light fenders can seem junky ...but all they really need to do is keep the rain from splashing up at you. Some folks even like plastic fenders.

Well, I don't know where the actual weight comes from, but stock it is about 10 lbs heavier. It's listed at 28, vs 18 for my road bike, which is a triple, and felt 10lbs heaver *before* I put the rack on it. The fenders are plastic and super flimsy, which is fine for keeping rain off, but I've had to adjust them about 20 times to get them right, which is annoying. So to me, those are the particular cons for that bike.

[VeloVT]

Well, I don't know where the actual weight comes from, but stock it is about 10 lbs heavier. It's listed at 28, vs 18 for my road bike, which is a triple, and felt 10lbs heaver *before* I put the rack on it. The fenders are plastic and super flimsy, which is fine for keeping rain off, but I've had to adjust them about 20 times to get them right, which is annoying. So to me, those are the particular cons for that bike.

I'm sure it's a combination, but I would vote for the frame being a good part of it. I have a road bike that's about 18.5 lbs, and a cx bike that's about 21 lbs with canti brakes, fat tires, slightly beefier rims etc. The components on the cx bikes are likely heavier too, being 105 versus Ultegra on my road bike. And it has a mt bike rear der and cluster, which has got to add weight (it sure looks heavier). Given all this the difference is less than three lbs (and with road tires, the cx bike hardly **feels** heavier to ride than the road bike)... so the extra schtuff doesn't add as much as you might think.

Anyway, this is neither here nor there, but I think Jamis makes really handsome bikes.