Comments on: Help Me Lighten Up! (My Bike)

By: Aaron

Aaron — Fri, 28 May 2010 18:08:24 +0000

By the way, I’ve been meaning to post a non-snarky comment. SLR saddle will save you some grams – weighs 135g. I bought mine on ebay for $60.

What everyone else said about notubes wheelset. Get the lightest hoops you’re comfortable with. I’m still not sure if my ZTR race wheels will self destruct or not, but so far so good. American Classic hubs may not be as sexy as orange Chris Kings, but they’re uber light. Check out the notubes 26 inch tires for your back tire. I bet they’re light too. Kenda Karma up front is light, but sounds like you’ve found a light set already.

By: Thom P.

Thom P. — Fri, 28 May 2010 01:58:10 +0000

“Don’t buy upgrades, ride up grades.” – Eddy Merckx

That said…
attack the stuff that counts, rotational mass — rims and tires. You’ll feel it.
I’ve found the Bonty stuff to have a great durability to weight ratio, I ride them racing and trail riding and they hold up wicked well. Of course a “race only” set of No-Tubes ZTR rims or American Classics (best cost-to-weight ratio around) will get you rolling a lot faster. Tires are too personal and anything I would recommend might not work nearly as well in its 26″ incarnation.

-t

By: mark

mark — Wed, 26 May 2010 22:55:02 +0000

All of them. At least as well as I do.

By: Grizzly Adam

Grizzly Adam — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:23:35 +0000

I’ve considered that. But my SS right now is heavier than my FS gearie.

By: Rick S.

Rick S. — Tue, 25 May 2010 20:16:00 +0000

Dump your gears and run a single. Seriously.

By: KanyonKris

KanyonKris — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:37:08 +0000

A mountain unicycle would weigh a LOT less.

(Any ideas I had were already covered so I fell back to snark.)

By: SKiMoab

SKiMoab — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:39:34 +0000

and Brat-Tails: http://epicriding.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/brattailadam.jpg

By: Grizzly Adam

Grizzly Adam — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:24:53 +0000

“Of course, assumptions are the same: you’re working with a frame you like; you’re not fat; and you don’t care what brand a part is so long as it works.”

I think I can operate under those assumptions. I really like my frame, and I’m not too brand specific. So I meet ALL the assumptions you talk about. ALL of them! Right?

By: Grizzly Adam

Grizzly Adam — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:21:20 +0000

The crank weight includes the BB. I need to take a look at my cassette… not sure what I’ve got on there.

And yes… fewer brats. But that won’t change the bike.

By: mark

mark — Tue, 25 May 2010 16:08:31 +0000

What Bob said.

But if you insist on spending money, see this: http://www.skibikejunkie.com/2009/10/frugal-cyclists-guide-to-upgrading-your.html

You don’t mention what cassette you’re running, but that could be a place to start. I’d also look at swapping cranks, because I’m guessing the weight you have listed is crank only and not crank + bottom bracket. A new crank will save weight and improve your shifting.

You could drop about 100 grams for about $100 with a new saddle. That massive GPS on your stem isn’t doing you any favors, either. All you really need to know about your speed is how far ahead of you the guy up the trail is. If you can’t see him, pedal faster.

You could also swap frames and get a hardtail.