Cost-effective lightening

Sir HC

Milkie wrote:

I swear I read somewhere....

Saving say 100g of rotation weight (wheels) is the iquivilent to saving 300g of static weight (bike/frame, non rotating items)

So saving say 500g on your wheels would be the same as saving 1.5kilo's off other stuff (saddle/stem/bars).

I've got the ratios written down somewhere, if you really want to know I'll dig them out.

Reducing the unsprung weight reduces inertia, which allows the wheels to track the ground, so they spend more time on the ground, increasing grip.

Reducing the rotational weight on the rims and tyres is most important, as this will have the greatest effect. I really notice the difference when changing between dual ply and single ply tyres, as there is an 800g difference, plus I ditch the heavy duty tubes in favour of xc tubes for the single ply tyres, so thats another 80g each end.

canada16

Hey Im like you.

I bought the ritchey wcs carbon bars at 165gr and then the wet black stem at 115gr.

I went to upgrade the saddle and post, put it on the scales and it weighs 450gr for the both and thats stock, so no point messing with that, I am not going to get much lower without spending hundreds which is silly to save 100gr.

I have mavic cross rides, not sure how much they weight, but looking at the xt ones and they are below 200.00 so not sure If I will see a difference there.

Got MG-1's which are great, and LX hollowtech crank which is quite low as well.

I might look into changing to xtr or sram cassette and a better chain as need to get some weight from my back suspension some how as front is super light but rear heavy, I have Fox f32 rl's and rp2 rear.

Focus superbud 2008.

Captain Turok

Light-weight inner tubes. Available from Schwalbe (xxlight 95g) and Continental, cost 7ish quid for a 50g+ saving at, each end.

I really like my Ritchey WCS Ergo foam grips (they need sticking on with hairspray tho). Wiggle had them for about 7 ish quid?. (I bought a spare pair, expecting them to tear quickly but 1st set still fine). They weigh 28g without the caps, lock-on's generaly weigh 100g more?

Also bought some cheap KCNC ti QR's, they weigh 45grams, for the pair

I find Supersonic tyres hard to beat, I change them during the "puncture season" tho..

gcwebbyuk

I have a stumpy HT comp and my wife has a Giant Arete 2 (as yet unused xmas pressie)

I have so far replaced the standard flat bar for a carbon riser (saved 5g!), swapped the specialized seat post and saddle for an SDG I-Beam combo (saved 20g).

I have just bought a set of Hope SP XC3 wheels with an XT Cassette, Bontrager XL tubes and Mud-X Tyres, should save 520g. Wife now has my standard Specialized wheelset and the Bontrager XL tubes and Mud-X tyres I already had on them, which have saved her a massive 733g in wheels and tyres alone!

Its not a case of money no object, but I like to know I have good kit.

Since ordering the Hope wheels, I have been looking at their other kit, and was toying with the idea of one of their Ceramic Bottom Brackets and maybe their head set (currently have Shimano BB50 and a Cane Creek S2) this would save me a further 160g at a cost of £120. Is it worth it - prob not, especially as I am not sure if the Hope BB will work with the M542 crankset I have - may just be better to buy a full XT crankset - but then it wont be a ceramic BB etc etc.

I also thought about a different stem as that would probably be the last thing left for me to upgrade other than the drivetrain which will just get upgraded as it wears out.

Am kinda lucky because I can trickle down the parts from my bike to my wife's (she doesnt cycle as much as me so doesnt mind not having as nice kit as me ) and then we can hopefully sell on the kit from her bike.

Thing is where do you stop? When you run out of money?