Help me shed some weight!

beanieripper
beanieripper Posts: 73
edited September 2009 in MTB buying advice
I would like to shed some weight off my bike without loosing to much strength, im thinking I could loose some on wheels/tyres and possibly cranks/bb/pedals... and suggestions welcome. currently running S/C Chameleon 07/08 (M), rs revelation coil u turn, king headset, thompson stem & post, o/s ea70 bars, bel air ti saddle, saint brakes, 09 xt running gear, raceface prodigy cranks & fsa isis bb, v12 peds, wheels are merlin built mavic f219 on 36 hole xt hubs with plain guage spokes, tyres are conti verticals. These wheels have been great and i love em but im not sure if im carrying a bit too much weight with them, im only 10.5 stone and ride xc hard and some trail centre stuff, few drops but nothing crazy.... i've never once put them out of true..could i save some weight on my wheels? If so I dont knowwhich rims to go for......

Comments

  • gezzza
    gezzza Posts: 324
    Best place to save weight is the wheels
    you can get MTB wheels that are sub 1Kg for the pair but they are race day only and will cost you and arm, leg and a kidney.

    Sub 1.5Kg is light and at the upper end strong enough for XC drops starting from £400 ish

    While you are changing wheels you should think about going tubeless saves a few grams and no more punchers.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    i would leave it as it is as the only thing i would have done is have the wheel built with BD spokes as you get a lighter and stronger wheel.

    tyres and tubes. folding tyres and light weight tubes.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • Dirtydog11
    Dirtydog11 Posts: 1,621
    edited June 2009
    A set of Easton carbon bars and some MG1 pedals will save you around 250grams over your current setup.

    Fit a set of Halo Hex bolts (60 grams) instead of quick release and a pair of Conti MTB light tubes (250 grams a pair).

    Those 4 items will save you just under half a Kilo.

    You could save weight on the wheels as XT hubs are not the lightest in the world but you would have to spend quite a bit of money to get a pair that are going to be significanlty lighter.

    Something like these
    http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/ ... lset-28683
    will probably save you 500-600 grams or more!
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    gezzza wrote:
    Best place to save weight is the wheels
    you can get MTB wheels that are sub 1Kg for the pair

    Are you sure?!? Considering a superlight front wheel will be 600-700g I think you are a bit hopeful there! :wink:

    Wheels you could save a fair bit of weight and still keep strength by going DT Swiss or Hope hubs on competition spokes attached to something like a mavic 719 rim and you'd have a strong and pretty light wheelset!

    The next obvious thing would be to go for an air fork instead of coil which would save a fair amount of weight. Otherwise just change stuff as it breaks!
  • gezzza
    gezzza Posts: 324
    andrew156 wrote:
    gezzza wrote:
    Best place to save weight is the wheels
    you can get MTB wheels that are sub 1Kg for the pair

    Are you sure?!? Considering a superlight front wheel will be 600-700g I think you are a bit hopeful there! :wink:

    !

    yes im sure

    Innolite rims, Extralite hubs and Ti spokes weight would be around 980g for the pair

    and 600-700g for a front wheel isnt super light that would be a 1400-1600g wheel set
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    Touche! Can you link me to the Ti spokes please? 100g a wheel sounds amazing?!

    Although a 600g wheel is likely to be accompanied by a 700g rear so not quite 1600g :P
  • robertpb
    robertpb Posts: 1,866
    Well if I were 10.5 stone I would be heavy at 5'5", I'm 9st 10lbs

    I decided a long time ago just to get fitter with the bike weight I have, you don't say how heavy your bike is.

    You can spend a lot of hard earned cash shaving a few grams off a bike.

    My full susser weighs the same weight my custom built bike weighed 23 years ago so I haven't shaved any weight there, then I'm the same weight as 40 years ago.

    The only difference is I'm faster than 23 years ago.
    Now where's that "Get Out of Crash Free Card"
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Saint brakes will be hiding some lard too.

    Definitely chuck the pedals, 30 quid for MG1 and a third of a pound saved in a stroke.
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    I would never run Ti spokes they feel like crap and Ti is not a good spoke material.

    just noticed the cranks and BB

    lose them.
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Original XT disc hubs were very heavy too - which I assume he has since running a 219
  • gezzza
    gezzza Posts: 324
    andrew156 wrote:
    Touche! Can you link me to the Ti spokes please? 100g a wheel sounds amazing?!

    Although a 600g wheel is likely to be accompanied by a 700g rear so not quite 1600g :P

    Ti Spokes

    http://www.marwiusa.com/default.aspx?ci ... 4&taxid=34
    http://www.pillarspoke.com/product.asp? ... pagesize=3
    http://www.sapim.be/index.php?st=produc ... etail=aero
  • nicklouse
    nicklouse Posts: 50,675
    gezzza
    and the last are not Ti :wink:
    "Do not follow where the path may lead, Go instead where there is no path, and Leave a Trail."
    Parktools :?:SheldonBrown
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    Think I'd stick with DT Revs at 140g per wheel (av 32, 260mm) for a lightweight XC wheel!
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    Not quite as light as you claimed then pllus surely with the weight saved by ti spokes you negate by having to run brass nipples where as with alloy spokes you can use alloy nipples?
  • gezzza
    gezzza Posts: 324
    andrew156 wrote:
    Not quite as light as you claimed then pllus surely with the weight saved by ti spokes you negate by having to run brass nipples where as with alloy spokes you can use alloy nipples?

    hubs 227g for the pair

    main.php?g2_itemId=7971

    Rims 510g for the pair
    IMG_1986.JPG

    alloy nipples 56 = 20g
    main.php?g2_itemId=5241

    that leaves 223g for 56 spokes
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    Ok but he needs disc hubs.
  • supersonic
    supersonic Posts: 82,708
    You can get lighter 135 non disc hubs than that (tune). Can't see them lasting though.
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    to echo the above and roughly in the order of value per gramme saved (do people still call it the hairsine ratio?);

    • Tyres/tubes (you don't say what you're using but potentially 200 gr per wheel switching from Maxxis HR 2.35 to Nobby Nic 2.25 for example, plus 100-150 gr per wheel switching from decathlon specials to Maxxis flyweight innertubes)
    • Pedals
    • wheels. I guess our current wheels are 2-2.2kg. 300 quid you can shed 1/2 kilo off those with Easton XC1s or Hope XC3s (or carefully chosen handbuilts)
    • cranks I suppose your current set up weighs either 900 or 1100 gr depending on whether you have the XC or DH version of the prodigy (for triple ring). Shimano XT wil run about 850 and be stiffer so worth it if you have the DH crank.
    • Skewers (DD is right, I have tit allenkey skewers on my SS and the difference compared to Shimano ones is surprising)
    • brakes not sure but I'd bet XTR are a good 300 gr lighter than Saints for the pair


    I got a deal from Merlin on Easton XC1s (1600gr wheels) and XTR brakes (dunno how light, but light) for 500 which I am happy with. The wheels are really quite stiff and while not super light, you need to spend quite a bit more to get a lot lighter. Hope XC3s, however, are lighter (1800 incl discs according to weigthweenies iirc) and the same money due to the 3 bolt disc, but I think the same overall weight can be achieved with XC1s and Hope floating (alu carrier) discs. Up your budget and Stans olympics on American classic hubs can be had from JRA for about GBP 530 at a claimed weight of 1350gr with the added bonus of being tubeless. Lighter than that as far as I could find you're talking big money and/or short lifespen. Some of teh new carbon wheelsets are claiming 1100gr in stiff strong wheels as I recall but they're >1000 GBP so for early adopters / subsidised riders / bike shop owners only fr the time being I guess

    /edit oh, and do more/ eat less, of course :wink:

    /edit2 bah what am I thinking! SC Camaleon has EBB; convert to SS!
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • Big dave 3
    Big dave 3 Posts: 304
    This is an interesting thread!

    I am in a similar position where I have done the obvious weight saving upgrades but now left with the fork & wheels to do next.

    I am very ignorant concerning wheels so I do not know much about the different types.

    I currently have Alex EN24 rims (450g/rim) with shimano deore disc hubs (245g/front & 449g/rear). I am unsure about spokes. These are the standard wheels that my Cube team ltd came with.

    I am guessing that these wheels are not great!

    Would the Easton XC ONE wheels be a big improvement in performance & weight? I do mainly roads & light cross country.
    /

    Marin Team HT (customiosed commuter)

    Boardman Team HT (customised commuter)

    Giant Defy 1 2014.

    Ribble Sportive Azzurro
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    Big dave 3

    there are lots of other options, the Easton XC Ones were just the choice I made looking at what was on the market at the time

    That said, yes, I believe you would see a noticable difference in performance and weight with these wheels compared to the workmanlike (meaning nothing wrong with them but a bit heavy) wheels you have now. strip the wheels down and put them on a scale to really see the weight, but i expect 2.2kg+ for the pair (excluding tyres and tubes, QR, Cassette and rotors). XC Ones (and others at this pricepoint) run nearer 1500gr the pair. This is a significant saving, especially where the saving is to the spokes and rims. The XC Ones are also a very stiff wheel which may or may not be an improvement over what you have now.
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • Big dave 3
    Big dave 3 Posts: 304
    Thank you for the advice!

    So would this be money well spent in your opinion?


    Are there other better value options then? I like the idea of these wheels as they come as a package. I dont need to decide what rims/spokes etc to choose :oops:
    /

    Marin Team HT (customiosed commuter)

    Boardman Team HT (customised commuter)

    Giant Defy 1 2014.

    Ribble Sportive Azzurro
  • bomberesque
    bomberesque Posts: 1,701
    the internet is a big place, it's always possible to find a better deal. I got mine from Merlin and they seem pretty good value. Otherwise, Supersonic ordered a pair of quite unbelievably specc'd wheels from the Wolly hat shop which were 1950gr incl skewers (which would be about 1800 excl) iirc for 90quid.

    Personally I am happy with the money I spent on these wheels.
    Everything in moderation ... except beer
    Beer in moderation ... is a waste of beer

    If riding an XC race bike is like touching the trail,
    then riding a rigid singlespeed is like licking it
    ... or being punched by it, depending on the day
  • Andy
    Andy Posts: 8,207
    If you are doing light XC get yourself a set of wheels made up with Mavic xc717 rims and DT Swiss revolution spokes on the best hubs you can afford.
  • Big dave 3
    Big dave 3 Posts: 304
    Would the above wheels with say hope pro 2 hubs be better than the Easton wheels then?

    This is when I get confused! The talk of the different rims, spokes & hubs etc :?
    /

    Marin Team HT (customiosed commuter)

    Boardman Team HT (customised commuter)

    Giant Defy 1 2014.

    Ribble Sportive Azzurro
  • Bighead
    Bighead Posts: 260
    sub 1kg wheelset:

    http://weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=61342&start=15

    Those rims look interesting. I read somewhere that DT were bring out a lighter carbon rim than the XRC330 in 2010 so I was waiting for that. But those rims are much lighter. I will probably stick with DT though.
  • These are a bargain:http://www.lexs.co.uk/acatalog/Hope_Pro_2__Pair_.html
    Pro 2 with ZTR 355 rims would be my choice,sub 1700g ,strong and easy tubeless conversion.
    2006 Giant XTC
    2010 Giant Defy Advanced
    2016 Boardman Pro 29er
    2016 Pinnacle Lithium 4
    2017 Canondale Supersix Evo
  • Not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but if you went for Clipless pedals you'd save even more weight than the MG1's, also help you to tune up new MTB skills, like spinning and proper form when pedalling.