6 month project for a light hardtail

MrCubeLtd

Definitely want to stick with a hardtail for my next bike and I have decided on a 6 month project funds allowing to either keep my existing frame and build around it, or build new from scratch. The reason for a build is the following...

1, I want to try and do as much of the build as possible so I can learn how to do it.
2, I've looked at many new bikes online and they either don't have the bits I want as a complete bike or I would have to upgrade or change spec once brought
3, I would like a unique bike that is unique for me
4, I like a challenge

I am waiting to hear back from Cube on the exact weight of my 20" Cube Ltd frame. Based on the limited info I could find, people have posted that a 20" is coming in around 1.9kg to 2.2 kg but would rather find out from Cube themselves.

Would you keep the current frame and build around it or look for a better, lighter hardtail frame for the new build?

I'm trying to free up funds at the moment, but I have approx £2k to £2.5k over the next 6 months.

Are there any very light hardtails out there, that anyone could recommend if the new build isn't feasible?

DodgeT

On one carbon whippet? http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/FROOCWH/on_one_carbon_xc_whippet_frame

Not mega light, but fairly light. Guessing the 1300g is for the medium, so prob best to email them for the large weight.

The Rookie

You'll get a better weight bang for your buck by going for a lighter frame at that budget point to be honest, I'd be looking for a frame weighing around 1350-1500g for a £2K HT XC bike.

Only 16" but my Carrera frame is sub 1750g in my £520 11.5Kg bike.

Twelly

With that sort of budget you could look at a featherweight carbon frame and still have enough cash for high specs. The On One 456 Carbon seems to be a popular choice

But you can always build up the Cube frame then if you are not happy with the final result or you want a few grams lighter, strip and build up with a new frame.

What sort of kit are you thinking of putting on there?

DodgeT

A whippet would be more like for like suitability wise to the cube ltd than a C456 though and a bit lighter.

Twelly

DodgeT wrote:

A whippet would be more like for like suitability wise to the cube ltd than a C456 though and a bit lighter.

More XC orientated?

I have no experience with either frame, just seems to be the standard go-to for a carbon hardtail on these forums.

VWsurfbum

for 2k, you could build a very nice and very light carbon HT, either the whippet as suggested or a HK inport either from Ebay or direct. I bought mine from http://www.flyxii.com. frame forks and headset came in at under 2kg, frame alone 1250g, (its a 29er so simular to a 26" large?)

70\ʹspenguin

I built my bike myself and it was great fun, i heartily recommend it. I toyed with the idea of changing frame many times, but i like my frame and it just "feels" right to me.

Firstly if you like your frame then perhaps its best to keep it? If you arent fussed then look elsewhere? If you like the geometry then most manufacturers give geometry charts so that you can find something thats a close match to what you have.

The one one Whippet carbon frame seems a great price and very light. If you want racing XC geom then give it a look. If you want something more robust then perhaps the C456?

There are a lot of weight weenie bikes that have fairly heavy frames that have an overall build weight that is less than 10kg, but it is expensive to achieve.

If you have 2.5k to spend on a bike you can buy <10kg bikes ready made quite easily! There are quite a lot out there! However i wont recommend one as my knowledge falls far short of many on here!

Have fun with what ever you choose!

supersonic

Have a look at this:

http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?p ... &vid=13383

Is 9.6kg out of the box with a sub kilo frame, and 1300g fork.

MrCubeLtd

Apologies everyone - had to pop out and missed all the replies.

Looking for mainly XC and very light trail work. I don't like downhil, drop offs etc. Really want something light that will adapt to my riding as my skill level and fitness level increases but still allow me to grow skillwise. Main target at the moment is the frame, hence my post.

Again, I could massively reduce the weight of the cube with better components, stage by stage. This would still allow me to ride the bike. I think I prefer this idea. Just depends on how light I can get the bike compared to component cost. Keep the frame and ditch all the other bits.

I'll wait and see what I get back from Cube as to frame weight. But the Whippet does look good and is definited food for thought.

Thanks everyone.

MrCubeLtd

supersonic wrote:

Have a look at this:

http://paulscycles.co.uk/products.php?p ... &vid=13383

Is 9.6kg out of the box with a sub kilo frame, and 1300g fork.

Ahhhh.... I have been keeping an eye out for the Flash. Ultra light and would do everything I want. Again its another alternative to a build as for the money it looks like a complete option.

supersonic

If your frame is 2kg, and you can get frames for 1300g and less, it will always be the big heavy link. It would be the first thing to go for me.

felix.london

That Cannondale looks like it ticks all the boxes and a good price.

But sounds like you've got your heart set on building it yourself. What about this lot;

On-One Carbon Whippet @ £250

Rockshox SID XX @ £500

XTR 2x10 Groupset @ £1,045 (you'd need to replace front mech I think)

Crest, CX-Ray, Trizoid XC @ £300

Carbon/lightweight stem, bars & seatpost @ £200(ish)

Tyres @ £60(ish)

Carbon-Ti skewers & Superfly seat clamp @ £45

Stan's Tubelss kit @ £50

think that's £2,450...any good?

MrCubeLtd

supersonic wrote:

If your frame is 2kg, and you can get frames for 1300g and less, it will always be the big heavy link. It would be the first thing to go for me.

Just got an email back from Cube in Netherlands - between 1800g & 1900g for a 20" frame

Thank you for the email.

Black anodized between 1850g and 1900g , colored between 1900g and 1950g

Met sportieve groet / Best regards,

MrCubeLtd

Cheers Felix - looks good recommendation. I have worked out the claimed weight from manufactures for most of the components on my bike. I presume actual weights will be more?

Component Existing Weight
Frame 6061 Alu 1800g
Rock Shox Recon Silver TK Fork 2069g
Charge Spoon Chromo Saddle 258g
Easton EA30 Lowriser Bars 335g
Formula RX brakes pair (not inc rotors) 682g
Shimano Deore M552 crankset 880g
Shimano Deore M591 Shifter pair 290g
Shimano Deore M780 Derailleur 230g
Shimano 10 speed cassette
Shimano M580 Top Swing 174g
KS Dropzone Dropper 500g
Nukeproof Warhead Stem 170g
Wellgo CNC B1378 pedals pair 450g
Panaracer Cedric Gracia Tyre pair 1340g
Mavic Wheels xm317 pair inc hub/spokes 1800g
Brake Fluid?
Chain?
BB?
Seat Clamp?
Innertube Weight pair?

mountaingoatimnot

another frame option ?

http://www.carboncycles.cc/?s=0&t=2&c=93&p=1046&

DodgeT

This is what I used to budget cost (left out as it still makes me think ouch )/ roughly work out weights for my C456 build and it came out pretty accurate.
Use it as a guide if you like, its amazing how much stuff you need for a bike.... Some weights were estimates as I could not find anything for them.

MrCubeLtd

Nice one Dodge, sorta puts my list to shame!

It amazing when you add everything up that what you end up with. I posted on another thread, I weighed the bike as is, and it originally showed 28lb, but the scales were out. Weighed again and on 27lb, that includes the 500g dropped attached.

Again, Sonic and everyone else made sense with the current frame coming in at around 1850g, to ditch and build on a lighter frame instead. The next stage is for me to look at the components I would like based on spec and price and pair them up against my Cube frame and hopefully get a rough approximation weight wise. This should tell me if feasible or again go with a new frame.

njee20

That Flash, awesome bike as it is, isn't the sub-1000g Hi Mod frame. It's still light, but it's not the top of the line frame.

Devil is in the detail, and if lightweight is truly your primary aim then you'll almost certainly do better by building, as you can cherry pick ultralight parts which don't get specced as standard, and make compromises elsewhere.

If you generally want a nice, light bike then something like that Flash will be great. The Lefty saves a chunk of weight over a conventional fork.

I personally reckon you can add 10% to claimed/spreadsheet weights for a complete bike. Compound error, plus little bits that tend to get forgotten; grease etc.

I had one of the eBay carbon hardtails just nudging 20lbs for about £2500 (at a guess - full XTR, Roval Control SLs, SIDs, New Ultimate finishing kit), it is doable. Don't waste money on things like ti bolts - fitting alu bolts to the non safety critical places costs about £5 and saves more weight than doing everything with ti!

Check out little things like the Mt Zoom one piece headset top cap and bolt, saves 20g+ for a few quid.

DodgeT

njee20 wrote:

I personally reckon you can add 10% to claimed/spreadsheet weights for a complete bike. Compound error, plus little bits that tend to get forgotten; grease etc.

Spreadsheet reckoned 11.2kg, actual finished ride off the drive weight was 11.7kg (with the finest of high tech digital fishing scales ) so not bad as a pre-build estimate, less than 5% diff.

Totally agree with your comments re Ti stuff, can get a bit silly cost wise for little gain (well loss). I didn't intend on any light parts, my concern for the build was to be tough. Hence why its not a silly light bike.

To add, the good thing with doing a detailed list is to monitor the costs, it very soon adds up. I initially thought around a grand would do it. Nope, finished cost was around the 1600 mark, add to that I've just treated it to a reverb and a bigger front disc, it now stands me around 1800.
Now this does include a couple of extra items like double and bash which I stripped to single, left hand shifter and front mech - as initally I was undecided as to whether to go single or not, so just bought the lot.

njee20

To be honest, considering your spec the overall weight seems fairly dubious, but that's a whole other argument ;-)

DodgeT

Weight is pre reverb and bigger disc...

How dare you question the scales, it even has a little fish which swims across the screen



Next time i'm at the lbs, i'll try remember and weigh it, there's may be a bit more accurate than mine..

njee20

Didn't say that you'd not weighed it as that, just that it was dubious :-)

DodgeT

I know, only teasing.
I will get it weighed properly though as it would be interesting to know, if nothing more than to help others in there build choices.

DodgeT

If you're impatient and want to get out riding sooner, just buy this, 10.4kg http://www.on-one.co.uk/i/q/PBOOWHIPX9-18-WHT-BLK/on_one_carbon_whippet_x9_complete_bike___18_inch___white_frame___black_decal
And if it's not light enough or you plain don't like some of the kit, swap them with the £1k you've saved.