Mountain Biking - Budget Light Weight Conversion...

My current hard tail is heavy... Oh 30 some pounds I would guess. I've been thinking about cutting the fat, cheaply, with minimal spending.

Current Ideas:
1) Replace shock /w aluminum rigid (currently have a Rock Shock J1)
2) Remove the front derailleur /w shifter
3) Drop two chain rings / reduce chain length, depending on which rings I drop (wont save much weight, but I wont need such a long chain if I use a smaller chain ring)
4) Get lighter tires when my current ones wear out.

90% of my riding is on gravel / sandy trails, going up + down hills with a rock garden / wood pile here and there. So I will get a harsher ride, but the climbs should get easier, so I figure it will be a fair trade off. Any other suggestions?

"1) Replace shock /w aluminum rigid"
Will slow you down everywhere except smooth ground. Bone up for a decent 3.5lb fork with a lockout for the climbs.

"2) Remove the front derailleur /w shifter"
What's a /w shifter? (I am all 'bout the 1x9 setup) Removing the front der., shifter, and rings could save you 1/2lb or so. In the grand scheme of things...that ain't spit.

"3) Drop two chain rings / reduce chain length, depending on which rings I drop (wont save much weight, but I wont need such a long chain if I use a smaller chain ring)"
Keep the middle.

"4) Get lighter tires when my current ones wear out."
Get some Kenda Nevegal 2.1" DTC's.


The most noticeable weight savings will be a good/light wheelset and some decent meats.

30lbs really isn't that bad unless you're a whiny-weight-weenie.

Sounds like a good SS conversion candidate. :thumb:

Edit: It might suck in loose terrain though.

30lbs really isn't that bad unless you're a whiny-weight-weenie.

Lately I've been riding road on my 20lb bike, and it's amazing. I really want something similar to it, but in an off road fashion. The 1x9 is not so much so for weight savings, as it is for simplicity. I run down tube shifters on my roadie, and I love'em!

What weight are you shooting for? Know that a 20 lb bike off road is a little different than on road.

20lb road bike is roughly equivalent to a 30lb mountain bike ratio-wise. But get a new fork, technology will be better and lighter. Or just new tires.

My bike is around 30 pounds, and it seems fine to me. . .

20lb road bike is roughly equivalent to a 30lb mountain bike ratio-wise. But get a new fork, technology will be better and lighter. Or just new tires.

Price wise....

A $1,400 road bike will weigh around 18-19 pounds. My ($2,100) MTB weighs a tad over 30.


EDIT- Oops. My MTB is FS. S'pose you're right.

^^^^^^^
What kind?

Price wise....

A $1,400 road bike will weigh around 18-19 pounds. My ($2,100) MTB weighs a tad over 30.


EDIT- Oops. My MTB is FS. S'pose you're right.

Yeah, but I've built a 1k mtb in the 26lb range. That's not a great comparison. The Stumpy hardtail that was like $1100-$1300 a few yrs ago was 24-25lbs.

Couple things you could do is get a nicer wheelset, light xc fork, throw on a carbon handlebar (Performance Bike has a carbon riser that's cheap and good)

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/Profile.cfm?SKU=17672&item=50-2136&slitrk=search&slisearch=true

Get some Maxxis Crossmarks.

This would be done is steps of course, but the fork and wheels with tires are key to losing weight.

That's the thing... A rigid fork is 2lbs or less... Cheap too. I just don't know how bad the ride will be.

Yeah, but I've built a 1k mtb in the 26lb range. That's not a great comparison. The Stumpy hardtail that was like $1100-$1300 a few yrs ago was 24-25lbs.

I know. I have a full susser. Of course hardtails will be lighter, which I realized in my OP.

Yeah, my $2400 road bike is 17ish lb and my $3100 mtb is 25lb, albeit FS. So pretty close.

I have two bikes right now, one is being sold. My Ti hardtail weighs 18.7 lbs. It is 24 speed, has a SID WorldCup fork, 160mm Hope disc brakes, and there is nothing trimmed to reduce weight. It is intrinsically light. A 2.8 lb frame, 1600gm wheelset, 570gm crankset, add up to that. My Yeti AS-R Carbon is 24 lbs, and is also fully rigged. 30 lbs seems like a tough weight to build to. I am imagining a steel BB spindle, steel axles, a steel steerer tube on the fork, and a lot of Aluminum where carbon could be used fairly inexpensively. Seatpost, bars, crankarms, that sort of stuff. Ti could be a good alternative for your BB, cassette, and any other weighty items. It is far less expensive to get a really good seatpost and handlebar than say a cassette, since you will have the bars and post for a long time. They don't typically "wear out". As for stuff that does wear, just wait until it does, and get something lighter (preferably stronger also, like if you have a SRAM 790 cassette and want a new one, get an XTR, they weigh almost literally half as much).

The rigid fork is a nice idea for a second bike, but it really gets old when you have to "white knuckle" a moderately rough section of trail that you could normally just blow through. It's more work for sure. I have a rigid beater that won't give up the ghost. I take it out now and then when the weather is crap. It's fun and challenging but I wouldn't give up my suspended front end fo'nuttin.

I have two bikes right now, one is being sold. My Ti hardtail weighs 18.7 lbs. It is 24 speed, has a SID WorldCup fork, 160mm Hope disc brakes, and there is nothing trimmed to reduce weight. It is intrinsically light. A 2.8 lb frame, 1600gm wheelset, 570gm crankset, add up to that. My Yeti AS-R Carbon is 24 lbs, and is also fully rigged. 30 lbs seems like a tough weight to build to. I am imagining a steel BB spindle, steel axles, a steel steerer tube on the fork, and a lot of Aluminum where carbon could be used fairly inexpensively. Seatpost, bars, crankarms, that sort of stuff. Ti could be a good alternative for your BB, cassette, and any other weighty items. It is far less expensive to get a really good seatpost and handlebar than say a cassette, since you will have the bars and post for a long time. They don't typically "wear out". As for stuff that does wear, just wait until it does, and get something lighter (preferably stronger also, like if you have a SRAM 790 cassette and want a new one, get an XTR, they weigh almost literally half as much).

Carbon this, ti that...(yawn)...all I hear is that Charlie Brown "adult trumpet" blowing with a little of SNAP, CRACKLE, failure. I've sworn off anything breakable, hahaha.

Unless you're racing it get used to it... it will be good excersise.

My bike is bout 50pounds AFAIK (I'm pretty such it was 23kg when I weighed it). Can't wait till I get my new 20pound cyclocross bike and start whizzing around on that. Should feel awsome.

I can understand people who wanna drop some weight on their bikes. I used to be a gram shaving weight weenie with a roadie mindset...lusting after ti and carbon. If you're a lightweight or just not hard on parts...what the heck, may as well do it. For myself...I couldn't even do a 26lb hardtail w/o technical issues, so I'm back to 30.

I could have prob. done a 26lb build with a Banshee Viento frame and an air sprung 120mm fork I guess, but then I'd be limited to a tamer riding style. Now I can be a hack and get away with it.

I have a Redline Monocog Flight, steel front fork. It's okay around here. The only thing is it can get quite rough when you're going fast and there are repeated bumps right in a row. That's when I feel it the most and it's a 29er. Other than that, it's not bad.

I haven't ridden an Al, so someone else can chime in here, but typically Al, isn't as forgiving. If you really want to lighten up the front, get a CF fork. It should offer a bit better attenuation of some chatter than the Al. Of course, light wheels and tires are usually a quick way to save weight too, depending on what you're ridding now.

I can understand people who wanna drop some weight on their bikes. I used to be a gram shaving weight weenie with a roadie mindset...lusting after ti and carbon. If you're a lightweight or just not hard on parts...what the heck, may as well do it. For myself...I couldn't even do a 26lb hardtail w/o technical issues, so I'm back to 30.

I could have prob. done a 26lb build with a Banshee Viento frame and an air sprung 120mm fork I guess, but then I'd be limited to a tamer riding style. Now I can be a hack and get away with it.

That's kinda why I asked him what he was shooting for. You know, I've got a lightweight hardtail. You also know I don't hit the trails too regularly on it. I find it too light, and it's a heck of a workout just too keep it under me in the rock gardens of Perry. I much prefer the 24 pound hardtail range for myself.

I think I'd work on the engine first and then see if 30 lbs. is still a burden.

You are all idiots. You missed two obvious points here: budget and lose weight. The answer is simple. Stop buying food.

You missed two obvious points here: budget and lose weight

Which is why I say go SS. You can't lose weight any cheaper.

My method saves money.

I can understand people who wanna drop some weight on their bikes. I used to be a gram shaving weight weenie with a roadie mindset...lusting after ti and carbon. If you're a lightweight or just not hard on parts...what the heck, may as well do it. For myself...I couldn't even do a 26lb hardtail w/o technical issues, so I'm back to 30.

I could have prob. done a 26lb build with a Banshee Viento frame and an air sprung 120mm fork I guess, but then I'd be limited to a tamer riding style. Now I can be a hack and get away with it.

When I first got my C'dale, I wanted to lighten it up. Then I started riding it and realized I wanted a bike to have fun with, not baby.

When I first got my C'dale, I wanted to lighten it up. Then I started riding it and realized I wanted a bike to have fun with, not baby.

Well I've been mountain biking for the past year, and got into road over the summer. On the road you ride a light weight, rigid bike, and it's awesome. You can propel yourself very quickly, climb like mad, and corner like crazy. So it got me thinking - what if I drop in a light weight rigid fork on, some lighter tires, etc, what kind of ride will that give me.

^^ Smoooth ride, as long as you stay on the road. Heck for the cost of tires, and a rigid fork, give it a try.

You are all idiots. You missed two obvious points here: budget and lose weight. The answer is simple. Stop buying food.

:bang:

Sometimes I miss the obvious.

Well I've been mountain biking for the past year, and got into road over the summer. On the road you ride a light weight, rigid bike, and it's awesome. You can propel yourself very quickly, climb like mad, and corner like crazy. So it got me thinking - what if I drop in a light weight rigid fork on, some lighter tires, etc, what kind of ride will that give me.

Depending on where you are in SE Mich., I might be able to meet up with you and you can try either my Full Sus 26# KHS 904XC Team bike (which I'm selling btw with full XTR:innocent:) or my 29er SS Redling Monocog Flight, which is also about 26#s.

PM me if interested.

If you're in Kansas, you can ride my 1908's rigid Raleigh Pointe:thumb: