Mountain Biking - New Yukon FX Want to up grade to some lighter parts better than what I have

Ok here Is the bike I have below, same color and components. Want to up grade to lighter but the cheapest as I can. Such as front Forks and crank and derailleurs.. Keep in mind I was once riding a Mongoose XR 100 from Wal-mart and it worked just fine. But The Yukon FX Rides far better of course.. Just want lighter low cost but reliable upgrades. Would not mind turning it up from a 24 speed to 27 speed if that would be easier to locate better but low cost parts. This is what I have now and I am keeping mine Hayes brakes. They are far better than what I had in the past.. Here are my specs.
size 14.5(XS),15(S),17(M),19(L) 21(XL)
color Blue/White
frame ALUXX-Grade Butted Aluminum, 4" Suspension
fork RockShox Dart 2 w/Lockout, 100mm travel
shock Giant Air
handlebar Giant Connect, high rise 31.8mm
stem Giant Connect
seatpost Giant Connect Alloy 350x30.9mm
saddle Giant Performance MTB
pedals Alloy Platform
shifters SRAM X4, trigger
front derailleur SRAM X7, trigger
rear derailleur SRAM X4
brakes Hayes MX-4 Disc
brake levers Tektro Alloy, 2-Finger
cassette SRAM PG830 11-28, 8-speed
chain KMC Z72
cranks TruVative ISO Flow 3.0, 22/32/42
bb Cartridge
rims Giant XC Alloy, Double Wall
hubs Formula 32H
spokes Stainless Steel
tires Kenda Nevegal 26 x 2.1"

Thanks for any help.. Would like to spend about 400.00 at the most.. Any advice would be helpful. Thanks.

what does it weigh now?

Around 34 pounds.. I know my front forks rock shock are the heavy set at 5.5 lbs.. I also know I maybe able shed a few pounds with that replacement.. I will only ride this during the weekends and just looking,not top of the line upgrades at a decent price.. Some have told me to stay with the 8speed but found part easier for a 9 speed upgrade.. Just really wanted to know of a budget friendly upgrade for weekend rider that will be reliable for a few years..

Saddle, seatpost could shave half a pound relatively cheap.

Fox RL 100 will save you two pounds.

Fox RL 100 will save you two pounds.


Is the Fox Rl better than the Rock shock dart 2 I already have.?

Is the Fox Rl better than the Rock shock dart 2 I already have.?
HUGE jump. Not exactly budget friendly though.

Don't know which Nevegals you're running, but lighter tires can make a big difference. Rotating weight counts for extra.

Maybe a 2009 or 2010 Rock Shox Recon solo air would be a good choice, about 3.9 lbs. Not as light as a Fox F100 but almost half the price at around $350.

Lighter tires like Kenda Kozmiks or Karmas, get 1.9's if you don't really need the 2.1's extra width.
Lighweight inner tubes shouldn't cost too much too and save about 60 grams or so a pair.

Lighter rims, spokes and hubs should come next when the budget permits. Losing weight on the wheelset is where you'll really feel the difference.

Handlebar, stem, seatpost, saddle and crank will also benefit from an upgrade if you want to loose more weight, I'm pretty sure the stock ones aren't too light.

Look for a handlebar that's below 190 grams, seat post and saddle should not be much more than 200 grams each and a stem should be about 140 grams or less. A Shimano 2010 Deore or SLX crank should be of decent weight and not be too expensive.

I'd stick with the 8 speed unless you really feel you need 9, just get an 11-32 or 11-34 cassette if you have steep climbs in your area. But remember an 11-32 or 34 will weigh more than your current 11-28. Switching to 9 speed will just give you more ratios but the first and last cog will more or less be the same.

At this rate you should just have bought a bike equipped the way you want....cheaper that way. My vote is ride what you got now until something fails, then replace it with a lighter component if that's what you want. The weight isn't that important...

dont worry about the fork and the wheels. replace those once they break or wear out.

i'd start by swapping your tires and tubes out for lighter stuff. you can probably cut 50-100 grams off each wheel with light tubes. then buy some lighter, quicker rolling tires. you could probaby shave another 200+ grams off of each wheel by getting rid of your nevegals.

next i would swap out your cockpit components. your stock seat, seatpost, bars, stem, and grips are probably pretty heavy. you could save 80-100 grams just by switching to foam grips. foam grips are also cheap, usually under $10. you could easily cut probably 300-500 grams by swapping your seat, post, and bars with lighter stuff.

pedals are another area where you can lose weight. a set of crank brother's candy pedals would probably weigh half as much as your current platforms.

upgrading your wheelset will have the greatest effect on your bike but they arent cheap. a fox fork is nice but pricey, a better rockshox or marzocchi would be cheaper. bars, stem, and seatpost will be a good way to go. you have a solid frame to build off of so just swap parts out as you get money for it. I personally would go with a 9 speed cassette but its not necessary unless your going to upgrade your RD and shifters anyways.

Thanks for all your replies. That really helps a lot.. I will say I am getting about 50/50 feedback on the 9 speed swap.. So I think I will trial the 8 speed along until I get annoyed.. lol.. Thanks again..

Tires are the absolute number one in usefulness gained/ money spent ratio. Definitely result in the most weight "felt." After that, probably go with the wheels and fork.