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Can you get too light of a bike

Old 05-21-08, 04:26 PM
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Can you get too light of a bike

if you ride xc? I have a midrange hardtail right now, but a friend of mine is offering to sell another very lightweight and nice hardtail. How resilient are top of the line featherweight bikes? It's awesome, but I'd almost be afraid to do anything even like messing around in the street practicing bunnyhops on curbs, just out of fear for the nice bike. I know this sounds quite idiotic, but I guess just need some reassurance...
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Old 05-21-08, 04:27 PM
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As clarification I just ride xc, no downhill or crazy urban riding for me.
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Old 05-21-08, 06:37 PM
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Frame: Scott Scale Limited Large '05 1064 g
Fork: RockShox SID World Cup tuned 984 g
Headset: M2Racer w/ Schmolke cap 36 g
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Old 05-21-08, 06:53 PM
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Thats an awesome bike. See I'd be scared to ride it because it looks so beautiful and almost breakable. Which I know it isn't, I just need to get over that feeling. Thats originally what I was trying to say I guess.
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Old 05-21-08, 07:00 PM
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That's 13 pounds. Very light. Put a useful cassette on there and some real tires and you'd have a 14 lb bike you can actually ride in the woods.
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Old 05-21-08, 07:16 PM
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You can get to the point where the parts can't eve take a decent fall like the Scott.
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Old 05-21-08, 07:19 PM
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Light bikes suck
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Old 05-21-08, 07:39 PM
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Originally Posted by Halebopp
Thats an awesome bike. See I'd be scared to ride it because it looks so beautiful and almost breakable. Which I know it isn't, I just need to get over that feeling. Thats originally what I was trying to say I guess.
Actually that bike sucks. I'd break it in about 10 minutes. I say 10 minutes b/c that's how long it takes me to ride the pavement to the trail head, hahaha.

Originally Posted by mtnbiker66
Light bikes suck
Amen
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Old 05-21-08, 07:41 PM
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Light bikes RULE.
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Old 05-21-08, 07:43 PM
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Originally Posted by patentcad
Light bikes RULE.
smacking nuts
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Old 05-21-08, 08:28 PM
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Dead nuts, by the looks of things.
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Old 05-21-08, 11:04 PM
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Originally Posted by Halebopp
if you ride xc? I have a midrange hardtail right now, but a friend of mine is offering to sell another very lightweight and nice hardtail. How resilient are top of the line featherweight bikes? It's awesome, but I'd almost be afraid to do anything even like messing around in the street practicing bunnyhops on curbs, just out of fear for the nice bike. I know this sounds quite idiotic, but I guess just need some reassurance...

If you weigh <170 lbs and your wheels never leave the ground (no drops or jumps) you should be OK. Anything more than that and I'd budget for replacement parts and a good health insurance plan.

Last edited by Svr; 05-21-08 at 11:07 PM.
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Old 05-22-08, 10:15 AM
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I think you can get too light. At least for everyday trail riding.
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Old 05-22-08, 10:39 AM
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Light - Inexpensive - Sturdy

Choose any 2!

... Brad
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Old 05-22-08, 10:44 AM
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Originally Posted by bac
Light - Inexpensive - Sturdy

Choose any 2!

... Brad
ok.. light and inexpensive.. please show us a bike that is light(under 23lbs for a hardtail), and inexpensive(under $1000).
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Old 05-22-08, 11:06 AM
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Having no bike would equate to "too light".
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Old 05-22-08, 11:10 AM
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Originally Posted by mcoine
ok.. light and inexpensive.. please show us a bike that is light(under 23lbs for a hardtail), and inexpensive(under $1000).
The frame broke when I sat on it.

... Brad
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Old 05-22-08, 11:16 AM
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Originally Posted by mcoine
ok.. light and inexpensive.. please show us a bike that is light(under 23lbs for a hardtail), and inexpensive(under $1000).
$120 Ebay Magnesium Alloy Frame
$40 Truvativ fire cranks
$50 FSA Plat Pro BB
$10 SPD pedals
$500 Rock Shox Reba Team with poploc
$10 Race face air lite bars
$10 ODI grips
$10 profiledesign bar ends
$5 Supergo stem 110mm
$30 Cane Creek head set
$2 carbon spacer
$15 Avid FP-5 brake levers
$25 Single Digit7 Front V brakes
$25 Single Digit7 Rear V brakes
$30 Used Mavic UST Crossrock
$4 tubes
$40 WTB tires
$25 Richey Comp Seat post
$5 seat clamp (non quick release)
$25 Sette Ti railed Saddle
$60 SRAM X9 shifters
$60 SRAM X9 Med Rear D
$20 XT Front D
$25 SRAM PC980 Chain
$25 SRAM PC980 32-11 cassette
------
$1156 =22.1lb hard tail with 600gram tires, I normally run Mythos that are 100gr less each so thats about another 1/2 I can take off after I wear through these new knobby WTBs

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Old 05-22-08, 11:26 AM
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Does the cat approve?
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Old 05-22-08, 11:31 AM
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yah him and the other one like to balance on the top tube
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Old 05-22-08, 11:57 AM
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Originally Posted by jsigone
$1156 =22.1lb hard tail
$1156 > (under $1000)

Fail.
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Old 05-22-08, 12:14 PM
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considering that the fork alone was $500 bucks, its not a bad build HAHA.

Eat more top raman so you can afford the other 156 bucks
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Old 05-22-08, 12:59 PM
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Obviously reliability is always a concern, and not only with light bikes. Buy a Full Suspension bike at WalMart and thrash it on the trail and you'll find that heavy doesn't always equal reliable.

Barring reliability/durability issues I think "too light" comes when you fall off the bike and your bike floats away like a balloon.
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Old 05-22-08, 01:28 PM
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It depends on your version of XC.
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Old 05-22-08, 01:34 PM
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Can you go too light? yes of course, even for the most tame circumstances. The idea is to go as light as possible while retaining reliability. Problem is, that's not cheap...
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