I've recently done a couple of upgrades to my bicycle and just weight it today (24.5lbs) and while I think that is pretty light, I'd like to get that weight down. I think I can shed about a pound from the fork and that will probably be my best dollar to gram choice, but what other parts stand out to you? I know I could shed some weight from the brakes, but I don't think that is an option as I really enjoy the insane overkill stopping power.

How light could I, theoretically, get this bike? 22lbs?



Spec list as it sits.

Bicycle Type Mountain bike, front suspension
MSRP (new) $1,450.00
Weight 24.5lbs
Size 20”
Colors Orange/White
Item ID 10869

Frame & Fork
Frame Construction TIG-welded
Frame Tubing Material Easton Ultralite Race
Fork Brand & Model Fox Vanilla R, 100mm travel
Fork Material Aluminum/magnesium, single crown
Rear Shock Not applicable

Components
Component Group XC race mix
Brakeset Shimano Saint Hydraulic Disc, Shimano Saint brake levers
Shift Levers Shimano XTR
Front Derailleur Shimano Deore XT
Rear Derailleur Shimano Deore XT
Crankset Race Face Evolve XC X-Type, 22/32/44 teeth
Pedals Shimano PD-M505 Clipless
Bottom Bracket Race Face Evolve XC X-Type
BB Shell Width Unspecified
Rear Cogs Shimano Deore XT 9 Speed
Chain Sram X9
Seatpost Bontrager CF
Saddle WTB Rocket V Race
Handlebar Salsa Carbon Fiber Riser
Handlebar Extensions Not included
Handlebar Stem Race Face
Headset Cane Creek

Wheels
Hubs Stan's 3.30
Rims Stan's ZTR Arch Tubeless Sealed
Tires 26 x 2.20" Maxxis Crossmark standard non UST
Spoke Brand Stan's ZTR
Spoke Nipples Unspecified

Look up what you have on this.

https://weightweenies.starbike.com/listings.php

See whats lighter and go for it.

may i ask why you are so focused on weight? 25 pounds is pretty darn light.

Just think it would be fun to see how light i can get it.

titanium guide pulleys for your rear derailleur.
https://www.bikepro.com/products/rear...er_pulley.html

also replace all the screws and bolts on your bike with titanium ones. get XTR everything. this should drop a pound or two.

Speed holes.

Depends what you compare it to. I have some vintage road bikes that are ~20lbs. My MTB feels like a tank compared to them. I think it's ~27-28lbs or so. I couldn't believe when I picked up a local guys full suspension MTB!

I'd say go 1x9. But looks like you recently upgraded your FD and crankset

Every single part could be lighter, including the frame. So depending how far you go you're not lightening your bike, you're spending a ton of money to build a completely new one. Something to ponder.

A new F100 RLC/SID WC/Corsa SL RC (depending on your brand preference) will probably be lighter than you have now but will definitely be a step in the right direction as far as ride quality is concerned.

Also, grips. Those are heavy too.

If you want to try some superlight grips, the Bontrager Race XXX Lite foam grips are 18 grams a pair. If you hate them, hey, it was only $10 Anyway, that'd be about 1/4 pound less than your Ourys.

Your seat's pretty hefty too. Ditto for those pedals. And I know you said you liked lots of stopping power, but consider a 140mm rotor in the rear... you can only generate so much power back there before the wheel skids anyway. Also, if your crankset happens to have a steel granny ring (or middle ring, for that matter), switch to an aluminum ring, preferably 7000-series aluminum which is pretty hard.

Regarding tires, are you running tubes or tubeless?

In the big picture, reducing weight on that bike, you'd hit the point of diminishing returns fairly quickly since you've already invested in a wheelset. Beyond ~23 pounds, it'd start to hurt.

The best place to lose weight is usually the rider.

Wrong. Ride quality goes to the Vanilla.

Aren't pedals and saddle going to be fairly expensive for minimal weight savings? Ill do the grips. I had no idea the ourys were so heavy. I do love the feel of them.

In my extended experience building bikes on paper via Excel...(geek)...the best place to save weight will be the fork. IMO...it's a wrong move. It's a great fork. I'd rather see OP send the fork to PUSH Industries for a rebuild and tune, and ride the crap outta the bike the way it is. It's really a killer trail bike the way it sets. You wanna get faster...experiment with turning it into a single speed. That will make the bike a couple lbs lighter and probably the rider several lbs lighter. If you go SS, you will want to have PUSH change the fork to an RLC so you can lock it out b/c SS bikes are made to be ridden "stand and honk" style when it comes to climbing. It's truly amazing what you can climb running 2:1 ratio with a rigid fork. Lock it out, stand and honk, unlock for the descent.

Other than that...keep it the way it is. The lost pound moving from the Vanilla will be overshadowed by the sub par performance of a noodley little SID. The money difference from a Vanilla to a Float will be over the top for the weight savings.

My 0.02.

chelboed, I do like the Vanilla R and it is a cushy fork but I hate the weight of it on the front end of the bicycle. Are you saying the SID will be a little twitchy? The bike is already twitchy enough so I wouldn't want to compromise that.

I'm not interested in going SS or even compact double.

Is there enough weight savings in a saddle and pedals to justify it? I can't imagine more than 100 grams on each. For the $200+ I'd spend that's a tough pill to swallow. Crankset going to be worth it?

It's getting to the point where anything significant is looking to be big bucks.

Thats bicycling.

It'll be flexy when you pump it really hard. Twitchy, if I'm understanding what you're referring to, is a geometry problem. Headtube's too steep for your style of riding, perhaps?

He doesn't mean it will be twitchy. He means it will be flexy and thus less precise when it comes to steering. He's probably on to something with that. But it would be lighter.

Why not remove the FD and rings you won't be using? getta drop the front shifter as well

I just a 40t ring up front n 9sp cog in back, granted i cant get to the lowest gears without the chain coming off, but have never needed those.

As stated before SS, as well as dimishing my number of gears, is not an option.

I think the best weight savings for the money would be to get a used or OEM closeout Fox Float or maybe an RVL. You want a slightly more laid back and comfy feel on the techy terrain? Get an F120. The saddle and crankset hoopla will be wasted money. Spending 200 to save 1/3lb will go unnoticed. The newer Float series (post-2005) is quite stiff and sturdy laterally / fore and aft. Nice trail fork. You'll sacrifice a little bit of butter, but if you haven't serviced the Van R in a while...it's probably suffering from a little bit of stiction. A new Float will be smoother than an unserviced '05 Vanilla R. (which is what year that one sorta appears to be)

Twitchy meaning every half inch my hands, butt, head, etc. moves, the bike wants to dart across the trail. Handles like my road bike, and while that's a good thing, and it takes no effort to turn, sometimes you can literally look to your left, and the bike will be off the trail before you know it.

@chelboed, you know your forks, eh!? I didn't realize that Vanilla R is a good fork. I always assumed it was pretty mid level.

One thing I noticed, while riding a 29'er Intense Tracer with a full XT build, is that I can climb with what seems like about half the effort. I'm not sure if it was due to the momentum, bigger wheels, or gearing, but that 32lb bike climed faster and easier than my 24lb bike can go on level ground even.