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Dont be a weight weenie.

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
This article has a point. Keeping weight down is not as important as improved performance and reliability.
Which I said in the "industry" thread about XC racers. You don't see the top expert and pro racers doing dumb shit like sanding down carbon frames, dremeling pedals,drilling gears or using 70g stems with 99g handlebars. They need reliable stuff and when you race at that level, you have to be consistent. At best, you might see one of them with one of those solid carbon seats for a shorter race, but the true ridiculous-as-shit weight-weenies are not these XC racers.
 

KenW449

Thanos did nothing wrong
Jun 13, 2017
2,704
329
Floating down the whiskey river...

jonKranked

Detective Dookie
Nov 10, 2005
85,573
24,191
media blackout
Which I said in the "industry" thread about XC racers. You don't see the top expert and pro racers doing dumb shit like sanding down carbon frames, dremeling pedals,drilling gears or using 70g stems with 99g handlebars. They need reliable stuff and when you race at that level, you have to be consistent. At best, you might see one of them with one of those solid carbon seats for a shorter race, but the true ridiculous-as-shit weight-weenies are not these XC racers.
this is also why a lot of EWS racers don't use carbon rims.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
Which I said in the "industry" thread about XC racers. You don't see the top expert and pro racers doing dumb shit like sanding down carbon frames, dremeling pedals,drilling gears or using 70g stems with 99g handlebars. They need reliable stuff and when you race at that level, you have to be consistent. At best, you might see one of them with one of those solid carbon seats for a shorter race, but the true ridiculous-as-shit weight-weenies are not these XC racers.
They don't because their sponsor pays them or gives them free shit. What message would that leave with potential customers if you find ways to improve the 'ultimate' bike of your sponsor? Rest assured, they will get frames with lighter layups and such but standard colors. So frames are lighter but look like a off the shelf one.
 

maxyedor

<b>TOOL PRO</b>
Oct 20, 2005
5,496
3,140
In the bathroom, fighting a battle
Which I said in the "industry" thread about XC racers. You don't see the top expert and pro racers doing dumb shit like sanding down carbon frames, dremeling pedals,drilling gears or using 70g stems with 99g handlebars. They need reliable stuff and when you race at that level, you have to be consistent. At best, you might see one of them with one of those solid carbon seats for a shorter race, but the true ridiculous-as-shit weight-weenies are not these XC racers.
Lets be honest, that's not really a wisespread thing either. Most weight weenies are running the lightest off the shelf, reasonable, parts. Yeah, they'll spend $180 on a chain because it's 3 mouse farts lighter, but they're not running 1.5" bald tires and bare axles instead of actual pedals. There's really only a handful of idiots willing to go to that level of idiocy.
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
Counterpoint: weight weenies are the ones that actually push to find the best balance between light weight and reliable parts. The reason off the shelf DH bikes now weigh 36 lbs instead of 48 lbs is because the weight weenies pushed bikes in that direction. And I for one am glad.

So if you can't afford it, don't be a weight weenie. But if you can afford to take part in the grand experiment of finding the lightest reliable parts to push the industry forward, than go for it. Your bike will ride better, and in the future, so will other peoples because you were willing to do the experiment.
 

Jm_

sled dog's bollocks
Jan 14, 2002
18,855
9,560
AK
They don't because their sponsor pays them or gives them free shit. What message would that leave with potential customers if you find ways to improve the 'ultimate' bike of your sponsor? Rest assured, they will get frames with lighter layups and such but standard colors. So frames are lighter but look like a off the shelf one.
Yeah, but if it made a difference and was worth it for the benifit of lighter weight...they’d do it and everyone would be running those carbon FIBER rotors.
 

William42

fork ways
Jul 31, 2007
3,908
634
Meh, pro racers are the initial product testers for a lot of products, but the consumers and mass market are where products that are worth it and products that are shitty actually get sorted out. They're the ones who ultimately determine the balance, because they're the ones deciding what to spend their money on, not the racers.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
But why should I imitate what a pro racer is using on his or her bike? I am slower and I am less fit so I will put less stress on my bike but need all the help that I can get from it. Lightweight parts it is then.
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
.... or using 70g stems with 99g handlebars. They need reliable stuff and when you race at that level, you have to be consistent.
Stems that light are reliable, see Syntace, Newmen, Intend. Those handlebar weights are in the range of what can be made reliable if you know what you are doing. BTW: check this https://www.pinkbike.com/news/albstadt-xc-pit-walk-bike-checks-and-crazy-tech.html
Helen Grobert's bike has some crazy WW parts on it and the handlebar is around 100 g, pretty sure. But on the other hand, AX Lightness was at the time one of her sponsors.
 

toodles

ridiculously corgi proportioned
Aug 24, 2004
5,480
4,720
Australia
I am slower and I am less fit so I will put less stress on my bike
You're also likely less smooth and likely to run parts waaaay past their expiry date cos you have to pay to replace them. Hence the requirement for sturdy
 

mykel

closer to Periwinkle
Apr 19, 2013
5,071
3,780
sw ontario canada
Yup, the older and slower I get the harder on parts I am, I kinda feel like a kid again.
It is like a bell curve.:nerd:

Young and pull of piss with no skill = broken parts.
Lots of skill and fitness = some broken parts - often when worn out.
Old and slow banging into things = broken parts.

I'm now slow enough that things I used to double over I now bash through. :disgust1:

Such is life. :disgust:
 

iRider

Turbo Monkey
Apr 5, 2008
5,648
3,089
You're also likely less smooth and likely to run parts waaaay past their expiry date cos you have to pay to replace them. Hence the requirement for sturdy
Normally I ride fairly smooth and am not a Clyde, so not hard on wheels and parts. Only occasional mishaps here and there. Having seen pros ride I would say they are harder on their stuff.

I have too many bikes that all want to get used, so no way I manage to push one past its expiration date. When I was younger and only had one bike, yes, now: no. :D
 

HardtailHack

used an iron once
Jan 20, 2009
6,635
5,446
I am a massive weight weenie, my hardtail has a carbon bar and CX-Ray spokes and it weighs 14.5kg.
 

Harry BarnOwl

Monkey
Jul 24, 2008
174
38
A good example of this development is the new Canyon Spectral. “Yes, the new model is a little heavier,” says Daniel Oster, Senior Product Manager. “But it now has the same classification as the Strive, and thanks to the new linkage design, the integrated cable channel, the frame protector and the revised seat post clamp, it’s even more durable and reliable. He continues: “For us, durability and therefore decreased maintenance and the safety of our customers is more important than a few grams. The Spectral is a bike for relaxed climbs with friends only to battle them on the way back down and have as much fun as possible.”
Reading between the lines on this one: "Instead of losing money on warranty replacements of broken carbon frames, we added more material to compensate for poor materials and manufacturing quality."