Though, you can stop reading once you get to "More weight for improved downhill handling" if you dont want to get you cherry pan-ties in a wad.
https://enduro-mtb.com/en/mtb-weight/
https://enduro-mtb.com/en/mtb-weight/
Dont be a weight weenie.
- Thread starter KenW449
- Start date
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.
Do you even have to ask?
They are only taking thee clear coat off the frame, companies obsessed with lightness don't even bother putting it on. You can get UV stable epoxy resin but it can still look a bit crap after a couple of year's use.
Pretty sure Schmolke don't bother with a clear coat ~170g for an 800mm bar.
https://www.schmolke-carbon.com/product/mtb-enduro-lowriser/
A bike would be FUBARd in a month if they did that out here. UV town USA.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
FIFY, Weight weenies DGAF.
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.
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.
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
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.
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.
Such is life.
It is like a bell curve.
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.
Such is life.
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.
I am a massive weight weenie, my hardtail has a carbon bar and CX-Ray spokes and it weighs 14.5kg.
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."
lol wut? is this an xc bike?