[.Pit Steelers.]

OK well, i decided i like light bikes...even though my bike is more ''freeride'' then DH i figured you DH guys make try to make your bikes light so i will ask this here...

I got like $250 to make this bike lighter..here is the spec list......................

*Frame*Cove Playmate 05
*Fork*Marzocchi 66rc 05
*Rims*Sun Dbl Track
*Hubs* DT Swiss 440fr
*Spokes*Wheelsmith
*Tires*Maxxis Minnion ST
*Tubes*Intense DH
*Shock*5th Elm (Steel Coil)
*Brakes*Hayes (G2 Calipers)
*Saddle(Seat)...(SDG DJ Seat,Bontrager Seat-->old skool)
*Derailer*XT
*ChainGuide*E.13
*ChainRing*RaceFace DH
*Bars*RaceFace Diblious
*Stem*RaceFace Diblious
*SeatPost*Axoim..
Crankset*RaceFace Diblious

Tell me if you need pictures to get a better idea....P.S i bought an ipod and for somereason when i plug it in something called (Nate's Musci appears next to mine)....anyone know why...and i cant seem to dealte it

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

Ohh yeah, Wheels and Tires are brand new i know they are heavey, but im not gonna repalce them yet.

 

[Bicyclist]

-XC tubes
-Lighter wheels

Make your bike light where it counts, and then add light stuff as you can.

Light wheels and a low COG are important. IE no heavy seats or anything up high, and light wheels (and tires/tubes).

 

[bjanga]

How much do the race faces weigh? You might find some Saints or Hones on ebay for cheap.

 

[Bicyclist]

The cranks won't make a big deal unless you go to something like Middleburns or XTs but then you've spent all your money already. And you won't save too much money.

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

Yeah, also im going up to Mammoth this summer. and i whould like to not spend more then 250. The types of things i was thinking of change whould be bars,seatpost,seat,cassete even a ti spring..

 

[PatBranch]

The first things you should change are wheels/tubes/tires. Double tracks aren't exactly light. You can get much lighter tires, but if you like them, at least get lighter tubes. Those are beefy tires, so standard thickness tubes should be fine.

Buy some of that stuff used. Sometimes you can find stuff that with minimal use for much less than new.

Replacing the stock spring with a Ti one is really effective, but I think that's more than your budget.

1. Tubes
2. Rims
3. Seatpost/bars/seat
4. cassette ( I don't think a cassete will make much of a difference and a much lighter one is very $$$)

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

Yes i know both rims and tubes are overweight. But im going to use them for a bit longer seeing as they are less then a month old. As far as the ti spring i think i can find one for a little cheeapers. But whould spending all that on a ti spring lose as much wate say say changing componets?


Bars seem like a good item, what whould be a nice light set? Oversized.

Or whould it be better just to go back to 25.4?

 

[J5ive]

Why ask for advice if you plan not to take it? Sell your wheels. Buy some lighter ones. Much better place to save weight than on your spring.

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

I am taking all advice, im just stating im not going to change my wheels at this point.

 

[J5ive]

so you want us to justify wasting your money on lighter components rather than wheels? I thought you were after the best bang for your buck?

 

[no skid marks]

Yep go back to 25.4 unless you are going to get carbon bars.

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

so you want us to justify wasting your money on lighter components rather than wheels? I thought you were after the best bang for your buck?

......NO i dont have the money for new wheels. im going on a trip in 2 weeks....i dont have the time or money to get a new wheelset.

 

[mastercycleman]

wow J5ive your not exactly the most understanding and kind of a D1ck in my opinion, If i had just bought A new set
Of wheels, i wouldnt want to go right back out and buy more, hey go with the Ti spring, it could save you up to 1.5 pounds at least

 

[RideSiK]

id say go for seat and post...

there are cheap and light bmx seats around these days... not sure about posts, a second hand thomson maybe could be within yor budget... or a second hand ibeam setup...

 

[no skid marks]

Yeah he said he didn't want to deal with his wheels but it's still worth recomending. He could just sell out his rims. Try single track front and 521 rear or something. Wouldn't cost much if he can build wheels and get away with the same spokes(possibly).
I-beam post as mentioned is a good bet.

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

Yeah he gave good advice, expect i had already stated i wasnt replacing my wheels at this point. Yet he kept repeating him self.

 

[AV]

Keep the wheels but get rid of the tubes by running Stan's no tubes. Set up right they work great. also will have fewer pinchflats. It is simple to do and I have done it to all my scoots. I feel the tires accelerate quicker as well.

 

[ensv]

yeah, the stans stuff is awsome, replace your heavy intense tubes with only a couple of ounces of goop.
not only will it be a pound per wheel lighter, but that is the most important weight to lose in terms of bike handling, because the spining wheels create most of your bikes momentum. This means that will be accelerating, decelerating, and cornering faster. It is also unsuspended weight so your bike will ride smoother.
Plus a stans kit is not very expensive, check out notubes.com

 

[BuddhaRoadkill]

If you don't want to change your wheels yet, that's cool. But it's the most effective way to lighten your bike. Best option with your mindset is to simply save your money [maybe even add to it], and when the time comes you can get yourself a quality light wheelset. Not fun, but most wise.

 

[muddyfox]

go to home depot by a drill and have at her, if you keep it clean you could probably return it! Seriously save your money and buy lighter components as stuff breaks, chances of you actually noticing any difference on a bike that's maybe 1 lb lighter isn't very good except for the wheels (based on the type of bike you have and the probable riding you do).

 

[PatBranch]

You have enough money for wheels.

EX729's - $90 each

You could find some D321 for a little cheaper (same rim, old name).

Singletracks are cheaper and just slightly lighter than those.

 

[julian_dh]

ghetto Tubeless

 

[coma13]

swap those heavy ass tubes out... first and foremost! $10 and you've got your biggest bang/buck ratio... later on down the line, get lighter rims...

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

Yes, at somepoint i will be getting lighter rims... But for know these two things seem the most popular. I whould most likely buy this type of combo aswell.

Ligther tubes and Ti coil
or...............................
Stans No Tubes...and someother ligther commponets.

 

[zmtber]

go ghetto tubeless

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

How does that work?...does it work?

 

[PatBranch]

http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/search.php?searchid=1025898

 

[Sandwich]

speed holes?

 

[S.K.C.]

Pit Steelers:

Crankset*RaceFace Diblious

...Diblious cranks are crap.

You should run Diabolus - they're WAY better.

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

yeah yeah i know... but on the other hand the tubeless sounds like a very good idea. But Stans almost sound like a pain in the ass chaing and what not. Also i remember someone over here had Stans and he left his bike in the suns well the tire and the entire side wall of the tire blew off the rim and all that liquid squirted out. Whould Stans really save that much weight over light xc tubes?

 

[motomike]

just do light xc tubes...10 bucks and 10 minutes of you life will save you almost 2 pounds...

 

[joelsman]

FSA carbon bars are light or anser protaper for alu.

get sdg I-beam post and one of their lighter seats.

I know you said you don't want to change your wheels yet but, when you do get mavic 823's and maxxis ust tires. the rims weigh less, tires are the same and no tubes. you could drop 2.5-3lbs of rotating weight. and you don't need stan's

ti coil would be good too.

and magnesium pedals, I use wellgo, xpedo also makes some

 

[al-irl]

ghetto Tubeless

way cheaper than stans and will make the biggest difference for the least cash.

Then maybe get ur ti spring if u want to bling up ur bike.

 

[Rafael-DH]

Buy a Notubes DH KIT!

 

[.Pit Steelers.]

Alright, cool thanks all for the assiatance.

 

[J5ive]

Rims don't loose much money at resale from my experience. Get yourself a pair of mavics laced to those nice hubs. 850grams each for the double tracks is killer! ex721's come in a 590grames. Thats 520grames to save of rotational weight! No idea of prices in the states, but I can't see it costing much more than the resale of your old rims to get the mavics as they are quite well priced. Most of the price will be labour and spokes. But thats going to be within budget.

Add some stans and this combination is going to make the biggest difference to the bike. Even if your budget is gone, you can ghetto up the rear and run an XC in the front. A ti spring will chew all your money and save you less than 400 grams of non rotating weight? Correct me if Im wrong there guys.

Just makes sence to me.

 

[Ian F]

......NO i dont have the money for new wheels. im going on a trip in 2 weeks....i dont have the time or money to get a new wheelset.

Then save your money and ride what you have. I'm sorry, but $250 is not a big enough budget to really make a signifacant difference.

A "light" DH bike needs to built with that in mind from the beginning. Plus, keep in mind the old Bontrager quote: " Light. Strong. Cheap. Pick any two." Trying to make an already heavy bike lighter is generally an exercise in futility. BTDT.

The only way I can see to make your rig feel lighter is to swap out the DH tubes for XC tubes.

 

[PatBranch]

721's are good. The silver ones are $60. The CD grey (stronger) ones are about $75-80. Get the grey ones. These rims are really strong/light.

 

[bizutch]

quick weight savings.
spokes and lighter rims
XC style headset (never blown one)
XT cranks & BB
Thomson post & Ti saddle (even a thin padded cromo saddle is light)
Specialized "enduro" tubes...way ligher than DH tubes but made for 2.2-2.5 tires,so not ultra thin (come in their DH tired complete bikes too).
Easton or Answer bar (Ritchey, Salsa, Bontrager & Specialized...all make light OEM bars you can snag from your dealer in the "pulled them off a complete bike...bin").
Thomson stem. - spend some time in the RM buy/sell forum and you'll get 1 DIRT CHEAP.
Specialized Magnesium flats if you ride flats (cheap) or Crank Brothers Mallet M Magnesium's for 100 gram savings over other clipless.