Built up an alloy 2010 Epic last week and just weighed it to fine it is quite a bit heavier than I expected at 28.5lbs. The current wheelset is a temporary one and the main area for weight saving I know, but is there anything else I should look to change? Spec as follows:

2010 Epic M5 Alloy frame
2010 Reba Team with maxle light
XTR M970 shifters, mechs and SPDs
FSA K-Force carbon triple chainset
Hope BB and headset
Sram 990 cassette
Hope Tech X2 brakes
Thomson X4 stem
Easton EA70 risers
Specialized post and SDG Bel Air saddle
Hope Pro2 DT5.1 hoops
Nobby Nic UST 2.2 tyres (with tubes)

Thanks in advance.

All sounds good to me only the wheels but you say they are temp , so looking good, the rest of the build sounds nice.

Wheels and tyres/tubes are heavy – switch to something like American Classic on Stans Alpine.
Brakes could be swapped to Formula R1/Shimano XTR/Hope Race
Specialized post and Thomson stem could be swapped for KCNC at not much cost.
Foam grips, alu chainring bolts, seatclamp?

Thanks for the input.

Any ideas how the 2012 XT brakes are for weight?

Have you got anything around of a known weight- dumbells or similiar? Always worth checking the scale 😉 Especially given how many internetbikeweighingscales manage to knock off a couple of pounds, maybe you’ve just got one of the scales that compensates 😉

Changing the tyres and tubes for something like Supersonic Conti SpeedKings and tubes would probably save upto 2 lbs rolling weight at minimal cost, but understand there will be pay off, Speed King Supersonics are skittish and fragile as are Conti Supersonic innertubes fragile.

Next big weight loss is yer wheels, what you’ve got weight 2000gms ish, you can buy 1400gms wheels for under £500 these days, so that’s a possible 1.5 lbs lost.
I’d probably just focus on wheels and tyres to make a big noticeable diff to the rolling weight of your bike, maybe try to avoid all the other bits unless some absolute bargains come up on classifieds (KCNC and the like).

Do it 90’s style.

Speak to al, I’m sure he can advise… 😛

seat post and saddlle.

UST tyres with tubes is daft. Get conventional Schwalbes and go tubeless on some more sensible wheels, several pounds right there!

The UST tyres were used tubeless on my other bike before it became more of a DH rig, and before the new Schwalbe’s came out that were all tubless ready.

Think I’ll get some Hope Pro2/Stans Crest wheels and run them tubeless with some new Schwalbes to start with and then see what pops up in the classifieds for the other stuff.

Heard mixed things about i-beam saddles and posts – cheap at the moment at CRC for a brand new one and should save half a pound, but possibly at the expensive of some comfort and reliability.

Old Schwalbes will go onto Crests more easily than the new ones, the bead is stupidly tight. You may not have much choice any more, but if you can get the old ones I definitely would.

Reba Team’s with Maxle might are 1720g… I know cos this is what I’ve just fitted to my hardtail. SID’s are less than 1500g, so that would save you a bit of weight.

Wheel wise, can get plenty of sub 1500g wheelsets that are still strong enough for everyday use.

Tyre wise, if you’re happy with Schwalbes, then do what njee says. Personally I find I can tear the knobbles off Schwalbes way too easily, and they’re not as grippy as they should be. Plenty of other lightweight tyres that can be run tubeless out there though (Maxxis Crossmark for one).

You can save 100g off your bars by going to carbon, 50g off your stem. Dunno what your post weighs but bet you can save another 100g there. And Bel Air saddles are over 300g, get yourself a Specialized Romin or Phenom (which I like as they fit like a Bel Air despite the lack of padding) which are closer to 200g.

That’s just the quick easy suggestions that save a decent amount of weight…

+1 I-Beam post and saddle, plus Easton EA90 stem and carbon risers.

Replace SRAM cassette with Shimano (XT/XTR) once worn.

Crank Brothers Candy 1 plus ebay Ti axles.

Heard mixed things about i-beam saddles and posts – cheap at the moment at CRC for a brand new one and should save half a pound, but possibly at the expensive of some comfort and reliability.

Horrible horrible horrible. You’ll spend more time stood up than sat down as they’re so uncomfortable!

Besides, you can go lighter… Selle Italia SLR on an Easton EC90 post will weigh just over 300g all in, yet be more comfortable!

Thanks MBoy – have always been sceptical about their comfort levels but the mags all seemed to rave about them back in the day.

Think I’ll treat myself to some wheels and tyres first and see how it feels before embarking on anything else.

Ec90s are still fairly heavy for the money. If you go the seatpost route I’ve got a brand new New Ultimate, which is 125g in 30.9×350.

yeah carbon posts like the EC70 and EC90 don’t actually save you that much weight – because they are built to still be strong and there is not much optimisation possible over a good aluminium one. They do provide more comfort though and should be stronger for the same weight. Personally I don’t mind sacrificing 50g or so for a good strong seat post.

Bars – 100g if you go carbon.

Stem – you could save 50g with something else but make sure it is as stiff.

Wheels and tyres – yup as above and will make the biggest difference as rotating mass is worth several times that of weight elsewhere on the frame due to inertia.

Forks – SIDs are chuffing light.

But my 1st reaction was also for you to check your scales.

Old Schwalbes will go onto Crests more easily than the new ones, the bead is stupidly tight. You may not have much choice any more, but if you can get the old ones I definitely would

ain’t that the truth?

The new ones totally threw out the spoke tension on a set of Crests I have, to the point where a couple of them unwound.
They had to go back and get a lot more tension put in them, reading on the notubes forum, I’m not the only one

Hope ProII Evo on Crest rims are quoted by Hope as 1653gms. As a comparison, AC hubs on Alpine rims are quoted at 1291gms (with crest rims would be about 1340gms). I guess Alpine rims are a pure xc rim, but mine are standing up to a fair Yorkshire Dales battering with little jumps and drops (I have another bike for play biking and Lake District type stuff).
With regards saddle, personally I’d compromise on the saddle and use the one that you find most comfortable, rather than trying to go uber light. I like Belair, instant comfort, I’ve tried others incl. the Fly, went back to a Belair (268gms for the Ti).
Seatpost, I’m using a KCNC Ti Prolite 8000 at 136gms (uncut) bought off here for £35 (rrp around £80). It looks worryingly fragile, but used it all this year and so far very good (I weigh 82kgs).

The brakes are the obvious thing to change for two reasons.

1. They are far heavier than something like the new XT (about 300g IIRC)
2. They aren’t that good anyway!

Is a 28.5lb bike too heavy to ride as it is? I think my lightest bike is about that (only a guess mind you) and it doesn’t have gears and only one brake. Cost effectiveness doesn’t get any better than removing bits and not replacing them.

Cost effectiveness doesn’t get any better than removing bits and not replacing them.

😀 I like this concept!

Bought Hope Pro 2 SP c/w Crests recently and weighed them:

Front – 702g
Rear – 858g

You could save more by running the Pro 3’s, although the front limits you to 9mm/15mm.

Is a 28.5lb bike too heavy to ride as it is? I think my lightest bike is about that (only a guess mind you) and it doesn’t have gears and only one brake. Cost effectiveness doesn’t get any better than removing bits and not replacing them.

A lighter bike will ride better, end of.

A lighter bike will ride better, end of.

Only to the point just before things are too flexi/fragile for the job in hand

A lighter bike will be lighter, end of.

Consider it corrected.

Just been through this via a thread on here.

I’m hankering after 26/27lb bike for enduro’s / racing for when I wouldnt use a hardtail (which actually I’ve used all year). Current Intense Tracer is great for a sunday / peaks / Moors / wales ride so I though about ligtening it up. It weighs 30.2 with a Ti coil.

Replacing my thompson bars and post with EC90 – £160 with a saving of 67g. Replacing SLX cranks with XT – £200 approx for 100g saving. Reaplacing Mavic 719’s & Hope pro 2’s with Pro Evo’s / Crest – £300 200g saving.

The point being its gonna cost a lot more than a 3lb saving should. I could sell the Bike and buy a Spec Camber pro in the sales and possibly even make a profit. Not such top spec but slightly more versatile arguably.

The thing that holds me back is that the Tracer rides so well up for a 140/150mm bike I dont think 3lb or a Spec Camber replacement is worth the effort TBH.

Only to the point just before things are too flexi/fragile for the job in hand

Agreed, although I think that point is a lot lower than it was. My Fuel below 20lbs with Fox forks etc is incomparible to my old 22lb Trek carbon hardtail with v-brakes and 28mm SIDs!

Suddenly NJee20 – steps it up a class (again).

Ignore everything, just find the lightest bike you can and buy it on a c/card. Buying a whole bike is much more cost effective….

😉

Replacing SLX cranks with XT – £200 approx for 100g saving.

Eh? There’s about 30g difference on a good day… Whoever told you 100g was telling porkies to part you with your cash!

Think I’ll treat myself to some wheels and tyres first and see how it feels before embarking on anything else.

That’s the best bet, and the area you will notice the weight saving the most. Any “sprung” weight saved on the bike will be less obvious when riding than unsprung or rotational weight saved for sure.

Ec90s are still fairly heavy for the money. If you go the seatpost route I’ve got a brand new New Ultimate, which is 125g in 30.9×350.

Christ, that is scary! I reckon I’d break that just by sitting on it, bearing in mind that I’m only 75kg but I seem to have a habit of making Thomson’s go creaky… There’s “light”, and then there’s “no point in fitting it as it’ll break inside 2 miles anyway”… I think a 125g seatpost comes into the latter personally! 😕

Valuable input chaps! Might buy some new XT brakes too as they are v cheap at present and I’d probably get my money back on the Hopes.

Take it out for a second proper ride tonight and get it clogged up with 5lbs of mud!