My bike weighs a ton and im horribly unfit...

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My bike weighs a ton and im horribly unfit...

42 posts & 28 voices | Started 2 years ago by one_happy_hippy | Latest reply from unklebuck

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one_happy_hippy - Member

So started trying to cycle uphill (and on the flat) after years of DH and little else.

I have not coped well, so rather than working on my fitness directly when can i spend more money on the bike.

Im not aiming for xc race-light as im still stupid enough to be trying to jump it, im guessing wheels and tyres (oh darwin do i need lower rolling resistance tyres!)

the build,

Foes Preadtor (not light 2.2kgish)
CK
Fox 36RC2 only 50g more tha the all mountain 1's they replaced.
Easton ea70 bars
MG90 Stem
EA50 post SDG ti railed saddle
XTR cranks, easton flats
XT shifters / mechs / cassette
Hope mono mini's old gold/blacks
the heavy bit-
Pro2's on MTX with maxxis high rollers 2.35" (super tacky's)

about 34lbs... :S

Posted 2 years ago #
BadlyWiredDog - Member

Super Tacky High Rollers are unbelievably draggy, like pedalling through treacle, you can hear each individual knob clinging to the ground for dear life. Pretty much anything else will roll faster, maybe even the 60a compound ones, or simply stick some quicker all-round tyres on. I'm not surprised you can't ride fast uphill

Posted 2 years ago #
mboy - Member

change the rims from Sun MTX's (about 660g each iirc) to Mavic EN521 (about 540g each but still 28mm wide, welded and strong), and change the dual ply high rollers to single ply ones for everthing except DH racing (in which case keep the dual ply ones).

Also consider going tubeless (ghetto works better than I was expecting!) as it can save a bit of weight if you're running heavy DH tubes, as well as drastically reduce your chance of punctures.

Easton Flat pedals are also quite weighty (more than 600g iirc). Have considered swapping mine out for some lighter pedals (such as Wellgo MG1 at 380g) on my bike, but I like the Easton's too much as they're bombproof!

You're probably not likely to save much more weight though, without significantly compromising strength at least by fitting light XC parts. My suggestion is to get out and ride it and get fit!

Posted 2 years ago #
Filthy - Member

34lbs not that heavy, I'd just get some lighter fast rolling tyres and you'll notice the biggest difference.

Posted 2 years ago #
hicksville - Member

Tis a light bike that one, :Dchange the tyres, all rest seems good.whats the rear shock?
Peronally using maxis advantage and blues groove on the front of my 35lb bike. But there will be loads of people to tell you the best tyres. Really silly question and apologies but have you got the seatpost and stem sorted for riding uphill, sorry not being patronising but the people who have there seat so low for climbing or too crushed up to let air into their lungs alwats suprises me

Posted 2 years ago #
one_happy_hippy - Member

No rear shock as its a hardtail dood

The frame is a 17" with a good 300mm of seat post showing so maybe 5mm off straight leg at bottom of stroke. 80mm stem so enough over front wheel to keep it on the ground when pulling on the bars.

I have some MG1's but i love the eastons too much - stick to my 5:10's like glue.

Tyres it is to start with - any suggestions for an all mountain all purpose trye? Ive only ever really used michy comp16/24's or maxxis high rollers or holy rollers on the 4x bike.

Posted 2 years ago #
takisawa2 - Member

Swap the Foes for a Pace 303 / 305.
It'll go up nicely & still be a scream on the way down again.

Posted 2 years ago #
one_happy_hippy - Member

Cant really afford to change the frame plus i just love it too much, awesomely stiff and responsive.

Posted 2 years ago #
coffeeking - Member

34 isnt that bad. MTFU. Or change tyres as above.

Posted 2 years ago #
MrNutt - Member

go tubless, stick some LUST high rollers on, that should bring you down to about 32lb, that said, if you ride the bike a bit more up them hills your fitness will improve!

Posted 2 years ago #
ex-pat - Member

yeah, ditch those tires - I've got some that I tried on my Heckler. They turned the all-mountain bike into something approaching a torture device.
Look/work nice on my DH bike though.

Posted 2 years ago #
Scienceofficer - Member

Nowt wrong with that build except, as folk have already said, the tyres. 60A 2.1 single ply Highrollers? According to the Maxxis site, this will save you 2lbs in weight alone, let alone the drag from the 42A compound.

Posted 2 years ago #
rOcKeTdOg - Member

i think my P.A. weights in around that mark, the fuel ex is about 3-4lb lighter!

Posted 2 years ago #
theflatboy - Member

the heavier the bike the faster you'll get fit - leave it all

Posted 2 years ago #
juan - Member

34lbs

Well that is the weight of my bike so my guess is you really need to build on your fitness. I know the rule of STW is to work on the skills a card can buy but hey hoo that is not heavy for a mountain bike.
As said just change your tyres.

Posted 2 years ago #
steve_b77 - Member

Are they actually dual ply HR's?

If not try a Larsen TT on the rear and a Super Tacky HR on the front, should be alot quicker.

Although after the weekend I am thinking of not bothering with my usual combo of single ply High Rollers ST front & Maxpro Rear and going for Ingnitor 2.35" Exception front & rear for Trail Centre/not rocky places duty

Posted 2 years ago #
one_happy_hippy - Member

the tyres are maxxis high roller - 2.35" 40a compound dual ply dh tyres.

Im looking at some 2.1 high roller single ply folding.

Any other tyres i should consider? I doubt im going to go tubeless as i will just end up covering my kitchen in latex/sealant. Going to be being used for everything from popping down the road/canal to see my folks to welsh trail centres.

Posted 2 years ago #
steve_b77 - Member

Maybe as I suggested above, Maxxis Advantage in 2.25" also seems pretty popular and pretty light too

Posted 2 years ago #
Del - Member

stick with 2.35s, just change compound/ply

Posted 2 years ago #
juan - Member

Fat albert 2.35?

Posted 2 years ago #
thomthumb - Member

I'e got the same issue with super tacky high rollers.

I'm going for single ply, 60A 2.35 HR on the front. Larsen TT on the rear, 2.35 60A.

Also check out ardent and crossmark 2.25/ 60A - that's what i'd try if I didn't already have the above combo.

Posted 2 years ago #
GW - Member

just ditch the supertackys for some 2.35 Maxxpro single plys and if you still cannae ride that uphill you'd probably struggle riding a DH bike too.

Posted 2 years ago #
fingerbike - Member

Had the same drraggy tyres for a bit, put a maxxis ignitor 2.1 on the rear and kept the super tacky 2.35 high roller up front, made a world of difference...

Posted 2 years ago #
soobalias - Member

this is the best hidden wot tyres thread for ages.

Posted 2 years ago #
Green Room - Member

Seems to be a consensus here on tyres but I'd watch out for 2.25 advantage, mine is pretty prone to puncturing on the rear on fast rocky downs when you are hammering it, one local run I have punctured 5 times out of 6 which is starting to annoy. I haven't tried ghetto tubeless yet but since I have ust rims anyway I will give it a go soon. Should be pretty awesome if I can get it to work. Just need to get round to it.

I came off the same tyres as you on a 38lb bike, ended up going for 2.35 HR 1 ply front 60a and 2.25 advantage rear. Wish I'd tried 2.35 minion 1 ply 60a on the front and 2.35 HR on the back for a bit more grip.

If you do any hard riding at all I wouldn't go to anything less aggressive. You will really feel the difference.

Posted 2 years ago #
sem - Member

Has anyone got experience with the Maxxis super tacky compound and the new Conti Rubber Queen 2.4 UST? I note the 2.4 because it appears to be a different compound than the 2.2, but I can't find any reference anywhere to the hardness (42, 60, elephants, etc).

These are my first foray into big fat tyres and they do feel pretty draggy, but it's on a new bike, so I've got no baseline.

Posted 2 years ago #
MTB-Idle - Member

soobalias has got it.

This was just a ruse by OHH to post a 'wot tire' (sic) thread

Posted 2 years ago #
zaskar - Inactive

Keep riding it for another few weeks until your tyres are kanckered then replace them with lighter ones. Until then you'll improve your fitness.

Posted 2 years ago #
Bushwacked - Member

Get a turbo trainer and ride it when you're not out on the bike!

Posted 2 years ago #
Trimix - Member

Tyres - change them
Eat less and better
Ride more

Its that simple.

Posted 2 years ago #
one_happy_hippy - Member

If i eat less i'll vanish! Im 6'2" and 10.5stone on a heavy day with a body fat of on average ~5%.

I think i'll just go for so fast rolling tyres, prob some single ply maxxis of some description - prob whatever i can get cheapest tbh.

Was tempted by some easton havoc wheels but i think current finacial implosion means this may have to wait.

Posted 2 years ago #
hicksville - Member

my HT has been up at that weight, the change to lighter tyres will make a huge difference, personally i would not run less than a 2.25, I have some wire ignators in 2.1 and they are skinny. Or try racing ralphs and the kin.
Enjoy..oh.. and can you post a pic of the foes?

Posted 2 years ago #
phutphutend - Member

This post has made me think.

I run 2.35" Single Ply High Roller on my XC/Trail bike. Excellent, but they are bit heavy and draggy. But if i put anything lighter on I just get flats, even with 40psi.

I mostly ride DH so tend to hit things pretty hard. Most of the other DHers i know run big heavy tyres on their XC bikes.

When i was more of an XC whippet i used to run some Hutchinson Pythons, in the dry and they were unbelivably fast. But when i tried these last year they just flatted as i bang into things.

So i would think that the suggestions of thinner tyres is all good and well, but not if you hit things hard they flat all the time.

Don't anybody say just ride smoother, that no fun!

So the best solution, with less compromise (other than money!) is a lighter wheelset?

Posted 2 years ago #
Trimix - Member

OK, so your not fat, then you should just ride with mates that are - you will then magically be fitter.

Posted 2 years ago #
one_happy_hippy - Member

There you go Hicksville

Posted 2 years ago #
GW - Member

Wow!! forget the weight, looks like you've well and truly **** up the geometry and handling of a nice enough jump frame with your schitzo build.. and i'm being nice considering what you've done to the aesthetics

Posted 2 years ago #
one_happy_hippy - Member

Its not the 2008/2009 production version, its the original prototype corrected for 130-150mm fork as opposed to the production jump bike corrected for 100-130mm. Its what the 2008/9 hardtail was going to be before they did the prolite for xc and the pred for dj/4x apparently.

It rides pretty well as an all mountain hardtail and ive hit most the gaps at kinver on it before. Its no xc race bike mind.

Posted 2 years ago #
phutphutend - Member

Something with a lot steeper seat tube would make pedalling much easier?

Or a pair of Talas to drop the front and get the same effect?

Or a longer frame, if you're 6'2", it's a pretty piddly frame.

Posted 2 years ago #
richc - Member

A Thomson would push your weight forward a fair bit and help your climbing and would be a bit more out of the way for descending as well, but as everyone else said, change the tyres (or at least the back one) supertacky's are murder if you have to pedal the bike at all.

If you have the cash a 2nd set of lighter wheels might make life a bit nicer as well.

Posted 2 years ago #
one_happy_hippy - Member

The top tube is 23.5ish which feels about right as i have very long legs and a short body. The seat tube angle is pretty slack to be fair. But i cant really afford to change the frame. Its awesome on the DH's anyway which is the only reason i pedal uphill anyway really.

The Forks are talas 100-130-160mm.

I have got a rear XT on 717 that i was considering getting a matching front for - however i tend to ride through stuff rather than around it so i dont know how long they would last?

Think some harder compound tyres will be a good start. A Thompson whichwhat? seat post?

Posted 2 years ago #

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