Hi, Heres my alpine 160 I’m looking to lighten it up for UK gravity enduro type events. It’s currently 31-32lbs.

Alpine 160 by dan45a, on Flickr

Heres the current spec:-

1×10 slx drivetrain
Fox 36 float rc2
Pro2/flow hoops
Renthal Fatbar 750mm
Avid xo brakes
Gobi saddle
Ccdb coil shock

Was thinking changing bars and maybe an air shock but looking for suggestions …..the bike is amazing on the downs, but want to give the bike a bit more trail zip when there isn’t so much elevation.

Any suggestions or experiences welcomed…

… want to give the bike a bit more trail zip when there isn’t so much elevation.

Losing a few pounds will make little difference to that. Having a shock with plenty of low speed compression damping aka ProPedal may be the answer, so it pedals and pumps more efficiently. Otherwise that’s pretty much how I’d spec an Alpine.

Air shock, tuned for the bike.
What rear tyre?

The weight you really feel when riding is rolling weight – so the wheels, obviously you don’t want to go too light with them. Changing the bars won’t make any difference when it comes to riding. As above – climbing performance can be bettered via shock set up, double barrel is obviously pretty nice mind!

I would go any lighter on the rims, otherwise what’s the point of having an Alpine with 36s?! I have those wheels on my 140mm hardtail! Putting on a big but fast rear tyre for drier races (X-King, Crossmark, Larsen, etc) will make it feel faster than any weight loss can.

I’d shorten the cables, but that’s all.

I’m a bit surprised the question is being asked, nothing there stands out as heavy on a bike of that nature, if you start adding it up, the most cost effective solution could be a different frame.

yup, Remoterob has got it – new frame time if you want to lose any serious weight without spending an absolute fortune. You might shave off 10gms here or there, but you’ll be spending a lot of cash doing so.

What a top build! I could knock weight off it no bother (and weight off your bank balance) but it won’t ride that differently in the end.

I didn’t really like the CCDB in the alpine, on balance- mint on the downhill trails, but it bugged me when pedalling hard- climbs, traverses, even fast smooth descents. And RP23s are ace these days. You could change the character of the bike a fair bit with just that.

Is that Maxxis ust at both ends? Tyres make a big difference too, might be worth considering a swap. Butcher Control maybe on the front? (a lighter, faster, better Minion- just a hair less grippy than a 2.5 supertacky, but lighter and as fast as a 2.35 maxxpro, and still tubeless ready and pretty tough). Heavy bike with better tyres could be faster than a light bike with slower tyres.

You could probably lose 300-400g with American Classic All Mountain wheelset and lighter tyres, but would cost a small fortune…like £1.20 a gram!

Cassette maybes? Tubeless? Tyre choice also. Rp23 or something air related for the shock.
31-32lbs for that isn’t bad! Maybe lop another puns or two off with all of the above but would be a hefty outlay as already advised!

Helpfully orange don’t put weights up on their site….
http://www.santacruzbikes.co.uk/ Have a look at the bike builder to see what you can knock off by doing what
Quick Wins
RP23 – Very good shock
Full XT Drive train – not as much of a saving as your 1x
XX1?

After that lighter tyre

After that change the big chunk of filing cabinet in the middle

Mint bike!

Leave it as it is and buy a hardtail?

Thanks for the responses!

I hadn’t thought about the propedal of the shock but that makes sense. I think I’ll look for a used rp23 but still keep the ccdb for uplift days etc..

Faster tyres is a good one to, I’ve actually ordered a maxxis ardent for my other bike so will try that on the rear.

Had considered a new frame but I’m waiting to see what’s coming in the 650b space…obviously the cost will get high then.

Shortening the cables is a good one 😉

I think I’ll look for a used rp23 but still keep the ccdb for uplift days etc..

The alpine has a non standard size (from what I remember having got one for my heckler. However that means you end up with a shock tuned for the frame rather than random tune..

Get in touch with an Orange dealer who has a lighter demo of the alpine.

Give it a ride and see how it feels, see what parts are lighter on it.

But a good start in my eyes would be cassette/chain and shock.

It’s not that heavy really IMO, but air shock is the obvious change to make.

Have you had it on some proper scales? My Five is a not dissimilar spec and that weighs 33lds, if your looking for a shock I have an as new RP23 tuned for that bike that is for sale.

lighter saddle
Ti hardware all round
shorten hoses
go down a few mm in rotor size

which events are you in?

I’m doing the mini enduro series and the UK Gravity Enduro’s.

Did the Dyfi GE last year and the distance round was pretty long and know I will struggle on the the alpine on that distance of loop but would like to use it as its a wepon on the techy down stuff.
I have been using my Yeti ASR5C which may explain why I am used to more trail zip!!

I had thought of swapping to a CCDB air but I suppose that also lacks pro pedal, I read on average it saves 200-300g on the coil which would help??

@godzilla – I could be intetsed in the rp23. what year is it? Is it boost valve with kashima..?

Nice build and seems in keeping with the frame. It seems to me that if you’re looking for a bike that’s notably lighter then you currently have the wrong frame. A 5 with Revs or similar would seem to be the logical starting point.

Having just ditched my Heckler for a hardtail I wonder if there will be a shift back as people realise that their ‘on point’ AM type bikes are overkill for 90% of their regular uk riding…

Having just ditched my Heckler for a hardtail I wonder if there will be a shift back as people realise that their ‘on point’ AM type bikes are overkill for 90% of their regular uk riding…

Your new bike looks rubbish though.

I would change
Ti spring for db shock (or air)
XTR crank
Easton havoc carbon bar
180 rotors
Tubeless tyres
That should shave some weight

My Alpine is a shade over 30lbs with air shock, full xtr, tubeless, etc for info

Your new bike looks rubbish though.

Faster than yours though.

You have an ASR5C? Use that!
(No wonder the alpine seems heavy!!)

Faster than yours though.

Maybe, but my new bike got a 55.0 Sunday. 8)

I’d change everything including the frame

I imagine your scales are also a bit out, unless 31-32lbs is actually 32lbs13oz 😉

You can save weight without compromising durability, and might even get it under 30 (actual) lbs, but it would cost a bucketload.

I own an Alpine with a CCDB, I stripped the frame down for the first time last month, was amazed how much the shock weighs ( i knew it was heavy, but I was still surprised). If weight was my only goal then I’d start by switching that.

Ditch the CCDB.
215 x 63 CCDB = 550g + 450# Steel coil at 520g = 1070g
215 x 63 CCDB + 450# Ti coil at 310g = 860g

RP23/Float is 250g – Standard tune was pants but hugely improved once tuned for me and my bike; not as good as the coil CCDB though (860g with Ti coil)… but my 420g tuned DHX Air is better than the coil CCDB 😛

Not sure what tyres you have but run tubeless and use non UST tyres as they are lighter… perhaps use a UST only at the back if your clumsy 😉

Rebuild your wheels with the Light-bicycle carbon rims and Revolution spokes – drop weight from 1900g to 1500g

XX1 type chainring at the front and clutch rear mech so you don’t need a full guide.

Selle Italia SLR 135 saddle = 135g so lighter than the gobi… and more comfy (IMHO)… and won’t snap in the middle like Gobi’s do 😯

Carbon bars – Kenesis Strut is 175g and 745mm… or if you don;t trust that the Easton Havoc is 220g (not a huge saving from a Renthal but every little counts).

Is any of this worth it? Probably not… but its fun

I’ve done this to my Nicolai Helius AM and dropping from 33lbs to 30lbs does make the bike feel better… next up would have to be XX1.

Lost over 2kg from the Voltage with just a few simple mods:

Lighter tyres (folding Minion + Ardent)
Lighter tubes (Conti Supersonics)
Lighter chain (KMC superlight)
Lighter cassette (PG990)
Lighter seat (Selle Italia SLR)
Lighter seatpost (Thomson)
Smaller/lighter rotors
Lighter pedals

Same bike still gravity-tastic but lighter

Thanks again for the reponses and suggestions.

Sounds like the rear shock is the one to target. Dont want to change anything at the expense of the strength as its still my alps/holiday/uplift bike.

Looks like I can save 100g on the bars with fatbar lite or even more with the Havoc carbons. Bars and shock will give me a 1kg wieght saving, plus some fast tyres should make it feel more livily.

may also look at some used xtr cranks if they come up in the classifieds.

I have used the ASR5C for some of the enduros and quick as it is, the fox 32 fork is not the stiffest when it gets really techy (those who rode Haldon mini enduro 2nd stage will understand where im coming from).

@guitarhero – what wheels are you running?

Swapped my CCDB for an RP23 on my Patriot and it dumped 1.5 pounds. Suspension is pretty much as good – made me realise just how much the CCDB is a tweaker’s shock, and only really worth the weight if you can be arsed to dial it for every descent and need that extra 0.5 second shaving off your downhill times.

Straight away I’d be looking at shock and faster rear tyre seeing as you already have them to hand. And the pedalability of the shock and the speed of the tyre will have a greater effect on speed than the weight saving will suggest. This alone will see the biggest improvement, esp as it’s free.

If you have money to throw at it, weigh the wheels and then if the weight savings look good, consider the American Classic All Mountains at a smidge under 1600g, nice and wide and light and strong.

Otherwise, something like a Mt Zoom Carbon bar (it’s been up to the task of going on my Gyro riding FOD DH fairly quickly) and the lightest saddle you can stretch to as these ‘outer’ components again can feel lighter in effect than they are on the scales.

What’s the front tyre? If it’s a dual ply Maxxis, consider a Snakeskin Hans Dampf, bit tougher than a singleply but no heavier.

Shock is a given.
Is that a Reverb in the picture? Save a lot of weight with a standard seatpost if you can re-learn riding without uppy/downy.
Check the cassette. Below XT they used to be very heavy.
Tyres have been mentioned. Bonty FR4 front with FR3 rear is pretty light and fast for a fairly gravity orientated tyre – and they’re TLR so ditch the tubes.
Otherwise eat fewer pies. (Those who know me will get the irony there)

Rather than guessing the weight, weigh it properly.

And then strip it and weigh each piece separately.

Now you’ve a baseline.

Items at a glance:
Cassette, Lock ons, Rotors (look at Ashima), single-bolt lock-ons, go tubeless

Is that a Reverb in the picture? Save a lot of weight with a standard seatpost if you can re-learn riding without uppy/downy.

This would seem an excellent way to lose weight whilst going slower…

get a new frame, but even the lightest frame thats equivalent in capability would probably only knock a pound or so off.

Accept that you cant go loads lighter without:-

– compromising downhill ability
and/or
– spending loads of money

Also accept that being a pound or two lighter probably wont make a significant difference to speed.

low rolling resistance tyres would probably make the biggest difference to speed, together with a shock with some form of propedal, but you could test that one out for yourself by just whacking up the low speed compression damping on the CCDB and seeing if it makes it a better climber and whether it worth while for you.

i did see somewhere that someone had made a clip on lever that clips to the ccdb’s low speed compression adjust and allows you to increase and decrease it ala propedal, will try and dig it out.

found it, looks like its a specialised only ‘innovation’, see below.

http://www.canecreek.com/products/suspension/lounge/forum/ccdb-air-lsc-lever

Maybe you could get one from a friendly spesh dealer?

@guitarhero – what wheels are you running?

Same as you, pro 2/flows