I know, I know not another weight question ……

Looking to drop a bit of weight off of my Soul for summer duties.

Currently the bike is 2 x 9 (middleburn duo) with minion tyres (single ply), platform SPD pedals and a recon SL fork.

The rest of the kit is pretty light but not weight weenieish.

Weight 28 1/2 lb 😕

What have you gotten yours too?

Any pics for inspiration?

Mine is 24.1lbs with the build below but with the following changes Formula R1’s and a Nobby Nic/Racing Ralph combo.

P1000834 by eastham_david, on Flickr

The platform SPD’s and minions will be where a lot of weight is.

I think I saved 1/2 lbs by moving from Shimano 647 pedals to 540’s.

Mine has been down to 25lbs (120mm Floats, American Classic wheels, XT drivetrain and 2.3″ Eskars) but is currently at 30lbs (Coil Pikes, heavier wheels, LX/XT/Deore mix drivetrain, Eskars).

The bits from it’s 25lb were taken off to use when rebuilding my S-Works Enduro, but I’m thinking about putting the Soul back to a similar config (I’ve got a BFe which is also about 30lbs). It’s good fun as currently built though.

Current Build:

24 & 25lb respectively are good weights.

Hmm.

4lb seems a lot to loose 25lb may be doable

Currently the bike is 2 x 9 (middleburn duo) with minion tyres (single ply), platform SPD pedals and a recon SL fork.

28 1/2lb’s is a lot of weight considering its only got those components.

Come on, your lying. What else does the build comprise of?

Roughly

24lbs as a single speed with speedkings
28lbs geared with tyres that work
31lbs in its current geared, burly spec

New BFe turns up tomorrow though so it’s being retired until it can be built up as a lightweight whippet.

Looking to drop a bit of weight off of my Soul for summer duties.

Any particular reason? What do you feel holds you back about its current weight? And surely the summer is when you can get away with a bit more weight on a bike, as the trails are firmer, and faster?

Anyway… What’s the rest of the kit on the bike. Minion Single Ply’s aren’t the lightest tyres, a set of 2.25″ Nobby Nic’s would drop the overall weight by 1lb. Tubeless (if you’re not already) would save a small bit too, and add puncture resistance. You could lose a bit of weight, maybe 1/2 to 3/4 of a lb by swapping the Recon SL for a Fox 32 or a Reba perhaps.

Be useful to see a pic of the rest of the bike though to gauge the specs…

FWIW, my 853 genesis altitude (VERY similar frame to the Soul, frame alone weighs 4.5lb) weighs in at 26lb. I’ve gone for sensibly light parts, but nothing too exotic, or anything that I can break. So no silly light XC race wheels (though the Stans 355’s on Pro2’s are impressively light), no 1.8″ tyres, no 22″ wide bars, no razor for a saddle. It’s got SLX/XT mix drivetrain, Revelations, Easton Carbon Bars, Thomson stem and post, Charge Spoon saddle, 2.2″ Bonty tyres, XT/XTR brakes.

Pro IIs & Flow rims

XO drive chain

Thomson stem & Post

SDG belair Ti saddle

The only reason is that I would like to try some racing.

Was thinking of reducing the weight of another bike but by the time I had bought wheels etc it seemed like a lot of money for a similar weight to my Soul

The fork is a bit of an anchor – maybe look at a Reba or a fox Float.

Pedals.

Swap the back tyre out for something lighter (assuming your trail conditions suit skinnier tyres). What are your wheels?

Then it’s all about a few grammes here, a few there. Carbon bars are good for a decent saving. Maybe look at XX double cranks, which will be a chunk lighter than the Middleburns and BB. 1/4lb in a saddle is pretty easy too.

My Soda is 24lb with Rebas, XO/XTR mix, 1500g-ish Hope/Bonty wheels, 2.3 front, 2.1 rear maxxis tyres, Hope Tech M4/X2 brakes and high end but not esoteric finishing kit. Not stupidly light but pretty bombproof. I could loose more weight, but only by throwing money at it, and ultimtely compromising on function.

OK – update

The Flows are hefty – get a second set of “race wheels” with some skinny rubber on – I use Flows as my DH wheels!

The Thomson kit is great, but relatively weighty – carbon or Ti post, then you should be able to find a sub-150g stem easily enough, that’s still not fragile.

Belairs are pretty sofa like – you could halve the weight of your saddle if you stick a Selle SLR135 on.

When you say “try” racing, you mean you actually think you can compete? Or you just want to enter a few races?

If you really want to compete, you’ve got 2 options… Neither are cheap!

1. Spend a fortune lightening your bike, being ruthless about weight everywhere. Go for very light wheels, super fast tyres, Carbon bars/post, razor for a saddle, 4ti eggbeaters, silly light brakes etc. And still end up with a bike that’s 2lb overweight cos you’re riding a steel frame, not a carbon one…

2. Buy new bike, specifically for XC racing!

Or… If you’re happy just to have a go, not bothered about being competitive, just would like to give yourself the best advantage you can without spending too much money… Lighter tyres (Nobby Nics, Racing Ralph for example) should be port of call number 1. Swap the platform SPD’s for a much lighter version as next step. Then step 3, go tubeless if you haven’t already…

The 3 steps above won’t cost more than about £100 all in, should save you 2lb in weight easily, and all of it rotating weight. You can then, should you want to, start messing about with lighter components here and there, and some lighter wheels if you fancy it, but I’d not bother to be honest… For £100 you can save 2lb in rotating weight, and that will have a marked effect!

If you’re serious about racing I think gains in fitness would be more important than a lighter bike

I’ve never been a particular weight weenie with my Soul, I’ve found it always rides quite light, however some bits on it are getting a bit old and I’m going to tart it up a bit with a carbon bar, tubeless wheels (going to go with Stan’s Crests or Arch’s).

I have no idea how heavy it is but I think it was about 28lbs with a coil revelation on it. It now sports a Reba fork

No offence, but unless you’re a race ready XC whippet (ie skinny!) then why not try to lose a few pounds yourself? It’d probably be easier, and would almost certainly be cheaper!

My Soul is built with bits from an older retired bike and some kit from the classifieds. No idea what it weighs but I’m probably a stone overweight so it matters not.

Mine was 25lbs with Fox 120mm’s, Hope Pro 3’s, Hope brakes with carbon levers, XT drivetrain, carbon bar, Thomson stem and seat post.

Edit: rear tyre is tubeless, pedals are Straitlines and saddle is Selle Italia.

Pro IIs & Flow rims

XO drive chain

Thomson stem & Post

SDG belair Ti saddle

Those are good parts – which makes the fork stand out more! They might be expensive, but some secondhand Rebas or Air Revs would drop some weight for you.
Also, if the Middleburns are RS7s, they’re not *that* light – heavier than an XT chainset, once you factor in the BB, IIRC?
How about bars, stem, brakes? You might be able to lose 1/2lb from them all.
But to be honest, it sounds like 26.5-27lbs is probably a realistic goal; if you want lighter, it could be worth looking at a different frame.

I just put the bits I wanted on my Soul, it weights 28lbs and I’m perfectly happy with it at that. I have LUST HRs on Flows which I know add weight, but I like em.

CK Hubs
Rebas
XT
SLX brakes
Thomson

Dear All,

Thanks for the info and feedback.

Regarding the racing thing …. its more about giving it a go rather than uber serious. Just looking to get the bike as race ready as is possible/sensible.

Regarding the rider loosing weight thene there is a bit that could be lost but not much.

Recon SL is just a temporary measure ……

Thank you all again 🙂

My little girl weighs in just around the 23 mark built up as follows.
Small Frame
Stans 355 on Pro2’s shod with Sauserwind 1.8 tubeless tyres Hope skewers
Reba Teams set at 100
KCNC stem Salsa Flat carbon bars with Ergon grips and match maker mounts Hope X2 brakes
Raceface Seat post, SDG Bel air Ti saddle
XT gearing with big ring changed to 40 tooth

Rides a beaut but has been built up as my race bike so not looking at the bombproof type build. There are some areas that will get changed later in the year to bring the weight down a bit more but at the moment there are budgetry constraints at present.

its more about giving it a go rather than uber serious. Just looking to get the bike as race ready as is possible/sensible.

exactly what I use mine for 🙂

Right …. gauntlet has been thrown down …. i will report back in a few weeks 🙂

my 853 genesis altitude (VERY similar frame to the Soul

Similar how? Geometry did you mean? Or weight?

damo2576 – Member
my 853 genesis altitude (VERY similar frame to the Soul
Similar how? Geometry did you mean? Or weight?
POSTED 3 DAYS AGO # REPORT-POST

Geometry and weight. Angles are almost spot on with each other (think the soul is a few mm longer), weights are pretty similar. The genesis frame is perhaps 2-3 ounces heavier iirc, but not a huge amount in it.

25lb is a pretty decent weight for a good soul build,
mines around that now, was a little lighter but added wider bars which are dh stylee (on one cheap sale!!) rather than the carbon xc ones, but is made up of parts that last and take a bit of abuse!!

recently got tha AM classic wheels over my old Xero Fr ones which made a mahoosive difference, 1lb saved straight away! but with out the pump and saddle bag is just under 25lb, Rides a Lot lighter though and feels Amazing!!

Geometry and weight. Angles are almost spot on with each other (think the soul is a few mm longer), weights are pretty similar. The genesis frame is perhaps 2-3 ounces heavier iirc, but not a huge amount in it.

So how come all the raving about Souls and not Genesis?!

damo2576 – Member

So how come all the raving about Souls and not Genesis?!

Very much brand snobbery – Genesis are really rebadged Ridgebacks in the eyes of the Cotic owners. (Should I put a smiley after this, I wonder?)

Oh, and can I just add that some of the weights quoted here are lighter than my 90s weight weenie Klein. (3lb and a bit for the frame, XTR V brakes, XT transmission, USE, Flite saddle, 500g tyres, light wheelset, etc) It came in just around 24.5 lbs depending on the tyres normally.

I wonder how you manage to get below 25lb with a steel frame, disc brakes, 2.3 tyres, chainguards, fairly standard transmission and components….

As a couple of people have said above 26-27lbs is far more realistic for these builds.

I always wonder how people are weighing their bikes… my steel-framed singlespeed Voodoo Wanga with 130mm Revs on the front, respectably light Race X-Lite wheels, biggish but not particularly heavy tyres, Truvativ Stylo cranks and XT brakes at 180/160 f/r weighs a real – on a digital scale – 25.8lb. No gears or anything.

Amusingly, my ti hardtail with gears, 150mm Revs, Flows on Pro 2s and big tyres weighs almost exactly the same.

Is a Soul frame a load lighter than a Voodoo Wanga? I seem to have a very fat singlespeed with invisible heavy components on it… How did that happen?

I’m about to turn my Boardman HT Pro into a Soul. If I had all the original components on it and the Boardman’s claimed weight is correct (24lbs without pedals) then the Soul would come in at 24.7lbs (sans pedals). With the proper tyres, flat pedals, double+bash and non-cheese bearings I use, I’m expecting slightly under 27lbs.

For the doubters among you. This is with Formula K18’s with my new Formula R1’s it weighs just 24.1lbs

P1000836 by eastham_david, on Flickr

oh and thats with pedals.

I’m not saying it can’t be done, Vortexracing, just that some of the builds above look decidedly average to be getting down to a properly light weight.

fair enough

When you say “try” racing, you mean you actually think you can compete? Or you just want to enter a few races?

If you really want to compete, you’ve got 2 options… Neither are cheap!

1. Spend a fortune lightening your bike, being ruthless about weight everywhere. Go for very light wheels, super fast tyres, Carbon bars/post, razor for a saddle, 4ti eggbeaters, silly light brakes etc. And still end up with a bike that’s 2lb overweight cos you’re riding a steel frame, not a carbon one…

2. Buy new bike, specifically for XC racing!

Or… If you’re happy just to have a go, not bothered about being competitive, just would like to give yourself the best advantage you can without spending too much money… Lighter tyres (Nobby Nics, Racing Ralph for example) should be port of call number 1. Swap the platform SPD’s for a much lighter version as next step. Then step 3, go tubeless if you haven’t already…

The 3 steps above won’t cost more than about £100 all in, should save you 2lb in weight easily, and all of it rotating weight. You can then, should you want to, start messing about with lighter components here and there, and some lighter wheels if you fancy it, but I’d not bother to be honest… For £100 you can save 2lb in rotating weight, and that will have a marked effect!

mboy speaks the truth… wise words.

I would add to this with a choice of inner tubes. There are surprisingly large differences in weights between different brands of inner tubes… and I don’t mean the poncy ‘lightweight’ racing tubes either, I mean the standard off the shelf butyl ones.

My own casual purchases over the years mixed with some lazy summer afternoons messing with the digital scales shows that some Ritchey and some Specialized inner tubes weigh 40g-70g less (each) than other brands. That may not sound much, but it’s all rotating mass and the 2 inner tubes combined can be 80g-140g (up to 1/4lb in old money).

And at approx £4 per inner tube it’ll be THE cheapest weight saving you’ll ever make (short of taking a dump just before the race!) 😀