calling all weight weenies.
i’m just getting back into riding after a few years off, and need bringing up to speed weenie wise.
my plan for the winter is to build a carbon 456, lightweight trail/xc bike.
i’ve picked up an ironhorse mk3 frame to play around with, cos i can.

this is the kit i’ve got at the moment.
xt 3×9 mechs and shifters
xt chainset
spd 530 trailie pedals (they were cheap)
xt wheelset.
schwalbe rocket ron tyres
thomson post
chromo charge spoon saddle (cos it was cheap)
cheapie bars and stem.
deore hydraulics.
my ragley blue pig x, with this on, weighed 27.5lb

who does light good stuff nowadays?
comments please.

i’m working on the main weight issue. ME.
i’ve lost 2.5 stone in 18 months without dieting and giving up the drink. i’ve cut down on the rubbish, now the bike has to also.

What fork? Running tubeless? Go 1×9? Carbon bars/seatpost?

Charge Knife I/O Charge Spoon will save you loads of grams, they’re discontinued but you can still find the odd one. Try Winstanleys.

Weigh your bars and stem, may be heavy.

Mt Zoom do great quality lightweight finishing kit, as do KCNC.

XT wheels will be heavy, check out ActionSports for well priced lightweight options on their Funworks hubs.

+ 1 on the Mt Zoom. My 640mm bars are 109g. Proper stiff too 🙂

Ashima rotors.
SDG I-Beam seat and post.
MT Zoom QR’s, and other bits and pieces.

Strip and weigh everything individually – and not on your bathroom scales…

Having OCD helps with weight weeniism. Or is it the other way round.

My Hope Pro 3 SP XC6 hubs on Stans ZTR355 are the lightest wheels I’ve ever ridden, highly recommended.

you say Rocket Ron tyres, but which version, it does matter. The other thing is to weigh different samples of the same thing. Tolerances can make a fair difference. Silly things keep cables and hoses as short as you need, surplus cable is surplus weight.

Other cheap things keep the bike clean, apply wax or similar to help stop mud sticking. This does assume you want a light bike for riding.

This does assume you want a light bike for riding.

😯 Burn the heretic! This is STW! We won’t have any of this talk of such nonsense! ‘Riding a bike’ indeed. The very thought…

All your kit could be lighter, but pedals, saddle, brakes, bar/stem, post are probably the easy wins for now at £/g rates. Some good recommendations already on where to go for light kit.
There’s sensible places to lose weight and there’s light stuff that ruins your chances of riding well tho.. ie (and no offence fr0sty!) 640mm flat bars on a C456 perhaps. You could have a bar 70g heavier but 700mm wide that helps you ride it with more confidence. If you’ve come from a blue pig and fancy a C456, ie you probably like to ride fast and loose, even at 11st I’d not go silly light on the wheels as it’ll mean thin rims that don’t support reasonable width tyres at less than 40 PSI. ~21mm rims may add 100g per rim but think about rolling speed and momentum rather than 1st few seconds acceleration. XT XC wheels are good, I like them.
If you’re going proper light XC race, ignore me ) and go to the weightweenies site.

‘Top job’ for losing weight in the right place first btw.

thanks for the comments so far folks.
the forks are revelation rlt 150mm dual air, 9mm qr.
they are tubeless wheels, but i’ve never tried tubeless.
will get carbon bars, in a while. the tyres are sub 500g each, can’t remember right now.
i used to use hope pro2’s on dt swiss 4.2 rims, that was a reasonable wheelset. my xt’s do feel pretty light. i need to get a good alpine scales again.
what about brakes? i like hope. british brakes, good quality and feel.
never really got on with avid’s, but i also liked hayes. what are formula brakes like? any good.
i’m thinking of using my mk3 full sus,as my play bike. then build a 456 carbon, to have as a training, mileage bike, and my road bike for speed and lycra. didn’t want 3 bikes, as i’ve got my treadmill and multigym in the shed as well, but i need to consider my crosstraining, as this is to help my running progress. it’s easier to ride for 4-5 hours than run for 5 hours, as you can freewheel the downhills.
clever, huh!

KCNC Scandium bars & stem
Bontrager XXXXXX-Lite Grips

All relatively cheap and super light.

Selle Italia Fibra saddle is c120g … Often reduced at OnOne

What pedals do you use?