So, more for my own amusement than anyone else’s but I thought I’d write a sort of mini review on the Whippet after racing it for a season (of Nationals – well, there’s still one more to go but thats because its been rescheduled).

Purchased in Feb this year after selling my cube, I originally built it up as a rigid Single-speed and raced the last round of the Thetford Winter Series (Haven’t got any pics). The plan was always for this to be a temporary bike whilst my Niner was being pieced together, but because of a few complications with the Niner build its been my only bike all year. Snapped a chain on the first lap so not the best start, and not to be my last snapped chain either. What amazed me the most was the all out pace on fire roads, it really does accelerate like a road bike.

Anyhoo, purchased an XTR rear mech and shifter (with the clutch thing on it), an MRP and a 10 speed cassette. Also, with the first National looming I bought a second had pair of SIDS and stuck them on. Did the first national and all was well, apart from the fact that my SIDS had twisted. So I bought a new set of Durins and fitted them on the eve of the Dalby race

Crashed out at Dalby but got 15th the following weekend at the regionals on a very dry and very rooty Tunstall course. Couldn’t move my hands properly for a week after that.

Bought a set of Industry 9 wheels as my old Tune/355 combo was getting a bit tired, look lovely and sound amazing but not actually that light

I’d also changed the flat bars and bar ends to an Enve riser bar which is much more comfortable and much lighter. This said, I find that after an hour or so I do miss the bar ends and there’s been a couple of times when I’ve been that knackered that my hands have blown off the bars hitting roots. Maybe a call back to flat bars/bar ends is on the cards.

The morning after fitting the new wheels I did the MSG Hylands race, which was horrid. Buggered the wheels, brakes (which I’ll come on to) and cassette and chain.

The hubs needed new bearings as they’d been submersed a few times – Rob, my LBS owner had heart failure when I took them in (they were his wheels and I’d had to pretty much beg to buy them off him).

The brakes were a brand new set of Magura MT8’s fitted at the start of the year. Yes, they’re massively light and very pretty but a)they’re useless, stopping power is pretty much zero and b) they’re a NIGHTMARE to service. I’ve persevered with them but the front was properly buggered after Hylands so currently I’m running a mish-mash of an MT8 on the rear and an Avid on the front. Yes, it offends me too and I bought a set of Hope’s yesterday to replace them. Still not fitted yet thought.

Last week I spotted a lovely set of Reynolds carbon wheels for a bargin price of a nice bloke called Neil. Paypal’d the money, wheels turned up and they’re SUPER light. Got some new Race Kings at the weekend but I’m buggered if I can get them to work tubelessly so they’ll have to have tubes for the time being.

Oohh, and while I was at it I stuck it on the scales

Not bad for a large frame with mismatched (heavy!) brakes! I was surprised it was that low to be honest. There’s a bit more to come off with the arrival of my super minimalist carbon uncomfy-saddle and the new brakes and rotors – I’ll post a pic of the scales when they’re on.

All in, for what the frame cost its been mint. Because its not mega money to replace, I’ve not been precious about riding it so its been used for everything from Lee Quarry to Wales trips. To the point where I’m thinking about selling the Five because I just don’t use it. As the frame was muchos cheapness its also allowed me to hang decent bits on it, so all up weight was easy to get down. Hence the XTR and nice wheels which I wouldn’t have had if I’d bought the Scale like I’d planned to.

In numbers:

12 races
1 training camp
3 trips to trail centres (Wales + Lee Quarry)
1 Puncture (which sorted itself – gotta love tubeless)
3 snapped chains
1 buggered set of forks
2 buggered brakes
1 pair of tyres (small block 8’s last for ages!)

17lb with pedals, cage etc?

great post! thanks for sharing.

any where you think improvements could be made?

Top job!

Nice post flange.

Doing 3 chains seems weird – is that from mashing a shift in a race or something?

17lb with pedals, cage etc?

Yup, as it stands in that picture. Can’t believe the difference those wheels have made, proper light!

Improvements – the brakes, which will be made as soon as I’ve fitted them, they’re rubbish.

Think I could also save a bit more weight dropping the front chainguide as the clutch’d rear mech does a good enough job without it. However, its not mega heavy and I’d rather have the piece of mind.

The stem – its just a cheapy from my LBS as i’ve been playing about with stem length, although it does the job and it would be purely a bit of weight saving and for looks.

Tyres – not sure if its just the Race Kings or that the rims don’t like rim-strips but running tubes isn’t ideal. I might take the RaRa’s off the Industry 9 wheels and see if they seal properly, I’ve got a compressor now so changing them doesn’t involve me going nuts with the track pump

I also need to play around with the forks a bit more. I’ve always been of the mindset to just pump them up and leave them for the season. However, the last race I did they were too soft and riding round a fairly dry Thetford yesterday they were way too hard. So some fine tuning needed there too.

The Niner is ready in a few weeks (fingers crossed) so this will be relegated to mainly training duties, but its taken me so long to get it set up how I want it that I may just keep using this for now.

Doing 3 chains seems weird – is that from mashing a shift in a race or something?

Epic leg strength! Or more seriously, I think I just had a bad run of luck. The first one was a SRAM chain, so it was to be expected. The second was a fancy dan KNC gold thing, the third and current is a connex one that I got free from the LBS as they took pity on me. I did start to think that maybe 10-speed was causing the issues but I’ve run it on my road bikes for ages and the Connex has been fine.

Yup, as it stands in that picture. Can’t believe the difference those wheels have made, proper light!

Aren’t they TOPO-Cs? I’d be surprised if they were any lighter than the I9s, they were around 1500g IIRC.

Aren’t they TOPO-Cs? I’d be surprised if they were any lighter than the I9s, they were around 1500g IIRC.

Those I9’s aren’t light by any means – was a bit disappointed by them to be honest. The Reynolds are mountain C’s, I ‘think’ they’re around the 1400g mark but I could be wrong. They certainly feel a lot lighter than the I9’s, I’ll weigh them when I’m next back home.

Nice, but why cant you run the riser bars you feel comfy with and bar ends to give the change of position?

Surely vanity has no place in getting the best out of yourself in a race.

Nice, but why cant you run the riser bars you feel comfy with and bar ends to give the change of position?

Surely vanity has no place in getting the best out of yourself in a race

I’ll be honest, it is partially to do with vanity. But I also find that bar ends make everything feel a bit more ‘closed in’ on the front, I like the feel of a wide bar and having ‘ends makes everything feel a bit more narrow. Those bars also have a fair degree of sweep of them which puts the bar ends at a funky angle.

Surely vanity has no place in getting the best out of yourself in a race.

Never seen it in the upper echelons, so either it does, or it achieves little 😉

The Reynolds are mountain C’s, I ‘think’ they’re around the 1400g mark but I could be wrong.

Ah yes, they are lighter. Still significantly heavier than a set of Podium rims though!

Although I’d hope your Niner will have AX-Lightness tubs given the rest of the spec!?

Nice build, I think I remember admiring it as you overtook me at Tunstall or WS. I agree they’re cracking bikes for the money – mine has slightly less fancy kit (XT 2×10 and brakes, Pro2/355s) and still feels pretty sprightly, yours must fly up hills at that weight.

I’d be interested to hear if you’ve had any issues with the press-fit bottom bracket? My Shimano one is starting to develop play already, so I’m wondering what other options there are for a replacement and how fiddly it will be to fit.

Although I’d hope your Niner will have AX-Lightness tubs given the rest of the spec!?

Wait until you see the Niner Actually just read what you’d put! The Niner has got Enve’s on Tune hubs (I can see you flinching!) but I’m getting a set of tubs built up too. I’ve got a proper wheel fetish!

I’d be interested to hear if you’ve had any issues with the press-fit bottom bracket? My Shimano one is starting to develop play already, so I’m wondering what other options there are for a replacement and how fiddly it will be to fit.

Well when I bought the frame I also bought a Token one at the same time. Due to some Hamfistedness in a rush to get it ready for the race the next day, I buggered it up so ended up having to buy a Shimano one. So far so good, although I’m quite careful to never jetwash it. It’s been ridden in some pretty awful conditions though and no issues yet. To get it out, I think its just a case of Big hammer/drift it out, depending on how well fused in there it it.

If you see me at the Langdon hills nation give me a shout. As you’re 10-speed you NEED to give those wheels a try, they’re mega!

The Niner has got Enve’s on Tune hubs (I can see you flinching!) but I’m getting a set of tubs built up too. I’ve got a proper wheel fetish!

Got to be done! Personally I just don’t see the point in carbon clinchers, not until they can make them as light as the lightest alu rims!

To be fair, those Enve’s are stupidly light but strong with it. You’ve seen me, you know how fat I am so that all helps. I saw it built up on Saturday in the shop (currently there’s an issue with the rear brake thats being sorted) – its SO light its not funny….

Langdon hills, I can see it out of the window here!

What date is the national there?

26th of August I think – around that sort of time. The original date was moved due to the car park flooding

Aye, it’s the August Bank Holiday weekend.

To be fair, those Enve’s are stupidly light

Well, slightly heavier than a Crest… 😉

I will come and watch, my racing days are done for…

Last time I rode Langdon was the first year running of the Mud Sweat & Gears series. I won the 1hr vet race 🙂

How light is a whippet frame? I run a Scandal and its about 3.5 lbs.

Continental tyres…….

Have you scrubbed the inside of the tyre with a brush and some fairy washing up liquid? Then wiped over with IPA.

I do this on my Contis and it makes a big difference to them sealing.

I also put in a lot of sealant, then extract the extra after a few days of swishing it around.

Good call rickon, I’ll give that a try – thanks!

Not sure on the weight side of things tinsy, I’d say not a huge amount as the scandal is pretty light anyway. I think I saved about a pound over the cube I had previously, that was an aluminium frame

I think my flippin bike weighs in at about 24lb’s I obviously dont spend enough on stuff!!!

How was it as a singlespeed? no issues with the swapouts? what wheelset did you run?

My race bike has a low riser bar. And a 105mm stem 🙂

Hi Flange
I have a similarly black carbon whippet here but no where near 17lb

Any chance of elaborating on your spec a bit more?

ie what spec: Hub/Wheel, cassette/mech, seat/post, bars/stem?
Many thanks!

grtdkad – I have a similarly black carbon whippet here but no where near 17lb.

I think the scales are borked or need recalibrated. I’ve seen XC race bikes that are close to costing 5 figures that are not as light. Especially as the bike above hasn’t the lightest of frames or wheels.

Possibly. The similarity between my Whippet and the OP’s ends with the frame. The remaining spec is potentially v different.

Thought i would ask about this particular spec as I may be about to replace a few parts … and this weight would make an interesting target !!

I think the scales are borked or need recalibrated

To be fair the Park scales consistently weigh bikes rather lighter than many other scales! Marketing ploy perhaps! It’s a great build, but I’d agree that seems pretty optimistic.

That’s only 3 ounces heavier than my carbon TCR road bike! (IF the scales are to be believed)
Nice read though, always good to hear about kit that’s actually been used.
The twisted Sid’s-Wasn’t there an issue with some that weren’t quite as straight as they should have been from new?

Great write up fella!!

Not sure on the borked scales front, they weighed my road bike at the same weight my lbs gave me, so who knows. It’s pretty similar in weight to my argon road bike so it’s 17/18 I reckon. I didn’t have a wheel on the ground when I weighed it, honest!

Spec is as follows (as of today)

Large whippet frame
2012 magura durins
Enve carbon riser
Unbranded stem
Ritchey post
Fizik gobi
Xtr 10 speed rear mech and shifter
Xtr cassette
Reynold mountain c wheels
Hope tech 2 brakes, floating rotors
Middle burn rs8 cranks and 34 tooth middleburn ring
Mrp chain device
Wheels are changed between the Reynolds, i9’s and tunes on 355’s with either race kings, rara’s or sb8’s
Ritchey foam grips

Saddle will be an all carbon uncomfy job if it ever turns up

I think the SIDS were part of a bad batch but they were a bit rubbish anyway. The maguas aren’t great and need a lot of playing with but they’re much stiffer/less flexy.

On the weight thing, when I first built it up as a rigid ss, it came in at bang on 17lbs so there may be something adrift. I haven’t weighed it since fitting the brakes and putting tubes in so it’ll be a bit heavier. But now it goes and stops so happy enough with that

I bought the ss dropouts when I bought the frame but they’re a bit of a let down. There isn’t a huge amount of adjustment and they’re bloody dear for what they are – £15 a side! I eventually used the normal drop outs with a surly singulator and either my king ss wheel or the tune wheel with a ss converter, depending on what tyre I wanted to use.

what travel on the durins please? 120?

Interesting reading thanks.

Vondally – 100mm

Cheers!

Thanks Flange

Plenty food for thought!