[Closed] bike weights

i agree, being a lighter fitter person with less of a gut will always make you faster than being a fat boy on a light bike, which is why I'm a fit bloke on light bike, best of both worlds 😆
It depends what you consider an "average rider/bike" from posts on here, fifteen stone biffers on 30lb plus bikes seems to be the norm

"fifteen stone biffers on 30lb plus bikes "

LOL, so true 😀 (and that includes me)

kimbers - Member
personally when someone says their bike weighs less than 30lbs i think

you are lying

you have crap scales

you believe the bollox printed in the catalogue

I don't lie

Why do people who can't face to admit their own bike isn't as light as they'd like it have to claim that peoples scales must be so horrendously innaccurate that they would put X amount of lbs on the weight of a bike? And why would any innaccuracies always be on the light side? Chin up kimbers, you never know, your scales may be that crap your bike really weighs 25lb and not 35lb.

Seeing as I built my bike up myself, I have no-one's bullshit to believe.

CaptainMainwaring - Member
M-c, some reality at last on a STW weight thread - surely a first. You are about to be hammered by about [b]50 people who will swear that their 6" FS is 28lbs[/b] or whatever, as weighed by atomic scales accurate to one nanogram.

My 6" bike is 28lbs

Oh, that's with a huge front tyre, lock-on's and heavy Hope Tech M4's.

[img] [/img]
Just worked out that my Epic is something like 10% of my weight (it's fairly light and I'm not) - or at least it is when it's not as muddy as it is after tonights ride!

My Epic is quite a lot lighter than either of my hardtails. I used to have a hardtail that was a fair bit lighter but I found it quite skittish, although it did climb well.

i dont own any scales
and i have no idea what my bikes weigh and i built them all myself (apart from the bmx)
only that my dh bike is pretty heavy, my xc/am bike is lighter and my rigid hardtail is pretty light and my bmx just feels totally different and i wouldnt know where it sits really
i dont need to know the weight of them to enjoy them 🙂

The thing is, these threads bring out two types of people, those who are hopelessly optimistic about their bike weights (which are based on guessing, manufacturers weight, dodgy bathroom scales or a spreadsheet), and those who think it's not possible to have a light bike because their bikes aren't that light and because of the existence of type 1. What the second type don't realise is that it is possible to get bike bits much lighter than the ones they have, and that if you are completely obsessive about every single bit on your bike it is possible to make a really light bike which is still strong enough to ride on serious off road terrain. The only issue being that KB's old maxim "strong, light, cheap pick two" does still apply!

Plenty of knarly stuff on bridleways, but I've ridden my 21.5lb susser on black runs (it's me that's the limiting factor, not the bike).

Seeing as I built my bike up myself, I have no-one's bullshit to believe.

My 6" bike is 28lbs

Oh, that's with a huge front tyre, lock-on's and heavy Hope Tech M4's.

Ooh, those lock-ons add grams. Grams I tell thee!

Fishing scales, which I suppose must be grossly innaccurate.

Why would my comments lead you to believe I used a spreadsheet?

I notice that some people have weighed their bikes on fishing scales. Surely any scales sold to fishermen will exaggerate the weight by at least 25% and the bike will become heavier each time you weigh it.

Just worked out that my Epic is something like 10% of my weight (it's fairly light and I'm not)

That's not gonna be less than 25 that one at a guess?

lock on's can add over 150grams to your bike, using tubes, pointlessly heavy tyres for the terrain you ride,etc.... lot's of little bits soon add up, bit like "oooo it's only an extra helping/cake/pint, how come I'm a fat B**tard?"

you either enjoy building and riding a light bike, or you just don't get it, thats fine, it's down to personal preferance.

I've used spead sheets and use calibrated hanging scales, the main reason for the spreadsheet is that if you know how heavy all the kit is, you can replace the key bits first on a cost effective basis rather than spending a silly ammount on carbon bits, but still riding with heavy wheels/tyres. you would also be suprised how bloody heavy OEM kit is.

And Yes I'm a complete weight weenie, and my sub 20lb bike cost me well under a grand to build and yes it goes up and down propper mountains without suddenly melting or expolding in sea of unobtanium widgets.

I have a light, 24lb XC racer bouncer. I put effort into making it light, but not mental light.

I have a 32lb hardtail. It's mint, it's the best bike in the world. It gets up hills. Eventually. Clever wheel choice is what's saved it from being a bind.

My new bike is a bouncer where the manufacturer actually over estimated the weight by 3lbs!

For what it's worth, I think 4lbs off a bike is pretty noticeable- more so than 4lbs off yourself. I'd say saving weight off the bike is better than off yourself. Fortunately I'm a bit fitter than I used to be and don't mind hauling 32lbs of beast around with me. I did have a 38lb bouncer once and it was too much, though.

a 32lb mint hardtail with "clever wheels"? 😕 what's clever about them? 😕 (seriously?)

it's pretty easy to get most hardtails under 30lb (mine is 31lb - built with nothing but very strong dependable components, dirt jump frame/pikes/saint/DH rims etc.)

I've used spead sheets

Whatever makes you happy I suppose. 😕

For what it's worth, I think 4lbs off a bike is pretty noticeable- more so than 4lbs off yourself.

Using the Ultimate scales in the LBS my heavy duty 5 Spot trail bike comes in at 30.5lbs, my Hummer hard tail 23.5lb. Love them both in the right place.

GW- I chose to go for 719 rims rather than heavier ones, and lighter tyres. I'm all for reducing rotating weight to make hauling the bike around easier.

It's for DH tracks as well as days in the mountains.

My light bikes go up hills rather well, sometimes feel like cheating, but I pay on knarly bits, they (me) are just unwilling to go as fast or hit things too hard/big. The heavy bikes are serious fun down steep, hard, - mostly dh tracks etc but best get a lift up or be prepared for a walk. The ones in the middle I usually find too much of a compromise, not much (enough) fun up or down. My SS goes up, serious satisfaction, and down, cool to make it down hard stuff, and cruises along the in-between bits in a laid back way.

my sub 20lb bike cost me well under a grand

Nice, all second hand presumably!?

Weight crazy?

Did anyone know that Julian Absalon only uses 3 bolts on his chain rings! - I'd so laugh if it broke and he lost a race because of it!

You can't tell me that the weight of one bolt can affect his performance that much!

Also as someone of 16 Stone+ (of muscle of course), my weight, rather than the bikes is more important isn't it!
(what 2 kg when you way over 100!)

ok after an hour on weight weenies and a spreadsheet i reckon my 17inch kona bear dee-lux (thats my do it all xc ish bike) with 130mm float rlc front n rear, pro2s on 717, deore ht2 cranks, ea50/ rf atlas bits, sdg bel air ti, hope minis(160/140), panaracer cinders, dmr guide/e13 bash/middleburn rings and odi ruffians! etc weighs.........
13903g = 30.6508683lbs
i weigh about 13 stone
the only assumption i had to make was a dim recollection that the frame is 6.3lbs and ive upgraded the rocker arms to betd ones so added on a few hundred grames

oh and after 6 years of abuse including 2 megavalanches, xc and dh races as well as alps, scotish, welsh trail centres and thetford forest im 100% confident that the bike is now perfect for what i do, though id swap to bigger discs for the alps (180/160)

i now wanna weigh it for real to see what i come up with!

For some reason I feel compelled to add to this. I recently bought a 6 inch travel bike. I have spent a few hundred quid chaning some fairly important bits in favour of much lighter and stronger kit. The manufactures stated weight for the bike is 34 lbs. After my mods it now weighs - 34lbs. At least I know it really is up to the task now, I've transformed the way the bike feels with no weight penalty.

With regards to what others are saying about weight making a difference or not, well I've ridden a version of my bike which was easily 5lbs lighter than mine (going by manu stated weights and left and right arm lift tests) and the difference was massive. Noticeably more nimble on the climbs and less predictable in the air. Imo wheels and forks would be the most important places to save weight on a bike to really feel the difference. Just my opinion of course. Probably worth shit.

OK, have a guess at the weight of this...

[img] http://images.fotopic.net/?iid=1y7ca7&outx=800&quality=70 [/img]

Triple butted Ti frame, road wheels, 330g tyres, pace RC31's, formula SL brakes & X0.

I have no idea how so many people can claim a 'racing' FS to be the same sort of weight.

2unfit2ride - Member

OK, have a guess at the weight of this...

23lbs? Do I win a prize if I get it right?

What all of you guys who who say the "weight of a bike isn't important" seem to forget is that a 26lb bike feels and rides differently to a 32lb bike. Depending on your preference you might prefer the feel of a heavier bike???, but loads of riders prefer the nimble feel and zippy acceleration you get from a light bike, regardless of rider weight.If you enjoy riding a great lump of metal good for you, but for normal riding around anything over 30lbs seems dead and lifeless to me.

taxi25 but for normal riding around anything over 30lbs seems dead and lifeless to me.

Define normal.

here are some pics...
[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

[img] [/img]

Hardtail 28lbs ish depending on tyres, tandem 50 lbs ish. weighed on bathroom scales so distinctly ish

Both with full mudguards and bottle cages, the tandem also has a rack. Hardtail has pikes so a lb or so could be saved there, take off the guards and bottle cage a bit more gone, 5.1 rims ain't the lightest. No carbon 'cos it scares me. I can easily believe a hardtail in the low 20 lbs without spending silly money with wise choices

all my bikes including the tandem have to be carried up 106 stairs at the end of every ride - weight is important to me. I also ain't that fit but like going into the big mountains.

You can buy a hardtail tandem that is 35 lbs and strong enough for real offroad use - just don't ask the price

kimbers

here are some pics...

Yes it's true, judging by those pics you weigh 13 stone.

🙂
judging by my beer belly in this pic i could easily shave off a kilo with some liposuction
[img] [/img]

OK, have a guess at the weight of this...
...
I have no idea how so many people can claim a 'racing' FS to be the same sort of weight.

Based on the spec I'd kind of have thought lighter than that, but then ti frames aren't all that light, road wheels are almost certainly heavier than my MTB wheels (my fairly light road wheels are!) and your finishing kit is almost certainly heavier than what I have.

A hardtail in the low 20s? Easy

Full Suss in the low 20s is a bit more spendy though. My Blur XC Carbon is around 24lbs with full XTR, Rebas, NNs on 355/Pro2 and carbon bars & stem. I can think of a few ways to make it a bit lighter at some additional cost, but also feel it would start to be getting a bit less robust. Weight is important for me because I expect to be pushing/carrying it up a few mountains.

My 6" bike is 28lbs

Oh, that's with a huge front tyre, lock-on's and heavy Hope Tech M4's

Quite possible, although I'm guessing a very light frame, like an Ibis.
These threads are quite ammusing. Usually the same people saying the same things 🙂

I like a light bike because I'm fairly light myself, so its more important. But I don't go to extremes.

Did anyone know that Julian Absalon only uses 3 bolts on his chain rings! - I'd so laugh if it broke and he lost a race because of it!

I am sure he is 100% happy that it is safe for HIM to do that. No doubt he has tested is lots of times and had no problems. If he thought that an extra 5g would cost him a race, then he wouldn't do it... but if your sure it wont break then why not?

My bike above is a tad over 20lbs & its skittish as hell, in a good way though, I don't think I could ride a trail bike that was less than 25lbs ish.

That's not gonna be less than 25 that one at a guess?

Spreadsheet says just over 23lbs but I've not weighed the bike at the spec it is now. Wouldn't be surprised if it was really more like 24-25lbs though.

It's about as light as is reasonable and without spending a lot more cash. As it is it has mostly XTR drivetrain and brakes (XT cassette and LX front mech), Hope XC/317 wheels, carbon 'post and bars, SID Team forks, a sub 200g saddle and light (400g) Continental Speed King Supersonic tyres. Most of those were 2nd hand and therefore not too expensive. I'm very happy with the bike in its current form and have no plans to change anything - except possibly switching the tyres to 1.8 Fire XC Pro's for the winter.

It's a lot lighter than the original spec (it was a 2005 base model V-braked bike) but also rides way, way better than it did then.

I could lose twice that weight from my own bodyweight and still be regarded as overweight, but despite that I do find that a saving of 3 or 4 pounds of the weight of the bike has a significant impact when climbing, much more so than a similar saving in bodyweight.

I have just discover that 13kg =30 lbs:'(

I always thought 30 lbs = 15kg...

How well I just have an heavy bike then... For what I care... It goes up at reasonnable pace and down even quicker.

And for all the people that spend hours browsing spreadsheets, online shop lbs etc etc etc to be able to get their bike lighter "so they can ride for longer" just a tip...
So doing it and ride the ****ing damn thing 😉

My Santa Cruz Jackal with a good stong build comes in at 28lb which feels great on a 4x track or dirt jumps. And my Lapierre Froggy is 34lb which I think is good going for a 7" travel frame and feels perfect, I would not want to go much lighter.

Most of the weight saved on the builds is from the wheels and tyres.

The lightweight FS bikes on here are seriously expensive bits of kit, it's as simple as that!

The 3 that come to mind are Dougal's MSC, aracer's Scott and my Epic. All three are significantly >£5000 worth. That's how you get a light FS bike!

Yes sorry Steve, that's going to be a fair chunk more than 23, that's an early Epic frame, 03-04, and that itself weighed a lot, the wheels are heavy. Add at least 10% to any spreadsheet weight!

Bike weights are advertised without pedals.

Aye, and even 4ti Eggbeaters are 165g, which is over 1/3 lb. XTR pedals are pretty much double that.

Yes sorry Steve, that's going to be a fair chunk more than 23, that's an early Epic frame, 03-04, and that itself weighed a lot, the wheels are heavy. Add at least 10% to any spreadsheet weight!

It's a 2003. I wouldn't be at all surprised if it is around 25lbs or so - in fact for the type of general riding I do that's probably about the best weight for it. Based on previous experience with hardtails I've tended to find them quite skittish if they're down into the low 20's.

The weight weenies/spreadsheet weights are only really useful for comparison between components in my experience. For full bike weights they seem to give an optomistic value.

Yes WW is a good resource for that certainly, although a lot of the listings are now really out of date, seems fewer and fewer people are uploading things these days.

Agree light bikes do get very skittish, planted is not a word I'd use to describe my Epic, which is why it wouldn't be my choice for 'normal' trail riding in an ideal world. Great race bike though!

Rusty - even if it's the newer lighter frame, that sounds superlight for a jackal (or is it singlespeed?).
if you're using light tyres and rims on a 7" travel bike you're kidding yourself that you need anywhere near 7" travel.
just IMO of course 😉

Yeah I though the Froggy was meant to be about 38lb - 4lbs off is a fair old chunk for a 'freeride' bike.