[Closed] Potential for losing weight?

My top tip would be chuck out all the crap in your Camelbak that you don't need, and stop carrying 3 litres of water, if you do. Then lose weight off you, then look at your bike.

I know it's extremely dull advice, but it makes much more sense than the kind of incremental losses most people attempt.

I think we've done this a few times in the past and it almost always comes out at £1 per gramme saved - i.e. it doesn't really make any difference what component you choose to swap out, it'll still cost the same on a £/g basis.

so far druidh i have traded pikes for thors which is 240g, gravity dropper for thomson which again is 240g, lock ons for foam lock ons (not sure), raceface cranks for slx which is 80g, wheels from 819s to flow rims - same but functionally better as they are wider. So all in i reckon i have saved about 560-600g with very little cost outlay as i have sold to finance.
Just not sure if i can save any more and still keep functionality. bars and stem are already pretty light etc.

spose the juicy 5s are the only "porkyish" bit left

Well yeah those and the rider 🙂

500g.

The weight of a small bottle of water. You'll be lots quicker now, I bet.

[url] http://analyticcycling.com/ForcesLessWeight_Page.html [/url]

Playing with this suggests that losing 1 kg makes you 2 seconds quicker over a 2 km climb, taking a rider/bike weight of 100kg.

My interpretation is that you could very well be wasting your time... 😉

The thing is Crikey, he didn't ask "How can I lose weight from my bike so I can ride quicker? For his own reasons, he's interested in dicussing how he can reduce the weight of his bike further. Let's just go with it out of interest and assume he's as slim as he can be without passing out, he's forgotten his pack and he went to the toilet before he set off for his ride.

What's the weight of those Acids?
I lost a surprising amount when I took the Easton EA30 stem off and put a Deda Zero 100 stem on. 100mm and weighs 116grams. They can be had for £30 second hand (Ebay etc.) and if you can flog yours for £15? Is your stem heavy in comparison? I'd have a look at the bars as well.
My SLR carbon S&M saddles weigh 121 grams. No good if they don't suit you though. I have one that's partially snapped that you can have to try out if you like? It should be good for a couple of rides yet. Chuck an email over if you do.
I don't think Thomson stuff is very light, is it?
Are you using tubeless tyres? If not, latex tubes don't weigh much and I'm sure I could tell the difference (maybe I'm just imagining it).

Fair enough, but my cynicism stems from the eternal bike forum quest to lose weight...

It makes very little difference, and even less difference when you talk about mountain biking, even less when we think of full suss mountain biking, and even less when we think of STW full suss mountain biking....

maybe it's just a hobby, something to do. It's nice to change your bike around once in a while, make it feel a bit different.

I worked hard to lose weight from my 5spot, purely as something to do.

I'm 6ft and 14.5 stone. 8)

FWIW, its a bit easier up the hills, and more slightly agile in the tight stuff. Biggest single difference was lighter tyres - although the jury is still out on whether durability is diminished or not.

It'd certainly make more of a difference if I chose to lose some weight from me, but then I'd not be able to eat pies as much.

Got a bashring? Lose that. Go to 2x9 without bash

Tyres - get some nice and light ones.

Pedals - forget ones with a platform

Then bolts - alloy bolts in non load bearing applications and titanium in load bearing

How much do you think the whole bike currently weighs?

What TJ says (except the bolts),
lose the SLX bash ring (if you have one), get some Conti supersonic speedking tyres and supersonic inner tubes. Can't guarantee the tyres will be any good or you won't be repairing punctures every 100yrds, but you'll likely lose 1000gms for not very much cost just doing that.
Personally, I wouldn't get too hung up over it, unless you're competing or so far behind your mates all the time that they are threatening to go off riding without inviting you. If that's the case then think about spending the money on gym membership. 😉

bin the dale and buy my ibis

Chainset is a triple, tyres are tubeless ready so already quite light. As usual people are not reading the question really, i am asking is it possible to lose weight from my bike without it having a detrimental effect on my wallet and the handling of the bike.
Basically - are there subsequently lighter but as strong products to swap like for like - an example of where i have done this is the pikes to thors swap.

Could save a chunk by changing the brakes.
There are lighter and more powerful brakes out there, Hope, Formula, Elixirs.

elixirs are 50g lighter - not much in it really

Ditch the big ring and go for short chainring bolts. How heavy are your tyres? Conti speedkings weigh half of damn all are are great in everything except mud

conti speedkings run as tubeless? tyres are 780g. Why would i ditch the big ring? losing weight without losing functionality is my goal tj

TBH there is nothing on the build that particularly stands out that, if you swapped it, is going to save you a noticeable amount of weight so its more a case of swapping lots of components to lighten up the bike but doing that 'without it having a detrimental effect on my wallet' is going to be difficult to achieve particularly if you wish it to be as strong. The old "Strong, light, cheap. pick two" quote seems apt.

Frame 2800
rims 960
hubs 470
spokes 896
tyres 1560
cables and outers 200
brakes 900
fork 1785
bars 265
stem 155
grips 112
seat post 230
seat 230
cranks 880
pedals 308
chain 290
front mech 135
rear mech 227
shifters 240
cassette 273
Theoretical total 12.916KG

Rider weight pre poo?

Rider weight post poo?

Base layer weight?

Shirt weight?

Shorts weight?

Sock weight? (x2)

Shoe weight? (x2)

Waterproof/soft shell weight?

Camel bak weight?

Fluid weight?

Extraneous stuff weight?

Gloves weight?

Helmet weight?

Mobile phone weight?

Food weight?

...If you're gonna do it, be thorough 😉

bloody helpful

I can't believe the retardedness of some of the answers on here - but it's to be expected.

Saying that though Rob, I can't see much you can lose. Even changing the chainset to XT would only lose you 40g.

I've just lost about 6lbs by changing bikes and that's made a heap of difference, but I honestly believe it's all about the wheels. My Roval Traversee's spin up like a rabid bat on acid.

However, I've also just lost 21lbs off me, which also makes a shit load of difference too. It does seem that losing weight off the bike makes riding easier than losing weight off the body.

I'm assuming you're happy with the frame, you've already swapped the forks and wheels plus you've said the tyres are quite light. Well based on your figures above that lot comes to 8.5kg or there abouts which is about 2/3rds of the build. Its going to be a struggle, if budget is limited, to lose a noticeable of weight from the remaining 4.5kg of potential components that could be swapped for lighter equivalents.

IMHO if you've achieved 13kg for a Prophet build thats pretty good; my PA is heavier than that with Pike Air and Stans.

ROFL Harris - Member

conti speedkings run as tubeless? tyres are 780g. Why would i ditch the big ring? losing weight without losing functionality is my goal tj

You don't need a big ring off road. How often do you pedal beyond 28 mph which is easy to do on a 36 middle. so you save teh weight of the big ring and a few links of chain for no loss of function.

780 gramme tyres - heavy as ****. I have DH tyres that don't weigh much more. Go for some light tyres and save a chunk of rotating weight. The contis I mention are 400 grammes. Tubes are no heavier than the gunk in your tyres

Its a fairly light build anyway.

How often do you pedal beyond 28 mph which is easy to do on a 36 middle

Looking at my GPS data - most rides tj

I've just gone back to a triple from a double teej and I'm loving having the high gears and also the range. It's not always about need, it can be about want.

Anyways - I always used to spin out with a 36. Do you only ride off road, or is there maybe some road involved getting there?

TJ i am 100% sure that 400g tyres will compromise performance over 780g tyres.

BTW i think you are somewhat mistaken about tyre weights, conti race king usts weigh 720g (that is actually weighed and not taken from a spec sheet)

elixirs are 50g lighter - not much in it really

Not the right attitude if your looking to lighten a bike.
Performance of the Elixirs is far superior, so there are more benefits than just weight.

Rolf - I simply do not believe you pedal to 28+ mph ever offroad. [b]MPH.[/b]not KMH

the artist - I merely suggested something that culd save a bit of weight. He wants to save weight. I sometimes spin out on a hill on the road on the 36 but rarely. It can be spun to over 30mph but about 28 is comfy to keep up.

The contis are 400g - I have a set and have weighed them. Many other good tyres weigh less than 780 grammes. 780 grammes -Thats heavy tyre.

Still - you don't want to take the advice its up to you. Thats two things I would do to save weight at minimal cost.

Stop getting into a paddy about people's answers, the answer to the question 'can I save weight without spending money' is... NO!

As mtbmatt said if you think 50g here and there doesn't matter then you're not going to get a light bike.

Those tyres are heavy, I'd look at something like 2.25" Racing Ralphs, they'll run as tubeless really easily, they'll weigh a fair bit less, they'll work a lot better too.

Your bars, stem and brakes are heavy. Juicy Ultimates will probably be appearing cheap now XXs are around. A Ritchey WCS bar/stem combo will save a chunk, add a seatpost in to drop a load more.

njee - where have i "got into a paddy"?

Teej most rides have a descent where we regularly reach that, corroborate with TAFKASTR

But are you peddalling when you hit those speeds? 30 mph and still pedalling? Jeez you must be fast Are you in your very top gear? Thats the only gear you lose when going to 36 ring. ( well 36 / 11 is between big 7 and 8)

On yesterdays ride the outer 44t ring was used lots on an old railway to and from the trail head so is more than needed.

on some bits a pedal stroke or 2 in the big ring is needed yes. The top of the lockerbrook descent is pure unadulterated pedaling, thent o maintain speed some hard cranking is required till the lip of the next down section.

You're accusing everyone of not reading your original post, several of your responses could certainly be misconstrued as the makings of a paddy!

Get a 2x9 chainset with Grip Shift, that'll drop some weight, you've obviously got big legs and don't need a granny. 28/42 or something would be fine, or do you really need the 44!?

Njee - i have chicken legs!

[i]bloody helpful[/i]

At least as helpful as the rest; you're studiously ignoring all the ways to save weight that actually work without costing anything. If your sole intention is to have a light bike, carry on. If you really want to save weight overall, you need to look at the whole rider/kit/bike setup...

TJ - how are you working out the speed for a 36/11 combo btw? is it experience or a tj formula?

crikey i know that dude, hence riding a hell of a lot more. Surely trying to get the bike to the point where it is light and functional is part of the goal.
I don't need to ask how to lose weight off me thats simple - eat less ride more.
Just want to know if i have overlooked a significant part that could be lighter, still as strong, and not break the bank.

Tyres.

I use my 44t on the flat, never mind downhill - and I have the lungs akin to an empty crisp packet.