[Closed] Shedding weight (Soul content)

My Soul weighed in at 26.5lbs with a very similar build. I can't see where the extra weight would be so one of us has inaccurate scales. Respectfully, I'd say that trying to shed weight from that bike is a fool's errand.

Since I last weighed my bike the lightweight Hope chainring has been replaced with a hefty On-One stainless steel one (less maintenance!), the rear QR has been replaced with a 10mm steel bolt (more gnarr!) and the rear tyre swapped from an X-King 2.4 Protection to a Rubber Queen 2.2 UST (more grip!) so it's probably gained 1lb.

Yeah, there's nothing in there that can deliver a big change without either serious money or impairing the strength a bit. Grips, maybe. Brakes, you could save some weight but not a substantial amount really. Same with the pedals.

spend more money on everything?
SLX to XT?
£/g territory really so if it rides fine you will get used to it, the mud you collect will offset any weight savings you can make easily...

Don't bother SLX to XT. There's about 30 g difference between the mechs, and the chainsets are a stunning 14g lighter. The brakes weigh about the same.

You could lose 100g by swapping to carbon bars, and another 50g with foam grips.

Those tyres are pretty heavy at 650g each. You could save 200g per tyre by swapping them for Nobby Nic Snakeskins. If the tyres are a given as you insist, then that's about it. I run mine using Proii evo on Arch Ex, and they're a bit lighter than Flows, but not much.

new frame = biggest saving

Scapegoat- you'll only save that much on Nics by going to a 1.8 or 2.1, which'd make a mockery of the rest of the build.

28lb sounds pretty accurate for that build I'd say. I've got a Genesis Altitude Ti with a very similar build that's about 26lb, but my frame is over 1lb lighter, and my wheels are about 300g lighter too, and mine has more XT than SLX.

Why specifically do you want to lose weight off the bike? I'd be worried about compromising the ride of the bike to be honest, you could fit lighter wheels but you'd almost certainly sacrifice stiffness. Can understand not sacrificing on tyres, why on earth would you build a bike like yours, then fit some lightweight racing rubber, good for nothing except going fast in a straight line?

Anyway, unless you do something drastic like change the frame to something Ti or Carbon, or buy some stiff yet light carbon rimmed wheels or something, the only way to really lose any weight will be 50 grammes here and 50 grammes there over a number of components til you've saved a pound or so.

2.25 nics are about 470-480g. They're pretty big for a 2.25. If the build is to be really really robust, then the weight he's at is going to be pretty much it. As others have pointed out the contact points could be lighter. Mine weighs in at 11.7kg with carbon bars, XT double and bash with a BBG Superlight, a Reba Race, Proii evo on Arch Ex, a Reverb and Race V. The only significant difference between mine and svalgis' build is the bars grips and tyres. (oh, and I don't include pedals as that's the industry standard) Svalgis' pedals are 480 g or so, so another lb in pedals would put mine at just under 27lb.

Scapegoat - Member

2.25 nics are about 470-480g.

They really aren't. 2.25 snakeskin is 580g claimed, mine was just a little over. (though, it went on a weight reduction campaign by wearing out at heroic pace) And that's leaving aside the performance consideration, they'd still be by far the weakest link on this bike- puncturey and not all that grippy.

I see the odd method of reducing weight in grammes but totaling it up in pounds remains alive and well.

Don't bother SLX to XT. There's about 30 g difference between the mechs, and the chainsets are a stunning 14g lighter. The brakes weigh about the same.

You could lose 100g by swapping to carbon bars, and another 50g with foam grips.

Apart from the fact you think it could be lighter is there any other reason? If you want remove the pedals and find some favourable scales and weight it on a low gravity day. Tell everyone thats what it weighs and never weigh it again.

I have a small soul, 2x10 XT (no bashring), XT/XTR 775 brakes, ArchEX rims Pro2/Mudx 2.0, Hilo post, thomson stem+Sunline V2 bars, MG1 pedals, XT cassette and it weighs 27.5lbs. So with that tougher a build you wont go much lower in weight. Flow rims maybe a bit overkill and could save 100g per rim on lighter?

Stand outs there for me are the rims and seatpost. Would I suggest you change them? Nope.

Forget the weight just ride...

Foam grips are an easy win for 50g+. Stan's other rims will be 100g or so lighter per rim. Are Hope hubs that light?

Are the conti tyres normal tyres or are they thicker heavier tubeless variants when you could be running normal tyres tubeless on Stans rims? (I don't know if Conti do tubeless versions?)

Carbon handlebar (Easton Haven or Havoc etc) would save 100g.

Apart from that, the seatpost is a chunk of weight that will make the all up weight seem 'uncompetitive' as its probably 1/2 - 3/4lb heavier than just a plain alloy one?

bars and cassette weigh about a kilo there don't they..?

I'd be taking the gears and suspension fork off too..
I dunno how much this weighs, but even with bashguard, freeride stem, seatpack and lights and stuffs it still feels like it's only a wee bit more than a bag of feathers.. 😀

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Thanks for all the input. I was struggling to see where I could lose significant weight, hence the question. I just thought it seemed a little hefty when compared to some more robust FS builds around so thought that maybe I had neglected something.

I'll just leave it as it is and ride it, perhaps some Arch EX and carbon bars might be on the agenda later.

Cheers all!

+1 for double checking weight

Can't see where all that weight is coming from TBH

As others have said it would cost a small fortune to change things.

No idea what mine will weigh when I finally find the time to put her together, but expect about 27lbs...but considering I need to lose 14lb from my body...I'll start the weight loss there and at minimal expense!

Where's the weight coming from? Accurate scales I'd guess 😉

Mine weighs in at 11.7kg with carbon bars, XT double and bash with a BBG Superlight, a Reba Race, Proii evo on Arch Ex, a Reverb and Race V. The only significant difference between mine and svalgis' build is the bars grips and tyres. (oh, and I don't include pedals as that's the industry standard) Svalgis' pedals are 480 g or so, so another lb in pedals would put mine at just under 27lb.

And the wheels... NNs really are not sub 500g. Rocket Rons are, but they're a much more fragile tyre.

OP if you're just worried because you keep reading about lighter bikes then I'd not worry. If you're happy with it WGAS?

I'd say that's a good weight for a mid spec Soul build. As most have suggested, pretty much new bike time if you want something lighter.

For the same money you'd struggle to get a FS anywhere near that weight.

My mmmBop is bang on 25lbs. Lighter alu frame. Lighter crest wheelset. Lighter carbon bars and seat post. Lighter XT 1x10. Revelation fork and heavier tyres though.

Unless you're planning on heaps of extended climbing, it's not worth worrying about is it? I try for lightness in a build, but to be honest, when I traded bikes for a go on my mates Bfe (160mm Vans, heavier frame, tyres etc) I couldn't really notice any difference over my Soul (11.3kg - 25lbs) other than the fact that his coil forks were way plusher than my Talas, and the steering was a little lazier.

If you're hellbent on keeping the tyres & dropper post, you wont find any major weight loss without significant expense. I run Crests, and a standard Thomson post & racing ralphs, 2 x 10 XT. I could save 300g swapping the Fox Talas for my 120mm SIDs, but I like the flickable nature of the bike when run at 100mm, and being able to wind it up to 140mm for the rougher stuff at the flick of a switch.

You can't have much mud-room with 2.4NN's and a Reba?

Also,

[i]currently weighing in at about 28 lbs. [/i]

Have you [b]actually[/b] weighed it? Only asking as a friends' similarly specced Soul was 30lbs (c/w pedals) on the scales.

Carbon bars - lighter and more comfort.

Cassette it'll be +400g if its a 36, but could you pedal a 32/34?

You need to strip it and weigh the bits.

[i]I couldn't really notice any difference over my Soul (11.3kg - 25lbs)[/i]

Probably 'cos your Soul actually weighs more than 25lbs...

By the way, any long travel FS bikes weighing 28lbs will be weighed without pedals and unlikely to have dropper posts and if they do will probably be blinged up carbon things which cost a fortune to buy and maintain. Foam grips will just feel weird and dull your steering feedback, dropper posts are too awesome to go without, and rims/tyres that wide are just perfect on the Soul.

The only thing I'd change would be the bars for some carbon ones because good ones (I have Havens but Havocs are your width) weigh very little, are incredibly strong and stiff, damp a modicum of buzz and unlike bling drivetrain components you only have to buy them once and can enjoy them for a comparative MTBing eternity...

Oooh, saucer of milk for b r ! 😆 (you may be right of course, I only have my scales to go on, and they're nothing too fancy).

you could save some weight by using a lighter frame. Steel is heavier than alloy, yeah they use thin tubes but the raw material weighs more. Simple as.

28lbs sounds ok for what it is same as the test bike here

http://www.bikeradar.com/mtb/gear/category/bikes/mountain/hardtail/product/review-cotic-soul-frame-13-46784

I built up a Ragley MMbop a while ago with a pretty similar spec save for a 130 van fork. It weighed 28lbs. Same as my full sus bike! It did ride nice though.

I've got some pretty new arch ex/pro 2 evos on my camber - replacing the frame with a Stanton slackline ti soon and would possibly be keen to swap wheelsets with you if that's of any interest?
Cheers,
Steve

Chief - my fs is 28.4lb with lev and talas...mind you it also has a pair of very gaudy looking but light american classic all mountain wheels (no pedals)

dropper post? stem? handlebars?

but TBH, none of those will make a massive difference to how the bikes 'feels' even if it ways a bit less.

Tyres would be my choice, 2.4 mountain kings are overkill.

If you want to reduce weight in a hurry, I recommend getting my mate Malcolm to weigh it for you, his bikes are always inexplicably lighter than you'd think 😉

I've never had those bars on the scales but the claimed weight is very light for what they are. I'm skeptical tbh but if they deliver then switching to carbon won't give a huge saving (assuming you stick with the width and purpose). And saving 50g off one part achieves bugger all.

To edit my earlier post - b r was right - my Soul's 11.6kg (originally weighed it with the SID's in) so 25.5lbs for what it's worth.. 🙄

Resurrecting this one as looking at a new Soul build. What 120mm forks you using ? Shop who may be supplying/building suggesting Reba solo air, but would rather bolt through and poss tapered

Thanks

I've just built a large soul that I refuse to weigh because it's not about that being my mud/trainer. It rides really well and I'll only piss myself off if I weigh it. I did go carbon bars and post but that was only after I'd tried alloy and been shaken badly.

Scales need calibrating. My mates digitals over read by 9% which is great for fish but not for bikes.

Going WW on a steel frame isn't wise IMHO.

Iain, I've used 120mm SID RLT's (2011?) dual air, which are great though some would say flexy (I've never owned any 15 or 20mm thru axle forks - so I just deal with it I guess) and they're very light, a bit of a fag to set up initially but fine once sorted.

I'm currently running a set of (07 model year) Fox Talas, which step from 140mm - 120mm - 100mm and whilst being a bit heavier than the SID's are a little plusher. I tend to run at 120mm mostly to be fair, but the handling's real sharp at 100mm (which I like). The extra travel at 140's a bonus through rockier stuff, but the back end's always going to be the limiting factor eh?

Tapered steerer could be the way forward - I have an early frame so not an option for me - and if your wheel set will take it, a stiffer axle would seem like a plan.

Merlin have bolt through straight steerer 120 Reba Dual air.... or tapered steerer Qr. Save a bob or two.... to be fair, dual air forks aren't the nightmare some folk make them out to be, you just have to resist the temptation to keep fiddling with them! Whether you choose axle or headtube stiffening is up to you and your style.