lets see your 29" XC racers

Not a true xc bike but its fast….

Scott scale 900sl, few lightweight stuff, 19.5lbs

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590[/url] by Radoggair[/url], on Flickr[/img]

Does a 29er race bike need to be a hard tail? This is my 100mm Orbea Occam, lightish and really fast. Good fun too.

Nope- this is my XC racer

It’s now sporting bar ends 🙂 yet to be ridden with them though.

The bonty tyres are very lightweight at about 470g in 2.2 width, but also fragile.

Thinking of selling the frame as I’ve been tempted by some carbon loveliness. Not sure though as the Scandal rides so well.

Looks like Crests are the way to go for the XC types by the number on bikes here. Anyone know what a pair of Crests on Hope weighs please ?

On my kitchen scales the 15mm front was 780g and the 9mm rear 906g (out the box with tape removed.) A decent set of wheels for training. If the 29er was to become my race bike of choice I’d get some properly light wheels (probably Chinese carbon jobbies.) I only really went for the Crest/Hopes because they were 200 quid in the Halfords sale 🙂

mrblobby, I know this is going back in the thread and not massively related to the topic, but my advice, and feel free to ignore, is steer clear of the KCNC layback post. I had one and it was insanely noisy and more importantly the saddle moved every time you went over any reasonable sized bump/dip in the ground, when still in the saddle that you hadn’t noticed.
Maybe I had a bad one but wouldn’t rush out to get one again.

If the 29er was to become my race bike of choice I’d get some properly light wheels (probably Chinese carbon hobbies

The Chinese rims aren’t really ‘properly light’, in fact they’re barely lighter than Crests.

If you want really light then try the Ryde Edge MC-1, seem to be a bit like vapourware at the moment, but 290g claimed for 29er rims. Probably rather noodly too mind.

Cows_in_cars, thanks for the advice. I think I need to look elsewhere anyway as I need a 400mm and the kcnc layback only comes in 350mm. Anyone recommend a similarly lightweight seat post with a bit of offset in 400mm?

The Chinese rims aren’t really ‘properly light’, in fact they’re barely lighter than Crests.

Interesting tip. What about performance of the Chinese carbon rims? I’ve heard they’re significantly stiffer for the weight? Though not had any problems with the 29er crest in my limited experience. It’d still build into a lighter race wheel as the hub and spokes would be lighter, and fewer spokes too. Noodly puts me off a little.

A decent set of wheels for training

the crest rims are as light as I’d want to go for a 29er MTB rim – they are very light without being noodly. The Pro 2/Crest Hope Hooops use Sapim Sprint spokes (similar to DT supercomp), so a little lighter than your common DB spoke, but less noodly than DT Revs.

Which leaves the hubs as realistically the only place you’ll save a reasonable amount of weight – the point of the wheel where you’ll notice it least.

IMO the pro2/crest wheels set is a bargain XC race wheel.

Anyways.. tubeless, light tyres etc… you can save more significant weight than spending loads on super bling hubs.

Cool, Crests on Hope Evo’s are now officially on my Dear Santa list. Thanks

Mondraker Podium Pro has been my weapon of choice this past year genuinely the nicest race bike I’ve ridden

Interesting tip. What about performance of the Chinese carbon rims? I’ve heard they’re significantly stiffer for the weight?

Gee of this parish absolutely raved about his having come from Crests. Never heard a bad word certainly. Stan’s Valors look interesting – they’re comparable weight to the Ryde Edge, but carbon, so should be stiffer. Not cheap though, and not available until the new year.

After several failed attempts…I’ve finally learnt how to participate in this thread.

Here’s my ON-One. Love it…

. Stan’s Valors look interesting

About $2k in the US I believe so probably be about £1.5k maybe in the UK. Look a bit out of place on my 150 quid frame 😕

About $2k in the US I believe so probably be about £1.5k maybe in the UK

$1900 in the US, but they’re working towards a retail price of £2000. I kid you not. Makes it cheaper to fly to the US and bring them home. JRA have them for £1680 or something, which seems a little more plausible, albeit still hard to swallow.

nice lurcher @househusband – What does that way in at?

BOR/FRM builds from Strada are worth a look – lighter, eyeleted rims than Crests & Darren’s been using Pillar triple butted spokes. Come in at around 1500gms with Pro 2s & nice & stiff.

Yeti big top, no carbon wheels due to me destroying a set

nice lurcher @househusband – What does that way in at?

Thanks, mccraque! I’ll try and remember to weigh it tomorrow; it is not a lightweight build by any means!

this is what i bought, £380 1450g

funn wheels

Fun works, rather than Funn. Tempted by a set myself, but if you buy hubs only you have they only come as QR and with a standard freehub body. Less of a bargain after the XD body and what not.

Been alright?

been pretty reliable all year, no issues. Had to replace crest rim after british champs marathon but apart from very pleases with them and dont think much touches them for £ to weight ratio

here’s mine.

Pivot-LES Carbon Hardtail

As mentioned in the ‘can XC bikes be fun thread’ this has become my used for everything bike rather than just a race bike.

Freshly built up – running 1×10.

In current rigid SS winter mode at last weekend’s Gorrick.

https://www.facebook.com/PivotBoompodsRacing

Lovely bike RichP, even nicer as a singlespeed

I can post my Scandal, now ive finally cut down the steerer!

Not sure about weight, but it feels pretty light to me. Wheels are the FRM Urano ones, which Strada do. (although these were Ebay) they are nice and light/stiff; Hubs have very small bearings, but last well. FRM support is excellent, but has to be shipped direct from Italy.

If I hadn’t got these for a steal, I would have gone Crests/pro2.

Edit: i could post it if I could work Flickr[/url]

How do you find the switch to rigid RichP?

I’ve an odd itch to try racing a rigid 29er that might need scratching at some point in the new year.

How are you tensioning the chain john_l?

clink – what chain guide are you running?

clink – what chain guide are you running?

That’s not my bike – I just posted the pic as the previous poster (johnny) hadn’t managed too. 😀

Thanks Clink! STW teamwork wins through.

The chainguide is the Superstar XCR one. In fact it’s two of them- I and a mate both broke them in the same place, and i bodged one out of two!

it’s with a 36t middleburn front ring and a clutch mech. onse i got is set up ok, it’s not dropped a chain since.

Thought I’d try the new narrow wide rings on my scandal. A 34t works components one and a short cage x9 type 2 mech. In my quick sample of two rides I’ve yet to drop the chain. Gave it a thorough test the other night too as I think I hit just about every root in the dark! Impressed so far.

Another Scandal

and just to prove i have raced it, me in action at Bedgebury Insomnia

How are you tensioning the chain john_l?

I’m not in that pic. 34/18’s magic, but a little bit too tall now it’s got muddy. I’ve now added a half link & 2 teeth on the back & can probably get away without a tensioner again, but have popped a Gusset Bachelor on, just to take up about half an inch of slack. Very impressed with the Gusset – looks ok too.