Hey,

So had my short travel Swarf Contour as my only bike for a while, so it has always been a burly build with Pikes Ultimates 130mm/Wild Enduro’s F/R, Hope Brakes, and Hope Enduro wheels a mish-mash 11speed drive train of middleburn cranks/XX1 derailleur/Sunrace 11-46.

Now that I have a bigger bike I fancy changing the build to something a bit lighter,and yes its steel so wont ever be light/….but it pedals very light due to the single pivot suspension(compared to my other bike anyway) .

Thinking about a carbon wheelset, Garbaruk cassette…already got some G2 Ultimates and all wildly inappropriate suggestions welcome.Yes this could end up expensive, but im bored..

What Tyres would be a good alternative to Wild Endruos for a start?

What Tyres would be a good alternative to Wild Endruos for a start?

Last thing you mentioned but the first thing I thought when I read your post was tyres. On my hardtail I have just gone from about 2.3kg of Wild Enduros to one of the lighter weight Rock Razors on the rear and a Nobby Nic in ‘Super Ground Speedgrip’ on the front.  I was worried I’d pushed the light and fast angle a little too far with that front tyre but so far in the dry conditions I’ve had it has been really good.  Of course my opinion may change the first time I encounter a wet root but for now I am enjoying the contrast in weight and drag from those tyres

Add some Berd string spokes to that carbon wheelset.

I’ve swapped from Wild Enduros to the new Hans Dampf/Nobby Nic combo myself. Still excellent amounts of grip for a short travel bike, a lot lighter and they roll fast!

I’d like a Garbaruk cassette too 🙂

Have a look at Wolfpack tyres. From the same designer who developed tyres for the Conti/Spesh/Schwalbe premium compounds who’s gone solo. The Trail model looks very similar to a Nobby Nic, but should be around 3/4 the price compared to the top level Addix NN (Cross and RR also look similar). I’m looking into both options at the moment.

Completely different to enduros of course, but could be perfect for ‘down country’.

How do you think your Swarf Contour would ride with 120mm RS SID forks? I ask because I’d quite like one and would be quite tempted to go for SIDs over Pike forks to keep weight down 🙂

How do you think your Swarf Contour would ride with 120mm SID forks? I ask because I would quite like a Contour and would be tempted to try it with SIDs first to keep weight down 🙂

I think you should rethink the whole approach and sell the Contour to me. You know it makes sense. That or at least post some pictures of it so I can stare at them.

Yeah new 120 Sid ultimates (35mm)
Tyres 2.35 barzo’s on some dt Swiss XMC 1200 wheels
That’s the 2 main areas where I’d start for lightening

Sorry best image I could find to hand, im not very good a taking pictures when im out and about..can’t be arsed getting the phone out.

The thing is, I really like the Michelin tyres, have them on my other bike and been great. I’d also still like the bike to be capable in all conditions as its a very handy bike in the rough despite the 115mm travel. Moon on a stick I know.

Schwalbe tires do confuse me with all the different versions as i’ve never had them, good shout on the Wolfpack tyres but not so much stock…I was thinking about some of the lighter casing Vittoria tyres? Still lighter than the W.E.

I think the Contour would be superb with the 120mm SID’s,…with the only downside for me being I can’t get the lush blue colour because it just doesn’t work with the frame colour. Boo.

Michelin have some new lighter AM tyres out, Force AM I think.

Tell a lie, they don’t seem light,1040g

I’d be tempted to stick a Forecaster on the front and something like a rekon on the back. I’ve been really impressed with the Forekaster 2.6” I’m running on the back of my hardtail. Way more capable then I expected it to be.

I ‘down-countried’ my xc race bike last autumn: dropper post and forekaster rear, high roller 2 front. The tyres have been great, very confidence inspiring. I am probably going to switch the forekaster to the front and put on a more standard xc rear tyre now it’s drier

I’ve just bought a Wolfpack 2.25 Trail. Only a few rides so far but excellent. In fact I think I am going to dump the existing front and replace it with another Wolfpack.

Swapping those Hope wheels should shave about 14kg off 😂

The XL Contour is nearly the same geo as my Phantom. I’d love to try one of those, but he’s not making anymore at the moment due to backorders.

It’s a bloody lovely bike. Silhouette of a nice steel Hardtail but, what’s this, suspension? SID fork should work great. Add a lighter wheelset and it will fly.

Like most others have suggested, tyres should be the first change.
I’ve recently done something similar. When I bought my bigger bike (Nukeproof Mega) i’ve changed my shorter travel bike into more of a light weight trail bike, wheras I was previously running it with burly fork, tyres etc. I switched the rear DHR to a Rekon and the front Wild ENduro to a Nobby Nic. Much lighter and rolls way faster but still plenty of grip. The rekon can get a little sketchy when it’s loose, but I kinda like that on the back.

I also changed teh fork form a Lyrik to Fox 34 which dropped some weight. The 34 is definitely more suited to a shorter travel trail bike.

I’d also get a lighter wheelset if I could afford it. And keep the burlier one for the odd occasion when the enduro bike is out of action but I need something burly.

Another Wolfpack tyre recommendation. I’ve been running Cross front and rear (2.4/2.25) since last summer and have been very impressed with them.

Of course the supply situation may well have changed, but I found they were restocking reasonably regularly when I was in the market for mine.