How To Make Your Bike Lighter


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I figured seeing as the bike lightening thread was on 15 pages, Id make a new one with everything in the first post. The first section is a guide to how to loose weight without sacarfising your riding style, the second section will list ways to save weight regardless of anything else.

Section One: Saving Weight the Sensible Way

Light Parts:
The obvious way is to get lighter parts. This is by far better than cutting bits off your bike.

Frames: Frames generally range from 5lbs to 6.5lbs. I personally would only ride a frame that ranges between 5.5lbs and 6lbs. Any lighter, and you will be sacrifising strength, any heavier and its not really neccessary.

Forks: In my opinion forks are the best place to lose extra weight. Some forks like the S&M Pitchfork weigh in at around 3.3lbs. You can cut about a pound off here by getting some light forks such as odyssey (dirt if you ride pegs, race if you dont) which are still really strong.

Wheels: Not the best place to save weight. Most riders should stick to 48 spokes at the back, but many can get away with 36 at the front. If you dont ride pegs, you can use race hubs. If you are light on your front pegs, you should get a 3/8 (10mm) front axle. G-Sport make really light hubs, which are super strong. Wheels are really easy to break if you get really light parts, so look elsewhere to shave off that 1/2pound more

Seat/Post: To save optimum weight, get the macneil combo - its about a pound lighter than a regular seat/post combo (although the longer seats have been known to snap {Pigne }. If you run your seat slammed, get an alu post (eg odyssey intac, coalition) as you dont need a steel one.

Cranks: A light set of cranks like profile race or primo hollowbites are excellent - I cant see a reason not to buy them.

Gearing: Obviously lower gearing = less weight. Really though you should be careful. A 23/25/28 tooth sprocket will wear quicker (as long as the driver and chain). I dont reccomend going lower than 30/11. Most sprockets are now cut to ultra light weights.

Bars: Butted bars are very light, although also not as strong as regular bars. I reccomend odyssey bars, as they have a lifetime guarantee.

Stem: Stems are a good place to lose weight. Odyssey elementary, supers*** elect, and redneck xlt are all really light stems which will save you a few ounces.

Tyres: Sounds a bit silly, but tyres can save weight. Do your research and get some light ones.

Tubes: Slime and thornproof tubes both add a fair bit of weight - avoid.

Titanium:
Ti parts are a good (and expensive!) way to save weight. Axles (wheels, cranks, pedals) are the best parts to get in ti. Other parts you could replace are: Bolts(axle, brakes etc), Seatpost, Seatclamp, Cassette Driver, Pegs (if you only ride ramp), Sprocket. Other parts such as cranks and bars are just not worth getting in ti. They wont perform like chromo parts.

Cutting/Drilling:
Its not something you should go over the top with. Bars, Fork steerers, Seatpost and Axles are really all you should cut down, you can cut your dropouts if they are real long. I wouldnt reccommend drilling at all unless you know what you are doing. If you do, you should only drill your stem and seat. Some people drill the tops of their pegs, and Bottom brakcets, these are only advised for flatland.

Donts:
•Drill into tubing, you'll lose a lot of strength
•Think a light bike will make you much better
•Buy a short frame to lose weight
•Run pegs with parts that say ‘not suitable for pegs’
•Buy parts because of their weight, before specs.

Remeber:Light bikes might feel nice to ride, but they DO sacrifise strength when making light parts (they wont tell you that). If you are a real heavy rider, getting superlight parts isnt a very good idea.

Section Two: The No Holds Barred Bike Slimming Guide
Take your brakes off and ride brakeless.

If you have to have a brake then get rid of that heavy gyro and run a straight cable and cut the cable down as much as possible.

Take all your pegs off.

If yuo have to run pegs cut them down or run aluminium ones.

Run Helium in your tyres even though it has to be reinfalted often.

Cut your dropouts down and drill holes in them

Cut your seat tube down.

Cut your bars dwon as far as possible even if there too narrow for you

Drill your rims.

Use radial lacing on both your wheels.

Drill your stem out.

Don't run a compression bolt.

Drill holes in your seat clamp

Drill holes in your already cut down seat post

Run no grease on your bike.

Buy a super light weight frame that is not intended for the sort of riding you are doing.

Don't run any grips.

Use less air in your tyres.

Cut your hub axles down.

Cut your crank spindle down.

Drill holes in your bars where your grips go.

Cut your brake mounts and cable guides off.

Run as few spokes as possible.

Replace all your bolts with aluminum ones.

Replace all your spacers with plastic ones.

Cut your steerer tube down so you don't have to use ay spacers.

Don't use any spacers

Buy a frame with the shortest toptube, seat tube and chainstays as less matrial saves weight even if the frame doesn't suit your style or size.