Why You Don’t Want the Lightest Bike<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Just like many things in life, there tends to be a happy medium or a point of diminishing returns when we deviate too far away from the standard. Many riders begin to experience more negative results from going ultra-light on their trail bikes, than positives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

A lighter bike tends to have a harder time keeping on a line than their heavier counterparts. Baby heads, roots, potholes, and other trail obstacles tend to deflect the bike away to the left or right, rather than the weight of its momentum carrying the bike straight through its intended line. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

This makes for an almost pin-ball like effect, in heavy rock gardens and is quite unnerving to steer, as well as, increasing the dreaded “arm pump”. Think of the difference between a 250lbs. linebacker charging through a crowd of people, versus a 90lbs. gymnast attempting the same. That linebacker is gonna carve a much straighter line through that crowd, for sure.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Additionally, bikes with a bit more heft to them, tend to bounce or buck upward more. This is most noticeable on hard-tail bikes as a full-suspension bike, if properly tuned, should absorb a fair amount of this bouncing. Regardless, a lighter bike will be more difficult to ride through very rough sections.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Such as the way the Universe works, every pro has its con. And one of those downsides to building things lighter, is they tend to become less durable or lose strength in the process. Even with today’s light-weight high-strength materials, many of the components on the market have had their fair share of failures due to being overly frail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Where Should I Save Weight?<\/strong><\/h3>\n\n\n\n

So all this isn’t to say we need to only purchase the heaviest components for our bike, with the intent on getting to the heaviest it can be. No one wants to pedal a 50lbs. bike for a day, and lugging a bike that heavy uphill is not a good recipe if you plan to have the legs left to charge back down the trail. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

So here are some key areas to focus on when you’re considering putting your stead on a diet that will improve its rideability and performance, rather than impair it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wheels –<\/strong> It’s been known throughout the ages that a good set of wheels on a bike can be one of the best performance upgrades a rider can make. Lighter wheels spin-up (accelerate) faster, climb hills with more ease and give your bike a much more spritely, carvable feal.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Wheelsets that are on the more rigid side, such as many of carbon wheels available, tend to magnify the pinball effect, even more, when coupled with their lightweight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Many manufacturers, due to the rider feedback, have begun intentionally designing their rims to have a bit of compliance to them, so they tend to flex a bit when encountering trail obstacles, allowing them to stay on their intended path with much less effort. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A good rule of thumb is to find a set of hoops, that is not necessarily the lightest on the market, but lands on the lighter side, and offers a good bit of compliance as well. This should offer you some of the benefits of weight reduction, without as many of the drawbacks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Backpack –<\/strong> Ditch it all together! Ok, let me expand upon that. Unless you’re doing all day long excursions or going to be far separated from civilization where you’ll need to be carrying everything you could possibly imagine you might need, then pair down, and lose that extra weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With the advent of more and more on bike, stow-able tool kits, it has become quite easy to compile a repair kit that can get you out of the most common breakdowns you might encounter on the trail, without having a giant pack strapped to your back. A good repair kit will include:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

• Tube – Even if you’re running tubeless, it’s a good idea to carry a tube in the event that the sealant just isn’t doing its job<\/li>
• Master link – A broken chain can be repaired with a master link much quicker than pushing out a pin and reconnecting the broken link. There are a zillion places to hide a replacement master-link on a bike.<\/li>
• Zip ties – Because they can be used for so much<\/li>
• Bacon strip kit – These kits are great for plugging holes in tires that are just a bit too large for the sealant to work <\/li>
• CO2 – These little cartridges work for airing up tires, especially for reseating tubeless tires on the trail. Make sure to get a quality adapter that features on ON\/OFF valve, otherwise, you’ll end up wasting a fair amount of the charge when you use it. <\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n

  Some of my favorite and most visited, trail networks allow me to stay within 20min. or so of my vehicle in the event that I experience some sort of breakage that cannot be easily remedied with my on bike tool kit. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Your body –<\/strong> If you really want to make your bike go faster, on the uphills and downhills, straights and turns, this is where you’re going to get the biggest return for your investment. Your own body weight.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  For many of us, cutting our weight down by just 5-10lbs. can happen in relatively short order and with a little self-discipline. To shave that equal amount of weight off of a bike, can be extremely cost prohibitive, as the amount of money it takes to get a bike from 33lbs. down to 28lbs. can be quite substantial.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  A lighter rider tends to be less taxing on the structural integrity of the bike and it’s components too, decreasing wear and tear and increasing their longevity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Another benefit that lighter riders experience is fewer creaks and complaints out of the suspension, drive train and cockpit due to the decreased load. It stands to say, that all things being equal, a lighter rider will see more life out of a frame than that same rider with a bit of girth on him. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Not only that, but you’ll be an overall better rider as well, feeling more agile, quick and able to go longer before fatigue sets in. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Worst Areas to Save Weight On.<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

  Tires –<\/strong> It may seem like a great place to save some grams, after all, there can be a significant weight savings noticed when selecting tires. In many instances, just the difference between a manufactures standard tubeless casing (ie; EXO, Snake Skin, Light, etc.) and the more heavy plied version of the same tire (ie; Double Down, Super Gravity, Tough, etc.), can be as much as 300g. per tire. That adds up to over a one pound weight reduction in rotational mass, in tires alone. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  But there is a downside to lighter tires. Those thinner casings are far more susceptible to tears, gouges, and punctures than their heavier built counterparts. Beings that tires are the main point of contact between the bike and the trail, it’s pretty important to have a tire that’s durable enough to withstand everything the trail has to throw at it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  The softer sidewalls on many tires can also have a vague, squishy feeling to them as they tend to flex more in the corners and bends. Making the bike feel as if it might be losing traction or sliding a bit, rather than sticking to the trail. Most experienced riders prefer the extra piece of mind of having a more durable casing, over the benefits they would realize from the weight savings in the lighter version.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  <\/figure><\/div>\n\n\n\n

  Bolts & Fasteners –<\/strong> Many at home mechanics, in an attempt to shave off every last gram, have been known to remove what they think, are excess bolts and screws from the different components of the bike. Running three brake rotor bolts to attach it to the hub, instead of six is a common one. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  By removing these screws, you have thereby reduced the clamping force that holds the rotor to the hub, by 50%! This is a horrible idea, that could lead to severe rotor warping, cracked rotors, sheared off bolts, and the potential for a catastrophic failure. Just to save a handful of grams. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Replacement titanium bolts and screws are available and will save a bit of weight. Though they do look super trick with their Torx\u00ae bit head, they are fairly expensive and it can be hard to justify the money spent, for the very little weight saving you will notice. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Our advice; stick to the fasteners that come with your components and frame. These parts were developed by some amazingly talented engineers, that put a lot of time and effort into making sure your parts are adequate enough for their intended purpose. If it were possible to attach a rotor with just three fasteners, without a loss in performance, you can bet that they would be all over those design modifications. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Suspension Components –<\/strong> Your bike’s suspension is vitally important to the performance of your mounting bike, probably one of the most important, right alongside brakes and tires. So this is not an area where you’ll want to make your purchase decisions based solely on how it tips the scales.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Of course, manufacturers are constantly working to create lighter suspension components every day that still maintain the stiffness, adjustability, and performance of their previous models. And they are doing a good job of it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  But what I’m saying here is, choose the option that best suits your riding style. If you’re a hard charger that plows through rock gardens and smashes through just about everything you can, then you’re probably better off running the more rigid, and tuneable, Fox 36 fork as opposed to the lighter more flexy Fox 34. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Same goes for the rear shock. Maybe that reservoir-less air shock looks good on the scale, but at a drastic loss in performance compared to a shock that might be more appropriate for your needs, such as one with a separate reservoir, or even a coil shock. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Brakes & Rotors –<\/strong> I think probably the single most important piece of bike kit that can make or break a ride, is a good set of stoppers. I’ve personally ridin’ in several situations, where the brakes that I had were not anywhere near capable enough for the trail I was riding. This is a scary situation, and something I will definitely not repeat. I’ve learned my lesson about the importance of being able to effectively control my speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Brake manufacturers today are assembling some brakes that do a fantastic job and have gobs of stopping power when used for their intended purpose, without tipping the scales too far. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  I personally prefer to have a bit more braking power than I need in most situations. It’s far easier to manage a bike that has gobs of stopping power than one with not near enough. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  And our brakes aren’t just for stopping. More importantly, they are for controlling our speed. And it doesn’t take long for arm pump to set in if you’re dragging the lever down an entire run, because your setup is not able to slow you sufficiently before heading into a corner once you’ve picked up some speed on the straightaways. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Many riders insist on never running anything less than 180mm rotors on the front and rear. And this is a great idea. The very minimal (20g-30g) amount of weight savings they would notice from a smaller 160mm rotor isn’t worth any of the increased stopping distance and lack of heat dissipation that would come from it’s larger version. If you’re a heavier rider or prefer a more ‘balls out’ style of riding, then maybe consider jumping up to a 200mm rotor for even more bite. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Final Thoughts<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

  Sure, it is fun to geek out and toy with a setup that gives us a tangible marker to show improvement; such as the number that shows up on the scale when we weigh our bike. But for all that feel good we receive from achieving our goal of building a ridiculously light bike, we lose just as much in terms of the bikes capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Now, this isn’t also to say that you should build a 50lbs porker either. The weight of your bike should be indicative of your own personal riding style and body size only. Bike manufacturers have realized this as well, and have begun building frames that are a bit more robust than in previous iterations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Dropper posts themselves, have added a fair amount of weight, over a standard tube post. And everyone agrees that dropper posts have been a game changer for the mt. biking community, but you’ll never hear any of them complain about them being too heavy. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  How much does your bike weigh? We’d love to hear about it in the comments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

  Enjoy a beautiful Now my friends<\/strong> ~JC<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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