The bike weight thread

[bvibert]

if i was a weight weenie i'd be more concerned with the extra lbs around my middle more than the bikes...

That's what I always tell people too..

 

[skiboarder]

Mojo Ibis is 26 lbs.
Klein quantum is 20lbs.

 

[awf170]

I wouldn't recomend getting a 160mm fork. I don't think you frame could handle it. Come on, aren't you an engineering student? Bike frames are designed to for handle a range of forks. I would guess that your could handle up to a 145mm. Anything over that and it would void your frame warrenty.

I still have hope for the the 160mm fork. The 07' model actually came with a 140mm fork and it was the same exact fame. So basically the frame was designed for a 140mm fork, but then they downgraded to a 130mm fork to get the bike under 30 pounds and to make it more XC worthy. Also, there are a few people on MTBR with a 160mm fork on it and have no problems.

How much more stress could it actually put on the frame? It will give the front wheel slightly more leverage (around 1.5 inches more) and slacken the headtube around 1.5 degrees. I really don't think that could add more than 5% extra stress on the frame. I mean I could try to do all the math out but I don't think I'm quite that nerdy, at least I hope not.

Also, I can't add a slightly bigger shock to the rear like you did, right?

 

[MR. evil]

I still have hope for the the 160mm fork. The 07' model actually came with a 140mm fork and it was the same exact fame. So basically the frame was designed for a 140mm fork, but then they downgraded to a 130mm fork to get the bike under 30 pounds and to make it more XC worthy. Also, there are a few people on MTBR with a 160mm fork on it and have no problems.

How much more stress could it actually put on the frame? It will give the front wheel slightly more leverage (around 1.5 inches more) and slacken the headtube around 1.5 degrees. I really don't think that could add more than 5% extra stress on the frame. I mean I could try to do all the math out but I don't think I'm quite that nerdy, at least I hope not.

Also, I can't add a slightly bigger shock to the rear like you did, right?

I would be more worried about the stresses at the welds at the head tube. A drastic change like that to the frame geo could easily cuase those welds to fail. If you weren't riding a place like Lynn Woods several times a week I would think a 160mm fork wouldn't be a problem. But with all the drops you are doing there a 160mm fork could really wreck you frame. You also need to remember that you are already using your bike as a light free ride bike when it was really designed to be an XC trail bike. Doing 4 to 5 foot drops with that bike in itself might void the frame warrenty.

 

[awf170]

I would be more worried about the stresses at the welds at the head tube. A drastic change like that to the frame geo could easily cuase those welds to fail. If you weren't riding a place like Lynn Woods several times a week I would think a 160mm fork wouldn't be a problem. But with all the drops you are doing there a 160mm fork could really wreck you frame. You also need to remember that you are already using your bike as a light free ride bike when it was really designed to be an XC trail bike. Doing 4 to 5 foot drops with that bike in itself might void the frame warrenty.

So that answers my question of what I'm going to do.

Beat the shit of this bike until the end of next summer or until something major fails. Work an internship during the summer where I will hopefully be making $15ish an hour, and buy a beefy AM/ light freeride bike that weighs around 34-38 pounds that will still climb pretty well.


Also, I'm pretty sure the rollers in Lynn woods are doing more damage then the drops. As long as I land 4-5 footers reasonably well I'm only blowing through about 70-80% of the shock. Doing steep rollers with speed I'm constantly blowing through 90% of my travel and occasionally if I'm not getting back far enough I'm bottoming out my front shock. Even trying to get up steep rollers and drops I'm going through about the same amount of travel as I am doing drops.

 

[millerm277]

2005 Cannondale F300 - Around 30lbs. Heaviest I've had it was close to 65 for a long trip.

 

[rueler]

I've got two set-ups. My '04 Specialized Stumpjumper weighs in at 26 pounds due to some part swapping tinkering. My '07 Cannondale Prophet is right around 30 pounds. It recently got lighter when I swapped out the original rims for my Mavic Crossmax ST wheelset. It makes a huge difference. A little extra weight isn't a big deal if you pedal enough during the ride season.