Best way to drop weight of a DH bike

[Supervokes]

What is the best way to drop the weight of my DH bike? It weighs 44LBS (Giant DH), and I would like to get it down to around 40, but still maintain DH components and tires.

Basic specs:
888 fork
Mavic D321 rims
Manitou Swinger 6 way
Maxxis minion tires (2.5)
Truvativ Hussefelt cranks

I was wondering, what parts offer the best "bang for the buck" in terms of weight reduction for DH bikes?

For example, rear shock titanium springs, lighter cranksets, rims, etc. etc.

[Ninja]

Get rid of your DH tubes (if you use them) run regulars!

[Nelson]

Get rid of your DH tubes (if you use them) run regulars!

Get rid of tubes all together. (easy 2 pounds if you're running DH tubes)

Other cheap things to drop weight are saddle (half a pound).
Stem and bar (Half a pound)
Cranks (Not cheap, but you can drop a pound)

[RITALIN]

yeah...change from hussefelts

[Björk]

titanium spring

[schoenrock]

buy my bars

[connor]

yeah, ti spring, and skinny tubes, MEC specials are like $2.75, and I get like 2 flats a year.

[Mark_H]

A Ti spring costs a dollar per grams saved.

[1crazy mofo]

if you can find lighter wheels thats where id start. it will be the most effective also. if you think about it theres less rotating momentum, makes sence in my head, correct me if im wrong

[0_o]

The best way to drop the weight on a DH bike is through fitness.

[Supervokes]

Which crankset would be the lightest and best for DH (raceface)????

Its hard to find weight info on cranks, since some manufacturers include the weight of the BB, while others do not.

Also the rims ... a change to Alex supra D would shave about 100 grams per rim .... is it worth it??? Can you run these tubeless or would it be better to just buy tubeless rims?

And last but not least, the Ti spring change on the Manitou ... approx how many grams could be shed? Is 200 realistic?

Thanks for all the feedback so far.

[atb]

get a diferent fork. you could save 2lbs by getting a 2006 boxxer wc.

[million dola "jules"]

im currently dooing the same my 223 weighs about 42.5lbs

im changing the wheels to rhyno lite xl's with a cheap hub up front and a ck 150x12mm in the rear and stans no tubes im thinking this should drop about 3-4lbs

but damn those 224's are looking good i might have a 223 for sale soon

[XXX_er]

going ust and tubeless is the fastest/easiest/ cheapest way to drop weight

and the rotating weight you don't have to get moving or maintain is going to
be the biggest difference in speed

[Mountain Dewd]

TUBELESS ex823's with michies or minion ust's

[Jeff M]

Tubeless tires
Lighter rims
Lighter fork

In that order

Ti springs= pissing away money for very little improvement.

[IFO]

boXXer..

tubeless wheel conversion (ghetto tubeless)...

Saint cranks...

then practise your podium speech... hahahaha...

[SC blur]

Get you colon cleaned and take a dump before every ride. I bet that would drop at least 3lbs. Then you can switch to tubeless.

[switch]

Get you colon cleaned and take a dump before every ride.Nothing like an ice-cold enema before a big race.

Saddle, seatpost, cranks (X-type), bars, pedals, and stem - you can drop a pound or two by changing these.

Tires/wheels/tubes - you can easily drop a lot of weight in this area.

If you're racing, concentrate on the wheels. If you're not racing, then just do what Shin said and work on body strength; at least it's free.

[aoe]

stans no tubes are an excellent bang for the buk weight saving upgrade. under $100 and drop over a pound of rotational weight. Also a worth upgrade is cranks. May not save a whole lot of weight but you will also gain confidence. I went from hussyflets on my m1 to diabolous on my team dh and they are smoother and less flexy.

[M13]

Donate a kidney: drop couple 100's of grams and save a person's life.

[cycla4sh0]

drill some holes in the brake lever.platform pedals are heavy.i think atom lab makes lexan pedals?

[PhotoFyffer]

my chumba f4 is 43 pounds and with profiles, have some raceface ns dh comming so going to loose a pound there and going tubeless with 823, and new sadel going for 40 or just below

[big ben]

mavic deemax with maxxis highroller ust
06 boxxer world cups
easton bars

[Wayne P]

With what you listed, you are not going to save that much. You'll have to spend a lot of money to get even 2 or 3lbs off the 44 you claimed it is. I'd guess that realistically its about 46-47 with what you listed. My Devinci is built with much lighter parts and its a true 42.

The only thing you could do that's actually noticeable and worthwhile is to invest in a Stan's kit and maybe some lighter cranks.

Save your money for the next bike and plan it out. The most important spec is
1. Frame
2. Fork
3. Wheels

Bits and peices are going to cost you lts and won't really be that effective.

[downstairs]

drill tones of holes in ur bike

[Spud-biker]

48/49 lbs Norco team DH frame , Dhx 5 , Shiver ,Highroller 2.5 's, 321 rear, single track front, saint cranks .
If I had a light bike I'd have to think of another excuse :)

[east coast]

Use a 6" rotor on your back brake. It's steel, it's rotating mass and most of your braking comes from your front brake any way.

[Req]

Get you colon cleaned and take a dump before every ride. I bet that would drop at least 3lbs. Then you can switch to tubeless.

:agree:

[Midas]

deemax w/ tubless
lighter fork (boxxer WC 06)
get atlas cranks, you wont break them if you are smooth
lighter seat and seatpost, cut seat post
pro taper bar, dont fuck with anything else
lighter stem
ti spring
lighter clipless pedals, i would say crank brothers

[PhotoFyffer]

deemax are not even close to lightless, U run dual single tracks with dual hadley hubs and single butted spoked, just need a good wheelbuilder to make sure she is strong but ya, my wheels are much lighter then deemax and less money also. I hoping for a true sub 40lb bike. dhx air is in the works.

[million dola "jules"]

man it costs nothing to lose 4 pounds if your running 321 or something similar get some rhyno lite xl's 60$ for a pair. and some bmx tubes and sealant 30$ max. for under 100 dollars you can save very close to 4 pounds once i get my bike back to gether i will prove it

[SC blur]

get some rhyno lite xl's 60$

For under a hundred? what happens when you have to replace your rims every 2 days because they suck so much. That is too much of a sacrafice of quality to make it worth it even if it does drop like 4 lb's.

[SkunkworkS]

Quit mountain biking, sell me your bike for $10, and join the local bowling club.

[synchro]

The best way to drop the weight on a DH bike is through fitness.

for all the shit you spew around here its nice to know you are a real rider

[toy4-jay]

for all the shit you spew around here its nice to know you are a real rider
its so true aswell.

Working in a shop i see guys come in ALL the time looking for the new EC90 this and carbon nanotube that for their XC or roadbikes but the fact still remains...

buddy. You're fat. Lose some weight, then come talk to me about your new Keo Carbon road pedals.

[FreaK]

Lots of places to save weight. The main deciding factors as to which things you should lighten and by how much, are your performance priorities, and most frequent component victims. Ie if you feel you require a certain level of stiffness from your bar then you shouldn't be trying to save weight there, or if you flat frequently then you shouldn't be trying to save weight by using thinner casing tyres.

Go-Ride now has hop-up goodies for 888s so you can save a bunch there
Industrynine.net has something cool that should save a pound off if they're claims are anything to go by.
if you're really desperate to save weight off the wheels you could switch to 521s (or whaterver the flippin heck they call them now) or even light 24"s like Arrow FRX(the 26" is actually heavier than the 321 though).

pedals do have a lot of variation in weight, between a set of stainless Syncros and welgo mg-1 there's a difference of something like a pound and a half, so there are gains to be had there without sacrificing much, if anything at all if you're willing to spend the money.

[thewalrus]

its so true aswell.

Working in a shop i see guys come in ALL the time looking for the new EC90 this and carbon nanotube that for their XC or roadbikes but the fact still remains...

buddy. You're fat. Lose some weight, then come talk to me about your new Keo Carbon road pedals.

haha, so true. you get fat people buying easton EC90 carbon road forks?

sold any madone 5.9s to fat guys lately? :D

speaking of EC90s - the EC90 SL scares me, i think the full fork with uncut steerer tube is 290 grams.

[thewwkayaker]

Why does everyone think you'll save any significant amount of weight running tubeless (assuming you don't run DH tubes)? When you add in the liner and goop any weight savings over a conventional tube is gone.

If you can run lighter rims that would be the best place to lose weight on the bike (spin weight). A boxxer WC or Fox40RC2 would help a lot on static weight - keeping with the DH need for a dualie. For a lot more money you could buy lighter components but you may also be replacing them more often too (e.g. lots of DH racers run carbon bars and seatposts - but they replace them often (before they break).

Wayne- thought your bike weighed under 40lbs? What happend?

[SC blur]

Working in a shop i see guys come in ALL the time looking for the new EC90 this and carbon nanotube that for their XC or roadbikes but the fact still remains...

buddy. You're fat. Lose some weight, then come talk to me about your new Keo Carbon road pedals.

Haha, so true true, the high end shop i hang around at is full of fat roadies who ride bikes that are worth more than some cars. But i give credit to those who actualy lose the weight with their high end bikes. Its the fat ones who ride 10 miles a week on their super expensive bikes that really kinda piss me off.

[Wayne P]

Why does everyone think you'll save any significant amount of weight running tubeless (assuming you don't run DH tubes)? When you add in the liner and goop any weight savings over a conventional tube is gone.

If you can run lighter rims that would be the best place to lose weight on the bike (spin weight). A boxxer WC or Fox40RC2 would help a lot on static weight - keeping with the DH need for a dualie. For a lot more money you could buy lighter components but you may also be replacing them more often too (e.g. lots of DH racers run carbon bars and seatposts - but they replace them often (before they break).

Wayne- thought your bike weighed under 40lbs? What happend?

Heavier wheelset, heavier fork, heavier rubber, heavier components (drivetrain, pedals, etc). It was just a sliver under 40 on my scale, now its just a sliver under 42.

Tubeless do save in acceleration performance, but mostly its for flat resistance. If your set up isn't saving you rotational weight, then I think maybe you're doing something different (like not using Stan's rim strips?).

[switch]

Food for thought. If you're riding downhill, a heavier wheel will retain it's rotational energy better than a lighter wheel. It will also add more stability as it will be harder to change the direction of the rotating mass.

[atb]

Food for thought. If you're riding downhill, a heavier wheel will retain it's rotational energy better than a lighter wheel. It will also add more stability as it will be harder to change the direction of the rotating mass.

But a heavier wheel also takes longer to speed up and slow down.

[synchro]

Food for thought. If you're riding downhill, a heavier wheel will retain it's rotational energy better than a lighter wheel. It will also add more stability as it will be harder to change the direction of the rotating mass.

sweet jesus batman! i'm gonna go buy those solid steel disk wheels i saw on sale at london drugs last week.

nelson, do you want a set too?

[TheGiggler]

... It will also add more stability as it will be harder to change the direction of the rotating mass.


great for those DH courses that have no corners :high:

[Wayne P]

great for those DH courses that have no corners :high:

Yea, I'm thinking the Kamikaze would be great for those solid wheels.

[Bryce]

buddy. You're fat. Lose some weight, then come talk to me about your new Keo Carbon road pedals.

i gotta agree. Unless you're already really lean, you could probably lose more weight off your body than off your bike

[Nelson]

nelson, do you want a set too?

Sure, hook a brother up eh?

[XXX_er]

losing weight is a great thing but that is not only non-rotating but sprung weight

lighter wheels not only accelerate and decelerate faster they are gona handle bumps better cuz its unsprung weight .Mag wheels on a car were originaly magnesium cuz lighter wheels followed the road better and handled better of course most peopel buy them to mount bigger tires and looks but that was the original use