Is this an End to monstrous bikes :O

[Garris]

I was bored sitting around thinking and as usual my thoughts strayed to biking.

This time I focused on bike weight as several people I have talked to were..complaining or concerenced about how heavy their bikes were getting.

if you look at your average freeride full suspension bike being about 50-60 pounds thats a lot of weight, and the affects on the human body of trying to maneauver and throw these beasts around can't be good on the body.

Are we going to see an end to monstrous dh rigs in a few years and see people returning to lighter bikes,HT's with DC's on them and bikesl ike the big hit with a SC on it.

is it possible that bike litening will be the trend of the future.

I let you be hte judge.

[hillmonkey]

nope....we are going to get bigger ;)

[BuckChoklit]

no, I think people and manufacturers are gonna get smart and continue to follow the BMX trends as they always have. ie. making bikes with strong light material like Reynolds 853.

[Garris]

Originally posted by BuckChoklit
no, I think people and manufacturers are gonna get smart and continue to follow the BMX trends as they always have. ie. making bikes with strong light material like Reynolds 853.

Just for hte sake of arguement, won't making bikes out of strong lite material make hte bikes much more expensive.

Would you pay 6 or 7 grand for a Norco Shore that weighed30 pounds...

[Chump]

I am happy with my 40 pound squish:D

Steve

[fcf-spec]

I'm quite happy with my 54 pound VPS... I don't see it nearing 60 any time soon. I like the motocross feeling of dual 24x3.0s and super high front end and the weight and stability it has. I'm prolly not gonna make it much lighter on purpose.

Light bikes are cool to an extent but heavy bikes :cuffs: the light bikes. :D

[drezy]

Light bikes are great, but I want my bike to take the punishment, not my body. Plus ask anyone who has had to wait for their warranty to go through, I'd pedal around an extra 10 lbs just to avoid that BS.

[Garris]

Originally posted by drezy
Light bikes are great, but I want my bike to take the punishment, not my body. Plus ask anyone who has had to wait for their warranty to go through, I'd pedal around an extra 10 lbs just to avoid that BS.

but if you could get a bike that was as strong or stronger than your bike, and weighed 10 pounds less...would you pay and how much would you be willing to pay

[.glib]

I'd venture they're going to stay heavy for a couple of reasons. You have to keep in mind that a LARGE portion of 'freeriders' (I use that to include mtb street, dj ect as well) are or at least STARt as teenagers. Teenagers are generally relatively poor. Teenagers go on to become students (often) at some post secondard institution. This makes them poorer.

Heavy bikes are stronger than lighter ones in general. They don't break as much, and thus these poor poor riders can continue riding. I understand that's a generalization, but it's mainly true.

[Rat]

Personaly there are very few trails on the shore that I would prefer a dually to my hardtail. I think you going to see alot of folks who have had big bikes start to rethink the bigger is better idea that has been the trend latley.

[BuckChoklit]

yeah, it would be expensive at first but eventually come down.....

[wilkez]

i hate to break it to ya but even hardtails are getting tankish

[m33p]

Get some muscle girls. If you get hurt throwing your 50 pound bike around you are weak. My bike weighs 55 right now and will be 60 by the time I fix her up. I can throw it around and hop it like no ones business. Ask JSinclair, he's seen me hop it up higher stuff than 2 feet:)

On the thread note, lighter and the same strength, MEH. If it's gonna cost $3000 more its not worth it, some people will pay that but that's there choice. You can ride a lighter bike if your smooth and don't do dumb things/big hucks. Your bike can also be a lot lighter if you have megawads of cash. We'll see what the future holds.

[Mongoose Man]

I think that all you guys on here saying that they would not want a litter biker are just scared to say it.
Why not have a lighter bike if it is just as strong.
There are many advantages to having a lighter bike, some of these being , more easy to handle and quicker acceleration.

I am pretty sure alot of the people on this board that have heavy bike can make them a lot lighter without sacrificing stength.
For example you can go the tubeless way, you could get rims that are not over built, lighter seats, lighter hubs.

[Tony G]

ya well i think that as we evolve in biking...ppl r lookin to bigger and better...and that requires stronger and better components...i think that one day somebody will invent a motoX bike that can manouver like a pedal bike...thats what everybody is lookin for i think...and until that happens we will never give up on goin bigger and better...
"life's too short not to go big man, gotta go big" (Josh Bender)

[m33p]

Originally posted by Mongoose Man
I think that all you guys on here saying that they would not want a litter biker are just scared to say it.
Why not have a lighter bike if it is just as strong.
There are many advantages to having a lighter bike, some of these being , more easy to handle and quicker acceleration.

I am pretty sure alot of the people on this board that have heavy bike can make them a lot lighter without sacrificing stength.
For example you can go the tubeless way, you could get rims that are not over built, lighter seats, lighter hubs.

I ain't scared to ride a lighter bike, but then it's not half as stong, if it was it would cost $4000 more than I paid for my bike.

My bike weighs 55 pounds because that's how much it has to weigh to not break. Any lighter parts will break. I have the heaviest rim, forks, cranks etc. This is for all outa hucking and stupid stuff I do.

When whistler rolls around I should have my bike around 45 pounds, lighter fork, wheels, cranks etc. I'll sacrifice strength for speed and acceleration. I can also ride a little smoother to preserve the parts.

Heavier biks suite some riders better(like me). Some like it lighter because they weigh less, me being 220 pounds I like my bike heavy and strong. All depends on what you ride, how you ride it and how much you like it.

[Alexey]

hmmm good thread, i just wanna say that i doubt that there is even one person on here who's ever weighed his bike because he thought it wa too heavy, some of us do it for fun, but its not a myth, we really dont care about weight. wen you;re seeing ppl going back to ht's with short travel forks and stuff, all that reflects is the style of riding that is most appealing to the ppl. The fact that ht's are lighter then big fr bikes is a bi-product of the fact that more ppl want to do street nowadays

[WBC]

I know I love my new, lighter bike.

More travel, more strength, 10 lbs lighter. Can't be beat.

I think eventually 7/7 bikes will be the freeride standard and 8/8 for DH.

Personally, my 7/7 Big HIt is the nicest bike I have ever ridden.

[WBC]

BIG BIKES ARE OVERRATED!!!

[243_ht]

you can get light dualies...eg bullit w/ boxxer and reasonable strong but not incredibly heavy fr parts. its just alota people refuse to buy it.

[IFO]

ummm there is already a trend to go lighter/ with strength.. in fact its been around for about a season already...

lots of people who already bought/rode/owned Tank type bikes have since resold em and replaced em with lighter rides that are built with materials and tech that allows em to be just as strong if not stronger...

there will always be a market for Tank-bikes, that wont go away cuz some people need them...

but for a MUCH larger portion of the freeride market, newer bieks are getting spec'd lighter/ with better spec's and built around newer tech that allows them to be just as strong...

35-39 pound FS bikes that can hang with "any crowd" exist and are becoming more and more popular...

i'll always take a lighter bike if its still strong enuf to survive the ride... WHY push teh extra weight around if its not providing the rider with any advantage...

a good example of this is the new Spinergy wheels Wade and R. Schley are "proto" testing... light weight big hit wheel sets...
they look awesome... and if the cost isnt outrageous i'll be looking into a set...:D

[sAFETY]

I think that as design and materials progress, we'll see weight become more of a concern for manufacturers. If one company is making a bike that weighs x, is y strong, and costs z, and another company comes along and offers the same features and figures, the original designer will currently try to up the y factor.

This introduces a stronger bike for the same price. Unfortunately the weight ofter suffers. If they make a lighter bike that's just as strong it'll be more expensive.

As technology advances, all three aspects get better. IE the same bike will cost less while remaining just as light (or lighter) and just as strong(or stronger).

We'll get to a point (if we're not already there) where the average bike will be more than strong enough for the average rider (remember, that most of us are not average riders). When that happens, the bikes will remain just as strong but lighter for the same price.

Moral is, yes, bikes will start getting lighter. Why have a 50lb FS when a 40lb FS for the same price performs just as well?

[trail worker]

nope i doubt it will change.people will keep on going bigger and there is only and extent that you can make light bikes be strong bikes..eventually you wont be able to build them light AND strong enough unless you made it outta kevlar or something..i dunno:???:
im perfectly happy with my 38 or so pound hardtail.

[IFO]

umm trail worker u already have a light bike

38 lbs aint bad... even if its a HT...

now if your HT was a 60lb Tank u'd have a different tune to sing...

[sAFETY]

the average person isn't going to go bigger though. We can't think of mountain bikers as a single group.

[Bukkake]

I think as supension technology progresses we will get long travel bikes that weigh the same amount but "feel" lighter than they are just because of how well they handle.

[Burnwood]

I am always looking for new cost effecient ways to lighten my bikes. I love the snappy acceleration and easier climbs that come with a light bike. As long as you make intelligent component choices your bike should still be strong and fairly light...

[Slamigo]

Life is about balance.
You are going to see a happy medium develop between the extremes. Freeride bikes are going to get lighter and stronger. I don't think you're going to see them get too much more expensive though. They would be entering the price range of nice 125-250cc offroad bikes, (motorized not NORCO).
The strength factor is big, but hucking off huge cliffs will eventually fade away. I mean, think about it. Hucking will go the way of jumping over cars and such for motorcycling. You will see guys trying to Evil Kneivel over 22 buses or something. It will become a Guiness Book of World Records type of thing instead of real free-riding. Ask yourself, right now: Would you rather watch Robbie Kneivel jump 20 cars or Pastrana bust some cool moves. I think that most people will get tired of watching guys dead-sailor off of stuff.
Also, you are going to get older. When you get older, your style improves, your bikes improve, but your willingness to risk nutting yourself decreases dramatically. I wear a suit and tie to work. Showing up for a meeting with my teeth knocked out is not a career enhancing move.
I ride a new 03 Bullit with a 03 JR T. The cost is at the ceiling of what my wife, (that's right, you will end up with one of those someday if you're lucky, or unlucky... it depends), would let me dish out on a bicycle. That's actually more frame and fork than I probably need, but just enough that I can still climb to the top of the run and yet blast through the rough sections.
I have found my happy medium.:P

(and before you younguns start mouthin off about yeah, he ain't a hardcore rider and he doesn't understand...I have had to come back from a really bad injury. Back in 1987 I blew my ankle apart skateboarding - compound fracture, dislocated joint, metal screws, lots of blood, etc. Ask yourself what you were doing in 1987, prolly still crapping in your huggies. You live past thirty, you will like a sub 40 lbs bike, trust me);)

[C.C.]

Originally posted by Gandalf
I'd venture they're going to stay heavy for a couple of reasons. You have to keep in mind that a LARGE portion of 'freeriders' (I use that to include mtb street, dj ect as well) are or at least STARt as teenagers. Teenagers are generally relatively poor. Teenagers go on to become students (often) at some post secondard institution. This makes them poorer.

Heavy bikes are stronger than lighter ones in general. They don't break as much, and thus these poor poor riders can continue riding. I understand that's a generalization, but it's mainly true.

Good logical argument.

[IFO]

werd up Slamigo...

i hear what your saying...

there is life beyond 30 and riding a bike below 40lbs....:D

[ronald55555]

I used to think weight is no problem at all just 2 weeks ago. But i switched from a VPS to a ht 2 weeks ago, and you can really notice a huge difference, the bike is so much easier to fling aroud.
but I dont think they will end the big bikes trend, people are going bigger and bigger, frames need to be stronger. While they will have technology to use lighter materials, stuff still gets beefier, so it would still be heavy.

[~Jaurey~]

Different people prefer different things.

[Broken Fusion!]

I just put a heavier wheel on the back of my bike and for some reason it's easier to hop :eek: :???:
I have no idea why.
I can wheelie better with it too.
STRANGE!


My new frame I'm getting is the new BMW frame, they made it out of solid cast iron cause they like ridiculous things. I know I can get a VPS which realistically, I'm not gonna break anyways, but come on. It's cast iron.

[BC_Hucker]

my bikes 47 pounds, which i find fine, the thing i dont like about my bike is that its a team Dh with dual 26, and its pretty damn big.

[just ride]

all i can say, is that we lost cam on an urban ride. all of us on our little ht's and little fs's , and then cam, tankin around on his big ass scream and we actually lost him..

all of u are makin very true points, bigger hits = bigger bikes, unless u plan on buying a new bike after ever big hit a big bike is the answer. but the truth is, if u cant handle it, then dont ride it!

[Loopie]

uhmmm..........one more point.
Heavier bikes and components are stiff(I HATE flex).....and also stable as fuck:D

[Infamous]

i dont know how bikes are gunna get heavier!

[pete]

Originally posted by m33p
Get some muscle girls. If you get hurt throwing your 50 pound bike around you are weak. My bike weighs 55 right now and will be 60 by the time I fix her up. I can throw it around and hop it like no ones business. Ask JSinclair, he's seen me hop it up higher stuff than 2 feet:)



talk is cheap. when are you gonna come out to an urban?

[Battlecat]

My stab primo weighs 42 pounds and i love it. It isnt 2 heavy at all:D

[m33p]

Originally posted by pete
talk is cheap. when are you gonna come out to an urban?

Someday... Someday. Maybe I'll introduce myself on Friday this time.

[inshane]

I can ride my 50+ pound bike like a light weight ht.

[Reggaeman]

The goal for my DH bike this year is Sub 40. If I can get it that light I'll be a happy camper.:)

[SkiD]

i ride a 36 pound rigid, im pretty happy, i just avoid trialsy stuff and take a bus or taxi up the hill.

[Loopie]

:lol:.....36lb is XC material around here...they just ride 'em up the hills they're so light:P :D

[JSinclair]

I personally think that Drops are nearing their high end of size. Looking at teh injuries in the past 2 seasons, I think we are nearing the maximum size limits (Not of bike but of rider).

The biggest question as well is...as an Average rider (not to say you suck) what are YOUR limits ? Mine, well I don't think I'll ever drop anything over 15 feet. I am at 7-9 now and 15 seems big. I don't feel the need to push myself beyond what I feel is comfortable. Thus I don't need Monster T's and a 60 lbs rig.

I am working on smooth fast stylish lines (Which I think is becoming more popular this season). Style and flow are the future. One stunt wonders were just a fad.

With the price of rigs these days more peopl ewill be looking for an all around bike. Having a V10 for Urban is just not as much fun as having a light snappy little bike.

The trend right now is for riders to have more than one bike. I am looking at building a Light HT for urban and Jumping. I will keep my big rig (45 lbs of it) For Whistler and the Shore. Not everybody has this option. You will find that as materials and design get better (Read lighter and stronger) riders that can't afford to have 2 bikes, will look at lighter all around bike to suit their needs.

There are a number of young guns on the board that believe that they need big bikes for huge drops...Thats ok. When you look at the pictures of both Red Bull competitions however you won't see any bikes over 50 lbs. For Bryndibyne they were all on their DS or little bikes.

I truely believe that one of the main reasons that Norco is so popular has very little to do with the strength of thier frames. Norco prices themselves in a market that is affordable. The weight of the frames is always in conjuction with the price. For all eternity if you wanted something light and weight bearing it would always cost you more that something heavy. Norco's being strong and cheap is just a great way to market something that come inherantly with design process. Look at a race car for instance. Family cars are built from steel, safe, strong, cheap. Formula one cars are built from Aluminum, carbon fiber, and composites...FAST, SAFE, STRONG, LIGHT and hella expensive...Nothing new here.

I think as a rider you are going to descide what your needs are and cater to those (Like Jaurey said). If you want strong, fast, light it will cost you. if you want big, burly, heavy...it's cheaper.

I still think the best bet is 2 bikes for different riding. Cheaper in the long run.

[morley]

Originally posted by SkiD
i ride a 36 pound rigid, im pretty happy, i just avoid trialsy stuff and take a bus or taxi up the hill.

36lb rigid. :eek: My rigid bike tips the scales at 21.25, but I use it for offraod, street, and trials.

[ScottO]

everyone should have a hardtail, bant beat a good ol' hardtail:D

[Scarface]

future of Mtn biking is not at big drops tahts for sure, u go off dropping 30 ft cliffs every day see how long your gonna live wiht out arthiritis or somthig, but I se ehte future of riding in smooth technical lines that are challenging but yet look cool on camerea, and Jumps are gonna be a big part wheather its gonna be step downs or just regular big dirt jumps, its gonna involve jumps, instead of droping a huge cliff we take a smaller cliff and put a jump on top of it. taht takes Alot more skill no doubt about that, and you can also pull cool tricks off it:)

[Scarface]

OH ya and future of bicycles well, I think its gonna be medium sized bikes around 7 inches, Super T all prooved us that he could go drop pretty much as big as Bender, besides the Jaw drop and do it with a Shiver, but I guess Super T did have 10 inches of rear travel

[gimped]

I think there's an area of weight for each type of bike. My DH race bike I would like to get as close to 40lbs. as possible. Any less and you are sacrificing strength. My xc bike is 4" f & r and weighs in at 25 lbs. It's great for xc riding only. My road bike is 17 lbs. with pedals and flys up hills. My HT is solid at 35lbs. It's all relative to what your style of riding is and less to do with strength. Look at all those pinner kids on 45lb BMX's who can bunny huge - it's more technique than anything.

When I turn into an old fart (anytime now), I'd love to get the new Heckler - 5 or 6" and under 30lbs! I'd love to have a bike like that for those epic long rides in Squampton-a beefed up xc bike.

[ride24/7]

Well I've got an 01 launch with a 00 jr t witch gives me 5/5 at about 35+/- lbs. It has a lock out for the rear shock, climbs well can handle drops to 12/ 15 feet if and when I ever get to that point and in my opinion is a great all round ride. Most of the people with huge bike that I ride with end up pushing their bike up Fromme for over an hour while I can ride up in about 45 min. ( never mind somewhere like burke or the woodlot where it even harder to get up ) On the way down they very seldom lose me. So the question is unless you are racing dh or dropping 20+ foot drops ( and how many of you are HONESTLY dropping 20+ ) Why do you need a huge bike that is brutally heavy to ride up hill?

I think that in a few years you will see people going toward shore style bikes in the 6/6 mid to high 30s because they give you the best weight / cost/performane ratio

[.glib]

My HT has hit 40lbs which surprised me quite a bit. I can't afford anything lighter, as my money is going toward things that are broken. I don't have the money to go for super-high-end light components as I know something else will break in the future.

[Rat]

Originally posted by gimped

When I turn into an old fart (anytime now), I'd love to get the new Heckler - 5 or 6" and under 30lbs! I'd love to have a bike like that for those epic long rides in Squampton-a beefed up xc bike.

Banshee Chaperel, Specialized Enduro SX, The new heckler, Norco Fluid. are the bikes I see coming on in the future. Strong enough for the shore and you can pedal them too

I have found that when you get more travel and go heavier you give up as much as you get. Hucks get easier, tight trialsy sections get harder. You can go faster on the open downhill sections but you climb uphill slower.

[spleen]

So true Slamingo, so true.

Most people here have been riding for under 10 years. Wait until you have been riding for close to twenty years and then you realize that you get just as much of a rush pinning a clean flowing trail than you do from dropping big drops. Hell, if all I rode was drops for the last 10 years I would be bored silly. I love the feeling of throwing around a 35lb freeride bike on the shore. Fast fast fast. Flow and style is where this is all going.
And don't worry all you young guys - once your bored of drops you will think so to!
It sucks not to be able to keep up to old guys with style...hahahahaha!

I guess you have to be smooth and have some style and finese before you start to see the merrits of a light weight freeride or DH bike.
Steve Peat is trying to get his DH bike down under 34lbs and a lot of pro riders are doing the same thing.

[synchro]

Originally posted by Rat
Banshee Chaperel, Specialized Enduro SX, The new heckler, Norco Fluid. are the bikes I see coming on in the future. Strong enough for the shore and you can pedal them too

I have found that when you get more travel and go heavier you give up as much as you get. Hucks get easier, tight trialsy sections get harder. You can go faster on the open downhill sections but you climb uphill slower.

I think Rat brings up a good point, for many people it seems that the bigger bike is all about more travel for bigger drops and going faster. Most of the things we do can be done on a 6/6 or 7/7 type of bike. It takes more skill to fly down Ned's on a 5/5 bike than on an 8/8. Same for doing 6-10 footers. I wonder if we're getting to the point where we are substituting a larger more capable bike for rider skill. If I'm out riding and see some guy do the big drops on Ned's on a hardtail with 5 up front and then some guy do it on a bike with monsters and 7 or 8 of rear travel, you start to think if it is necessary to have all that bike.

[Midas]

I like me 44 pound squish and my yet to be finished hardtail that will weigh around 34.

[corey@nsmb.com]

Originally posted by JSinclair
Mine, well I don't think I'll ever drop anything over 15 feet. I am at 7-9 now and 15 seems big. Norco's being strong and cheap is just a great way to market something that come inherantly with design process. Look at a race car for instance. Family cars are built from steel, safe, strong, cheap. Formula one cars are built from Aluminum, carbon fiber, and composites...FAST, SAFE, STRONG, LIGHT and hella expensive...Nothing new here.





Your V10 weighs in at the same as my VPS, WITH Monster T's. Are you calling Norcos family cars and V10's F1 cars? Thats kind of a stretch. How would you classify the Super 8? as a service van? :lol:

It isn't a marketing ploy, it is a fact that they are durable bikes. Experience will tell anyone that this it the truth.

[inshane]

Originally posted by JSinclair
I personally think that Drops are nearing their high end of size. Looking at teh injuries in the past 2 seasons, I think we are nearing the maximum size limits (Not of bike but of rider).

The biggest question as well is...as an Average rider (not to say you suck) what are YOUR limits ? Mine, well I don't think I'll ever drop anything over 15 feet. I am at 7-9 now and 15 seems big. I don't feel the need to push myself beyond what I feel is comfortable. Thus I don't need Monster T's and a 60 lbs rig.

I am working on smooth fast stylish lines (Which I think is becoming more popular this season). Style and flow are the future. One stunt wonders were just a fad.

With the price of rigs these days more peopl ewill be looking for an all around bike. Having a V10 for Urban is just not as much fun as having a light snappy little bike.

The trend right now is for riders to have more than one bike. I am looking at building a Light HT for urban and Jumping. I will keep my big rig (45 lbs of it) For Whistler and the Shore. Not everybody has this option. You will find that as materials and design get better (Read lighter and stronger) riders that can't afford to have 2 bikes, will look at lighter all around bike to suit their needs.

There are a number of young guns on the board that believe that they need big bikes for huge drops...Thats ok. When you look at the pictures of both Red Bull competitions however you won't see any bikes over 50 lbs. For Bryndibyne they were all on their DS or little bikes.

I truely believe that one of the main reasons that Norco is so popular has very little to do with the strength of thier frames. Norco prices themselves in a market that is affordable. The weight of the frames is always in conjuction with the price. For all eternity if you wanted something light and weight bearing it would always cost you more that something heavy. Norco's being strong and cheap is just a great way to market something that come inherantly with design process. Look at a race car for instance. Family cars are built from steel, safe, strong, cheap. Formula one cars are built from Aluminum, carbon fiber, and composites...FAST, SAFE, STRONG, LIGHT and hella expensive...Nothing new here.

I think as a rider you are going to descide what your needs are and cater to those (Like Jaurey said). If you want strong, fast, light it will cost you. if you want big, burly, heavy...it's cheaper.

I still think the best bet is 2 bikes for different riding. Cheaper in the long run.
Purley nonsense.

How does it feel being owned on the trail when im riding a "faimly car", when you on the other hand are riding a "formula one car"?

[corey@nsmb.com]

There are a number of young guns on the board that believe that they need big bikes for huge drops...Thats ok. When you look at the pictures of both Red Bull competitions however you won't see any bikes over 50 lbs. For Bryndibyne they were all on their DS or little bikes.


Did you not see any of the pics from "Jindibyne"? They were DH bikes. I didn't see one DS bike in any of the pics.


A rider makes a bike fast, that is what it comes down to . You can put an experienced rider on an M1 and put Steve Peat on a KHS Dominatrax and Peat would walk all over him and save him a bevy at the bottom of the hill (if the guy got there in time)

[FuManChu]

Originally posted by Mulletron
Have you ever taken the time to read the rules about the board and profanity?

I suggest you do, it would help make your feedback about a million times more credible.

How helpful is it when somebody says "Gemini's are weak pieces of ____". It contributes absolutely nothing to the board. Save that kind of useless trash talk for a different website please.

yeah i realize that. guess it creeps into my vocab on here to. stupid highschool.

[inshane]

My new bike is gona be lighter now.
With the 03 monster im gona stick with the stock crown. So it will be a 12 pound fork instead of 15 like my old monster.. lol
Getting Raceface NsDh cranks, trailpimp rims, lighter bars ect.. to lighten my tank up.

Why am I making it lighter? So Corey wont complain everytime he has to hand me my bike out of the back of his truck :P

[corey@nsmb.com]

If you guys honestly believe that two or three pounds makes a difference, I think it is time to get your head out of the magazines and onto the trail where you'll see that for the riding we do, at the level we are all at, two-three pounds in either direction means squat.

[inshane]

Im really just changing my parts cause the ones I have now are broken :(
Just want to try something new instead of the same old things.

Mulletron, your bike is like 10+ pounds lighter than mine was.
Funny how a pair of diff cranks and a wheel set can change the weight of a bike so much :o

[corey@nsmb.com]

Yup I agree. I wasn't referring to your efforts to slim down your ride.

I was talking about those who are comparing bikes that are within three pounds of eachother and claiming that it makes a difference. At the level we are at, that means jack on a DH/FR rig.

[Draco Rider]

ha ha Muletron Benders bike was very likely to be over 50lbs :P

I'll ride a Big Hit DH in squishy situations, with monsters and and rohloff, trailpimps etc. Much like my HT and it will be frightningly heavy. But I know i can handle it, so why not? It will be more tiring up hill and some technical DH but whos gonna ride a Big Hit DH uphill?

Ppl prefer different weight and build. I myself prefer a bike burly bike that has top quality components because I then completely believe the bike can take whatever I throw at it.
More skilled riders i think will tend not to mind because they have the ability?

[corey@nsmb.com]

Originally posted by Draco Rider
ha ha Muletron Benders bike was very likely to be over 50lbs :P


:???: I'm not quite sure how Bender got into this discussion? I never said a thing about him or his funny bike. Am I missing something ?? :???:

[inshane]

im also confussed about that..
=\

[Draco Rider]

Originally posted by Mulletron
:???: I'm not quite sure how Bender got into this discussion? I never said a thing about him or his funny bike. Am I missing something ?? :???:

Sorry The quote died, it quited ur post on bikes in red bull being under 50lbs.

[corey@nsmb.com]

Ahh. I see. But I don't think Bender was a part of the Red Bull "Ride" in Australia, only the Red Bull "Rampage" in Utah.

His bike is in a league of its own, the "this bike can't be pedalled" league.

[Draco Rider]

Oh yeh! true. Sorry there was an article in my local bike mag on Rampage and i mixed it up with Australia.

I think his Armageddon is actually quite a good pedaller! :eek: Just from what i've heard but the Kona he rode at Rampage must of been like trying to pedal a sponge.

[WBC]

haha yeah. Im changed to lighter (but stronger) wheels, aluminum cranks and stem a 2 lbs lighter (but stronger) frame and lighter tires....

my bike is8-9lbs lighter, and just as strong, if not stronger than my old VPS.

Viva le revolucion!

:D

[JSinclair]

Originally posted by Mulletron
Your V10 weighs in at the same as my VPS, WITH Monster T's. Are you calling Norcos family cars and V10's F1 cars? Thats kind of a stretch. How would you classify the Super 8? as a service van? :lol:

It isn't a marketing ploy, it is a fact that they are durable bikes. Experience will tell anyone that this it the truth.

My V10 weights 42.5 lbs...I highly doubt your VPS weighs even close to that.

[corey@nsmb.com]

Originally posted by WannaBCanadian
haha yeah. Im changed to lighter (but stronger) wheels, aluminum cranks and stem a 2 lbs lighter (but stronger) frame and lighter tires....

my bike is8-9lbs lighter, and just as strong, if not stronger than my old VPS.

Viva le revolucion!

:D

Yes, swapping those parts will help a lot. Had you left them on your VPS it would have also been 8-9lbs lighter.

What Big Hit did you get?

[JSinclair]

Originally posted by ~Inshan£~
Purley nonsense.

How does it feel being owned on the trail when im riding a "faimly car", when you on the other hand are riding a "formula one car"?

You sir are owning nothing but your keyboard right now :lol: and you are trying to make your bike lighter, so Don't slag me. I'm the one that was beside you in the hospital :lol:

[corey@nsmb.com]

Originally posted by JSinclair
My V10 weights 42.5 lbs...I highly doubt your VPS weighs even close to that.


My VPS weighs 46 lbs. I doubt those 3.5 lbs are really giving you an edge, or that you or I could tell the difference in riding both bikes. Lets not squable over such pointless issues.

[inshane]

Originally posted by JSinclair
You sir are owning nothing but your keyboard right now :lol: and you are trying to make your bike lighter, so Don't slag me. I'm the one that was beside you in the hospital :lol:
Well I was the one waiting for you at the bottem of whistler.

[JSinclair]

Originally posted by Mulletron
Did you not see any of the pics from "Jindibyne"? They were DH bikes. I didn't see one DS bike in any of the pics.

These are Little bikes -- Just a note...No Monsters anywhere to be seen...
http://www.celticsonmedia.com/Bikepics/BourdonPeatWatson.jpg


A rider makes a bike fast, that is what it comes down to . You can put an experienced rider on an M1 and put Steve Peat on a KHS Dominatrax and Peat would walk all over him and save him a bevy at the bottom of the hill (if the guy got there in time)

Mechanicals and Bikes have a big part in podium finishes...I would race you but you'd probably flat a tire :P

:lol:

I am just saying that Norco does so well because it prices itself into a good price point. Neither of you norco riders would ride a Norco if you could buy an Intense for the same price...I know I wouldn't.

I think you would be hard pressed to make a Norco lighter than 43-45 lbs (With a dual crown fork for racing). I am not saying they are shitty bikes. I was just making reference to the race factor in cars. Technology and materials have a price tag. Nothing more. How many Norco's do you see on the WC ? Or being run by Privateers on Norba ? very few. Weight is a factor. Bikes are a factor. Why doesn't Norco have a DH team ? I like the way the new frames are going for their DH line. The geometry is moving towards the other top end DH frames...The price is also going up...any ideas on how much the new Team Dh will be ? Just a question.

[Action Hero]

All I'm gonna say is I notice the weight differance between Donahues bike and my bike while riding street or park. In a groomed situation where going up is as important as comming down you want somthing inbetween light and durible.

[JSinclair]

Originally posted by ~Inshan£~
Well I was the one waiting for you at the bottem of whistler.

:lol:

And at this stage you would be waiting there again. You need a wireless laptop.

In that sentance...WAS is the key word. Think I have been sitting on my ass all winter? I been working hard to keep up to you bitches.

;)

[Action Hero]

Originally posted by JSinclair
Why doesn't Norco have a DH team [/B]

They do have a DH team.

[corey@nsmb.com]

This is a pointless argument. There are very few DH bikes that can be bult up at sub 40 lb weights, including your own.

Whatever, how about you win? Does that work? Now we can all be happy again.

[inshane]

actually I will be riding whistler once again this summer, and of course taking you to school ;)

[inshane]

Originally posted by JSinclair
:lol:

In that sentance...WAS is the key word. Think I have been sitting on my ass all winter? I been working hard to keep up to you bitches.

;)
To bad all that work was for nothing.
Ill give you my bike if you ever pass me.

[corey@nsmb.com]

We are not WC racers. I ride for fun. If my bike weighs more or less than yours, I really couldn't care less.

I focus my energy on fun, not why the bike I ride doesn't have a rockstar WC racer to show it off.

[gimped]

Weight makes a difference when you are sprinting the bloody thing. If it didn't Vouilloz wouldn't be on a 36-37 lb bike right? I agree a couple of pounds doesn't do a lot, but accumlative weight does.

I'm going tubeless this year with Stan's "Notubes" to save rolling weight. Have you ever ridden a xc bike or road bike, going from heavy to light wheels? It's unbelievable the change in acceleration. That's by far the biggest difference you notice in miniscule weight reductions.

If I could get my race bike as close to 35-40 lbs., I would. But I'd be sacrificing strength.

[inshane]

fuk im going away now

im gona go practice my cancans nothings on my stationary bike now :)

[Taylor_P]

my H/T weighing in at just a little more then 40lbs is, in my opinion, a bit on the heavy side. all though it handles great(except fo my rear brake) i just notice th weight wheni carry it up the stairs from the bottom of my house or ride it up hill in my single speed... :)

i like my bike.

[JSinclair]

Originally posted by tweek
They do have a DH team.

I meant Internationally. My Bad.

[sAFETY]

Originally posted by JSinclair
I meant Internationally. My Bad.

I don't know the racing scene very well, but doesn't Specialized has one for them.:P

[inshane]

ill own you on my monstrous bike
its ment for what I do, so why cry about it?

[Biking Fiend]

i like the bike

[inshane]

Originally posted by Biking Fiend
i like the bike
i ride the bike

[snow_homie]

mmm . . . reynolds 853 :thepimp:

[Toshi]

i find a bit of truth in most everything posted in this thread. weight weenieness is not too cool, but having a bike overbuilt for no good reason is no good as well.

as for those saying "everything can be cleaned on a hardtail with a 5" fork", you may be right. however, if the trail has big drops as part of its construction and the walk-arounds take away from the flow, chances are you're going to ride them. and if you do, why not have the bike that makes them the most pleasant, in terms of shock on your body? at age 22 i'm no old man, but i still can feel and appreciate the difference that a "big bike" makes in these situations...

ideally everyone would have a full stable of bikes, and could choose the one that best meets the needs of the trail to be ridden that day, whether rigid and single speed or 8"/12" as the case may be. until that day comes, slagging on riders for having a bike that is overkill for most of their riding is silly.

[Sp00ks]

Dirr bikers are doing 360 backflips and literally 180 degree wipps on 250 lbs motor bikes. I think we can do that too...

[cheeba rider]

Originally posted by Garris
I was bored sitting around thinking and as usual my thoughts strayed to biking.

This time I focused on bike weight as several people I have talked to were..complaining or concerenced about how heavy their bikes were getting.

if you look at your average freeride full suspension bike being about 50-60 pounds thats a lot of weight, and the affects on the human body of trying to maneauver and throw these beasts around can't be good on the body.

Are we going to see an end to monstrous dh rigs in a few years and see people returning to lighter bikes,HT's with DC's on them and bikesl ike the big hit with a SC on it.

is it possible that bike litening will be the trend of the future.

I let you be hte judge.

Lift more weights, Whine less.

[Moocowsia]

45lb Brodie 8 ball here. I have no problem riding it around town. Its also cant go lower than 4th gear and im running 44 tooth chainring. Also it has almost no pedal bob while riding (no spv). I don't get what so many people complain about.

[Zaskar]

Originally posted by just ride
all i can say, is that we lost cam on an urban ride. all of us on our little ht's and little fs's , and then cam, tankin around on his big ass scream and we actually lost him..

all i can say is i lost you on the way up (and down) fromme, with my lighter dually. :lol:

im with ross and steve. 42 pound dually and i'm lovin it. can't argue with a light bike that feels stable. i'm hurting for a HT. i keep borrowing friends bikes and riding em an each day i'm learnin something new. gotta love neglecting the street scene for...oh wait, always.

i dunno how i am on the mountains right now, i just took it for its first ride on the mountains in 3 months yesterday and was stuck in my highest gear all day on no sleep the night before bahahaha so not to much of a "ride report" there. being out of riding i was just hitting the gym 3 or 4 times a week and jogging with a couple xc rides now and then. so i can feel a difference in energy and that. so to that extent, i think lots of people should start working on themselves...then the bike. an out of shape dude on a lighter bike isn't gonna be able to go faster on a lighter bike when they're still outta shape. im kinda middle of the road right now, lost a shit load of weight. upped my cardio. but still not ripped or anything.

[pete@nsmb.com]

I decided about a year ago that I wanted one bike that was versatile, that could be built up light-ish for XC, or made burly for Shore/FR, but that no matter what I would keep as I travel/live in Europe. Got a Brodie Holeshot. Originally had a 24" rear and 6" Slider. Now that I'm in tamer terrain it has dual 26" lighter wheels, a Manitou Flick, and a few other lightened components. It clmbs much better, but still feels stiff and stable on the way down.

Duallie suspension technology is still changing, and I'm a bit of a bike ho, so I let duallies come and go but am holding on to the hardtail and it's been great. When I started riding the hardtail on the shore last year I remembered what rides were like in the old days, when you enjoyed the ride up as well as down. I'm not much slower on my hardtail on the way down, and I pick a different line, but find it just as fun, for different reasons.

There will always be room for big burly dh bikes, but to me, when all I was doing was Whistler, and mostly shuttling the shore, I didn't really feel like a mountainbiker anymore, more like a DH fatass. Partly because I didn't have time to ride as much as I used to. Anyway, my advice is ride whatever bike feels good, but above all, ride different bikes on different trails - you'll be a better and happier rider for it. I was surprised how quickly I forgot the enjoyment of a long XC ride.

[seand]

Originally posted by Rat
Personaly there are very few trails on the shore that I would prefer a dually to my hardtail. I think you going to see alot of folks who have had big bikes start to rethink the bigger is better idea that has been the trend latley.

I dropped 5 pounds going from my HT to my FS and its still to heavy. im breaking stuff, but its because i am not smooth...its not because the bike is to light.

one of the guys i get to ride with from time to time went from a tanky vps to a sleek ac1. the bike rides so much faster and he goes just as big. maybe if we all got smoother, we wouldnt need such chunky bikes? who knows...i need the chunk because of how hacky i am.

plus i miss having a hardtail.

[ES-OH-ES]

The heavier your bike is, the harder you are making it on your self. If your bike is over 50 pounds, shitty for you.

[Brad Dawg]

i hate HEAVY BIKES!!! my bike is probably 37-40
pounds....

[XXX_er]

take a dh bike that weighs 40 lbs and run it down a course,

bolt 10 lbs onto the bike (put some of that weight into the wheels would be even better) and run the same rider down the same course and I will put my money on the lighter bike.

sure you can do stuff on a heavy bike but think how much more you can do on a light bike... thats why we have innovation ,thats why we have better lighter stronger faster toys in almost every area of sports than we did 25 years ago


junior sez all the old guys (30 plus) coming into the shop are buying the cannondales ... so thats what y'all got to look forward to.

[Bryce]

Originally posted by XXX_er
bolt 10 lbs onto the bike (put some of that weight into the wheels would be even better) and run the same rider down the same course and I will put my money on the lighter bike.


unless the bike breaks or the wheel folds

I use the lightest stuff that is completely reliable and my DH bike is about 50lbs. AT 40lbs, stuff was breaking on really rough DH or big drops.

If I really wanted to save weight, it would be a lot cheaper to lose 10 lbs off my body

[Keefer]

Originally posted by 0_o
Do you suffer from short term memory loss?
I helped peel your ass off the A-Line Rock Drop and helped take you down to the Clinic/Hospital while all your "pro" friends on their F1 bikes kept on riding by.

But no man, Omar did this HUGEEEEEEE lookback...

[Oldfart]

Light, Strong, Cheap. Pick two 'cause that's how it works.

To my way of thinking DH RACING and Freeriding are two different things. For racing a rider really only needs to get down the course. Pro's will have access to lots of equipment which the average Joe won't.

I believe I read somewhere that Steve Peat is riding a 35 pound DH bike. If it's lighter it accelerates quicker, brakes shorter and is easier to control. For racing your looking at making up fractions of seconds all the way down the course. (So explain to me why some guys race in baggy wind catching shorts???) For racing light is right as long as it lasts long enough to win. For racing, parts are disposable.

For freeriding I think its a lot different. And cost is a huge factor not only for the initial investment but for replacing all those bent and busted things down the trail.

I think there might be a certain segment of the riding population who will go lighter. Riders who prefer to ride up for example, or have learned smooth technique on a heavy bike, realize they won't huck or ride high skinnies no matter what they ride or wear as padding (pick me) and are willing to sacrifice long travel and heavy weight for something lighter but still durable enough to survive what they ride. My bike is 24 pounds. I could get a long travel semi behemouth and ride rougher stuff and maybe even launch the odd thing, but I would give up climbing too much.

It's kind of odd how the danger of any given stunt and a riders ability to do it has become equated with skill. If its the thrill factor one craves, get on a short travel bike and ride less big stuff and be just as thrilled.

[0_o]

Originally posted by Oldfart
Light, Strong, Cheap. Pick two

Keith Bontrager.
Moutainbike pioneer.

[upandown]

I got my turner rfx 5 years ago. Just put new 03 shiver sc's on it. 35ish lbs. Its 5x5, I can lock out f&r to get up to the yellow gate. Sweet.

I just got my seasons pass to whistler. At the end of the month, I plan to be riding EVERYTHING on the mountain. I am also VERY rarely passed on the trails. I go to whistler on the SAME bike I ride up fromme/seymour/cypress on. Who is it that REALLY needs more than 5-6 inches travel? Are they just animals on their equipment? Last year, I would have to slow down for/pass 5 to 10 riders a day on these monstrous bikes. Seems like kind of a waste. Do Bike store staff just over-sell or what?

[corey@nsmb.com]

There is no debate to be had. Ride what you like, ride what makes you smile. If I get passed despite riding an 8 & 8 bike by a guy on a hard tail, good for him, and good for me 'cause I'm still having fun.

Just ride. :)

[Oldfart]

Originally posted by corey@nsmb.com
There is no debate to be had. Ride what you like, ride what makes you smile. If I get passed despite riding an 8 & 8 bike by a guy on a hard tail, good for him, and good for me 'cause I'm still having fun.

Just ride. :)

Absolutely.

[Craz]

Whats up with all the newbs creating frankenthreads?:???:

[synchro]

When it come to climbing on a big bike, those that can do, and those that can't whine. That reminds me, anybody seen Zed?

[Zedbra]

Originally posted by synchro
When it come to climbing on a big bike, those that can do, and those that can't whine. That reminds me, anybody seen Zed?

Yo baby. here I am.

My theory - wear comfy shoes to push a 50+lbs rig like mine. Then school synchro on the way down. You'll have lots of time to smoke while he fixes that light, broken bike.

[synchro]

Originally posted by Zedbra
Yo baby. here I am.

My theory - wear comfy shoes to push a 50+lbs rig like mine. Then school synchro on the way down. You'll have lots of time to smoke while he fixes that light, broken bike.

lol - ya my bikes weighs more than yours bub. BTW, whatever happened to the up and down race we were gonna do? Oh right, you forgot to bring your comfy shoes.

[Zedbra]

Originally posted by synchro
lol - ya my bikes weighs more than yours bub. BTW, whatever happened to the up and down race we were gonna do? Oh right, you forgot to bring your comfy shoes.

You fond too many whiney reasons to not ride Airsupply. Oh - cuz you cant.

[synchro]

Originally posted by Zedbra
You fond too many whiney reasons to not ride Airsupply. Oh - cuz you cant.

lol - been there already

[Kevin26]

I like my 40lb hardtail with a single crown fork thankyou very much

[Toshi]

Originally posted by Lunatik
Whats up with all the newbs creating frankenthreads?:???:
aren't you supposed to be happy that i used the search and dug up a topic that people are still interested in, thus the recent flurry of posts? :o

[Zaskar]

Originally posted by Keefer
But no man, Omar did this HUGEEEEEEE lookback...

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

[HUCKtheHAUS]

i ride 65lbs of banshee scream. but that BS about banshees riding light, is true. you would never know how heavy this sucker is, unless you tried to lift it up. i'm only 180 lbs and i can still throw this sucker around.

[NorcoRider]

i ride a 47lbs hardtail........

[NorcoRider]

banshee scream commin soon..

[just ride]

Originally posted by corey@nsmb.com
Just ride. :)

yes? :);)

[synchro]

I was bored sitting around thinking and as usual my thoughts strayed to biking.

This time I focused on bike weight as several people I have talked to were..complaining or concerenced about how heavy their bikes were getting.

if you look at your average freeride full suspension bike being about 50-60 pounds thats a lot of weight, and the affects on the human body of trying to maneauver and throw these beasts around can't be good on the body.

Are we going to see an end to monstrous dh rigs in a few years and see people returning to lighter bikes,HT's with DC's on them and bikesl ike the big hit with a SC on it.

is it possible that bike litening will be the trend of the future.

I let you be hte judge.

hmmm, seems like the smaller bikes are getting more popular these days

[enduramil]

hmmm, seems like the smaller bikes are getting more popular these days

Define smaller.

Slow day at the gym?

[TheGiggler]

yeah but on the shore the big bikes are not goign away any time soon.

a burly shore-worthy 6x6" bike with DH tires is often in the 36-38lb range

a big bike with same build and light fork can easily be 40-42lbs. that extra weight is not that big of a deal ... especially when riding something like Neds or Cyps were you use the extra travel and stiffness. heavier bike just means more of a workout ...

[Madman]

Im stuck in 2003 :fu:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v725/Madman596/DSCF0103.jpg

[biggles604]

I just bought a 2006 Norco Six 1 for a lighter bike and it really does make a huge difference in how you ride, the trail feels more technical and it's put a lot of fun back into riding. The bike is also a lot more nimble, but it's hard to seperate out what's geometry and what's weight.

[heckler]

Im stuck in 2003 :fu:



So am I, but my 03 heckler was 39 lb then, and is still 39 lbs!

[Air Supplier]

Actually, the average weigh for a full suspension is betwee 40-50 lbs. My bike is 45 lbs but I don't complain about it.

[the Master Plan Dan]

I never complain about the excessive weight of my bike. How much stronger am I if I can ride her up the mountain... big bikes weigh lots... not to much we can do about that.

On the road though... never...carbon all the weigh... t! Get it? No?

Okay I'll end on that note then!

[SysCo.]

hmmm, seems like the smaller bikes are getting more popular these days


old men are losing muscle mass.

[HIBuLlitT]

I just went from a 04 bullit to a demo 8. Same parts (I swapped them
out). The demo is a bit heavier but it pedals up hill much better. So
I went heavier and I happier for it, and oh so plush...

[kookboy]

If I really wanted to save weight, it would be a lot cheaper to lose 10 lbs off my body

AMEN !!!!!!

Someone has finally found the answer to the question !

F*ck loosing weight on the bike. Loose your body weight !

[Chunk]

AMEN !!!!!!

Someone has finally found the answer to the question !

F*ck loosing weight on the bike. Loose your body weight !

dude, im already under weight for my age and height :lol:

19 years old, 6 feet tall, at 138lb's.

Im in a pretty shitty situation. The same thing keeping me from gaining weight is the same that makes it really hard to gain muscle. High metabolism. Im skinny as fuck, and i find it REALLY hard to gain muscle mass. Im about to start lifting again so maybe ill finaly see some measurable results.

Im not using that as an excuse though. The bike i ride in my area has quite a bit more heft than needed, and for the same amount of money, i could have gotten a bike more suitable for my area thats ALOT lighter. But i take road trips out of town so i just live with the extra heft when i ride in my area so that when i go out of town, i can play in the mountains on a plush rig with good travel :)

[Oldfart]

AMEN !!!!!!

Someone has finally found the answer to the question !

F*ck loosing weight on the bike. Loose your body weight !

At my advanced age it is way easier to buy light weight than to loose it off the motor. So my VPFree is in at 38 pounds without too much effort.