[rocwandrer]

My daughter is 70 lb. Currently on a 22lb size 11.5 26" wheel bike. Looking for weight savings bang for buck ideas.

It started out life as a 1995 Gary Fisher Aquila, basically brand new last fall. I've changed out to a carbon fork, carbon bars, lighter seat and 1x8 with lighter cranks. Added weight with a hydraulic disc front brake, lever shifters, and an internal dropper post. Have a Ti square taper BB, but I'm not thinking the original BB is coming out. I have an 1100g 14" carbon frame on order which, with the Ti BB, I think will get it down to 20 lb.

I'm thinking tires and tubes are the next place to go. It has some old IRC tires on it with Bell tubes right now. Suggestions for Northeast capable light tires? Other ideas?

 

[mikesee]

Cool project.

I have a stack of light 26" rims left over collecting dust. Most of them are Stans/NoTubes. I think I have Crests and Alpine's. All are new, and white.

I'd donate the rims. Send me the current hubs to lace them to? Or something like that.

 

[Adroit Rider]

My daughter is 70 lb. Currently on a 22lb size 11.5 26" wheel bike. Looking for weight savings bang for buck ideas.

It started out life as a 1995 Gary Fisher Aquila, basically brand new last fall. I've changed out to a carbon fork, carbon bars, lighter seat and 1x8 with lighter cranks. Added weight with a hydraulic disc front brake, lever shifters, and an internal dropper post. Have a Ti square taper BB, but I'm not thinking the original BB is coming out. I have an 1100g 14" carbon frame on order which, with the Ti BB, I think will get it down to 20 lb.

I'm thinking tires and tubes are the next place to go. It has some old IRC tires on it with Bell tubes right now. Suggestions for Northeast capable light tires? Other ideas?

There isn’t a lot out there on the used market for rear 26” disc wheels. There are some good deals on fronts though. I saw a NOS RXL for $70...

Bicycle Wheel Warehouse has some light options but they aren’t cheap. The free deal on the Stans rims sounds generous. Just need some hubs...Could you find some donors and get a set built for $300?

What carbon frame did you buy? I have a 14.5” Trek 8000 build going for my 11yo son and considered an OEM direct from China.

For wheels I am using a set of Race X Lites from many years ago. Loud free hub with the DT internals.

For weight, my build is using XO 9sp with a 990 cassette. Low gear was 32x32 on his old bike, he now will have 30x34 for Midwest riding.

I’m not using a dropper, but a cut down aluminum seat post.

For tires, I like Maxxis and the higher TPI but 26” light tires are not really being produced anymore. I think there were just a few Schwable and Maxxis the last time I looked. You can get the Crossmark, Ardent and the Rocket Ron. Cross Mark packs up w mud quickly but it’s great for loose sandy dry conditions.

Let me weigh my current build. Probably close to 21lbs. Doesn’t need to be lighter. Just needs to be fun and cool looking.


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[sgltrak]

There are a couple of sets of 26" Mavic CrossMax SL on our local craigslist right now. They are pretty light and are UST ready. I've been debating putting my old set on my wife's old 26er to lighten it up a bit.

 

[rocwandrer]

Cool project.

I have a stack of light 26" rims left over collecting dust. Most of them are Stans/NoTubes. I think I have Crests and Alpine's. All are new, and white.

I'd donate the rims. Send me the current hubs to lace them to? Or something like that.

That's very generous and much appreciated. 32 hole? What's your opinion on 16 spoke lacing for someone this light?

 

[Adroit Rider]

That's very generous and much appreciated. 32 hole? What's your opinion on 16 spoke lacing for someone this light?

IMHO the Stans rim isn’t stiff enough to run 16-24 spokes. Maybe 28.


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[mikesee]

That's very generous and much appreciated. 32 hole? What's your opinion on 16 spoke lacing for someone this light?

Yes, 32h.

16 spokes? Double it and you've got yourself a wheel...

 

[rocwandrer]

What carbon frame did you buy? I have a 14.5” Trek 8000 build going for my 11yo son and considered an OEM direct from China.

I went BXT direct from china. We shall see... The 11.5" Gary Fisher frame is pretty nice, but it is way overbuilt for her weight and riding style. Curiously, it also has a longer top tube than the chinese 14" frame and the standover isn't great for her either.

Unbranded chinese integrated bar stem just arrived, but I haven't safety tested it yet. This one definitely appears to be "you get what you pay for and no more" as expected, but I figure it was designed for an adult, adding a bit to the intended safety factor.

For weight, my build is using XO 9sp with a 990 cassette. Low gear was 32x32 on his old bike, he now will have 30x34 for Midwest riding.

She is also on 30-34 low gearing. She is very early in the learning curve on a bike still and at this point lower gears just create balance problems. I haven't done a light cassette yet. That's a pretty big chunk of weight and I might have something in my parts bins that is lighter. I was waiting for the gearing to shake out this spring, since I'll stay 1x, and with 104 bcd 30t is the lower limit in the front.

I’m not using a dropper, but a cut down aluminum seat post.

The aluminum post that came on the gary fisher frame is actually lighter than a carbon post I had in my bin. I went dropper mainly because she can drop the post for easier planned dismounts and it will be useful later.

For tires, I like Maxxis and the higher TPI but 26” light tires are not really being produced anymore. I think there were just a few Schwable and Maxxis the last time I looked. You can get the Crossmark, Ardent and the Rocket Ron. Cross Mark packs up w mud quickly but it’s great for loose sandy dry conditions.

Let me weigh my current build. Probably close to 21lbs. Doesn’t need to be lighter. Just needs to be fun and cool looking.

A department store kid's fat bike is 70% of her body weight. 21 lb is 30% of her body weight. One of my bikes is a little over 10% of my body weight and I can notice a huge difference with a 5% (of my body weight) difference in bike weight. I am not a weight weenie at all. For years I rode double walled 100mm fat bike rims. But a bike that weighs 30% of my body weight would certainly damp my fun.

I'm thinking lighter tires are the next biggest bang for buck item. Something like a Maxxis Maxxlite in a 2.3-ish size at about 400g?

 

[jestep]

I'm thinking lighter tires are the next biggest bang for buck item. Something like a Maxxis Maxxlite in a 2.3-ish size at about 400g?

Maxlites for 26 only come in 2.0 and I'd say it's more like 1.6 - 1.8 though, super narrow, reminds me of Kenda Klimax lites. Rocket rons are the way to go IME for light 26in tires, they have actually usable treat unlike crossmarks and some of the other lighter tires.

 

[rocwandrer]

Maxlites for 26 only come in 2.0 and I'd say it's more like 1.6 - 1.8 though, super narrow, reminds me of Kenda Klimax lites. Rocket rons are the way to go IME for light 26in tires, they have actually usable treat unlike crossmarks and some of the other lighter tires.

I'm having trouble finding any 26" rocket rons that don't claim to be over 700g each.

 

[mikesee]

Bontrager XR2's. 26 x 2.2", 580g/tire claimed.

 

[Adroit Rider]

Rocket Rons:

Schwalbe Rocket Ron Evo Super Race MTB Tyre | Chain Reaction Cycles

Schwalbe Rocket Ron Evo Super Race MTB Tyre - Lowest Prices and FREE shipping available from The World's largest online bike store - Chain Reaction Cycles

www.chainreactioncycles.com

640g isn’t light. But you are also east coast where I assume you have rocks and mud.

The Ardent Race, same weight, different lug design for slightly drier tracks.

Maxxis Ardent Race 3C Exo 26" Tire | Jenson USA

www.jensonusa.com

I’ve looked for the Bonty to go with my Trek build several months ago. Can’t find them.

I know this is the weight weenie forum, but I’d be frustrated with myself if my kids traction is subpar and can’t make climbs or corner effectively. I’d want the build to have equal or better traction than my bike.


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[jestep]

I'm having trouble finding any 26" rocket rons that don't claim to be over 700g each.

Seeing that now as well, I think the older pre-addix models were more like 500 - 600g. I think my evo 26x2.35's were right at or under 600 even.

 

[rocwandrer]

I know this is the weight weenie forum, but I’d be frustrated with myself if my kids traction is subpar and can’t make climbs or corner effectively. I’d want the build to have equal or better traction than my bike.

In my case, that's for tire set number 3. Right now she is on 26x2" road slick and just showing interest in going off the carriage roads. The set I'm shopping for now does need more grip off road than a slick, but still the volume to run lower pressure and very light weight. Next set after that will need to have off road grip.

 

[Jefflinde]

are you able to run the 26" x 2.8 ranger tires? they may be a bit heavier but would provide great traction and you may be able to run a rigid fork and loose a ton of weight there if you are not already on a rigid setup.

 

[bcriverjunky]

I have a brand new set of 26x 1.95 The Homage by Panaracer and Sim Works. Made from the old Mach SS mold. I special ordered these from Japan and they didn't fit the frame. 550 grams is what they are rated at.