[alm80]

How much weight savings does it take to notice?

Thats exactly it how many grams need to be saved for an average weekend warrior on a basic but solid hard tail (06 giant yukon) to notice it

you see like most guys out there, I have a fever and its called tinkeritis i must tinker and tweak and tune every thing i own and this bike is no exception to that rule

so in summary how many grams before i can tell a difference, and what budget freindly items might help me here.


thank you in advance

 

[Tah]

The amount of weight removed to take notice is subjective, alot of it is just mental, bu tlooking for places to remove weight, look at the wheels first, lightweight tubes, good quality tires and decrease in rotational weight will fet the bike rolling and stopping faster, thus making the bike faster and will give a greater "feel"
If given a choice between taking a pound off the bike or half pound off the wheels I would take the wheels.
Diference in weight, go ride on the street with your bike with two full waterbottles, drop the bottles, I never feel much difference.
But when I go from my training wheels to my race wheels, the difference is less than the weight of one full waterbottle I feel a huge difference in the bike.

 

[alm80]

very interesting Tah
wheels and tubes
other suggestions?
bolts? rotors?

 

[anden]

There was an experiment where a group of students was given beer for a party, but they didn't know it was alcohol-free. The students had the beer, and immediately started to behave like drunk...

Lesson: Among the answers that you get, it will be hard for you to determine how much of it depends on real differences and how much depends on expectations.

Here's one guess for an answer: 2% of total weight for rider plus bike.

 

[alm80]

Ok i see what you guys are saying it really is personal thing, in which case i may wait till things break to worry about upgradeing them for lighter parts

 

[LyNx]

Rotational weight is the weight that you will feel the most - i.e. wheels, tyres, tubes, pedals, cranks. If it were me I'd look at getting a lighter built wheelset for starters as long as you're running reasonably light set of tyres, if you're not running some lighter weight tyres try some new tyres and see how that $30-$60 upgrade feels.

 

[rkj__]

If i don't have weight on my mind, it takes quite a bit for me to notice a difference. Example, i can take off my fenders, and a full waterbotte, and i don't notice a difference. Some people would pay $100+ to take off that much weight. So, IMO it takes 1+lbs to feel a difference. And even if you feel the difference, does it actually make a difference? That depends on many variables such as how much climbing you do.

FWI the fenders are a spring/fall thing.

 

[pimpbot]

10 grams or so is enough...

... because that is the resolution of my LBS's scale! :lol:

No, really, so you prolly won't feel anything under 1/4 lb or maybe even half a pound, but there are plenty of ways to shave weight you really feel. Tires for instance. It just so happens that you wear tires out anyway. Light tires and light innertubes go a long way to making the bike feel snappy, and you'll need them anyway, eventually.

I dunno, but I got my 2000 Yukon down to 23 lbs without spending stupid amounts of cash. Dang! It felt snappy! If you have a newer Yukon, you have disc brakes, which are pretty heavy.

 

[xc-ss'er]

taking off rotational mass is the best way. Remember that taking off weight in the center of a wheel will make less of difference than if you take weight off the outer part of the wheel. So lighter rotors will make less difference than lighter tires. You can drop 300-400 grams, on average, per wheel on tires alone. Tubeless will also be a light solution.

Lately Ive been changing tires around and I have had very good results from light weight tires. If you havnt done so, go pick your self up some today.

 

[chucke]

taking off rotational mass is the best way. Remember that taking off weight in the center of a wheel will make less of difference than if you take weight off the outer part of the wheel. So lighter rotors will make less difference than lighter tires. You can drop 300-400 grams, on average, per wheel on tires alone. Tubeless will also be a light solution.

Lately Ive been changing tires around and I have had very good results from light weight tires. If you havnt done so, go pick your self up some today.

Any suggestions on tires? I do a lot of climbing with single track stuff.

I am running Panaracer Fires that are 580 grams and the rolling resistance sucks. I heard WTB Nano's roll fast and they are 520 grams. I am also thinking of IRC Mibro's at 520 grams.

 

[stevemtu]

I ran a Mibro 1.95 on the rear of my anthem

The center, soft rubber wore out at 300 miles. I had three flats in those 300 miles running at 40 psi.

I'm 160 lbs and do ride some rocky stuff.

I have now put on a trailblaster 2.1 that I can run at 35 psi and am much happier.

 

[AndrewTO]

Okay, okay - i'll fess up. I didn't buy a CamelBak to save weight off my ride by not having a waterbottle or even to drink out of. I use it to routinely clean my bike as soon as it gets dirty. I stop at every other corner, inspect it and clean where necessary.

What?!?!?! Do you know how much dirt and dust can weigh?!



Yeah, you all saw that one coming.

Anyways, on a more serious note - agreed with the multitudes of factors. My bike weighs the same ride after ride and if i'm having an "I feel strong today" day then it's light. If i'm having an "I feel weak today" day then it feels heavy. Ambient temperature and humidity, mood, energy level ..... it's really pointless.

From a riding stand point - my "perfect" example is with my brakes/wheels. When I put on my disc brake set up (changed to BB7's - of all things) I added 1.34 pounds overall, 1 pound static and 0.34 rotating. Did I notice it? Hell YEAH! The bike felt like a tank!

Then I put my v-brakes back on, but with heavier wheels then what I normally run, adding just under quarter-pound (rotating ONLY). Did I notice it? Hell YEAH! Again, "look at me riding a DH bike".

I mostly notice static weight around half-pound only when i'm picking the bike up. Rotating weight - all the time, sensitive to quarter-pound. Of course, only on a good day.

I asked one friend to pick up my bike and he said it was heavy (roadie guy). Another friend said he could probably throw it like a football (he's got a 35 pound HT).

Now, if you'll excuse me, I have to go detail my bike again. It's got dust on it now from sitting here for the past 5 minutes i've been typing.

 

[CdaleTony]

taking off rotational mass is the best way. Remember that taking off weight in the center of a wheel will make less of difference than if you take weight off the outer part of the wheel. So lighter rotors will make less difference than lighter tires. You can drop 300-400 grams, on average, per wheel on tires alone. Tubeless will also be a light solution.

Lately Ive been changing tires around and I have had very good results from light weight tires. If you havnt done so, go pick your self up some today.

Odd, I JUST went out to the garage to weigh my tire n tube...200 on the tube, 810 on the Trailbear. I assume the rear is about the same...so 1010 grams on one wheel alone...
450 grams to the pound right?
Hmmmmmmmmmmmm
CDT

 

[mpap89]

try losing weight on your body first. i lost 30 lbs on my body and i notice that.
mpap

 

[dualsport650]

There's a HUGE difference.

And I should know. I used to ride a 27 pound full-suspension bike.

Now don't get me wrong. I love riding that bike.

But now I just finished building my 23 pound full-suspension bike and WHOA WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!! :thumbsup:

The wheels alone are 1 POUND lighter and the thing feels like a rocketship!

I can "cruise" about 3 gears higher and 10 MPH faster now. It carves in the corners quicker and accelerates faster. Going up hills is way easier.

Riding it is addicting and while I'm out HAULING ASS on the trail I'm keep saying to myself...

"Damn, this bike ROCKS!" I love it!!! :thumbsup:

Now I'm going to figure out how to loose another pound of weight...

By the way. Thanks AndrewTO for the Noleen Mega-Air fork for this build.

It only weighs like 2.95 lbs! 1339 grams

 

[Pooh Bear]

Any suggestions on tires? I do a lot of climbing with single track stuff.

I am running Panaracer Fires that are 580 grams and the rolling resistance sucks. I heard WTB Nano's roll fast and they are 520 grams. I am also thinking of IRC Mibro's at 520 grams.

Try Schwalbe "Racing Ralph" Evolution line; in 2.1" it weighs around 460grams and it rolls fast! In 2.25" around 520gr.

I go with this Ralph in front 2.1" and a Schwalbe "Fast Fred Raceguard" in 2.0" rear - it is about 400gr. And I didn't flat this tire yet after 800km. Now I did flat the ultralight version of the fast fred quite regularly but the "raceguard" thingie works quite well. And nothing comes close to its rolling resistance. :thumbsup: