MTB magazine "light bike"...

MBA did a GT xizange project bike that weighed 20.8(?) with tuned RS1 forks. I've always been a weightweenie so I remeber the article well. I liked the quote "If we'd wanted to make a 24lb bike we could have finished in 2days instead of 6months"

what do you need to know? I've got the actual mag at home.

Thanks for the reply.
I don't really need to know anything specifically. It just popped into my memory that every now and then the mags would do a weight weenie build and I thought I'd mention it to see if we could get a build list to see what has changed in the world of weight-weenie-ism. You know, not just components from an historical viewpoint but also philosophy on what was deemed "essential" and what could be compromised for weight.

Of course the magazines builds were probably controlled by what swag they could blag from companies who advertised with them, but its interesting anyway. Particularly when mags were how we kept in touch with news - before the www came along.

Interesting you mention this GT, I was sure the build i'm referring to was a Ti frame.

The Xixang was a ti frame...

Oh, that would explain it
It would be great if you could post up the build and/or bits of the article.
Thanks.

Delving back further, I think it was MBA that built the 20 lb mountain bike using a Klein frame, stripped of paint and with some of the stupidest [usuable] parts. The best was the Sach Huret drilled out rear derailleur which would probably snap it hit twig. The bike itself sold on Ebay in the not too distant past.

bushpig said:

Delving back further, I think it was MBA that built the 20 lb mountain bike using a Klein frame, stripped of paint and with some of the stupidest [usuable] parts. The best was the Sach Huret drilled out rear derailleur which would probably snap it hit twig. The bike itself sold on Ebay in the not too distant past.

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I actually have that article scanned...it's good.

fantastic!

Ahhh, combining my favourite topics retro and weight-weenie. Good one mate!

Am'e grips, I knew I recognised the triangle on the grip end.

So who has the other article (mentioned at the start of the thread) to do a follow up. Or any similar articles for that matter. C'mon lets have a short history of lightweight 'magazine mountain bike' builds.

purdyboy said:

Ahhh, combining my favourite topics retro and weight-weenie. Good one mate!

Am'e grips, I knew I recognised the triangle on the grip end.

So who has the other article (mentioned at the start of the thread) to do a follow up. Or any similar articles for that matter. C'mon lets have a short history of lightweight 'magazine mountain bike' builds.

Click to expand...

Yeah, I always enjoy a good cross thread, where you see forum regulars venture out of their respective area of expertise.

Bushpig and myself being two such vintage hounds.

If you can find out excactly which issue that is, I can check my archives.

Issue No,?!?
Ha, I don’t even know if I have the right year.
“Scant” has posted above that he has the article so maybe he can scan it or tell you the issue No.
My dodgy memory sort of recalls that it had cork grips, 28/32 front/rear rims, Ti wire bottlecage and Ti Flite saddle.

I dont know if people have seen this already?
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/articles.php?ID=68

not too bad a weight for a retro rig

My nukeproof is 21.25 and I could lose a lot more weight really easily.

Boy, we've come a long way since the early '90s!

Thanks cdeger.

We have come a long way in some areas, although I think the article mentions some items were chosen for ridability not for lightweight. Notice that this was when SPD pedals were pretty new on the scene and were deemed too heavy.
This build also shows how far we haven't come. I suppose disc brakes are the big change, everything else is slight evolution.
Compare this to, say, a Merlin hardtail that's built light, but to last the "all-rounder" type riding that this sort of mountainbike did back then. It'd be 2 pounds lighter (?) with better (but similar) forks, better brakes and a couple of extra gears. Where will we be in 15 years?