Working out the weight areas of my 98 hardtail
Discussion
As I have decided to replace the rather worn headset, I've bitten the bullet and decided to go all in and restore it at the same time so the frames gone off to the shot blaster and powder coater today. Nice cheap job too at £55 all in.
As I was stripping it down, I got the scales out just to satisfy a curiosity. Now the whole bike weighed in at less then I thought it would at 29lbs. what suprised me was the weight of the frame and bb combined, a measly 5.7lbs, not bad for a steel frame I thought, so I weighed the rest of it.
Wheels in rubber, 4lbs each, forks (Indy sl) 3.7lbs and handlebars inc lights levers and shifters 3.2lbs and seatpost inc saddle and battery packs for the lights 2.2lbs.
Now I need to replace a few bits like the BB, forks and a few ancillories, I'm wondering how much I can shave off the 29lbs. Any Ideas where? I guess the forks are the first option, but I am guessing a £300 set of forks aren't going to weigh that much less if anything.
I'd be happy if I can get to 25lbs.
As I was stripping it down, I got the scales out just to satisfy a curiosity. Now the whole bike weighed in at less then I thought it would at 29lbs. what suprised me was the weight of the frame and bb combined, a measly 5.7lbs, not bad for a steel frame I thought, so I weighed the rest of it.
Wheels in rubber, 4lbs each, forks (Indy sl) 3.7lbs and handlebars inc lights levers and shifters 3.2lbs and seatpost inc saddle and battery packs for the lights 2.2lbs.
Now I need to replace a few bits like the BB, forks and a few ancillories, I'm wondering how much I can shave off the 29lbs. Any Ideas where? I guess the forks are the first option, but I am guessing a £300 set of forks aren't going to weigh that much less if anything.
I'd be happy if I can get to 25lbs.
There could be a lb or two in the fork. A tyre can weigh 2lbs, lightweights under half that. Carbon seat post and charge spoon under a lb for about £50 (+ more comfy)
I'm going 1x10 partly for weight and mostly cos front mechs are a P.I.T.A.
I'm going 1x10 partly for weight and mostly cos front mechs are a P.I.T.A.
Edited by richardxjr on Wednesday 20th November 16:44
I should have added cheap! I'm limited on rim choice purely as its running V brakes and I can't retro fit disks on the back. Fronts obviously with a change in forks will get changed, but I'm hanging on for CRC's sale in Jan unless I spot something nice on ebay. I don't need suspension at this time but I'm trying to keep it a bit of an all train HT, and Front sus will be nice over the cobbles on the old farm tracks.
Already running a charge spoon, and ali seat post. Think there woudl be a good weight saving going 2 x 10 or 2 x 11 (currently a 3 x8), for future proofing and weight, but that will have to wait as that means a complete chainset change and BB.
I suppose 29lbs isn't too bad for a steel frame and the parts on it aren't the highest in the range even when new STX rc.
Already running a charge spoon, and ali seat post. Think there woudl be a good weight saving going 2 x 10 or 2 x 11 (currently a 3 x8), for future proofing and weight, but that will have to wait as that means a complete chainset change and BB.
I suppose 29lbs isn't too bad for a steel frame and the parts on it aren't the highest in the range even when new STX rc.
The Indy SL is a very lightweight fork. You will have trouble matching the weight unless you spend a fair bit. Have you taken it apart and seen what state the elastomers are in?
A disc on the front works fine with a V on the back. The only cable disc which is any good is the avid BB7, they are actually bloody powerful when set up properly.
A disc on the front works fine with a V on the back. The only cable disc which is any good is the avid BB7, they are actually bloody powerful when set up properly.
SuperHangOn said:
The Indy SL is a very lightweight fork. You will have trouble matching the weight unless you spend a fair bit. Have you taken it apart and seen what state the elastomers are in?
A disc on the front works fine with a V on the back. The only cable disc which is any good is the avid BB7, they are actually bloody powerful when set up properly.
its not the elsatomers that are the worry, its the stanchons that are buggered beyond repairA disc on the front works fine with a V on the back. The only cable disc which is any good is the avid BB7, they are actually bloody powerful when set up properly.
itsnotarace said:
Buy a new, lighter bike to start with.
Its not about buying a lighter bike, 29lbs is light fr a 15 year old steel beast, it was about curiosity (after finding the frame only weighed 5.3lbs, I wanted to know where the weight was) and seeing if I could afford to drop the weight slightly.I went steel with my eyes open as every alloy bike I've ridden has killed my lower back, and that includes my lovely old Klein, which I stupidly sold!
TBH I would just buy components that last well, you like and go with the bike. I think the weight issue is over hyped, unless you are racing, if you think 5lbs is going to make a difference concentrate on fitness or losing weight off your own frame. If you are really bothered loose the suspension and get some lightweight wheels and tyres. But as you say, the odds are against you anyway due to the age of the bike and lack of supported parts (comapaired to new bikes) so getting parts that work and are light would be a right ball ache IMO
Will be interesting to see pics of the bike when finished
Will be interesting to see pics of the bike when finished
Celtic Dragon said:
Its not about buying a lighter bike, 29lbs is light fr a 15 year old steel beast, it was about curiosity (after finding the frame only weighed 5.3lbs, I wanted to know where the weight was) and seeing if I could afford to drop the weight slightly.
I went steel with my eyes open as every alloy bike I've ridden has killed my lower back, and that includes my lovely old Klein, which I stupidly sold!
Just telling you from experience. 29lbs is not light for a 15 year old steel bike, even with front suspension. Have spent a lot of money getting my steel Orange P7 modernised, but I wouldn't do it again. It's just the wrong platform. On a 29lb bike you could save a few lbs by swapping wheels out and changing cockpit but it's honestly not worth the money and you won't be able to notice it when riding.I went steel with my eyes open as every alloy bike I've ridden has killed my lower back, and that includes my lovely old Klein, which I stupidly sold!
I have a bike to build tomorrow 
I'm a happy man!!!!! 
This is how she looks right now, the yellow duster taped in place is to protect the new paint in the stand. Taking prequations as the muppet in the LBS managed to scratch with the stand clamp as he put the the headset in. Luckily M203 from the detailing kit sorted it out. Won't be going there again.
I'm a happy man!!!!! This is how she looks right now, the yellow duster taped in place is to protect the new paint in the stand. Taking prequations as the muppet in the LBS managed to scratch with the stand clamp as he put the the headset in. Luckily M203 from the detailing kit sorted it out. Won't be going there again.
And now built for all of 3 hours! This is how it looked before it all came apart at the seams.
Whilst building it up hoping to get a ride in tomorrow, I discovered the forks had 40mm or so travel than first thought..... mmm theres a problem there, unlike the first evolution RC36's, these are not running elastomers, but are spring an oil filled damper design (which I knew hence going for the slightly later model fork). A quick phone call to Tim at Fork English, confirmed what I thought, the damper has no oil in it so is going straight through the travel and the damper is not an easy user serviceable item. So I made the decission to get them serviced an use the old Indy ST forks I took off. Thankfully I hadn't thrown them out yet!
The plus side is I seem to have lost a couple of pounds in the process, but we will see the total weight when the forks come back full of oil.
Plans are now for a black seatpost, and maybe a black or gun metal grey seat QR and stem. The black stem I have here is now too big in the clamp height and exceeds the height of the remaining steerer tube. I knew the steerer was 5mm shorter than the current one, but what I hadn't bargined for was the new headset taking another 10mm of height from me. So I'm on the hunt again.
Wheels will be black rims, black hubs, and black spokes with gold nipples (these are going to come first over the black bits as there isn't much life left in the braking surfaces)
So far am happy with the way things have turned out so for me, it has been worth it.
Whilst building it up hoping to get a ride in tomorrow, I discovered the forks had 40mm or so travel than first thought..... mmm theres a problem there, unlike the first evolution RC36's, these are not running elastomers, but are spring an oil filled damper design (which I knew hence going for the slightly later model fork). A quick phone call to Tim at Fork English, confirmed what I thought, the damper has no oil in it so is going straight through the travel and the damper is not an easy user serviceable item. So I made the decission to get them serviced an use the old Indy ST forks I took off. Thankfully I hadn't thrown them out yet!
The plus side is I seem to have lost a couple of pounds in the process, but we will see the total weight when the forks come back full of oil.
Plans are now for a black seatpost, and maybe a black or gun metal grey seat QR and stem. The black stem I have here is now too big in the clamp height and exceeds the height of the remaining steerer tube. I knew the steerer was 5mm shorter than the current one, but what I hadn't bargined for was the new headset taking another 10mm of height from me. So I'm on the hunt again.
Wheels will be black rims, black hubs, and black spokes with gold nipples (these are going to come first over the black bits as there isn't much life left in the braking surfaces)
So far am happy with the way things have turned out
so for me, it has been worth it.Gassing Station | Pedal Powered | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff