Weight of a Bike..

[139NI]

Just a quick piece of advice sought.

I have a MONTAGUE PARATROOPER FOLDING BIKE which weighs approx. 16kg.

I am looking to replace consumable parts on the bike which are now wearing out [Dart 2 forks, wheels, square taper BB, tyres] and in doing so, would like to reduce the weight of it in order to optimise its performance.

What should i prioritise and spend money on if there is one component which gives the best return in terms of improving weight saving / performance gain if i could just spend money on one item?

Also, even if i spent that much money on 'flash' components and shaved 2kg off the bike. Would i feel that difference when i am on the road in terms of performance or would i be wasting money.

I only have one bike and would not consider buying another one at this time.

w

 

[Zoiders]

Simples.

Ditch the sus-fork for a rigid one.

Being a montague it's about the only place you can thin it down with any sensible amount of weight return for cash spent.

Short of fitting slicks there is not going to be any huge performance difference gained pimping the rest of the bike.

 

[mickle]

Got a magnet? It's likely that many of the components on your bike are steel rather than aluminum. Parts like cranks, chainrings, seat post, bars and stem. However, the best place to shed weight is from the wheels. OEM (Original Equipment for Manufacturer) tyres are thick and use cheap inflexible rubber. The same goes for OEM inner tubes. This is where the greatest savings can be made for the least outlay but, crucially, removing weight from the rotating mass of the bike has the greatest effect on performance. Lighter, skinnier, better quality tyres and tubes (inflated to their optimum pressure) will utterly transform your bike.

Once your tyres are sorted you can turn your attention to the other parts - bars, seatpost etc. Replace them one at a time, spread the job over a period of a few months it'll be less financially painful.

Make a point of sorting your position on the bike too. It'll feel heavy and sluggish if it doesn't fit you properly, particularly if the saddle is set too low.

Got a picture of it?

 

[ianrauk]

Will,
upgrade the wheels and tyres for a start. The one's you have at the moment are more suited to a tractor.
Plus you an effin' fit bloke.. so losing 2kgs from the bike will make little difference to you.

Raid the nick stores for an old unclaimed bike.

 

[Zoiders]

Loosing 2kg for a great outlay of cash still leaves a 14kg MTB.

That's nearly 31lbs.

Going in to this thread I knew exactly which bike was involved and that changing the nature of it into something else was a financial excercise aproaching the unit cost of the whole bike new.

Carbon forks, slicks from the sales. Biggest weight loss for the least amount of cash.

 

[screenman]

Normally cheaper to lose 2 kilo off your body weight than the same off a bike. That is if you have 2 kilo to lose.

 

[ianrauk]

Normally cheaper to lose 2 kilo off your body weight than the same off a bike. That is if you have 2 kilo to lose.

LOL.. no he hasn't.....he's as bloody fit as a fiddle...

 

[fossyant]

Got a magnet? It's likely that many of the components on your bike are steel rather than aluminum. Parts like cranks, chainrings, seat post, bars and stem. However, the best place to shed weight is from the wheels. OEM (Original Equipment for Manufacturer) tyres are thick and use cheap inflexible rubber. The same goes for OEM inner tubes. This is where the greatest savings can be made for the least outlay but, crucially, removing weight from the rotating mass of the bike has the greatest effect on performance. Lighter, skinnier, better quality tyres and tubes (inflated to their optimum pressure) will utterly transform your bike.

Once your tyres are sorted you can turn your attention to the other parts - bars, seatpost etc. Replace them one at a time, spread the job over a period of a few months it'll be less financially painful.

Make a point of sorting your position on the bike too. It'll feel heavy and sluggish if it doesn't fit you properly, particularly if the saddle is set too low.

Got a picture of it?

What Mickle says, it's what I'd say............ Talking Tank to start with, so fast tyres/tubes are a start... they made my MTB into a road bike scalper.......it did look horrible though..........

 

[Chris S]

Normally cheaper to lose 2 kilo off your body weight than the same off a bike. That is if you have 2 kilo to lose.

Also more effective - take a look at this:
http://www.bikeradar...ys-doctor-28693

 

[RecordAceFromNew]

If the Paratrooper you have has this spec, then the fork weighs 2.4kg. Fyi a light suspension fork such as a SID would weigh 1 kg less. Obviously a rigid mtb fork can be even lighter (by around 1.5kg), but that would fundamentally change the nature of the bike.

It would be hard to find out what the Paratrooper's wheels weigh just from the spec, so you might have to strip them down to find out. In comparison light mtb wheels such as Mavic's crossmax's are between 1.5kg to 1.6kg a pair naked without skewers/cassette etc. 26" mtb tyres that are light (but not crazy thin) are around 400g each and light mtb tubes are around 100g a piece. If wheels are UST then one has the option to go tubeless but one shouldn't rely on that for weight saving. Just guessing I suspect you will find around 1kg if you go light in all aspects with your wheels.

What the numbers suggest, however, is that the Paratrooper is intrinsically heavy, and it will be expensive to turn it into a medium weight bike, let alone a light one. Therefore if I were you, I might stand back and reassess which of its features are important and which are not in relation to weight saving, and consider whether better for less can be achieved by switching bike altogether.

Fwiw, I did consider a Paratrooper before buying a Cadenza (also 26" wheel foldable, but no suspension), which weighed 12.7kg in large and which I decided to get rid of eventually; because I worked out that with judicious component replacement I could lighten a full sus I have to well under 12kg. Although the full sus can't be folded, it is adequately transportable for my purpose, but more importantly, it is a whole lot more versatile and fun to ride!

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Wheels+Tyres, then fork, then groupset swap or singlespeed conversion, then stem+bars and seatpost. and in that order would be my approach. go carbon on the last three unless, like me, you are a clydesdale. if front suspension is important there are lighter forks out there than those darts. If not, go rigid.

then buy a new frame to put all the nice bits on et voila, you have a lightweight mtb. (if only it were that simple)

 

[mickle]

Groupset swap Greg???

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Groupset swap Greg???

each to their own. Being a big lad I tend to leave stems/bars/seatposts well alone but I've never ever busted XTR. Worn it out yep, but never broken it.

 

[139NI]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed, looks like i will be spending money on:-

(1) Wheels - Possibly a nice set on entry level MAVIC CROSSRIDEs which has 24 Bladed spokes (umm - i could cut through like a hot knife thru butter...?!?!)

(2) Tyres - When my current CONTINENTAL TRAVEL CONTACTS die, I will buy some SCHWALBE MARATHON SUPREME [1.6 x 26] cos i have learnt they are 440g each instead of the 690g currently.

(3) Sus Forks - Possibly a new lighter fork though in the distant future as money is a constraint. Perhaps wait til CRC drops their already low prices to something even lower?!?!

Anyone with thoughts / experiences with MAVIC CROSSRIDES and SCHWALBE MARATHON SUPREMES????????????



Ian - Cheers, we'll go riding again one day.. Er i cant raid the unclaimed stuff. Though a lovely new SPECIALIZED TARMAC has somehow got in the yard - not sure of the circumstances but i believe slag went into the CYCLE SURGERY and ran out with it - then got caught.... uummm life these days...
Mickle - Cheers - i think i'm with you on the rotating mass bit
Chris S - Interesting article..
RecordAceFromNew - I did think about the forks, would love a lightweight fork in exchange for the heavy DARTs but too expensive for now. I agree, a new bike is the sensible option, but i am rather attached to the PARATROOPER right now and value its strange appearance.