Making Your Mountain Bike Lighter

Now that mountain biking is advancing at such a rapid pace it seems as though riders are more concerned about their bike and its components than the riding itself. And with performance measuring apps like Strava being widely used beating your best time sometimes becomes more important than having a good time. So if you want to be able to improve your ride times and make those longer rides and steeper hills a little easier than putting your bike on a diet is a good way to accomplish this.

There are many ways to make your bike lighter but some of them can be rather expensive. If you have an old heavy bike then it is most likely not worth the money to try and lighten it up because you will most likely spend more on parts than it would cost to just buy a new bike. And if you want to go really light you would need to start out with a carbon fiber frame which can save you a few pounds right off the bat.

When it comes to buying lighter components for your bike there are many to choose from and there is always a lighter version of some part that you can buy. One of the cheapest ways to start is to get yourself some carbon fiber handlebars. These can save you a decent amount of weight depending on what you currently have and you can usually get them fairly cheap. Just be sure to check things like the width, thickness and riser height so you can get the right ones for your riding style. One more expensive replacement part is the wheelset. Getting a set of carbon fiber wheels will save you a good amount of weight as well as give you less rotating mass to have to push up those hills. Plus they offer greater rigidity which can benefit you on those more intense trails. The only problem is that a new set of wheels can run you over $1000 unless you find some used ones. Too add to the wheelset savings you can get lighter brake rotors, cassette and tires to cut that weight down. If you run inner tubes in your tires then going to tubeless can save you a little weight as well.

Another area where you can shave some weight is in the seat\seat post. If you like to have a big padded seat then those will tend to be on the heavy side. There are many slim more streamlined seats that are much lighter that you can use instead. One thing to look for when buying a seat are the rails that attach the seat to the seat post. The really light seats will have carbon fiber rails and therefore cost you the most as in $2-300. Other options include titanium which is still light but not as light as carbon fiber. If you don’t have a dropper seat post then you can also swap out your seat post with a carbon fiber or other lighter material version.

A more drastic option for weight savings is to switch from having a front and rear derailleur to only a rear derailleur setup. This will get rid of the weight of the front derailleur as well as the front shifter and cable. The newest trend in mountain bike setup is using a 1x10 or 1x11 system rather than a 2x10 or the older 3x9 setup. You can change the gear\sprocket sizing to get the best ratio for the climbs and shape you are in. The problem with this is that it will involve changing out your rear derailleur and shifter if you want to go to an 11 speed and possibly changing out your cranks so it only has one chain ring up front. Carbon fiber cranks are another option but those can cost several hundred dollars new.

Other things you can do to save weight are to minimize the accessories on your bike such as only putting on your light when you need it, going to a phone app rather than using a bike computer and even getting a carbon fiber water bottle cage. There are also a good variety of lightweight pedals on the market to help you out. Many people will go with a polymer (plastic) or magnesium pedal to shed a few grams.

Overall if you can shave 3-4 pounds off your bike you will definitely notice the difference out on the trail. Climbing the hills will be easier and you will find that you don’t work as hard during your rides. You may also find that the descents are easier as well since your bike will be more nimble with less weight. And the biggest benefit will be that all your riding buddies will be jealous of how light your bike is.

Posted by Preston Mason