How To Make Mountain Bike Lighter

Making mountain bikes lighter is a topic that has been discussed for decades. It is not just about the weight of the bike, but also about how to make it more efficient.

There are many ways you can make a mountain bike lighter. For example, you can install a carbon fiber frame or a titanium frame which will reduce the weight of the bike and make it more efficient. You can also get rid of any unnecessary parts that are not necessary for your biking experience.

How can I make my bike lighter?

Buy latex inner tubes. Latex tubes are a bit lighter than butyl tubes, but their effect is amplified because they contribute to rotational weight Courtesy. Use lightweight tyres. Change to velo plugs. Use lightweight bar tape. Get carbon everything. Go paint free. Change your cassette. Keep your hands out of the cookie jar.^[1]

How do I make my downhill bike lighter?

Replace an alloy handlebar with a carbon fibre one. Use lighter tubes in the tires or go tubeless. Replace nuts and bolts with lighter ones. Replace the rear cassette with a one lighter.^[2]

Is 15 mph fast on a mountain bike?

What Good Mountain Bike Average Speed? In general, for an average cyclist, 17 mph is considered a good average speed for a mountain bike on road, while on trails speed can drop dramatically to 14 mph due to the hard riding condition on these paths.^[3]

What is the heaviest part of a mountain bike?

Wheels – 33.60% Accounting for almost 34 percent of the total weight of a Mountain Bike, the wheels are the thing that add the most weight to your bike.^[4]

Are lighter bikes faster?

And even though a lighter bike has a slight advantage over a heavier one, any lead it achieves up a hill will be partially cancelled out on the way down. (A heavier bike won’t make up the entire difference, especially if the downhill requires breaking, but it will accelerate slightly faster than a lighter one.)^[5]

What is a good weight for a mountain bike?

A good hardtail mountain bike will weigh between 28 and 31 lbs. There are a few heavier and a few lighter weight options. Bikes that are more trail oriented are heavier. Bikes that are cross country race oriented fall on the lighter end.^[6]

How do you reduce drag on a bike?

Get yourself an aerodynamic bike. Aerodynamic cycling helmets also help. Cyclists can even wear aerodynamically designed clothing. The wheels of a bike can also be designed to reduce drag. Cycling posture is one of the best ways to reduce drag on a bicycle.^[7]

How much weight do carbon handlebars save?

Most brands show a weight saving of around 20-40 per cent for carbon over aluminium.^[8]

Does tubeless save weight?

Reduce weight from tires In a typical tubeless setup, you’re looking at about 125 grams of sealant in each tire, meaning the overall weight savings can be anywhere from 150 – 650 grams by ditching the tube.^[9]

Where do you cut weight on a mountain bike?

On a mountain bike the best pence-per-gram weight savings are achieved by, in order: cassette, chainset, handlebars, wheels and saddle. Don’t bother with new shifters, dropper posts, rear mechs, stems or even disc brakes.^[10]

How much weight does titanium bolts save?

Here you can see how swapping from steel steering wheel hub fasteners to titanium pieces saved exactly 50 percent of the original steel weight.^[11]

How much weight can you save with carbon wheels?

By contrast, the composite version of that wheelets benefitted immediately from a weight saving of 300g. Twenty years on, carbon wheelsets now feature taller rims and can weigh less than 1,500g (especially those with tubular rims) while the lightest wheelsets are well below 1,000g.^[12]