Wednesday, April 7, 2021

Weight reduction in MTBs

Wheels of Happiness

Rizal Philippines
4.07.2021






In the interest of safety, age, and convenience, this post has gradually shifted his attention from RB to MTB.   There are more interesting technology in MTB.

The MTB is generally seen as no place for weight reduction.  But champion MTB riders have carbon and generally ligher bikes.   As in RB, and motorracing, light is always might.

There are generally 3 high priority areas that are subject to weight reduction

1.  Fork
2.  Wheelset and tires
3.   Drive train.

FORK -  you can shift to rigid forks which tip the scales at 700 gm max for alum and 500 g for carbon fiber.   That would save you about 2.5 kg from 3 kg fork.    Or you can halve the weight to 1.7 kg by shifting to much lighter albeit more expensive fork

WHEELSET and tires.   Maybe you can lose 500 gm on lighter tires, and  kg on carbon fiber wheelset.   But that is expensive.

DRIVE TRAIN 

      1. Converting to one by -  saves you about 300 - 600 grams

     2.  Hollow chains  - about 20 to 30 grams.

If you follow all the three weight reduction can be 2.5 kg from fork, 2.  tires 500 gm and 3. one by 0.5 kg.  Thats a total of 3.5 kg.    If you have a 15 kg bike, you will end up with 11.5 kg bike.  That'light.  If you have a 11.7 kg carbon fiber bike (as what I have ordered) the final weight will be less than 10 kg.  or 8.2 kg.   x 2.2 18.04 lbs.  Just almost the weight of an rb.

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