# Rookie question about weight? how heavy is your bike?



## xxx123 (Aug 25, 2016)

My diamondback recoil 29er stock weight about 36 pounds? Is this heavy? What is the average entry level mountain bike weight? Thanks for your feedbacks.....

If i swap to 27.5 or get a Hardtail later; how heavy is an entry level HT?


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## FJSnoozer (Mar 3, 2015)

Entry level hardtails are still 31-34 pounds

My first bike was a used Norco wolverine. It was 34 pounds and I had a blast on it. It had a 120mm coil fork that weighed 6.2 pounds. I dropped it to around 32.5 with a 1x10 conversion when my drivetrain wore out. Next bike was a 21 pound Chinese carbon hardtail. This bike was like a rocketship.

Bikes are fun, Good tires make a world of difference along with a functioning drivetrain and good reliable brakes. The bike can be heavy, and the only thing keeping you from clearing hills is you. Keep peddling and upgrade as you go. 


Here is where your weight is:
454 grams = 1 pound

Tires vary greatly but could be 750-950 each for wire bead bad boys which may look like the same tread but have a different casing and crappier rubber. (folding bead can be added that are 600-750 each) 
entry coil Forks are usually 2100-2300 grams (air forks are 1400-1900 depending on how aggressive and amount of travel)
Close to 1 pound in the crankset vs Lighter cranksets (SLX, X9, even lighter, Carbon cranksets save another 100-150 grams
Wheelsets are usually 2200-2400 (nice aluminum wheelset will be 1600-1750, carbon will be 1400-1650) 
Drivetrain has a lot of weight in it. even on midrange SLX stuff. Upgrade when it wears out.
Frames are usually heavy. Our entry level GT hardtail frame was almost 6 pounds with headset. That's almost full suspension frame territory. My carbon frames have been 2.2.


We have upgraded a few entry level GT and Diamondback hardtails (stans wheels, tubeless, 1x10, air fork, etc ) and they were usally 27.5-28.5
I am not going to get into stems, seatposts and handlebars, because you should not be worrying about these until everything on your bike is completely speced or you have a better bike.


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## Bigjunk1 (Sep 17, 2016)

36 pounds is heavy. My XC / trail hardtail is less than 24 pounds and even 23 pounds is not the lightest nowadays. Weight does make a bike ride nicer except when you get under 20ish it can feel a bit to light and rides funny IMO.
If your bike was 10 pounds less it would ride a little easier up hills but weight is not as big a deal as most make out.


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## xxx123 (Aug 25, 2016)

thanks to Bigjunk1 and FJSnoozer


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## bitflogger (Jan 12, 2004)

Sharing bikes with my wife usually has me on the heavier or inferior ride. It can make a difference but there's diminishing returns when you do some upgrades or buy some parts.

If you're the rookie as said I suggest working on your bike skills and on your bike engine while you try out all sorts of bikes. Go to demo events when you can ride other bikes on trails. Those together will build your knowledge to know what you really want and let you try stuff to really know what you might want in the future.

Finding your local IMBA chapter or club that makes your trails happen is another good idea for a beginner. You'll learn a lot, volunteers are usually good people, and you'll advance in the sport. Those opinionated diggers and event people can help steer you.


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## Bigjunk1 (Sep 17, 2016)

*4th*

Most bikes under 1000$ - 1500$ will weigh 28 - 34 pound range. Hardtails are usually 2-3 pounds less than full suspension. Carbon frames usually weigh a couple pounds less than aluminum. Generally if a bike is under 27 - 28 pounds it was fairly expensive or someone put effort into making it light. Every single part matters and parts add up fast. The fork, wheelset and tires are often the items that are adding weight when a bike is hefty and the parts most change out first to get lighter.


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## eb1888 (Jan 27, 2012)

Getting a decent fork will drop 2-2.5 pounds off the front of an entry level bike. A good front wheel another pound. Same with a tire. You'd notice the difference climbing when trying to get over a rock or log immediately. Going downhill handling would be greatly improved.


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## Battery (May 7, 2016)

I rode my old 05 Intense Uzzi VPX that weighed in at a whopping 45lbs. It's safe to say that I got a great workout for the past year! My stumpy weighs around 28-29lbs based on what I read online.


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

I ride a 28 pound Hard Tail Plus bike and am very happy.

My first Hard tail was 31 pounds and dropping just three pounds was going to end up costing me more than the bike did when new..
Every thing on it was heavy/sturdy, Needed that because I was still crashing often due to lack of skills.
I decided lighter was better and dropped 27 pounds off,, me. Cost Zero !

I got after It and rode and worked out very hard on that bike, filled up my skills bag as best as I could.
Got Stronger and moved to a 28 pound full suspension bike, Filled my skills bag even more.

Now back on a 28 pound hard tail plus bike and don't feel the need for a lighter bike at all......


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## phlegm (Jul 13, 2006)

Bigjunk1 said:


> 36 pounds is heavy. My XC / trail hardtail is less than 24 pounds and even 23 pounds is not the lightest nowadays. Weight does make a bike ride nicer except when you get under 20ish it can feel a bit to light and rides funny IMO.
> If your bike was 10 pounds less it would ride a little easier up hills but weight is not as big a deal as most make out.


Yep, XC racing hardtails can hit the 17 lb range (or less), and this would be still fully "rideable". There are some experiment builds out there (see the WW subforum) that push even those boundaries, but I'd say durability really starts to get compromised. Full-suspension XC now hit 20 lbs or less. Consider all these cases extreme, with extreme price tags.

I would agree that you'd certainly appreciate the light weight in climbing, but some people prefer more weight on the downhill side, which I understand. Like most things there's a tradeoff.


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## RS VR6 (Mar 29, 2007)

I wouldn't say a bike is too heavy to ride, but you can definitely feel the difference in weight if big enough. I mean your body can adapt to most anything if you do it frequently enough. My trail bike is 30.5 and XC bike is 19.7. I can definitely feel the weight difference when throwing the bikes around.


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## RAKC Ind (Jan 27, 2017)

Unless your some hardcore xc rider weight means little except in the wheel/tire department. And FS bikes are heavier.

My fat bike is 34lbs 4.7" tires. I notice it going up hill.

My plus bike is 32lbs will be about 29-30 when I upgrade wheels. Nothing to gain weight Wise with a new fork.

Other than going up hill I've found being on a light weight flimsy bike isn't as much fun. I want solid, want wide tires. I'll get stronger to be able to climb as well as before. But be faster on the rest. 

Don't worry about weight unless you want to try to be pro podium racer. It's an endless and wasteful money pit.

Sent from my XT1565 using Tapatalk


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## root (Jan 24, 2006)

OP asked about entry level bike, id say yours is not out of line. Maybe a touch on the heavy side, but my first mt bike was a tank, and fully ridgid. I never weighed it, but i know compared to every bike ive had since, it was way heavier. And yet i had much memorable adventures on it. I wouldnt go back to it, it feels really odd when i do as the geometry was off. It has been handed down through two friends finally meeting its demise as a campus beater that miraculously (or not) survived quite a while unlocked.
Oh, and my current high end carbon ride is around 29 lbs, not a whole
Lot different. But we're talking 6 inches full squish action.


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## brent701 (Sep 17, 2012)

xxx123 said:


> My diamondback recoil 29er stock weight about 36 pounds? Is this heavy? What is the average entry level mountain bike weight? Thanks for your feedbacks.....
> 
> If i swap to 27.5 or get a Hardtail later; how heavy is an entry level HT?


It is heavy? to me yes.

My Hardtail is 18.6lbs but is not a entry level HT 
my plus bike HT is 28 lbs and stupid fun and I have no problem climbing it up anything in front of me. 
My Ti SS is 22 lbs

My FS bike was 23lbs not a entry level FS though 
my Enduro FS bike was 31lbs.

Most HT's as said are from 28-34lbs depending on build 
Most FS bikes are 28-38lbs depending on build, both being entry level bikes

RAKC Ind Nailed it pretty damn good. 
My XC HT is a pita to go down a DH section fast. My Plus bike loves it. there is also a 10lb weight and 2.4 vs 3" tire between the two.

Some weight like 28-31 lbs is ok for the bikes you do jumps and stuff with. Handles the landings better.

But, dropping weight, like said. Can cost you a **** load of money and sometimes more than the bike cost new. 
I think my HT weight drop was about 1.5lbs and cost about 2k if not more,


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## Osco (Apr 4, 2013)

brent701 said:


> It is heavy? to me yes.
> 
> My Hardtail is 18.6lbs but is not a entry level HT
> my plus bike HT is 28 lbs and stupid fun and I have no problem climbing it up anything in front of me.
> ...


Hey new people, That up there Is good stuff..

My Hard Tail Is also a Plus bike,, and yep like he said It Is stupid fun 
My more expensive full squish got sold, was not as much stupid fun


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