# Whats the easiest way to lighten my bike?



## Ice Cold (Aug 20, 2008)

For example my, 2011 Cannondale Quick CX 3 comes with a lower end Crank, which weights in at 6lbs. But for a mere $45 bucks I can get a slightly upgraded crank which weights 3lbs.

Thats sounds good to me but is that all?


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## jalopy jockey (Jun 7, 2007)

Weight Weenie forum > http://forums.mtbr.com/forumdisplay.php?f=49


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## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

tubes...

then tires...

then wheels...

then fork...

then cranks...

then pedals...

then bars/grips...


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## bengxe (Oct 11, 2009)

A 3lb crankset would be an extremely heavy crankset. I think a 6lb crankset would have to be made out of depleted uranium.


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## hardtailkid (Jan 25, 2010)

Well, you already have a carbon fiber fork. No weight to be saved and also be cost effective there.

You could save a bit of weight by upgrading your cassette to a SRAM PG 970 or 990, but I wouldn't recommend that unless you replace your chain and chain rings at the same time. But it is still an option.

If you really went weight weenie on us you might be able to save a pound with new tubes and tires.

Maybe go for a carbon fiber seatpost. Since it's a 27.2mm, you should be able to find one for a good price. That may get you 60g.

Your crankset is not so heavy that it is a justifiable upgrade for weight savings, but it is possible if you had the expenses. Good luck finding a lightweight triple with those rings, though.

Most stock handlebars and stems are pretty heavy, so you could save a decent amount of weight there for about $120.

Good luck!
-Andy


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## mimi1885 (Aug 12, 2006)

For 20 bucks I can make your CX3 cranks weight half that.

It's called shipping weight, that's the number you see when you google the crank.. The crank probably weight about the same as the one you are upgrading to. Don't worry too much about upgrading a brand new bike and definitely don't slightly upgrade anything. Get a better model with better crank or lighter weight stuff.


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## Crash Test Dumby (May 3, 2011)

Since nobody else seems willing to say it, the best way to make your bike lighter is to...... lay off the pizza and beer. At least that would be MY most effective way to lighten my bike . If that doesn't apply to you then I apolpgize.:nono:


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

All things are possible with power tools.


Affinity Cycles 212 Drillium by ah_blake, on Flickr


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

You have a long way to go to compete with this.


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## FireLikeIYA (Mar 15, 2009)

CHUM said:


> tubes...
> 
> then tires...
> 
> ...


Excellent rundown!


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## Bail_Monkey (May 8, 2007)

Easiest way to lighten up your bike is to start replacing your parts with Carbon fiber components where possible. The drawback is cost $$$ and they will eventually crack/break. 

Reducing rotational weight will also make the bike quicker when you start pedaling. Tires, wheelset, tubes, crank.


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## Ice Cold (Aug 20, 2008)

can you please suggest some 700x37 tubes ?? for lightness

also I already have decent tires

Crank is a 48/38/28 shimano gonna go with an FSA

and go with some hydraulic brakes save a few grams

and a carbon fiber seat post


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## False (Feb 18, 2011)

I very seriously doubt the FSA is much of an improvement from the factory Shimano cranks.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I have a FSA crank on my 'cross bike. If it wears out badly enough not to work or I decide to be a little more serious about a 'cross season, that bike's getting a Shimano. I can feel the bearing when I pedal hard, though, and a friend of mine managed to tear the crank arm off in 2009 after some of the bolts backed out.

If you really want a lightweight 28/38/48 crank setup, the best way to do it would probably be to use nice road triple crank and buy those chain rings aftermarket.

Use 700x23 tubes. Poor man's race-light tubes. A really light option is latex tubes. A few companies are also making some butyl rubber tubes to compete with latex. I have Maxxis Ultralight tubes in my race bike, and while I don't know how much difference the tubes really made - I changed the tires at the same time - they have been reliable so far.

I still don't get this project, but whatever.

EDIT: If you do latex or ultralight tubes, get the correct size. Sizing down would be for using a generic tube.


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## FrankinMich (Dec 17, 2005)

*Rotational weight*

As has been suggested by a couple of other folks, reducing rotational weight is the best way to make a bike feel lighter. Start by replacing your stock tires and tubes with lighter versions -- a relatively cheap change. You might even consider going tubeless with Stan's NoTubes, but that may prove difficult with 700c wheels. Next, check out the Bicycle Wheel Warehouse website. They have a wide selection of wheel sets at very competitive prices. I'll bet you could shed 1 - 2 pounds compared to your current wheels without "breaking the bank". Replacing handlebars, seatposts, and seats with lighter (can you say "carbon") components will also reduce weight that sits high on the bike -- making the bike feel lighter and more nimble.


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## tshulthise (Apr 23, 2010)

Just curious... Are you going to race your bike? If so, are you at race weight yourself? 

I'm always perplexed when I see guys spend $2000 extra for a carbon fiber frame when his gut is 15 lbs over race weight. Loosing body weight is the cheapest and most cost effective way to ride faster for 90% of us.

CHUM gave you good places to work on bike weight but remember there are trades. Often, lighter weight components are MUCH more expensive and less durable with minimal effect on your end game... I.E. having fun on the trail.

If you are a racer and are at race weight then the weight forum is where you will get your best answers.


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## masterlucasdude (Jun 5, 2011)

EASIEST way?????
Ummmmm...... 
Easy
$$$$$$$$$
You're looking at the cheapest of $100 per pound lost.
lol Sometimes it's cheaper to go on a diet and lose the weight in areas other than the bike.


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## scale70 (May 28, 2011)

Better wheels makes the most difference both in riding and weight.


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I had some weight weenie thoughts the other day.

I did my first endurance race. It was only 30 miles - not long for that format, but longer than I've raced in the past. The guy who won it did it in 2:28. I took 3:13, putting me in the top 40% of racers in my category, open men. I'm pretty happy with that result, and I did it on the bike I always race, a Specialized Hardrock with a mostly aftermarket build. I don't know what it weighs - I only own a bathroom scale, which I only trust to +/- 2 lb, and trying to do the bathroom scale weigh-in of my bike has proved awkward. I think it's right around 30 lb, though, at least as raced that day with the previous, much heavier wheels.

Anyway. 193 minutes to finish. Suppose by bolting more money to my bike, I was able to go 1% faster, on average. Then I'd finish in 191 minutes. The next guy ahead of me was 3 minutes ahead, almost exactly, so I wouldn't have caught him. What if I went 5% faster, or one gear higher a little over half the time? That'd be about nine minutes off my time, so 184 minutes. That would move me up seven places. Still not into the top ten (I was already top 20) but that's quite a lot. I actually don't believe that improvements to the bike would make me enough more efficient to do that without actually being in better shape, and I think if I lost places to anything in that race, it was not having a good nutrition strategy. I'm also sitting at 8 lb over my goal weight, and even more over my best racing weight which wasn't a super-healthy weight otherwise.

Still, though - missing the next place by 3 minutes and being surrounded by people on really expensive, purpose built race rigs made me think about it a little. I'm hoping that the lighter wheels I bought this season will facilitate me developing more efficient handling skills, and give me a little more speed.


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## CHUM (Aug 30, 2004)

AndrwSwitch said:


> ....I'm hoping that the lighter wheels I bought this season will facilitate me developing more efficient handling skills, and give me a little more speed.


that and tire selection will not only make you noticeably 'faster'...the confidence and lack of fatigue will also help...considerably....

damn...i miss racing....


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## AndrwSwitch (Nov 8, 2007)

I'm currently using a set of very stingy 2.1" tires - Panaracer Dart Classic in front, and Maxxis Crossmark in the back, with Maxxis Ultralight tubes. I don't think any less front tire is practical for me, in my riding environment, but if a lighter or faster-rolling rear tire fell into my lap, I'd at least try it and see what I thought. Rims are 410g and 32-hole with eyelets and double-butted spokes. They're my "plain brown wrapper" race wheels, and were quite cheap from bicyclewheelwarehouse.com. I wanted something I could use as an everyday wheel and I didn't think I could get a deal on a lighter-rimmed set until my next team order, maybe not until January 2012.

Impressive that Stan's is down to a 330g aluminum rim for 26" bikes. I'm not sure if I'd use that rim in a skills park, though... The current wheels don't spend all their time on the ground.


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## MSU Alum (Aug 8, 2009)

Never mind.


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