Weighing Mountain Bikes.



egrocket

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May 14, 2015
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My friend, when going to buy a mountain bike, always looked for the weight of it. Being an experienced mountain biker, (or at least I thought) I have never really heard of this. Do you guys pay close attention to the weight of a mountain bike you are buying? If so, what is the weight range you are looking for?
 
Some people have those specs that they just love. I have a friend who will drone on and on about geometry. Tenths of a degree matter to him (who even measures in tenths of a degree!) I swear he makes it up sometimes.
Yes weight matters. Pounds matter, ounces do not matter (especially in MTB, but I KNOW I will now hear many many opinions to the contrary)
The weight is just one factor for your rig. It comes down to what matters to you. You don't want a 100lb bike. But if you are buying good bikes from good companies the weight will not vary much.
That being said, it depends on application. Sub 30lbs XC bikes are now the norm. A DH bike will normally weight in between 37lbs-43lbs.
 
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Sub 30lbs XC bikes? There are several full suspension bikes on the market now that weigh in at 25lbs or less. That's bone stock of the shelf. If you're so inclined to build something yourself you can easily go even lighter.
 
Weight can be an important factor. It's more the rider to bike weight ratio than anything. Your weight can affect the components you need and the wear. If your bike is to light for you it could be a safety issue.
 
Actually it's NOT all about the power/weight ratio when it comes to mountain biking and a lightweight bike can make an immense difference for every type of rider. And I've never heard of a bike that was too light for anyone. I know some big dudes on pretty light mountain bikes. Like 280 pounds on hardtail bikes.

The power/weight ratio is a road cycling issue. When you start going uphill, the heavier the load the more power it takes to go up it. While this is also true off-road... Road cyclists don't hop over logs, rocks and have to maneuver a bike like you do off road. There are a lot of times when you are pulling the bike up without having to pull your own weight up and 20 pounds is a lot easier to lift than 30.

That being said I don't look at weight specifically when buying a bike. It's more about the ride feel and components. weight kinda takes care of itself.
 
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It plays a role, but it isn't the most important. Weight can depend on how well the bike can handle corners and its performance on handling. When mountain biking, you need a good bike to handle corners or else you would end up having a big problem. There are other big factors going into mountain bike buying descisions such as the technology on the gears and tires.
 
In my opinion, choosing a bike is all about balance. A superlight bike is no good if it isn't tough enough for the job. Manufacturers can use all sorts of sneaky tricks to bring the weight down at the expense of quality - flimsy grips that fall apart, fragile and undersized tyres, shallow rims lacking in stiffness and strength etc.

Over in the road cycling world, we have seen bike weights start to creep up as riders realise the importance of aerodynamics. I think that similar principles apply to mountain bikes. Often you'll be faster on a slightly heavier full suspension frame than on a lightweight hardtail, because you're not wasting energy in keeping the bike stable or losing time over technical sections. The advent of 29ers shows that the lightest solution isn't necessarily the best; Big wheels might weigh a little more, but they're worth it if they roll a lot better. A dropper seatpost might add weight, but it's a worthwhile price to pay if you can avoid compromising your saddle height and gain confidence downhill.
 

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