Has "lightweight" gone too far?

[C.P.]

Been pretty quiet on the boards lately, so I figured I'd try to get somethin' going...

Comments?...I wouldn't be putting them on any of my bikes, maybe they would be broken pretty quickly , but I dont race these days...interesting though... http://carbon-customs.de/component/option,com_virtuemart/page,shop.browse/category_id,3/index.php?option=com_virtuemart&page=shop.browse&category_id=3&vmcchk=1

[Jisch]

I don't know, I think that might be going a bit too far. At least a rotor failure would not be catastrophic, at least not in the scope of say a carbon handlebar or frame failure. CP I think you should buy a set and let us know how long they last.

I once ran across a guy who had aluminum rotors, he said they worked fine and saved weight, but they squealed like a pig all the time. He was willing to live with that, I wouldn't be able to live with it.

John

[C.P.]

Aparently carbon disc brake rotors originated on aircraft, and now are used in formula one race cars...

Jisch, you see the price? crazy expensive ... 'never see em on my bike...

€ 699 = 915.1308 US$

[Jisch]

Thats some coin.

Those look an awful lot like a cutting wheel that you'd put in a drill. I say you see if you can modify one of those and make it into a rotor.

John

[ArmOnFire]

Aparently carbon disc brake rotors originated on aircraft, and now are used in formula one race cars...

Jisch, you see the price? crazy expensive ... 'never see em on my bike...

€ 699 = 915.1308 US$

That is more than my favorite bike.

Wowzers!

[SteveC]

I still have a Monkey lite riserbar that I got last year for a nice price that I'm waiting for the right zen moment to install it.......want to do it right the first time, of course.......Any insight into that will be appreciated....
I'm currently running ODI lock-ons, SRAM twisters and SRAM 9.0sl v-levers, with a Thompson stem. It seems that certain clamp-types are better than others, according to the enclosed warnings.
I don't do any hucking dropping or gapping etc, mostly just falling :rolleyes: and regular XC abuse.
SC

[bikapelli]

I'm switching to all balsa wood parts!!!(because styro foam is not as biodegradable)

[SteveC]

I'm trying real hard to NOT bring up helium again......;)

[heckler]

As far as the Monkey Lite? I bought one of those quite a while ago. At the time I naively though narrow was better than full width so I hacked off an inch from each end. did nothing else to preserve the CF which had frayed a bit. Just clamped it into the stem and proceeded to bash the crap out of it for about four years. Never failed. Very impressive. Oh, and light!

[SteveC]

Just found this!! the answer to all of our questions..........
SC

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/

[mdc]

Just found this!! the answer to all of our questions..........
SC

http://weightweenies.starbike.com/


I've seen that site before and it kinda scares me. In all honesty does weight really make that much of a difference? I've done some local TT's on my 25 lb "race" bike and actaully done better on my 31 lb trail bike. My guess is that with more travel and a slacker geo. you are actaully able to motor over trail obstacles that would stop a short travel race bike dead in its tracks. I think the ultimate trail/racey bike would be a SS hardtail with a 130mm fork and a slack geo. Built up right you could ride almost any hill around and still hit all the fun things on the way down....

[Jisch]

I've seen that site before. Just for grins I looked up a few tires (or tyres) I've used recently...

Tioga DH 2.3 - 969g (my old favorite)
Minion DH 2.5 - 1254g (came on my new bike)
Kenda Nevegal 2.35 - 796g (recently put one on my bike)

So taking off both the Minions and putting on Nevegals would take 900g off the bike. That's almost 2lbs of rotational weight. You know what, I didn't really notice it when I replaced the rear tire. Shows you how observant I am, but I am going to order another Nevegal for the front...

John

[Slider]

I've seen that site before and it kinda scares me. In all honesty does weight really make that much of a difference? I've done some local TT's on my 25 lb "race" bike and actaully done better on my 31 lb trail bike. My guess is that with more travel and a slacker geo. you are actaully able to motor over trail obstacles that would stop a short travel race bike dead in its tracks. I think the ultimate trail/racey bike would be a SS hardtail with a 130mm fork and a slack geo. Built up right you could ride almost any hill around and still hit all the fun things on the way down....

A TT would be the place where weight is least noticable. The more time on the bike, the greater the advantage in going light. Of course, point that TT down a rocky slope, and weight won't matter nearly as much as travel.

They say "Horses for courses", meaning match the skills to the terrain and you got a winner. Same thing for bikes.

Having said that, my conditioning is not nearly that of the guys I ride with. If I rode Jisch's tank, I'd be toast lots sooner on the three hour rides we do. Gimme me my rigid-rear Dean at least 80% of the time, and I'll go further, faster.

But there's a tradeoff in there somewhere. A fully at the same weight (never weighed the Dean, actually) would prolly get me there faster and fresher. But I doubt there is a fully in existence that would have any longevity under me if it weighed in at 25 lbs.

So I think light is good when it makes sense, and silly a lot of the time.

Slider

[Jisch]

Has this thread turned into FS vs HT?

I loved my Cannondale HT for 8 years, then I got my Titus RX100 FS, gained 4 or 5 lbs and I loved that for four years, never rode my C'dale anymore. Then I got this 6x6 tank, gained another 4 or 5 lbs and I haven't touched my RX100 or HT since.

There are a lot of measurements for which is "better", but saddle time is the best indicator to me. I pulled out the HT the other day (ironically to ride back to the spot where the seat broke on my FS so I could find a part I lost) and I hated it. Its so harsh, ok acceleration and "flickability" were vastly better, but I'll give up that stuff for traction and comfort. I don't notice the weight except when I'm low energy (i.e. the last ride when I was fighting a cold). Sometimes the long hills kill me, the short steeps are fine.

Anyway, I'm sure at some point I'll get a 29er or convert the C'dale to SS and sing those praises, for now, I'm all about the plushness and durability of my 6x6.

John

[SteveC]

My Ted is far from the light machine that it could be, if I was , in fact, a 'weight weenie'........It clocks in at about 29# these days, whatwith the ThudBuster and the new(free from a racer friend who would nt have anything to do with it)RED Hot S Michelin 2.5 up front, which adds 1# over my old Scorpion 2.3, but I figured it's good for winter........
I figure when I get around to installing the MonkeyLite, I'll redeem some of that weight............
Next on the agenda will be actually getting back on the bike and riding it, and maybe shedding a few holiday pounds!.......
SC:)