Specialized epic expert wc weight savings

Discuss light weight issues concerning mountain bikes & parts.

Moderator: Moderator Team

User avatar
devinci
Posts: 2904
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Canada

by devinci

Hey guys, just switched from a 19,5lbs hardtail to an epic wc 2015, which im not sure of the weight yet. I'd appreciate any weight saving suggestions. I don't want to invest too much though so cheap savings are the goal. This bike sees a lot of use. In fact, im training on the road with t as well as trail riding and elite xc racing.

Here is the build list:

Frame: specialized epic wc expert medium
Fork: fox 32 ctd kashima stealth edition w/ ultrastar expander, tune top cap
Wheels: NOBL carbon rims, sapim cx ray spokes, industry 9 hubs
Tires: maxxis ikons exc exo (will switch to fastrack control)
Rotors: kcnc razor with ti bolts
Axles: specialized rear, carbon-ti front
Derailleur: xtr 9000
Shifter: xtr 9000
Crank: xtr 9020, 32t one up ring
Chain: xt 11
Bb: raceface pf30 adapter
Cassette: xtr 9000 11-40
Pedals: shimano xt
Brakes: xtr 987
Bars: mt zoom flat 700mm
Stem: specialized 100mm
Seatpost: kcnc ti pro lite
Saddle: fizik antares
Cages: specialized sideload carbon
Seatpost clamp: kcnc

My current thoughts are:

Saddle: weights 198g. The antares is perfect for me. I need to fin an affordable antares 00 or a toupe sworks 143mm. Any other 143mm suggestions?

Seatpost: it weights 155g. Saddle is fully backed out so I may need a setback post. I have an sworks setback post here which weights 185g. Any lighter suggestions?

Stem: specialized sl weights 126g. Currently playing with fit, may order a hylix with ti bolts.

Not willing to change pedals, fok or groupset. Wheels stay too. Not much options left...?

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



User avatar
Martin.F
Posts: 781
Joined: Sat May 28, 2005 9:21 pm
Location: Norway, Drammen

by Martin.F

Guess you're left with bolt-tuning. Alu bolts on the derailleurs, lighter pulley wheels, alu bolts on brake/shifter levers. Small stuff like that. Won't make a huge difference though. What grips are you using? Personally I like the Extralite ones. They are around 8g for the pair and really comfy in my opinion.

User avatar
devinci
Posts: 2904
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Canada

by devinci

Thanks Martin. Im using esi racer edge, not the lightest but cheap to replace and last quite long.

Alu bolts already on lever clamps, bottle cages and top cap. Ti bolt for caliper.

Mainly looking at stem, seatpost and saddle suggestions

jooo
Posts: 1510
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:48 am

by jooo

Did you get it as a frame only and then use a complete XTR groupset? Not sure why you'd choose an XTR crank otherwise? It's certainly not the lightest or particularly good $ per gram compared to some other options. The stock S-Works crank is lighter and you don't have to use a heavy BB adapter. AFAIK the older S-Works crank is slightly lighter again and then you can loose even more weight running a spiderless chainring on that version. The Next SL cranks would also save weight, both on the cranks and just getting to use a normal PF30 BB.

User avatar
devinci
Posts: 2904
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Canada

by devinci

Nope got the complete bike. Main reason for riding xtr is I don't want to swap 4x cassette body and use expensive cassette. Given I needed the bb adapter to use my powermeter I figured Id run the xtr cranks.

Jmdesignz2
Posts: 272
Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2015 2:27 am

by Jmdesignz2

Rotors: kcnc razor with ti bolts - Change to Ashima Ai2 at 65g each
Cassette: xtr 9000 11-40 - 329g vs 265g Change to SRAM XX1 11 speed (mtbr guys report perfect shifting)
Stem: specialized 100mm at 126g vs sub 98g Change to UNO 6 or 7 with Ti bolts
Seatpost clamp: kcnc which one - SC11? 11g? - change to MT Zoom clamp 6g?

Change out steel to Titanium bolts on suspension

User avatar
Martin.F
Posts: 781
Joined: Sat May 28, 2005 9:21 pm
Location: Norway, Drammen

by Martin.F

Re stem: i'm using the uno "7" in a -17 degree/110mm size now and find it stiff enough combined with both my road bar and my kcnc sc bone wide mtb bar. I find it plenty stiff and with titanium bolts it's 104g. I can also recommend the PRC stuff that merida uses. The extralite i found to be too flexy for my liking.

Seatpost would have to be one of the big german ones if you want something noticeably lighter than 185g with setback.

jooo
Posts: 1510
Joined: Wed Feb 02, 2011 3:48 am

by jooo

devinci wrote:Nope got the complete bike. Main reason for riding xtr is I don't want to swap 4x cassette body and use expensive cassette. Given I needed the bb adapter to use my powermeter I figured Id run the xtr cranks.

I was just talking about the cranks alone, but that makes sense to use something with a 24mm spindle if you change them regularly to use a PM (which needs the same BB).

I'd choose the SRAM cassette but that also makes a load of sense to use XTR so you don't have to update 4 sets of wheels! Getting off topic now, but I wouldn't be surprised if SRAM did end up making an 11-38 or 40 cassette now they've got more 1x road/gravel stuff. It should work on both normal 10 and 11 speed freehubs. Many people would appreciate slightly closer gearing and if history is anything to go by, it would end up being considerably lightly than Shimano cassettes.

stoney
Posts: 474
Joined: Wed Jun 08, 2011 11:26 am

by stoney

I second the XX1 cassette (10-42) switch. I'm running it with XTR 9000 rear derailleur and it shifts perfectly.

DanW
Posts: 1243
Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

Why are the pedals non-negotiable? That must be a fair bit of weight there and is your only real saving besides the small tuning bits already mentioned. XTR with Ti spindles perhaps or even the Xpedo M-Force Ti which are almost identical to Shimano but with better bearings and mud shedding.

With the stem you have only 25g's to lose and the seatpost you have is pretty much as good as it gets with setback without spending crazy money as others have said and even then there's only a handful of g's to be had.

Also, there's nothing to stop you going for the XX1 cassette on the race wheels and only swapping one freehub which would be a handy weight saving.

I wouldn't bother with the Fasttraks and if you fancy giving Spesh hardpack tyres a go then I'd really recommend the Renegades- much, much more versatile than they look and incredibly quick. You may even be able to get hold of the 2.3's in Canada which would be even grippier so long as the rims have some reasonable width.

I also agree on the grips- Extralite feel great for me but they are too loose on the bars I tried to really trust them. An alternative to look at could be the BBB BHG-28 foam grips. Same thin profile as the Extralite but much cheaper and more secure at the penalty of a touch more weight (still lighter than ESI although this will be a personal choice obviously to swap)

All in all it sounds like a pretty dialled bike with only minor tinkering to be had. Can't wait to see it :thumbup:

User avatar
devinci
Posts: 2904
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Canada

by devinci

Thanks for your comments guys

May consider xtr pedals but the weight is not that great even with Ti spindle

Any comments on the existat 28ti pedals. They are not super expensive and the weight looks great.

DanW
Posts: 1243
Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

XTR 980 w/ Ti spindles were 270g for me, Xpedo XMF08TT are 216g and similar to Shimano but better in almost every way. Paid £80.

User avatar
devinci
Posts: 2904
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Canada

by devinci

From what I find the xpedo seems to not be that reliable in the long term vs the xtr. I also can't find much below 200us$ which means a ton of cad$ given our crappy currency.

The exustar are affordable though. Any good source for xpedo?

User avatar
devinci
Posts: 2904
Joined: Sat Jan 03, 2009 9:43 pm
Location: Canada

by devinci

Re uno stem

Are the uno the same as the hylix stem? They are similar from what I can tell and both cheap. The hylix can come with ti bolts or steel bolts. Is there one lighter then the other for the same bolt material config?

by Weenie


Visit starbike.com Online Retailer for HighEnd cycling components
Great Prices ✓    Broad Selection ✓    Worldwide Delivery ✓

www.starbike.com



DanW
Posts: 1243
Joined: Fri May 02, 2008 5:39 pm
Location: Here, there and everywhere

by DanW

From what I find the xpedo seems to not be that reliable in the long term vs the xtr.


Those reviews refer to a pretty old version with one bearing one bush IIRC. They are now cartridge bearings all round which is a huge improvement over the crappy lose ball bearing and finnicky preload design of the

Edit: Forgot to say, source of the cheap Xpedo Ti pedals is an Australian seller on ebay
Last edited by DanW on Mon Oct 05, 2015 7:27 pm, edited 1 time in total.

Post Reply