Hi folks, I'm working on a retro grouch bike project using mainly titanium and 1st-generation XTR parts. The whole thing is teetering around the 10kg mark. I want to push that down a little, into single digits, but I'm not sure where to start without having to lose the Ti or XTR parts (they're a bit heavier than the current generation, but they look soooo sweet). Could anyone advice me on this?

Parts (sorry, didn't weigh them individually before I put them together):

Frame: Merlin Ti E-Stay Suspension '93 - approx 4.6lbs
Fork: XACD Ti rigid fork - 580lbs - oops - grams dammit!
H/Set: Chris King 1" threadless
Hubs: Shimano XTR 900 series
Brakes: Shimano XTR 900 series
Rims: Mavic x517 silver
Spokes: DT Comp, 32 spokes
Tyres: IRC Metro 1", Hutchinson 1" tubes
Cranks & Chainrings: Shimano XTR 900 series, 170mm
BB: Shimano XTR 900 series, 73mm
Seatpost: XACD Ti Thomson design
Saddle: Koobi SI
Bars: Easton Scandium lo-rise w/ XACD bar-ends
Stem: XACD Ti 50mm, 20 degree
Grips: Oury
Shifter/Brake Lever combo: Shimano XTR 900 series
Rear Deraillier: Shimano XTR 900 series
Pedals: Shimano 540 SPDs
Cassette: Shimano XTR 900 series Ti
Chain: Shimano XTR 900 series
Bolts, nuts, screws, etc: Mostly Ti

Please note that it may be a project but it's also my daily commuting bike, so some parts added for comfort I don't want to remove, like the riser bar, bar ends, Oury grips or Koobi saddle, even if they add a bit more weight. The frame, which is the heart of the bike, has to stay too, though I could easily find one 1kg lighter.

So I'm at a loss - where else is the weight coming from? Everything looks fairly light to me...

Thanks in advance!

Nice Bike!

When looking at your wheels, you didn't say what the spokescrews were made of. If they are from steel you can easily loose 20 gr. a wheel in replacing them with aluminum one's. You can also try to use 2.0 / 1.8 spokes. Don't loose the bar ends, but chop them off a little. You practicly don't use the whole.

Good luck!

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Never seen a 580lb fork before, must be fairly rigid though

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.....but it still has to work!

Hi Frankie-B - good advice about the wheels, I'm not sure what the screws and spokes are made of; in fact I'm thinking of changing out the entire wheels, as 1st gen XTR hubs look good but are pretty heavy compared to newer hubs. Maybe put in Ti spokes too.

Polaris - yes it's built to take my 160 ton butt

Changing the entire wheel seems a bit to far. Your goal is to put in as much old skool xtr as possible, isn't it? Since the hubs are in the heart of the rotational mass. this doesnt effect your wheels that much. Only do it when you can get your hands on those xtr's! Ti spokes is just plain eye candy, only good if you want a total ti bike, DT revolutions are much better!

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