Hi guys.

I started mountain biking about 2 years ago and for the last year I have become a some what weight weenie.

My Cube started out in life at 13.5kg, I weighed it today and it was 11.49kg so not too bad, however I would like it down to 10kg.

Can anyone see where I can save another 1.5kg from this spec ?

I have replaced almost every part of this bike apart from the brakes and the chainset I think, but I dont want to spend a small fortune to find I hardly make any savings if I go and upgrade those.

Bike Specification

Frame: Alu-Lite AMF 7005 RFR-Geometry (Blk/Grey)
Protection: Biketape Frame Protection Film (Clear), Cube Chainstay Protector (Blk)
Seat: 2012 Selle Italia SLR XC Carbon Composite Shell, Vanox Rails, 131mm x 275 (Blk)
Seatpost: Standard 31.6mm x 400mm (Blk)
Seatclamp: MT Zoom (Red)
Handlebar: Kingdom Lunar 680CRB Carbon Riser Bar (Carbon)
Stem: Answer Rove XC Stem 2012 70mm-31.8mm CNC 3D Forged 6066 +8° Rise
Headset: Superstar Integrato Semi-Integrated 6061 Headset (Red), Nukeproof Turbine Spacers 6061 T6 (Blk)
Grips: KCNC EVA Foam Grips (Blk)
Front Shifter: Shimano XT M770 9-Speed Rapidfire Pod
Rear Shifter: Shimano XT M770 9-Speed Rapidfire Pod
Cables/Ferules: Jagwire Alloy Gear Cable Ferrules (Red)
Front Disc: Ashima Light Weight AiRotor Double Ground 410 Stainless 160mm
Front Brake: Hayes Stroker Ryde
Front Brake Pad: UberBike Sintered Brake Pads (Gold) – Hard Compound
Rear Disc: Ashima Light Weight AiRotor Double Ground 410 Stainless 160mm
Rear Brake: Hayes Stroker Ryde
Rear Brake Pad: UberBike Sintered Brake Pads (Gold) – Hard Compound
Rear Brake Adapter: KCNC Disc Brake Adapter IS Fork - Post Caliper AL-7075 180mm (Red)
Brake Disc Bolts: Uberbike Titanium Ti-6Al-4V Cold Forged Aerospace Grade M5 x 10mm Rotor Bolts
Fork: Manitou Minute Expert 100mm
Rims: ZTR Stans Crest Race Rim BST
Spokes: Sapim Ultralight CX-Ray Bladed Spokes (Blk)
Nipples: Sapim Ultralight SILS Alloy Nipples (Red)
Front Hub: Switch EVO CNC Forged 32 Hub (Blk)
Front Hub Bearings: 6804 2RS FAG INA Thin Section Sealed Bearings
Rear hub: Trizoid CNC Forged Triple Pawl Superfast 120 Engagement Ultralight Hub with EZO Cartridge Bearings (Blk/Red)
Skewers: Superstars Superfly Catbon-Ti Ultralight Quick Release (Carbon/Red)
Tyres: Schwalbe Rocket Ron Performance 2.10 PaceStar Triple Compound 127 Evo Carcass
Inner Tube: Maxxis Fly Weight Butyl Tube
Rim Tape: Maxxis Rim Strip
Chainset: Shimano FC-M430 44x32x22T - 175mm
Chainring Bolts: Mowa Chainring Bolt Set 7075 T6 (Red)
Bottom Bracket: Integrated Shimano BB-UN26
Cassette: SRAM PG990 11-32T, 9-Speed (Red)
Chain: SRAM PC991 Nickel Plated Power-Link II
Front derailleur: Shimano XT M770 9-Speed Top Swing 34,9mm
Rear Derailleur: Shimano XT Rear Mech “Rapid Rise” 9-Speed M770 SGS Long Cage
Mech Hanger: Cube 10130 Alloy Hanger (Red) *should use 10123*
Speed: 3x9 Speed (27)
Pedals: Dark Cycles Arachnid Pedals CNC Billet 6061 T6 (Red)

Thanks in advance

you've got the wheels/tyres and inner tubes sorted.

what is the weight of the seatpost - there is probably some weight to be lost there.
also skewers - how heavy?

I reckon the frame is now holding you back (don't know much about the fork)
and I doubt you'll be able to shed 1.5 kg cheaply.

also you can get lighter brakes than the hayes stoker.

don't forget:

light weight/reliable/cheap - pick two.

just to inspire you, I got a 20 in frame Ti frame cube hardtail to 9.42 kg inc pedals.

Thanks for the reply mate.

Current seatpost weighs 305g and has a layback of about 30mm, I cant find any with that amount of layback that save much weight and there all £££

Skewers are 21g f 23g r.

I emailed Cube about the frame and I think they said it was 1850g

Forks are 1900g I think.

How did you get a Cube down to 9.42kg ? lol and what I can do further to shed weight ?

I think my bottom bracket must be very heavy and the crankarms, but I aint sure just how much I would save.

I put carbon rigid forks on it and got it down to 9.90kg but now I gone back to sus on the front end am looking to save more weight in other areas.

i think most people on here will tell you that the aluminum frame is killing you. While i agree, i think the 3x9 setup is also adding a good amount of weight (and EXACTLY where you don't want it, on the drivetrain). I don't know what will provide the best "bang for the buck", but i'd go with lightening the drivetrain (make it more efficient) before dropping the coin on a lighter frame.

In automotive drag racing, the common saying was 100lbs off you car will drop you 1/10th of a second. dropping 10lbs off your drivetrain will do the same. Given that you're riding 3x9 XT, i would look to go with a 2x9 XTR crank. Then worry about the frame.

just my 2 cents.

_________________
2010 Trek Madone
2012 Trek SpeedConcept 7
2012 Trek Cobia
2013 Trek Superfly

Thank you for the advice, its very helpful, much appreciated

Well go give you som inspiration. My 2003 Orange evo 2 with wheels that weight 2.3kg weighs in at 11.36kg. With the wheel I want (DT XR 350 rims, XTR hubs, Laser spokes and alloy nipples 1.4kg) and a carbon fork to replace my old worn out marzocchi's I will have a sub 10 kg bike. When I fit lighter pedals, a close ratio road cassette a DA rear mech, saddle change e.t.c. I am hoping for sub 9 kg and for it to be reliable.

Get an XT M785 or XTR M985 double chainset. If you can afford it get a XTR 98x rear mech but bolt tuning, fibre lyte carbon cages and carbon pullies on the current mech will shed a fair bit of weight.
If your terrain allows move to a ultegra rad cassette and use a tuned ultegra of Dura ace rear mech.

Thumbies made up of DA bar end shifters and Paul thumbie adapters are very light and not too expensive. I am sing these and they work very well. Thumbies rule.

Carbon rigid fork will shed alot of weight.

You will have to spend though.
My alu framed bike (frame is at least 1.7kg)





It's doable.

_________________
www.thecycleclinic.co.uk

Oh I forgot ditch grips and use bar tape.

_________________
www.thecycleclinic.co.uk

Those thumbies look great, I'll defo look them up later.

Next mod has to be the chainset by the sounds of it, at least I'll enjoy my ride more while saving for further mods.

Searching online retailers, it seem there are lots of good deals on both SRAM and Shimano cranksets atm. It could certainly be a decent $ per gram saving compared with what you have now. I think there are also a few good deals on the older e.13 cranks and with good rings they are a fairly light set up. If you've still got stock rings, even just using a set of light double rings on your cranks now could provide good savings.

An Uno stem is probably lighter than what you've got now and can be tuned with Ti bolts. It's also very cheap.

Do you know the weight of your bars? You've already got a Mt Zoom seat clamp, they sell some of the lightest, cheap carbon bars.

Merek make a pretty good carbon 'post that's under 200 grams and has almost as much setback as the 'post you're currently using.

Also, just a clarification on some of what bm0p700f has said - Don't use thumb shifters if you want to use a Dynasys RD. You'd need to keep your Shimano 9 speed RD because the cable pull on a road RD is completely different from 10 speed MTB. If you did want to use thumbies and a 10 speed MTB RD, you'd need to use SRAM.

If you're thinking of changing to a double up front and have a clamp on FD, you could change to a road FD with carbon clamp and top pull adapter. That can be a really light setup, especially is you use a thumb shifter (even just for the FD only).

Searpost is at least 100g overweight.

2x9 will save at most 90g compared to 3x9 (the only weight you save is the outer ring and by using slightly shorter bolts), 1x9 is the saving by loosing shifter and cable and front mech (gain a chain guide though).

Forks are overweight at 1900g, mine are 1450g.

As inspiration, my Carrera Kraken wighs in at 10.75Kg ish and the parts on the bike right now have cost me £400ish throuh judicious buying. (1450g forks, £55, 233g seatpost, £15 for example).

_________________
Impoverished weight weenie wanna-be!
Budget 26" HT build viewtopic.php?f=10&t=110956

Also, get some clipless pedals!