Whether it’s the downcountry bike that inexplicably doesn’t have the Grip2 damper and bigger brakes, or the $10,000 170 mm enduro bike that comes with tires that aren’t fit for purpose, I had a eureka moment – in recent years, all the best things to come into mountain biking have been to make it heavier.
Then, there’s Linkglide, which has come in for review. This new family of drivetrains from Shimano says it can offer durability increases of 300%, which is quite the statement. They also claim that when staying within the same tier of componentry, ie XT to XT, it’s the best shift that they can offer – not Hyperglide.
So, a better shift, with greater longevity, sounds pretty good. What if I slung a coil shock on – which feels fantastic – and maybe some heavy tires and inserts? Well, certainly I’ve got a bike that rides like an absolute dream. I only wish now I could get some heavier brakes. More oil, please, and bigger rotors too whilst you’re at it. Chop chop.
With that, I asked the other editors at Pinkbike how heavy their bikes are. Not their latest review bike, or something super-secret that they hide in their grandmother’s spare bedroom but their daily driver, that they rattle and battle about their local trails.
So here they are. The heavy bikes of Pinkbike’s staff.
Henry Quinney’s Transition Spire
Wheel Size – 29” front / 29” rear
Fork Travel – 170mm
Material – Carbon frame, alloy wheels, titanium cranks
Tyres – Double Down Maxxis DHF / DH casing DHR2, with Rimpact Pro inserts
Extras – Largest bolt-on fender I could find, pump with multi-tool
Pedals – Crankbrother Mallet E
Weight – 38.1 lb / 17.3 kg
I’ve currently got a set of 1500 g Versus tires in for review, which is certainly beefy, and I’ll put them back on in the next week or two. The extra mass really does help when you’re riding fast and rough trails though. The bike tends to pad through things instead of pranging. You certainly feel it on the climbs though, and typically I would ride tires around the 12 to 1300 gram mark, which is about the ballpark of this Maxxis setup. When graduating to the 1500 g Versus tires, I may well lose the Rimpact Pro inserts.
I also wouldn’t be opposed to some heavier brakes, particularly bigger and thicker rotors. All in all, though, I’m very happy with the weight and it’s a strange yet privileged position to be in to be wishing for your bike to be heavier.
Mike Kazimer’s Trek Fuel EX
Wheel Size – 29” front / 27.5” rear
Fork Travel – 160mm
Material – Carbon frame, alloy wheels, alloy cranks
Tyres – DH casing Continental Kryptotal F+R
Extras – Mini-pump, tire lever, Tubolito tube in downtube
Pedals – Hope Union TC pedals
Weight – 34.5 lb / 15.6 kg
The current weight feels just about right to me. I built it up to be a fun, tough trail bike, and there’s really nothing I’d immediately change. The quickest way to shave some grams would be to run lighter tires, although I like the peace of mind that the thicker casing provides.
As for where I’d happily add weight, I’ll probably play around with a coil shock at some point in this bike’s life, and I’m not too worried about the extra weight that’ll incur.
Apologies for the zoomed-in shot – there are currently some bits and bobs on this bike that aren’t quite out yet. I’ll do a full bike check and a more complete rundown once everything has been released.
Matt Beer’s Prime Thunderflash
Wheel Size – 29” front / 29” rear
Fork Travel – 170mm
Material – Carbon frame, carbon wheels, carbon cranks
Tyres – DH casing Continental Argotal/Kyptotal R
Extras – Mini-pump & multi-tool
Pedals – North Shore Billet Daemon
Weight – 36.9 lb / 16.5 kg
All high-performance machines are built to maximize their fuel consumption by shedding weight where they can – it’s the sacred power-to-weight ratio. Human power machines burn energy too. As mountain bikers, we’re always trying to reduce the weight of our bikes. So where is it most important to save grams and how much do those component choices factor into how your bike’s performance?
Tires: Choosing tires and wheels that suit your needs is a battle of compromising traction and rolling resistance. Downhill riders typically search for the most grip and support from heavy casing tires, whereas cross-country racers make up the most time with the help of lightweight, fast-rolling tires. I find that the traction and support that heavier, grippy tires provide can single-handedly boost your descending confidence, more than “over-forking” a bike by 10mm. There’s nothing worse than getting carried away on a new long-travel bike and instantly flatting because of inadequate tire choice. The bike lets you know it’s worthy of more.
That’s where a large crossover exists in the “trail” category of riding for the majority of mountain bikers. Light-duty tires will make that bike feel like a whippet out on the smoother trails, but if you toss it into the deep end, you’ll likely be puckering your way down, or at the very least, holding back. Throw some enduro tires on there and you might think you forgot to release the parking brake.
Seb Stott jumped into the deep hole of weight-saving performance with his Why You Shouldnt Worry About Weight Much article that explained how a 1 kg increase in your bike’s weight would only slow you down by 20 seconds on a 30-minute climb.
If you’re not willing to sacrifice that weight, two certainties exist; coaxing the bike through rocks, or risking a flat. The latter is imminent. So, all that time you just saved uphill can be lost by fixing a flat. It can be a total roll of the dice.
If tires are the best, albeit, the riskiest place to save weight, then what’s the worst place to save weight? I’d argue that brakes could be the least effective place. The variance in weight between a 180 and 200mm rotor is about 30g, but the performance gains are massive; more power, more modulation, and better heat dissipation. Would you notice that extra 60 grams were added to your bike? Probably not.
What about the other non-performance components that are bolted to your bike, like tools, water, and other supplies? Tools and water strapped to the bike don’t increase the drag or rolling weight but do add to the overall mass. I can’t say that I notice the weight on the frame nearly as much as slapping on heavier tires would have thought.
There’s no perfect all-encompassing solution though. The use case is dependent on the bike’s nature, terrain, and how aggressively I choose to ride. It’s a process that riders may need to experiment with or research what components others are using in their area. I tend to lean towards “over-tiring” bikes, sacrificing drag and maximizing traction almost all of the time.
Seb Stott’s Canyon Strive
Wheel Size – 29” front / 29” rear
Fork Travel – 170mm
Material – Carbon frame, alloy wheels, carbon cranks
Tyres – EXO+ casing Maxxis Assegai/DHII
Extras – Spare tube
Pedals – Crankbrother Mallet E
Weight – 36.2 lb / 16.4 kg
This is the size large canyon Strive I’ve been running as a long-term test bike since last April. I’ve changed a few things since the original review. I’ve upgraded to an MRP SXG upper and lower chain guide, fitted a 240 mm OneUp V2 dropper post, and I’m currently trying out an SDG saddle and TRP drivetrain. I’ve swapped to a 40 mm rise Rehthal alloy handlebar cut to 760 mm. I’ve tested out different tires and forks, but I’m back on the stock ones for now, just with a lightweight insert in the rear.
The bike as pictured (with pedals, a tube, and an empty bottle) weighs 16.4 Kg or 36.2 lb. It’s striking to me that most enduro bikes with sensible specs weigh about the same.
You could probably get under the 16 Kg mark if you removed the chain guide, insert, and tube, but I’m more likely to go in the other direction. The EXO+ tires are as light as I’d ever want to go on an enduro bike – I usually prefer something wider and tougher, like a Schwalbe Magic Mary and Big Betty combo in 2.6″.
Ed Spratt’s Privateer 141
Wheel Size – 29” front / 29” rear
Fork Travel – 150mm
Material – Alloy frame, alloy wheels, alloy cranks
Tyres – Super Trail casing Magic Mary/Hans Dampf
Extras – Large fender
Pedals – Nukeproof Horizon Pro Sam Hill
Weight – 37.5 lb / 17.0 kg
This is my P3-sized Privateer 141 built up around this time last year as my personal bike to take on the incredible trails of the Scottish Borders and beyond. While weight can be important for me, the bike was built with parts that I believe to be reliable, long-lasting, and can be mostly serviced at home
I could make it lighter by using a different set of wheels. The Crankbrothers Synthesis E alloy wheels are not the lightest at, I think, around 2,000 grams for the I9 rear hub and Crankbrothers front hub pairing I have on the bike at the moment. I’m not the hardest on wheels so I could get away with something slightly lighter.
There isn’t any way I would want to make this bike any heavier at the moment but I have already fitted Rimpact Pro inserts front and rear, adding around 300 grams. I like to run low pressures and the extra grip on the often wet trails in the UK is pretty useful.
