‘Weight premium….’ Oh how things change….

[2manyoranges]

@2manyoranges you've picked a select niche to focus on, the steel 'hardcore hardtail'. If we go back in time and pick say a DMR Trailstar (arguably the grandaddy of this type of bike), add a Z1 Bomber, some wide rims (for the time) say Mavic 521s, robust tyres maybe Michelin Comp 16/24s, that bike will easily top 30lbs.
Comparing a modern hardcore hardtail to a mid 90' XC bike and saying it's heavier is hardly a fair comparison.
There's many different categories of mountainbike and lightweight XC is still very much alive.

Niche??? Niche ???!???? That’s THE category to have !!!! Are there other types of mtb?

Think Bontrager steel, orange, Marin …

 

[benjabbi]

Niche??? Niche ???!???? That’s THE category to have !!!!

For YOU maybe! Honestly my most modern bike fits into this category, look at the NS in my signature. But there's people who will say that about XC/downcountry/trail/all mountain/Enduro/DH/E-bike and any I've forgotten! All niches within the broader scope of 'Mountain Bike'.
Different places, different paces, different faces! All MTBs are cool in my eyes.

 

[legrandefromage]

Look, its 30 years since the MTB was making its biggest splash, what is around now bares no relevance anymore.

My boutique purchases of the 1990's have not survived, not one. Much of what was around was designed to last a few races, maybe a season at the most.

I had a 1950's Accles & Pollock road frame that was just hilariously lightweight (and very very expensive to buy when new), that is now 70 years old, it was designed to last. However Raleigh were out for lightweight in the 60's with their experimental carbon tube roadframe, Speedwell in the 70's with their titanium, Peugeot with their bonded aluminium frames, and so many many more pushing the tech of the day as far as it could go. These were ephemeral lightweight butterflies that in practice were good for a season or two before their cutting edge experimentation cracked/ folded or shattered.

Its been a chess game between engineering and common sense since the first aluminium rim.

What has remained the same is that in the right hands, any bike can be made to do anything - whether it survives the encounter is another matter - the continual 'my 90's bike...' etc is boring, its irrelevant. Think instead of how a 2011 model is so different to a 2023, think about how much has changed so quickly - the bikes of 2011 now look and feel far more dated when compared to something new.

its enough to make your head spin!

 

[Chopper the ex Copper]

The thing is, this all adds up - and reviewers are casual about each component which adds ‘a weight premium’ and it’s got us to rigs where 35gbp is considered a lightweight bike….

I a) have a 35 inch inside leg, and b) know how to ride off road properly, so a single gram expended upon a dropper isn't worth the weight premium to me.