COOLWALL: Sub 20ib mountain bike? Weight saving gone too far

[jez-4-bikes-max]

Now this may raise some decent debate...

Are sub 20ib mountain bikes cool?

Remember that period when bikes went silly light? Im talking about season throw away framesets, drilled out - alloy bolted - weenie gear here. Cranks that were so spindly and underengineered they lasted a fortnight.

That period (94ish) when things went a bit over the top.

Im sure you have all owned bikes from this era that were a little too weak and dainty.

What do we think of these supposed Mountain Bikes that were supposedly designed to be ridden hard (but obviously werent designed for it)

Crack, bend, fail...death

..but were they/are they cool?

 

[sylvain]

Cool as ****

 

[gump]

cooler than f***




you should see the stuff I filed/drilled/stripped
washers? bin
rim tape? bin
bolts? alloy everywhere
chainrings and cranks? drilled
barrel adjusters? only one needed


these was the golden age

 

[Yo Crashy]

As with most things retro they were definitely cool, because at the time I was 12 and couldnt afford anything! Uber lightweight kit was the stuff I read about in magazines and lusted over.

Great article in Sptember 93 MBUK, "Pro tweaks to make your bike lighter" "I drilled 108 8mm holes in a Mavic M231. The weight saving was just over 20g. The strength loss was quite significant"

 

[Mr. Zero]

Lightweight is cool. There's just no way around it.

 

[gump]

alloy nips
radial spokes, narrow gauge
smokelitecomps :shock: on the front :shock: :shock:
drilled out thumbies
slotted bar clamps
cut seatpost
no chainstay protector
ti spd spindles
no qr on seat
and a 3.9lb steel frame

 

[Ziggy]

Definately going too far, definately would fear for my life... but cool as you like!!

 

[mh1000]

I remember a bloke in MBI that had basically machined every component on his bike (merlin frame) think the weight was down to sub 18lbs.

also didnt someone drill a frame as a showbike? Im sure i remember pics of that

interesting period. but not cool. as anyone thats ever snapped lightweight bars/seatpost will probably agree.

Although maybe you have to push the limits to move them forward.... I wouldnt want to pedal a 35lb unbreakable rigid tank of a bike around. Experimental developments are cool, just dont flog it to unsuspecting bikers.

light is good, weak deffo isnt... therefore i vote OK

 

[kingroon]

Ice cold..

Am a regular visitor to http://www.light-bikes.com/ to check the weight of components I'm eyeing up

Nowhere near the lightest thing up there, but check this out.. 17.93lbs, ultimate minimalism..

 

[orange71]

Guess you've all been here too: http://weightweenies.starbike.com/

http://www.light-bikes.com/bikegallery/ ... asp?id=747 :shock: :shock: :shock: