"Without going to carbon or to any components that would be great for an XC race but sketchy for trail riding, do I have reasonable options for getting the weight down primarily on the wheels?"
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(IMO) It depends on your pocket book priorities (but I wouldn't equate carbon components or frame JUST for racing)...like others above, consider a wheelset?
My first fatty was a heavy first edition alloy Mukluk with wheel cut outs.
Next was a rigid cf Beargrease that came with a 26" Whisky rim wheelset (cf) that I rode on a supported GDMBR from Banff to Antelope Wells, with 3.0" WTB Rangers & the Whisky rims are still being used on the newest (rigid Fatback Corvus with Jones bars and dropper) w/ 4.5" wide beists, tubeless during winter. (and those wheels have never needed anything other than cleaning since purchase and over 5K miles on 'em-mostly dry turf).
Summer time I switch to 27.5 X 2.8" tubeless (on an alum WTB wheelset-DTS hubs, built by my LBS) that I ride everywhere including Moab as my only mtb that rides, that I find very acceptable-preferable to a suspension (and I'm no spring chicken AND don't ride the very very uber tough technical terrain).
I've never weighed the summer nor winter bike set up since it is light enough for bikepacking.
Good luck.
Last edited by stormpeakco; 01-07-20 at 07:37 AM.
Reason: typo