ed 

I had posted an idea I had last year about dropping my Parker down to 30# and using it as a trail bike. Bleh...it's a no go.

I dropped it down to 32 by cannibalizing stuff from my Komodo. Test ride felt promising, but after a little while on it...the conclusion was that it was the same old Slopestyle bike with a short seat tube. It would still be more of a chore to pedal than my Komodo for sure.


Back to the drawing board.


May have to just sell everything I own and buy a proper trailbike.

I was bummed to discover that my PIKE was so heavy. (5.25#) More than a Fox36. Parker frame is 8lbs7oz. My Komodo frame is 5.1#, I think. I really would like to sell both frames,.both forks, and snag a 456c and either a Revelation, DT, Argyle Rct, or 32 Talas fork.

Daggum money!

dminor 

That is exactly the conclusion I came to, Got rid of the Trek hardtail, sold the Dirt Jumper and have the XTS Moto on CL right now. Also ridding the garage and shed of an IT175, 2 Suz. 80s, a Mini-Trail and maybe my trusty old 125.

All that in preparation to get what I really want. Then Ill be down to just the DH bike and one proper trailbike.

dejock

The RS Sektor Solo Air is nice for the money if you don't want the two-position coil. Its pretty light too, and plenty stiff. Its what I've got on the front of my Bandit.

3speed

I'm in the middle of selling a couple 80s road bikes and a frame-set to help build a fatbike fund. Unfortunately that will still only get me ~1/2 way to the goal. I don't think the On-One Fatty will be available for a bit anyway, so I've got some time to gather more funds.

Do you guys have any particular bikes in mind that you're looking at?

samburger

Do I smell a 29er?

scrublover

Dooo iiiiiiit.

Got a small Trans-AM frame, and small 2011 Trance-X frame sitting around that'll be going cheap, but am pretty sure they'd be way too small for you.

Pike = nice fork. Revelation = better fork. The first gen. Pike coil I had was ridden hard for near six years. Then I sold it, and the dude who bought it is still pounding on the thing.

That said,things have come a long way in a few short years. My Rev is lighter, stiffer, better damped, and 10mm more travel.

dminor 

I'm looking to get a Yeti SB66. Everything I want in a trailbike: slack, long-legged, thru-axles, ISCG but comparatively light and still a climber . . . and Desert Turquoise.

3speed

Just read up on it. That does sound freakin' sweet. When you get your hands on one, don't forget the camera.

scrublover

Pick up something like a close-out Nickel or Heckler, don't look back. They can be built up light or burly, and IMO, would make a kick-ass do-it-all for you, paired with a good rear shock and fork. Decent wheels, dropper post, etc. Build up one nice ride for yourself, sell off the rest.

rideorglide

Love my Revelation fork, but wish my Fox rear shocks were more sturdy. By the time I finished the last ride I was fully squished and it's basically a new rear shock. Hope the seals are not blown on this one, too.

Amazing the price of MTBs now — when I got my Rockhopper FSR in 2001 it was about $900, now a good fully seems to be $4000+. You could buy a motorbike for heaven's sake.

ed 

Yeah, the air sprung Sektor or RVL are so stinkin light!. I figure if I'm riding a hardtail...it may as well be 24# instead of 29.75, lol. I could hit that with the 456c and a Sektor. The Titus FTMc is on sale right now for 699£. Wish I had the coin.

My PIKE is a 2008. It's still going strong, but it's over 5lbs. Portly for a trail bike. My hardtail frame weighs a shade over 5# too. The 456C would drop 2 lbs. A Sektor would drop 1.5. Thought about keeping ust in the rear and standard 2.35 up front. There's another .75#.

The nice thing about my current build is that it's definitely tough. I'm still totally digging tubeless.


When did you get the Chromag, Scrub? I thought you were ballin a GD post on all your rides. Still the best dropper for the money? I'm probably going to move back to one soon. This region screams for it.

Doug, I'm surprised you haven't sold your kids kidney to fund the SB already. It's pretty impressive. (and intimidating)

It's kinda funny looking at my bike on paper:

Kinesis frame-5.1#
Pike-5.25
Hope pro 2/EX5.1d-2000g
Excavator 2.35" DTC UST 2000g
Atlas crankset-950g
Azonic AM 720 hi rise bars- 320g

The only weight-conscious crap is my saddle, post, 1x9 setup, and pedals.

Changes R coming.

I've been watching OEM Hecklers and Blur LTs on the Bay. Haven't Been able to bite one yet. I'm beginning to think I'd like the FTM much better though, given the longer ETT.

Digging B2Bs Devinci from a distance too.

ColinL

I'm thrilled with my old Blur classic. It's light, but that's probably the high-test stuff I put on it. It does have a really steep head tube angle, though, but I've muted that with a longer-than-stock fork.

Anyway, a used Blur LT would be a good choice.

scrublover

Couple months ago. Very, very glad, and digging it. It, the Blur TRc, and the Reign-Xuilt up burly make for a nice quiver. Small-medium-large bikes, so to speak.

The GD being off is just seeing how I get along without, purely for weight weenie geekery. Everytime in the past when it's been off, I've missed it and it's gone back on within a few rides...

Yeah, for a good mix of pure reliability/easy of service/cost/parts availability/function, IMO, it's the best.

That said, you can have my Reverb when you pry it from between my cold, dead butt cheeks.

scrublover

Well, frame and fork are the obvious measures. US disto shows the frame for $399, but no idea on stock status - keep an eye on their site, and whenever they get stock, pounce on one. Ha ha.

Everything else just depends on the pockets, and personal preferences. Size, as well. I'm a little dude, who tends to ride smoothly. Can get away with much lighter builds than some of the guys i know, who ride like bowling balls.

Wheels - whenever you blow up a rim, replace with something lighter. Some of the new stuff out there is absurdly light and tough. A nice build with good spokes and nips on a lighter rim will work wonders.


Tires - damn, those are heavy. Yep, I'm a huge fan of full UST in back, "tubeless ready" up front. Can save quite a bit, and still be quite durable.
Current fav is Speci Ground Control 2.3 UST in back with a Bontrager XR4 "T-less ready" 2.35 up front. Grippy, fairly light, nice fat profile, not too slow rolling. Big bike is running the same Bonty tire up front, but a 2.25 Ardent UST in back.

Cranks - unless you've found yourself breaking or bending them, something like a basic LX unit will save a big chunk of weight (esp. if using a lighter aftermarket ring), and be super cheap. The weight between that and say, an XT is minimal when yhou account for that most of the difference is steel rings and hardware vs. alu - the arms are within a few grams.

Bars - well, whatever works for your fit and feel. Just swapped to a RF SixC DH bar and dropped 100gms. I've no worries about its durability.

ed 

I'm going to have my rear wheel rebuilt this winter. It has a flat spot or two...but really, I'm a smooth rider too. I've been on these wheels since'06. Even doing waist-high to flat at my portly 200+ lbs has not knocked them out of true. Only an occasional mistake on the trail riding outside of my means, lol. The front is still straight with no flat spots. I've been considering an 819 rear rim, but Stans is also an option.

As for bars...due to my height, I run minimum of 40mm rise. Could save around 95g going back to my ea70, but lose 35mm of width. Not sure how I feel about that.

I've been watching TitusTi now and then, but could just order from on one as well. We'll see how my Ebay sales go. Jamis resale is crap. MTB resale in general is crap.

It's still hard for me to spend 4 bills on a hardtail when mine works fine...could just work harder on the motor.

dminor 

Hahaha! I think he could beat me up if I tried to. I'm on a strict contract with the family CFO to pare down the stable before I can get something new. Even though it won't net that much money toward, it will raise my stock considerably getting rid of a bunch of two-wheeled crap I don't ride/like to ride any more. I think the Plumber's Nightmare may be sold now. Hmmm . . . wonder if I can get more than 25 bucks for that old Scwhinn Traveler. Even that would quintuple my investment .

I'm super-impressed with the SB66. It eclipsed my longtime gotta-have the 575. Also removed the temptation to go downright silly and get an ASR-7. That would have been a mistake but was oh-so-tempting.

ed 

Actually Scrub...the LX crankset is the same weight (within a few grams) of my Atlas and Hone cranksets AFAIK. I run a single 32t ring so ring weight is moot. I personally feel that my Hone crankset is a little more laterally stiff than the Raceface. Given the similar construction, the LX would be similarly stiffer than the Atlas.

Atlas is pretty tough fo sho...but I never noticed my inner guide ring rubbing my frame with the Hone. I had to actually take it down a mm with the RF's.

scrublover

Yeah, I know the Hone and LX are about the same. I assumed the Atlas would be heavier.

ed 

Well, the frame sold for 350. I wasn't expecting that. If they pay, I'll be most of the way toward a 456c.

ed 

Called TitusTi today. They're expecting a shipment of nude frames this month. I hope theyr'e right. I like 'em murdered out Ninja-like.

ColinL

woohoo! sounding good so far.

ed 

Problem solved...

https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/cat...159kenr9vsdov1


https://www.santacruzbicycles.com/cat...nly-p-710.html


Basically...I will be stoked soon!

ed 

Obviously, I'd rather have the LT2.2 for 9 bills or the LT2.2 carbon for 15 bills, but the Heckler is a bike I've wanted for many years and to be able to get the newest rendition with a CTD Float in a satin raw nonetheless...I'm stoked!

Mine's on order. The Parker frame is shipping tonight. The Domain, Stroker Ryde's, Syncros cockpit, and some stuff will be sold. I'll gut the Komodo and have:

2012 Heckler 6.1 with Fox Float CTD
Rockshox PIKE Coil U-Turn (for now)
Raceface Atlas 32t bashwich
PG990 11-34
PC971
XT Shadow RD
XT Shifter
Elixir R 180 / 160
Hope Pro-2 / DT EX 5.1d
Excavator UST for now (probably drop around 1.25lbs of rotating weight by going with some lighter meats)
Thomson post
Thomson or Ragley Stubbing stem
EA70 bars
Peaty's
WTB Rocket V Team Ti saddle


After I move to some lighter tires...like maybe a Nev/Nev 2.35" setup...I should be right around 29-30lbs or so...unless I get a little more creative.

dminor 

Nice! Should do you well.

ed 

Yep! Now I wish I hadn't chopped down my rear hydro hose last week. It may be too short, LOL.



edit: Actually...it looks like more of a straight shot from the IS mounts to the cockpit versus my Komodo that has to go up the Seatstay, across the TT, and around to the lever. Maybe I won't need a new hose.