Acceptable/good weight for a hardtail
Discussion
I was just wondering what an acceptable/good weight for a hardtail is. I crudely weighed mine the other day, one came out at about 23 pounds, another at around 27 pounds (give or take a gram here or there as my weighing method included a pair of bathroom scales 
)
Is this good? And what weight are your hardtails?
g
)Is this good? And what weight are your hardtails?
g
In my opinion, for a proper mountain bike, 23 lbs is not quite light, its foookin way light.
It completely depends on how you ride, and what you ride.
For me, anything weighing 23lbs wouldnt last 5 miles of me riding it.
My Hardtail bike weighs about 31lbs.
My FS weighs about 39.
No doubt your bikes climb fantastically, but for I'm more interested in having fun on the singletrack and downhills than getting to the top quickly.
Always harboured a desire for an ultra light racer hardtail, but I just can't see me riding it, too limited.
Whats the Spec on the 23lb bike?
It completely depends on how you ride, and what you ride.
For me, anything weighing 23lbs wouldnt last 5 miles of me riding it.
My Hardtail bike weighs about 31lbs.
My FS weighs about 39.
No doubt your bikes climb fantastically, but for I'm more interested in having fun on the singletrack and downhills than getting to the top quickly.
Always harboured a desire for an ultra light racer hardtail, but I just can't see me riding it, too limited.
Whats the Spec on the 23lb bike?
My Trek Y is about 24lbs - stunning weight for a full suspension thats 12 years old. It just about copes with its lightness by having some give but you find it does skip about a bit on descents. It climbs like a whippet.
The Trek OCLV hardtail I had was about 22/23lbs - however, it was just a nightmare to ride quickly on descents and fast bumpy stuff - it was all over the shop and I just couldn't deal with it - even as a seasoned DHer, I still got off the damn thing sweating.
The Commencal Supreme was around 39lbs, and whilst you felt the weight, it still climbed well for a fatty. But by god did it descend well!
I'm hoping that the Commencal Meta I have now, which I reckon is about 26/27lbs, should be a nice compromise - not too light, but just enough to give the stability required for a capable descender...
Light = skittish on descents AFAIC...
The Trek OCLV hardtail I had was about 22/23lbs - however, it was just a nightmare to ride quickly on descents and fast bumpy stuff - it was all over the shop and I just couldn't deal with it - even as a seasoned DHer, I still got off the damn thing sweating.
The Commencal Supreme was around 39lbs, and whilst you felt the weight, it still climbed well for a fatty. But by god did it descend well!
I'm hoping that the Commencal Meta I have now, which I reckon is about 26/27lbs, should be a nice compromise - not too light, but just enough to give the stability required for a capable descender...
Light = skittish on descents AFAIC...
My S-Works FSR XC was 23.5lbs when new (1999) but in reality it is a race bike rather than a Trail bike. It's not that weight now as disc's, heavier (X-9 has replaced XTR) componets and wheels have been added. Still descends very well (for an XC race bike) though the full 80mm travel is reached front and back.
kieranbennett said:
23 pounds sounds quite light. I used to have a Cannondale Hardtail that weighed around that and that had some pretty light bits on it.
What bike's are they?
the 23 pounder is a self built Cove Stiffee 15.5inch, and my Merlin Malt is the one that came in at about 27pounds. As i say, my weighing method was a little crude, so there may be some give in these figuresWhat bike's are they?
thats what they all say!My old Pace is about 22lbs - climbs great but very skittish (nigh on uncontrollable sometimes) on downhills.
Giant Anthem is about 25ish, great full sus XC race bike, so long as you remember thats what it is and don't try and huck it off owt too big.
Marin Rocky Ridge hardtail is about 28ish, feels much more planted than the previous two on downhills and technical stuff, which means that its a much more fun all round bike and the one I ride the most, its not the quickest but its definately the most predictable, controllable which is much more confidence inspiring.
All horses for courses at the end of the day.
If all you're into is lightness just get a road bike, mines about 17lbs.....
Giant Anthem is about 25ish, great full sus XC race bike, so long as you remember thats what it is and don't try and huck it off owt too big.
Marin Rocky Ridge hardtail is about 28ish, feels much more planted than the previous two on downhills and technical stuff, which means that its a much more fun all round bike and the one I ride the most, its not the quickest but its definately the most predictable, controllable which is much more confidence inspiring.
All horses for courses at the end of the day.
If all you're into is lightness just get a road bike, mines about 17lbs.....
mk1fan said:
My S-Works FSR XC was 23.5lbs when new (1999) but in reality it is a race bike rather than a Trail bike. It's not that weight now as disc's, heavier (X-9 has replaced XTR) componets and wheels have been added. Still descends very well (for an XC race bike) though the full 80mm travel is reached front and back.
That must make riding it a lot easier 
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