[Closed] Building a lighter SolarisMax?

Sunrace cassette, any cassettes significantly lighter?
Any lighter forks actually available to replace the chunky Xfusion Trace?

I used to have sunrace - they are pushing 500 grams I think. Got a super nice xx1 10 speed that is barely over 200g. Fully steel so should last better than the soft sunrace alloy to offset the 4x cost. Unfortunately out of stock in these crazy times.

Wheels and tyres, and I assume you're tubeless. That'll have the most noticeable effect. After that it very much diminishing returns for a lot of £££.

Depending which Sunrace cassette you have - the better ones are similar weight to XT if i recall. I'd say there's really nothing much beyond that which will have a noticeable effect when riding, perhaps a little lifting over gates, unless you throw serious money at expensive carbon goodies.

14kg isnt too bad for a trail bike, just ride and enjoy.

For 10-sp, sunrace mx3 11-42 is 387g, xt 11-32 is 294g so you can save nearly 100g at expense of gear range

Edit - and the XT 11-42 11sp is a whopping 434g

Edit Edit the XX1 is 260g but nearly £300!!

FOG
Full Member

Is it worth changing to a specific 1x chainset rather than the old Xt

Probably not, but weigh it. Honestly if you want to save weight, weigh everything, or use google to find images of that component on scales to find the true weight. Frinstance I have ancient XTR triple cranks on my bikes, I keep thinking that newer stuff should be lighter but even high end carbon barely is, and XT was usually barely heavier than XTR once you took away the rings.

Probably not, but weigh it. Honestly if you want to save weight, weigh everything, or use google to find images of that component on scales to find the true weight.

+1

You'll then find some items as Northwind says are as light as they'll be, and others where they're just overweight (for the function).

It is and has always been the case that light bikes are made with multiple small savings across the build.

This will cost. If you're content with that, look at everything and search for lighter similar versions.

40g off pedals, 50 grams off bars, 30 g with a different dropper, etc...

It all mounts up. Go too light though, and you'll end up with something that may no longer be fit for your intended use.

This especially shows in wheels and tyres, which also happens to be where some decent weight savings can be made.

120mm SID Ultimates would probably save a pound and be a decent upgrade too.

Lighter tyres transformed mine.

I went from WTB Trail Boss and Vigilante to Wolfpack something or others. Probably knocked about 1kg off the overall weight!

Post the spec - but scienceofficer speaks the truth.

Fast tyres will make the biggest difference if you want it to go faster, but you’ll probably compromise something (you might not mind though, and it’s a cheap reversible change). What’s your usual riding?

I had the same setup frame and fork and changed wheels from Fortus 30 to Roval Control and fork to a 32mm Rockshox, then a 34mm Manitou. Wheels made a huge difference (although hub engagement is tragic compared to Hope). But I personally don't want it any lighter. I love the stability of the bike and it's lost a bit of that now.

Spec is a bit of a parts bin special. Mt520 front brake, old Slx rear. A 125mm Reverb, Saint pedals, Richey bars, Ergon grips, Fizik Tundra which has just about had it. The wheels which are about to be replaced by some JRA Monitors are a Shimano mix of old XT and a MT500.
So I think it is a matter of going through stuff replacing as I can afford it. I think the forks are going to be next when and if Sids ever become widely available again. I don’t particularly want to create an xc whippet but just get a real world improvement in pedalling uphill!

just get a real world improvement in pedalling uphill

You’re doing the wheels, so other than tyres you’re gonna save a max of about 1 or 2kg(unlikely) of static weight if you throw money at it, which won’t make a real world difference to how fast you climb, sorry.

Faster tyres will.

Singlespeed it.
Could easily save 3Lbs and not cost a penny.
This may or may not improve the climbing though...

Aargh! The work of the Devil!
As a kid I learnt to ride on a cousins fixie. I have never gone back to either fixed wheel or single speed.

As above, tyres make a big difference to the feel of a bike.

I built up what ended up a N+1 11kg hardtail that made my main one (chameleon carbon) feel like a tank at 13.5kg.

Or so I thought. Ended up being no faster on the lighter bike unless the route was pure tarmac but changed the tyres and a few bits on the Chameleon and it has totally changed the ride feel.

Will find out just how much it’s changed tomorrow when I take it on a ‘proper’ ride.

So far, the biggest ‘feeling’ difference was going to Rekons from Nobby Nic tyres, although the greatest weight saving was putting carbon wheels on it.

My Solaris probably weighed that with 27.5x2.8 tyres (even on carbon wheels). When I rebuilt it for my daughter, I bought some cheap (but still quite) light 29 wheels from here. Put a 2.3 HD/NN combo on those, used an old XTR spider and 11-42 cassette (from 11-46) and a few other mods.

Made a big difference. Definitely most of the zippiness came from changing wheels/tyres. I didn't do a before and after weight but based on Jess whinging way less on the climbs, I would say significant!

If in doubt stick a Rock Razor on the back of anything that feels sluggish is my prime directive 🙂