What would you pick?
Open O-1.0, German kilo fork, NEXT SL cranks, full AX lightness finishing kit, XTR 1x11 di2 drivetrain (minus the cranks), and lots of KCNC bits.
Full sus or hartdail?
I would not go for di2 if choosing 1x11 - heavier than mechanical. Aso go with an xx1 rear cassette.
Hardtail
Also what's the target weight?
... and the rider weight (if memory serves, a lot of real weight weenie stuff eg. Tune carbon hubs, have limits)
Your dream spec, your weight target!
Scott Scale/ Cannonade F-Si geo on a custom CF frame to drop some g's. Shift Up tuned Rockshox SID WC or 88 Tuned Lefty. XX1TR 1x11. XTR brakes w/ Scrub rotors. Berk AX bar/stem bonded combo. Berk saddle/seatpost bonded combo. Xpedo XMF08TT pedals (tuned to minimise the cage). Claviculas (probably with SRM). AX tubular rims on Extralite hubs with Dugast Tubulars. Extralite finishing stuff like headset, Hypergrips and thru axles.
Did I miss anything? I think anyone of any XC riding style and weight should be happy on that- no functional compromises.
Should be rad.
And probably red to go faster.
And would cost a penny or two.
Not German:A forks!
I'd prob go FS money no object now, but not tried enough to know what.
S-Works Epic, Scalpel, Superfly FS (or forthcoming Top Fuel), sommat like that.
Fox Factory forks, Extralite wheelset, Next SLs, XTR/XX1 1x11, New Ultimate stem/seatpost, Mt Zoom bars, Egg Beater 11s.
Pivot les 27.5 frame, marzocchi lcr carbon 320 fork. Mt zoom 5g seat clamp, thompson masterpiece layback seatpost, fizik tundra saddle. Easton flat wide carbon bar, Next sl cranks, xx1 cassette, mech, shifter. Dt swiss 240 hubs (ratchet upgrade) with Ryde trace xc rims using super light spokes of some description. Xtr brakes.
Probably a Highball or Litespeed.
For a hardtail, this would be mine:
••••••••••
Frame and Forks
----------
OPEN One 29er Carbon Frame 850g
Lauf Trail Racer 29er 990g (with axle)
Cane Creek AER Headset 46g
••••••••••
Wheels and Tyres
----------
Extralite HyperFront Hub 78g
Extralite HyperRear 2 Hub 161g
60x Pillar X-TRA Lite Ti Spokes and Nipples ~186g
Enve XC Tubular 29er Rims 28h front 32h rear pair 520g
Tune Skyline Spanner Rear QR 14g
2x Tufo XC2 Plus Tubular MTB Tire 29x2.0 1030g
••••••••••
Brakes
----------
KCNC X7
Complete both ends ~510g
••••••••••
Drivetrain
----------
Tune Blackfoot Cranks 340g
Raceface Narrow Wide 36t Chainring 50g
ACROS A-BB Press Fit Ceramic Bottom Bracket 87g
XTR 11 Speed Shifter 110g
XTR 11 Speed Rear Derailleur 220g
SRAM XX1 Cassette 260g
KMC X11SL DLC 243g
Alligator Mini iLink Gear Cable ~35g
••••••••••
Contact Points
----------
Extralite HyperSaddle MR65 65g
Tune Carbon Ti Seatpost 34.9 x 400mm 136g
Tune Strangle Skyline Seatclamp 34.9mm 5g
AX Lightness RIGID 100mm 31.8mm Stem 74g
AX Lightness HERA Flatbar 660mm 31.8mm 100g
KCNC Eva Foam Grips pair 10g
Crank Brothers Eggbeater 11 Ti MTB Pedals 174g
••••••••••
Total Bike Weight ~6300g
S Works Epic – I'd probably leave it stock
Open O-1.0 – again, stock with a couple of minor changes
Both are fantastic bikes that don't really need anything
Spot all the closet weenies come out to play! How light do you think it's possible to go while still keeping it functional (as in nothing like those silly lauf forks). I reckon 7kg would be fairly easy to do, but what about sub 6kg?
Carbon Bars/Post
Probably some carbon wheels
Next SL Cranks with direct mount ring
XX1 Drivetrain
Candy 11 Pedals
Frame & Fork not sure but I'd be very happy with the RM Element 999 and SID I reckon.
Think that will bring you under 10kg
Spot all the closet weenies come out to play! How light do you think it's possible to go while still keeping it functional (as in nothing like those silly lauf forks). I reckon 7kg would be fairly easy to do, but what about sub 6kg?
You'll not get under 7kg without some compromises. 6kg? No chance!
Compromise...
I passed this fella
http://www.bikeradar.com/us/mtb/gear/article/pro-bike-dan-mcconnells-trek-superfly-fs-9-9-sl-xtr-di2-42834/ and his riding partner 3 times in a race before they pulled out
[img] 
[/img]
http://bechenderson.com.au/bikes/
Bikes in the 9-9.9kg range but the tyres were not up to it. Shame as they were doing well after day 1.
Would like to see some of these dream machines finish a tough race 🙂
You can shove some tough tyres on a light bike and it'll still be light...
My Superfly is 8.5kg with Thunder Burts, on a heavy frame. Sticking some Double Defence Ralphs on would still be <9kg.
What sort of compromises would you have to make though? Assuming you've already gone for ax lightness/tune/schmolke/berk etc. You could lose more by going with Al and Ti bolts.
Absolutely, I'd assume that's implicit!
How are lightweight bars a compromise? Unless you've gone 540mm or sommat. They hold your controls.
The obvious one is fork - having something like a German:A Kilo or a Lauf, rather than a fork that actually works.
Look alright Nixon but the frame, forks and brakes wouldn't be my kinda thing
Open O-1.0
Interesting to see this pop up, presumably down to weight??? Not a geo I'd want to ride
Ryde trace xc rims using super light spokes
I can tell you that you wouldn't want to do this 😆 Or at least it wouldn't be sensible to. I have Ryde Trace XC, CX-Ray, Tune Princess, Tune Kong and they are alright when fresh but need constant retensioning and are quite noodly. The rims also came out way overweight and the asymmetrical internal shape means it is very hard to get a tyre bead to sit next to the valve without the tyre blowing off the rim during inflation. Not a great design and putting new tyres on scares the poop out of me! American Classic 101 is a lighter (real world weight) alu rim that has been faultless on my other wheelset
I never said that you should go with narrow bars! Well, you might choose 700s over 720s but that's not too much of a difference.
I wonder what the lightest conventional fork is (I'm including the lefty in there because they work). I know formula thirtythrees have a claimed weight of around 1.4kg.
I can tell you that you wouldn't want to do this Or at least it wouldn't be sensible to. I have Ryde Trace XC, CX-Ray, Tune Princess, Tune Kong and they are alright when fresh but need constant retensioning and are quite noodly. The rims also came out way overweight and the asymmetrical internal shape means it is very hard to get a tyre bead to sit next to the valve without the tyre blowing off the rim during inflation. Not a great design and putting new tyres on scares the poop out of me! American Classic 101 is a lighter (real world weight) alu rim that has been faultless on my other wheelset
I have the Ryde trace xc in 27.5 and while I can't vouch for the weight as I got them built up I have found them faultless, still true after 6months of riding over pretty rocky terrain (s.wales natural and trail centres). I'm only 9 stone though. Using the new tubeless easy schwalbe tyres has been a doddle too. I had this convo on another forum though which makes me wonder if I just got lucky?
Someone else here was frequently blowing off tyres on the Enduro rim around the valve so it is a "feature" of the rim, but one that can be overcome with the right fitting technique (bit of a PITA). The rims don't come out of true, just seem to lose tension making them even floppier than new and what feel like play at the hub, but is actually a few loose spokes. It has been years since I've had a wheelset with spokes constantly twanging and pinging in every corner after the first 2 or 3 rides 😀
At this point in my XC "season" I'd just like to get through a race without a puncture.
I never said that you should go with narrow bars! Well, you might choose 700s over 720s but that's not too much of a difference.
I realise, I wasn't sure if you were implying that using Schmolke, AX etc was a compromise? I was just observing that having ultra light finishing kit (assuming it's bike appropriate) isn't a compromise.
Going back to the original post of 'dream spec' for me it would be an S-Works Epic World Cup in Gallardo orange. I wouldn't obsess massively about making it any lighter; lighter seatposts etc just seam to be real weakpoints.
lighter seatposts etc just seam to be real weakpoints
Not at all. There's loads of great light stuff out there. You just have to do some research and put some effort in to hunt the good stuff.
Plus, if we are talking money no object then there no reason you couldn't get a custom seatpost/ saddle combo bonded in to the frame. No room for a weak link then! Money no object lets you think outside the box. Sounds silly but people have revived frames that crack around the clamp by chopping the top off the seattube and bonding the seatpost in so there's no reason not to. ISP was a "thing" once too so it isn't tooooo impractical. Someone like Jure Berk could probably even make an ISP style frame with the saddle bonded to the top. Your imagination is the only limit really 😀
Cheap
Light
Strong
Pick 2.... once you take cheap out of it things get better 🙂
Going back to the original post of 'dream spec' for me it would be an S-Works Epic World Cup in Gallardo orange. I wouldn't obsess massively about making it any lighter; lighter seatposts etc just seam to be real weakpoints.
Maybe true, but I've only ever broken one seatpost, and that was in a crash, not JRA. Bars/stem I'd be more worried about but that more a consequence thing than any rational belief that some bars are too light. I think in most cases if there's enough material to make it stiff enough, it's probably strong enough.
Weirdly, even on a 'dream' bike I'd still be inclined to go with stuff like novatec hubs and LB rims. I think I just like cheap/value for some bits.
DanW – I once had a terrible accident with a faulty (yet expensive) torque wrench and an Open frame – it has scarred me 🙂 I now run Thomson posts. I have a new bike coming this week with a carbon post so I'll be treading carefully.
[i]You can shove some tough tyres on a light bike and it'll still be light...[/i]
This.
We moved somewhere rocky and I now need to run tyres that weigh +700g rather than the 450-500g I did before.
No big deal, and my bike is still lighter than most folks (I ride with) bikes.
And for somethings where you really wouldn't want it to break vs cost, ie:
AX Lightness RIGID 100mm 31.8mm Stem 74g = +£500
You can buy On-One cnc stems at £20 that only weigh 110g but are rated for AM use.
cubicboy- conversely I've gotten on really well with every light carbon post I've ever owned but somehow managed to put a dent in a Masterpiece with no idea how it happened! Probably some user error like your over tightening so it seems the human part is the weak link 😆
Cheap
Light
Strong
This always gets quoted but I don't think this is strictly true any more. The problem comes in the definition of each but Mt Zoom, KCNC, etc and the host of other similar companies have really turned the tables on this old mantra
You can buy On-One cnc stems at £20 that only weigh 110g but are rated for AM use.
I pushed the boat out with a sub 90g 90mm stem for £30 (Lyti) 😆 Plus the On-One is a *claimed* weight for a 60mm length.
I have a new bike coming this week with a carbon post so I'll be treading carefully.
New bike? What did you go for?
Mashiehood – I kept the 'other' Open but I've an S-Works Epic coming this week
[i]I pushed the boat out with a sub 90g 90mm stem for £30 (Lyti) Plus the On-One is a *claimed* weight for a 60mm length. [/i]
My 50mm one weighs as claimed, with bolts etc.
Boutique uber lightness does seem to have some longevity compromise if the net (mtbr) is to be believed on AX seatposts and Tune hubs etc.
Light
Strong
60mm travel
Lauf Trail Racer forks
Not cheap
I love mine
It's not your typical XC race bike...
Interesting info here. Tagged for reference.
