I'm contemplating swapping out my 130mm travel hardtail & 170/160mm full suss (both 27.5) for one bike to do it all. This is because keeping 2 bikes running is getting painful.
However, my main bug bear is the weight of most 140mm ish travel full suss bikes these days within my price range (up to around £3000) is about the same as my bike full suss (15.6kg).
When pointing it down it's always felt great, but has always felt sluggish & hardwork on flatter pedally terrain. I wouldn't want to ride much further than 20miles on it. I have swapped the tyres on that bike to make it a bit zippier - it's not running a Specialized Butcher T9 & Purgatory T7 (both trail spec).
So would a similar weight shorter travel 29er carry it's weight better? Am I overly worried about weight?
my spitfire 135/140 mullet is 15kg with exo minions, vs my top fuel, 120/130 @13kg on XR4's
First significant difference, is the way the top fuel pedals is different to the Spitifire, it's not about the weight but the pedalling efficiency, possibly the seated position also. Sure the tyres make up a bit of difference. the Spitfire i wouldn't ride for cross country type rides the way it is built up, I would however ride the Top Fuel, as that is one of it's design intentions, that being said, i might also take my gravel bike on an epic over the Top Fuel.
When descending both bikes, although not too far apart in travel, are very very different. And both bikes have their Niche (although i would go for a longer travel Banshee if i had funds/could sell my current frame for a decent amount)
you could go middle of the road, perhaps keep two wheel/tyre setups? depends if you ride where you could really use the extra travel? but again, maybe budget wont allow that to happen?
This is because keeping 2 bikes running is getting painful.
If it's only maintenance and repair costs then there's no difference in having two bikes or one bike. The latter will just wear out components faster. Better to have two so you've an option when ine is temporarily out of action.
I'd imagine the swap to 29" will make more difference to how the bike feels compared to a few lbs tbh? As mentioned above, weight is only part of the equation so not worth getting hung up on unless you're talking 10lbs or so. I found my Stage 5 felt sluggish when my energy dropped off until I swapped the rear Hans Dampf for a Nobby Nic which made a huge difference.
If it's only maintenance and repair costs then there's no difference in having two bikes or one bike. The latter will just wear out components faster. Better to have two so you've an option when ine is temporarily out of action.
I should clarify - 2 x mountain bikes 😉
I should clarify - 2 x mountain bikes 😉
That doesn't change the maths.
What about lighter wheels for the full suss?
I bought some eBay carbon jobs that have lasted fine and made the bike feel significantly more sprightly. Your milage may vary depending on how light your current wheels are
I wanted a lighter bike and a super expensive Santa Cruz high tower was 15kg as tested on pink bike
(Weight: 33.25 lb / 15.1 kg (L, GX AXS))
www.pinkbike.com/news/first-ride-2025-santa-cruz-hightower-the-big-wheeled-bronson.html
The tall boy is 14kg
https://www.pinkbike.com/news/staff-ride-darios-downieville-tallboy-santa-cruz.html
My geometron g13 is 16kg ( with the light weight wheels in XL) so.spending £6,500 to lose some weight looks a bit much.
What's helped me is... Training up for a couple of events.
I've gone for an XXL G1 that's 17kg now and it pedals really well.
If you want a new bike- buy a new bike.
If you want to loose some weight spent £££ on a personal trainer
If you want it to be easy to pedal about, train form an event.
I've done a mix of 1 and 3 (lost 3kg) and it's worked for me.
I think it's mostly re-assurance that a newer bike will feel quicker, as it'll hold it's weight differntly/better.
<man maths> Spend £30k on 6 bikes and you'll almost never wear anything out, which saves loads of money.</man maths>
Also, newer bikes are just heavier. I've ridden a Spur built up with a money is no object xc spec and despite having 20mm less travel at each end it's still heavier than my 2016 Jeffsy. But it rides much better and feels like it has more travel. So maybe don't worry too much about the weight.
Ebike weight was a big factor in my buying options, because our old garage could easily be broken into and so it had to live inside above the ground floor.
There's no way I could lift a ~25Kg big battery emtb up and down our home stairs, but ~16Kg with two bidons is just about manageable with my pathetic long covid weakness.
I've just done a prospective build sheet for my 18" Switch9er and it's coming in around 14.62kg/32.16lbs - I'd wager in reality when it's done it'll be well over 15kg and that's with a Ti frame and carbon swingarm - coil shock though.
The frame/swingarm account for 2.3kg/2.8kg with shock - ergo, parts are pretty heavy these days.
A Santa Cruz Hightower (CC, so the lighter model) is 3.1kg for the frame
I'd have said frame geometry and damping on the rear shock makes a big difference. A heavier bike that's designed to be pedalled is going to be easier going than a lighter enduro focused thing with a soggy feeling rear shock.
Your 160/170 bike is designed for pointing down things. Most 140/150 bikes are designed as trail bikes for doing everything. If the new one weighs the same, it'll probably still pedal better.
Then you've got the low hanging fruit options for easy weight saving such as lighter wheels. Easy enough to save maybe half a kilo which should make a nice difference. I saved 200g with a Phenom saddle and nearly the same again with some carbon bars. Standard finishing kit is usually heavy.
Faster tyres always helps and not going mega short on the cranks.
Also, as mentioned above the fact that the new one will be 29 will make a difference too. I love my 27.5 HT but it's definitely harder work on techy stuff.
My latest experience has surprised me...
Been riding my Yeti Arc carbon for past 12 or so years. 29er hardtail, 100mm forks, fast tyres etc and weighs at last check 23.5lbs. I also now have a Pipedream Moxie, steel frame 150mm forks, heavy wheels and tyres weighing about 32lbs. On a local short blast out along and back from the SDW a 15 mile ride with 1,300 ft of elevation takes overall about 2 or 3 minutes longer consistently. The climbs are only just a little slower, the across must be about the same and downs are faster.
I think the extra comfort of steel as well as grip of the tyres makes it overall, and I almost hate to say it, a better ride. I just miss the snap of acceleration that the Yeti has for sprinting efforts up steep little hills etc
So, after all these years, maybe weight isn't everything.
I’ve ridden my ebike with the power turned off on sociable group rides - on my normal bike I’d be at the front uphill, on my ebike I tend towards the back of the group but don’t get left behind. They’re over 20lbs apart in weight but on very similar tyres and with very similar geometry. But the ebike has 157mm of rear travel wasting some more energy as it bobs a bit.
I also notice the extra weight negatively on that first pedal stroke or two out of a corner or from standstill but once rolling well it’s pretty hard to detect.
Just noticed the post above - my hardtail is a singlespeed Moxie with 160mm fork and that’s my lightest bike! 😉
P.S. I strongly recommend having two bikes if you can, then you’ve got a back-up bike! Cut down to one and Sod’s Law will decree you break something critical and don’t have time to fix it and then miss out on a nice bike ride.
P.S. I strongly recommend having two bikes if you can, then you’ve got a back-up bike!
I'm just building up #7 in case the other 6 die...
Also, newer bikes are just heavier. I've ridden a Spur built up with a money is no object xc spec and despite having 20mm less travel at each end it's still heavier than my 2016 Jeffsy.
Really? I built mine up with money certainly an object but reasonably light parts and it's a flying machine compared to my bigger full suss or steel hardtail. Home scales suggest it's around 26/7lbs compared to 30/1lbs for the HT and 34/5lbs for the full suss.
Depends how short travel you're willing to go but Balfe's still have the 2024 Spark 910 in stock at not much over your budget: https://www.balfesbikes.co.uk/bikes/mountain-bikes/scott-spark-st-910-mountain-bike-2024-in-black__43775 (£3249 & 12.7kg)
It's 140mm front/120mm rear so you can't just crash through rough stuff but I can't say it feels under-biked compared to a couple of 140mm f/r bikes I've had. It's ideal for me for local rides and trail centre blue/red stuff, intending to get a longer travel eMTB at some point to compliment it for bigger stuff
DIY build to achieve your weight/budget target.
Put it in a spreadsheet first.
I built a 130/140 Revel Rascal based on a lightly used frame for under £2k which is 13kg exactly, without pedals, despite the frame being 3.6kgs.
It's also really rewarding as it's your bike, to your exact spec and you've built it yourself.
Some epic man maths going on here (which I’m just as guilty of as the next person) spending £3k to save on the maintenance costs of running two bikes?
A 140mm 29er full sus if you get the right one should pedal really well and be fairly light plus do all the trail duties. Something like a Trek Fuel Ex.
Weight? Pah! I’m sure like me you aren’t 6% body fat. Bike weight never really bothers me.
Part of the plan was to sell the other 2 bikes - to make some of that money back - I have already sold my ss gravel bike
I think it's all relative to the riders size/weight. I aim for a MTB that is less than 20% of my body weight. I'm a small guy at 58kg so need a light bike. My current 120mm full sus is 11.2kg.
I agree that rider size, weight and strength is really important when thinking about weight.
I also think the move to bigger and burlier is based on Enduro influence - but many of us do not ride at such a level, or are sympathetic to our bike and components strength.
FWIW, my Stage Evo is almost spot on 29lbs/13kg wth relatively modest spec, but some nice light tyres.
Make sure you look into which bikes pedal well, and happen to be what you consider "not too heavy".
