[Closed] Racy'fying my MTB for little ££££

The wheels are the biggest bang for buck, but really if you want the cheapest/best option its to improve the engine aka you.

You know what they say about Perfection 😉

Thought wheels would be the number one reply, but I need cash to keep the road and cross bikes in race shape.

Why not just race it as it is if it works ok? That's the zero cost option!

I could, it just 'feels' a little too heavy. Last bike being a 26er full XTR, world cup SID's etc which I raced. I really notice the extra weight on smooth climbs

I suppose it depends how serious you intend to take it, if your just racing for fun and training then maybe just get some tyres to suit conditions, mud specific for the winter gloop and some semi slicks or low treads for the dry, then just replace the bits that wear out with whatever fits your budget at the time.

Ultegra cassette is usually better value than XT. Going tubeless is the best money I've ever spent on bike parts. You'll need a track pump or (reccomended) a CO2 cartridge to fit it though so it adds to the cost a bit. Got Quaxar discs for mine, about 70 grams for 180mm and less than 20 quid from XCracer. Ditched my front mech and shifter before even riding my new bike and haven't felt the need for a narrow wide ring as I've not dropped a chain yet. Superstar are doing them for 25 quid if you feel the need.

Weeksy and I clash on this.
I say I'm getting more serious about racing so the first thing he says is "what money are you going to throw at your bike?"

Uh, none!

Save ££ for repairs/entry fees and ride as is IMO. Then upgrade as stuff wears out.

I did use Ultegras when I had 3x9. Probably not rangey enough for 1x10.

Will look at this tubeless set up asap, have a compressor which has been handy

Even the organisers say you don't need to splash the cash 😀

Anyone can race, all you need is a bike and a helmet, and no special bike or kit either.

I'd say the things you have mentioned above are some of the least important.

I know discs and a cassette is considered a rotating mass but if they're in good nick I wouldn't bother.

If you are looking to shave weight why not consider a carbon bar or seat post which would help look after you during the race too?

What sort of budget do you have?

Mat

Disc rotors offer good g/£ but not a lot in total. Tyres are probably the best place to lose the most weight.

Stans crest & light tubeless tyres are *probably* the best place to start

Not so much of a one off budget, that goes on road racing and the cross season.

My bike an X-Caliber hasn't been altered since I got it over a year ago.
The discs, cassette, chain will need replacing soon.
I can just ditch metal in the form of the 3x10 parts.
Loose the innertubes.
Lighter tyres than the factory fitted ones
Even the silly cheap QR's are super heavy

Do you have a link to your trek's spec?

Out of interest, have you weighed it?
What would you like it to weigh?
How much does your cross bike weigh?

How much does your cross bike weigh?

Not sure, Ridley Supercross scandium/carbon frame, TRP's Deda carbon, Ultegra pretty light.

[url= http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/2013/archive/trek/x_caliber/#/uk/en/archive-model/details?url=uk/en/bikes/2013/archive/trek/x_caliber ]http://www.trekbikes.com/uk/en/bikes/2013/archive/trek/x_caliber/#/uk/en/archive-model/details?url=uk/en/bikes/2013/archive/trek/x_caliber[/url]

I would sell the mountain bike and give up on mountain biking. Again. But honestly, if the thing's working okay in its current spec, just fit some fast, light tyres, accept that it's going to feel heavy compared to a cross bike and go racing.

Ah ok, I was going to say, if you're doing well (you do/did do pretty well in cross don't you?) on a fairly average cross bike then you should be fine on a midrange Mtb.
If my experiences of cross v Mtb are anything to go by, you should expect better % finishes in Mtb for an equivalent fitness level.

I did race it over a 3 hour XC race and that was fine, got a 3rd in age in fact. But it is horrible to try and ride fast, the sort of fast you get in 1 hour races. Make sense?

What tyres has it got at the mo?

How much do you want to spend, and how much weight to lose?
Go for 2nd hand stuff , forks, wheels, drivetrain can be picked up half price if you are prepared to accept stuff that may not look new....

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If you are looking to shave weight why not consider a carbon bar or seat post which would help look after you during the race too?

It's an hour of racing, not gonna make any discernible difference whatsoever! Unlikely you'll save that much weight either without being very spendy.

Are they QR front and rear hubs? You could build a set of <1500g wheels for £250 or so using A2Z hubs on Crest rims. I'd be surprised if your current wheels were under 2kg.

+1 on a couple of sets of fast tyres (dry and muds) set up tubeless for the conditions.

Go 1x if you want but I doubt it'll make any real difference?

I-Beam seat and post, usually can be bought cheap and save a surprising amount over average components.

But it is horrible to try and ride fast, the sort of fast you get in 1 hour races.

This. Not worth spending £££ on if your not serious, and there is a fair bit to learn about YOU and the bike. Try it first on the current spec, see if you want to continue and how serious you are. There was a chap riding a 2008 Rockhopper in Beastway this year, he didn't come last.

I've just spent £600 for example removing 2lbs from my mine which you'll see a pic of later in the "short travel 29er" thread, but I'm not expecting that to earn me places, just make life marginally more easier and having said that, I'm using that bike for 15 events currently in my diary including 3 x 24's and 1 8hr, so to me its well spent. But I raved last year with no upgrades on the basis that if I didn't do it again, I won't have wasted anything.

But the cheapest thing and most effective was the 2 hours spent creating an effective training plan on an excel spreadsheet during my August break.

I'd say tyres first. This summer I changed my usual tractor tyres for something much more racy and found I rode everywhere at least one gear higher. IME tubeless allows me to run lightweight tyres that with tubes would pinchflat twice a ride unless I pumped them up super hard (and then I had no grip). After tyres, light wheels will be noticeable but cost a lot more.

Tyres. My mountain bike always felt fastest when I was running Kenda Small Block Eights. Light and fast rolling.

Not particularly practical for winter, but they're surprisingly grippy on firmer ground cos you get a lot of rubber contact.

But if you're used to road biking then the mountain bike always feels horrible and sluggish. Feels like I'm going to get a hernia just pushing my 27lb 140mm full suss out the back door - cos I'm now so used to 16lb of road bike. Need to man up 😉

Stick your cross wheels on on race day, if they fit.

Oh, maybe a rigid fork/ 2nd hand sid?

Superstar hubs with Crests at 1600g a pair (build details published on request - sub £300). Specialized Renegade S-Works 1.95s at 500g and £30 each

If on a budget I'd go the lighter tyres route,it's surprising how much variation in weight there is. Local LBS here has Ultimate scales to weigh stuff like tyres, wheels etc. You can find 50-75g difference in same model/size tyre if you can compare... . New tyres have fresh feel too.