 You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
After someone liberated me of my beloved carbon Niner last week, I'm looking at replacing it and have to make some difficult decisions. The niner in its various guises (from rigid singlespeed to forks and gears) went from 8.2-9kg or thereabouts - stupid light.
Now trying to source a replacement and it seems niners may as well be filed under "unicorn crap" and they just aren't around much here. My mind then immediately turns to steel - my material of choice! Thinking about something that I cna race maybe half a dozen times a year as XC events (sport cat), Friday Night Summer Series, and the odd singlespeed race (ideally.... not a 'must have') but I just can't get over the weight difference in my head!
I'm a fairly portly 90kg wet (it's all muscle... ish... it's not), but loved the feeling of a stupid light niner. Now... is getting a fairly respectable 10-11kg steel bike going to actually make bugger all difference someone my weight. I know the science says it's essentially the same as me just cutting out a few beers and dropping a couple of kg, but logic and reason frequently go out the window when looking at bikes no?
I dabble with XC on my Cotic Solaris (with Pike) a few times a year - in the "enthusiast" category.
Consistently place in the top 10, never on the podium - I'd estimate that a carbon XC race bike might gain me one place, perhaps two - just based on the gaps that develop during the race. So I'm happy to stick with steel.
That's reassuring at least. I think I probably just need to focus less on frame weight. The niner was an absolute blast of a bike to race XC, but essentially didn't do anything else particularly well. Took it to the peak district recently and took it down potato ally amongst others and the poor things suffered! I'm thinking a 120mm steel 29er with some light wheels on will probably fair quite a bit better! Hell I'm tempted to build myself one at the bicycle academy and just race that!
I've been at the same races as cha****ng in "racer" class on my home made steel 29er. Just had to pension it off as noticed a 1/2" crack in the down tube - this was a frame I knew wouldn't pass the production frame fatigue tests (fairly basic Zona tubing, 32mm top tube, 35mm down tube, 130mm fork) but it did manage a fairly rough 6 years as my only MTB so not too bad (62kg rider).
The replacement has stalled at a front triangle...... (MUST get into gear and finish it). I'm also racing a home made CX frankenbike which only has a small weight penalty that is more than offset by the uncloggable frame design and burly mech hanger - has survived many filthy races that were carnage for some very blingy bikes. Mrs is also tackling 3 peaks this weekend on another of my constructions.
So in your position I'd do some design homework and then get down the Frame Academy đŸ™‚
I've raced my mk1 solaris (with a reba, not a pike) a few times in local XC races - podium a few times, even won the vets at one of the Mean and Dirty races in Gloucs. It's quick enough as long as no-one properly fit turns up đŸ˜‰ Obviously not going to be quite as light as a carbon race bike but it's only a couple of pounds and absolutely fine at my level (and yours by the sound of it)
I have a carbon 29 HT (10.4kg)Â in the shed. And for the Brighton Big Dog and Hurtleberry Duathlon on Holmbury Hill this year I decided that I would race the steel Solaris (12.4kg) instead. Which is built with plus wheels.
Given that the laps of both weren't too far different from previous years, I obliterated my previous times on the Duathlon laps (til I punctured, anyway) and over several 6.5 mile loops at the Big Dog, I was consistent with my previous times on the carbon.
I'm 43 and don't trouble the podium, mind.
Ten plus years ago I was a podium regular riding a steel On One Inbred single speed bike beating people on their expensive carbon bikes of the time in XC and marathon races. It’s the rider not the bike.
If you decide not to make your own, I'm selling that Solaris (mk2 large) soon.
đŸ˜‰