Weight Weenie Rulez
Weight Weenie: (Noun)
1. The mass of a frankfurter or similar sausage.
2. Term used to describe an individual who obsesses over the weight of their bicycle.
So you’ve probably heard the phase, ‘he or she is a total weight weenie’. It’s true that some people get very caught up in the whole weight thing and it can become obsessive. While it’s seen as a disease by some, it’s probably closer to a religion or a political belief—relatively harmless but potentially debilitating in a financial and marital sense.
Of course there are differing degrees of weight weenieisim. From my early BMX days I can remember being a bit of a weight weenie and when I raced XC in the 90s I was guilty of attacking the odd part with a drill. However, I wasn’t as obsessed as some.
Stickman, a specialist in the hill climb event during the 90s, was a true weight weenie. His finest effort was an 8.4kg MTB that he built for the 1996 National Championships. Carbon fibre ‘Fibre Flight’ spokes, rigid fork, 185g Paul’s Components rear derailleur, carbon saddle with no padding whatsoever, feathery but fragile Kooka cranks and brake levers—he even opted to just run a rear brake for the hill climb event! To me Stick epitomised a true weight weenie; durability and practicality was dispatched without question if a few grams could be saved. At 183cm tall and 63kg, even Stickman’s body was featherweight!
Around 2005 the weight weenie game peaked. With rim brakes and spindly forks, I’ve seen hardtail builds as light as 4.9kg (Heinz Wittmann’s Scott Scale). While the weight loss game produced some crazy-light builds, many from this period wouldn’t last long in real world mountain biking.
In recent times the lightest builds haven’t really gotten any lighter but they do seem to have become more robust. One that comes to mind is a totally trail-worthy Scott Scale; it weighed 6.5kg with 100mm travel DT forks, hydraulic disc brakes, proper steel disc rotors, a 2x10 drivetrain, it even had a bottle cage and bar ends at that weight—impressive for a road bike, let alone a fully-fledged MTB! Carbon technology has come a long way in the bike industry and these days light doesn’t have to mean fragile, although the combination of minimal weight and high strength invariably makes your wallet very light too.
As impressive as some weight weenie builds are, those who throw great wads of cash at their bikes in an effort to save 20 or 30 grams are often criticised for being anal. This is especially so when the gram-counting individual may be carrying a little too much Xmas pudding! Furthermore, most obsessive weight weenies aren’t exactly racing at World Cup level—for many the biggest race is to beat the queue at the morning coffee shop stop.
So does weight loss on your bike really matter? Losing a few hundred grams (or even a kilo) isn’t going to help when pedalling along at a steady pace on level ground—the difference will be totally negligible. However, it can make a difference when climbing or accelerating. On a 5km climb up a 10% grade, dropping 500g from your bike will get you to the top around 10 seconds quicker. It’s not earth shattering but it’s enough of a difference that racers should take notice.
There’s nothing wrong with a non-competitive mountain biker wanting a lighter bike. Lighter bikes feel more agile and easier to flick around. I know I’m more inclined to get out of the saddle and hammer on a light bike, where a heavy one makes me just want to plod—light bikes just feel good.
More than anything, the pursuit of lighter parts becomes a hobby in itself. Just as car buffs pour every last cent into restoring or modifying a vehicle and model train enthusiasts amass more and more locomotives, weight weenies obsess over making their bikes lighter. Sure, it’s a potentially bottomless pit financially, but that can be said for many hobbies.
What follows is a selection of parts and ideas that can assist with your featherweight build. They range from low cost hop-ups to sensibly light parts from the major brands as well as some full-on exotica. We’re not suggesting these are the absolute best parts on offer but there’s some serious bling here that’s sure to tickle your inner weight weenie. So get out your digital pocket scales and drool away…
Real Weights
Always remember that manufacturers claimed weights often vary from the real life weight. Internet forums can be a good source for accurate product weights and tuning ideas. Here’s a few that are worth checking out:
http://forums.mtbr.com/weight-weenies/
www.weightweenies.starbike.com/forum/
www.forum.light-bikes.de (there’s an English section)
www.realweights.com
www.bikescale.com
www.sicklines.com/weights (more all-mountain based)
Tune Skyline 2T
The best place to start with any weight weenie assault is on the wheels. Reducing rotating mass is the best way to improve acceleration and climbing speed. You’ll have a tough time finding anything lighter than Tune’s Skyline 2T wheelset. Tune Princess Skyline hubs are laced to AX Lightness carbon tubular rims with Sapim Superspokes to produce a pair of 977g wheels (1,095g for the 29er version). The spokes are even tied together with a carbon wrap to boost stiffness and Tune rates them as suitable for riders up to 100kg. These bad boys will sell for around $2,999.
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.tune.de
NoTubes Race Gold
Combining minimal weight and comparative affordability, the ZTR Race Gold 29-inch wheels weigh 1,345g a pair and the 26-inch equivalent is 1,245g. Both feature excellent tubeless compatibility and a broad 21mm internal width to enhance tyre stability. While the $1,199 selling price hardly rates as ‘cheap’ it’s a lot less than its carbon rimmed competitors in the same weight category. NoTubes suggests a 77kg rider weight limit with these wheels.
Jetblack Products (02) 4560 1200 / www.jetblackproducts.com
Easton EC90 XC
These days tubeless compatibility is an important feature and not everyone wants to be messing around with adhesive tape and latex goop. Easton’s EC90 wheels feature full UST tubeless compatibility with no spoke holes in the inner rim wall, so no tape is required. The 29er wheelset is a little over 1,400g (1,416g claimed and 1,450g for the samples we’ve seen) and they are tough enough for everyday use. Easton claim 1,285g for the 26-inch version and these wheels sell for around $3,000 a pair.
Apollo Bicycles (03) 9881 6600 / www.eastoncycling.com
American Classic Tubeless
It’s tough to shed serious weight from a wheelset without spending up pretty big. American Classic comes pretty close to the mark with their $750 Tubeless wheelset. They feature 21mm wide rims (26mm external) and weigh in at 1,546g or 1,600g (26 or 29-inch). Also available in white but they cost $100 more.
Cassons (02) 9684 1210 / www.amclassic.com
Tune Prince & Princess
Prefer to build your own wheels? Well there are plenty of lightweight hub options and some of the lightest come from Tune. Last issue we showed their King and Kong hubs, which came in at 113g and 210g respectively. If that’s not light enough to fulfil your weight weenie fantasies, try their Prince and Princess hub combo. The rear Prince weighs 190g while the front Princess is just 99g. Both run standard six-bolt disc mounts and come in thru-axle and quick release mounting options. Tune also does a special 94g ‘Skyline’ version of their Princess front hub for their factory built wheels. The regular Prince and Princess hubs sell for $672 and $339 respectively—lace up a nice set of Stan’s or Enve rims and you’ll be in weight weenie nirvana!
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.tune.de
Maxxis MaxxLite 29
Tyres can be both the best and worst place to save weight. The best because tyres are rotating weight and comparatively inexpensive, and the worst because punctures and poor traction suck if you take the weight loss game too far! At 345g, 29er tyres don’t get much lighter than the MaxxLite. Like other minimalist semi-slick tyres, they’ll perform best in dry conditions on smooth trails as a race-only tyre (or when showboating on the scales). Mounted at both ends they’ll save over half a kilo of rotating mass compared to a good lightweight MTB tyre and they cost around $120 each.
Bike Corp www.bicorp.com.au
Schwalbe Racing Ralph
Aiming to keep things light while still retaining decent tread and volume? It’s pretty hard to go past the 2.25 Racing Ralph EVO. Offering a good blend of speed and traction, it tips the scales at 495g in 26-inch and 535g in the 29er version. It’s also tubeless ready—you just need to add sealant. The Racing Ralph sells for approximately $98 per tyre.
Bike Box (03) 9555 5800 / www.exposurelights.com
Tubeless Tape & Sealant
A really light 29er inner tube is around 150g or 120g for a 26” (and 26-inch tubes work fine in 29ers). On the other hand, 60g of sealant combined with 16g of tubeless tape weighs even less and you’ll avoid pinch flats. The main hassle is dealing with the latex sealant which needs periodic replacement. You’ll also need an inner rim profile that plays nicely with tubeless conversions and tubeless ready tyres.
THM Clavicula
You’ll notice a strong German presence amongst these pages, and they do seem to be the masters when it comes to weight weenie construction—the Clavicula crank is a fine example. Most carbon cranks use an alloy skeleton within the arms or at least a metal spindle of some sort. The Clavicula is almost entirely carbon—even the massive 30mm spindle is carbon fibre. With its special bottom bracket that allows the oversized spindle to slip through a traditional BB shell, the THM cranks weigh just 440g. Add a lightweight double chainring set with alloy bolts and you’ve got a complete crankset that weighs around 530g (or 560g in a triple). That’s approximately 193g lighter than an XTR Race double and well over 200g lighter than SRAM XX GXP cranks! The price? Try $1,599 on for size, but these cranks are as exotic as it gets!
Bespoke Imports (08) 8333 2470 / www.bespokeimports.com.au
Race Face NEXT SL
Weighing just 610g with 28/40 chainrings and bottom bracket (595g with 26/38 rings), the NEXT SL 2x10 cranks are amongst the lightest available from the major brands. They’re over 100g lighter than the top-end offerings from SRAM and Shimano. The arms are hollow carbon fibre with an all-carbon spider and a titanium spindle. Using a common 24mm spindle allows them to fit frames with a standard threaded or press-fit 92 bottom bracket. While they aren’t exactly cheap, they’re close to half the price of the THM Clavicula whilst still offering a good weight saving.
Groupe Sportif (03) 88781000 / www.groupesportif.com
Aerozine Cranks
A good option for the budget lightweight build, these Aerozine cranks weigh in at 750g including the supplied ceramic bottom bracket. That’s only 50g more than XTR Race cranks and they sell for $299. Chainring options include 27/40, 29/40 and 29/42.
RLC Sports 0411 805 805 / www.rlcsport.com.au
Crank Brothers Eggbeater 11
Most SPD pedals weigh around 174g each, but that’s how much a pair of EggBeater 11 pedals weighs. Compared to the top-end XTR pedals they’ll chop 134g of your bike. Their feathery weight results from a combination of minimalist design and lots of titanium—the axles, body and wings are all made from 6/4 titanium. This doesn’t come cheap of course and these pedals sell for around $599 a pair.
Jetblack Products (02) 4560 1200 / www.jetblackproducts.com
FRM 2x10 Rings
The 2x10 chainrings used on SRAM’s upper-end may provide some of the sharpest gear shifting around but they aren’t exactly light. Italian brand FRM offers a lightweight alternative. These CNC machined 7075 alloy chanrings come in a 27/40 combination and weigh 74g for the pair—a 50g saving over 28/42 X.0 chainrings. A pair of these rings sells for around $275.
Carbuta Pty Ltd 0439 902 770 / www.frmbike.biz
RockShox SID World Cup
With a full carbon crown and steerer assembly, the 100mm travel SID World Cup is the lightest offering from RockShox. With the lighter ‘Kerotite’ finish, the 26-inch version weighs in at 1,320g while the 29er version is 1,450g.
Monza Imports (03) 8327 8080 / www.sram.com
DT Swiss XRC
You won’t find too many suspension forks that are lighter than the DT Swiss XRC. The top model uses a carbon fibre crown and steerer assembly as well as carbon lower legs. DT offers a claimed weight of 1,170g but we’ve seen them at 1,152g once the steerer is cut to length. The XRC provides 100mm of travel with their Twin Shot damper which uses a bar mounted remote lockout. This bit of Swiss bling only is only made to suit 26-inch wheels with quick release dropouts and sells for around $1,399.
Dirt Works Australia (02) 9679 8400 / www.dirtworks.com.au
Project 321 Lefty Adaptors
With only one leg, you’d expect the Lefty to be light. However, its main endearing quality is stiffness; the double clamp and massive upper portion improves steering accuracy when compared to most traditional designs. Weights start from 1,250g (26-inch) and 1,332g (29-inch) for the Carbon XLR version, although that is without the steerer. Factor in approximately 150g for the steerer and you’re looking at 1,400g and 1,482g (plus the special Lefty hubs tend to be 10-20g lighter). Want to fit a Lefty to something other than a Cannondale? The Project 321 Adaptors allow you to do this and they sell for around $120.
RLC Sports 0411 805 805 / www.rlcsport.com.au
Niner RDO Fork
You may ride on buff trails, want to improve your skills or simply build the ultimate weight weenie bike—a rigid fork could be the answer in any of these situations. At 570g (630g including the 15mm thru-axle), the 29er specific RDO saves close to 800-1,000g off the weight of most good XC suspension forks. Using a 15mm Maxle adds security and makes it an easy conversion if you swap between rigid and suspension for different trails. There’s no rider weight limit and this fork has a 470mm axle to crown height, so it’ll fit to most XC hardtails without drastically steepening the head tube angle. The Niner RDO fork sells for $699.
Dirt Works Australia (02) 9679 8400 / www.dirtworks.com.au
MSC Bikes Bits
One of the fun things about any weight weenie project is adding trick little bits to customise your bike, while shedding a few grams at the same time. The MSC Ultralight II seat post clamp comes with an M5 Torx titanium bolt and weighs 7.5g. It could save you around 50g if you’ve currently got a run-of-the-mill quick release collar and it sells for $45. Another little trinket is the MSC jockey wheels. At just 11.2g a pair, they are around 20g lighter than regular jockey wheels and cost $35 a pair. What’s more, all of this gear looks trick and comes in a range of anodised colours.
MSC Bikes Australia (02) 8205 3120 / mscbikes.com.au
OzRider Foam Grips
Swapping to foam grips can be one of the cheapest ways to drop 100g. Your typical lock-on grips weigh between 100 and 150g a pair while foam grips are between 11 and 55g. Weights will vary with the density of the foam used and like saddles, grip comfort is really a matter of personal preference. These OzRider Foam grips come in a range of colours and lengths to suit Gripshift or trigger setups. The standard length comes in at 48g with bar plugs while the Gripshift version is 27g.
Southcott (03) 9580 7388 / www.ozriders.com.au
JetBlack Rotors
While you can get lighter rotors made from aluminium and titanium, stainless steel tends to be a safer bet in terms of performance and reliability. JetBlack rotors are one of the lightest stainless steel rotors on the market—only the KCNC Razor is lighter (by 10g) but they aren’t brought into Australia. The weights are; 67g (140mm), 84g (160mm), 114g (180mm) and 136g (203mm). In the popular 160mm size they’ll save 20-30g per end compared to most common discs. Unlike many featherweight parts they are pretty affordable, with most sizes selling for $30 each.
Jetblack Products (02) 4560 1200 / www.jetblackproducts.com
Formula R1 Racing
The weight weenie version of the R1 brakes that we just reviewed. Same performance, just fewer adjustments and a higher price ($399 per end without rotors). A complete front brake with lever, calliper, hose, 160mm rotor and mounting hardware weighs just 270g. It’s worth noting that the one-piece steel Formula rotors are very light (87g each in 160mm) with a nice consistent track for the pads to run on—a nice way to trim weight without compromising braking performance.
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.eightyonespices.com.au
Ritchey C260
In the vast majority of cases, forged alloy stems are lighter than the carbon fibre offerings. They are also far more affordable. The Ritchey C260 comes in at 108g (103g claimed) in a 100mm length and sells for $129. It gains its name from the special 260-degree wrap achieved by the handlebar clamp, which better distributes stress on lightweight handlebars. While it’s fitted with cro-mo steel bolts, they are a smaller M4 size to trim weight without compromising reliability. Ritchey also makes a $219 carbon wrapped version that’s said to be stiffer but approximately 15g heavier.
Dirt Works Australia (02) 9679 8400 / www.dirtworks.com.au
MSC Ultralight II
Another lightweight forged alloy stem, the Ultralight II is said to weigh just 96g in a 100mm length (with titanium bolts as standard issue). While the one-piece handlebar clamp requires gear and brake lever removal when fitting, the complete wrap of handlebar should apply nice even clamping pressure. This stem is offered in 80, 90, 100 and 110mm lengths and sells for $89.
MSC Bikes Australia (02) 8205 3120 / mscbikes.com.au
AX Lightness
While this brand doesn’t have an Australian distributor, we just had to give AX Lightness a mention. Hailing from Germany, their exotic and expensive gear takes weight weenieisim to the limit—their Zeus stem is a fine example. Rated as suitable for road and MTB applications with no rider weight limits given, it weighs between 55g and 70g depending on the size (it’s made in 90, 100 and 110mm lengths). That’s just crazy light, and with a price in excess of 600 Euro in its home country, I can’t see too many of these stems finding their way Down Under!
RLC Ti Bolts & Bits
Titanium and alloy bolts are the staple diet of any serious weight weenie build (some will even use nylon or carbon bolts in certain applications such as bottle cage bolts). RLC Sports has a range of bolts in the common M5 and M6 thread sizes. Titanium is about half the weight of steel and good where strength is needed; stems, brake callipers, seat clamps and so on. Alloy is 1/3 the weight of steel and handy for water bottle mounting, chainrings, gear shifters and other less critical parts. A 10-packs of titanium bolts sell for around $50 while the alloy packs are closer to $25. RLC Sports also has some neat looking 11.5g Aerozine jockey wheels that go for $35 a set.
RLC Sports 0411 805 805 / www.rlcsport.com.au
Schmolke Bars
More from those crazy Germans! With MTB handlebars that weigh as little as 60g, Schmolke manages to make most carbon bars look more like boat anchors. Of course 60g is their lightest XC oriented offering, but even their widest and most robust offerings are astonishingly light. Like their downhill bar; in widths of up to 850mm they still come in at 155g. A more ‘middle of the road’ offering, such as a 680mm wide 31.8 flat bar, is 88g while a decent width riser bar is just under 100g. These exotic German made bars sell for around $499.
Bespoke Imports (08) 8333 2470 / www.bespokeimports.com.au/
Niner RDO
Lots of riders are moving towards wider bars for improved control in rough terrain, but most lightweight handlebars still tend to be on the narrow side (most are 680mm or less). The Niner RDO bar is very light and also pretty wide for XC/trail use. They weigh 156g at their full 710mm width and keep getting lighter if you choose to cut them down. While they are basically a flat bar (and appealing to 29er riders as a result), they offer 5mm of height adjustment by flipping them thanks to the offset bulge design. The RDO bar is offered in a range of colour options and sells for $269.
Dirt Works Australia (02) 9679 8400 / www.dirtworks.com.au
Tune Trinkets
The Germans take the weight loss game very seriously. Tune’s $96 Würger Skyline seatpost clamp is made from unidirectional carbon and weighs just 4.5g—it’s not the lightest either as the original manufacturer (BTP in Germany) makes a lighter version at 2.9g! Along similar lines is the 4.5g Wasserträger Skyline bottle cage ($85); it requires a special conical bottle but Tune also offers a universal fit version that weighs 15g. How light can you go with quick release skewers? Try the $239 Tune U-20 MTB—just 22g a pair with carbon rods and levers. That’s 100g less than XTR skewers! Tune also does a 37g titanium version that goes for $125 as well as lightweight thru-axles for Fox and RockShox forks.
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.tune.de
SRAM XX Cassette
Sure, you can get alloy (and even carbon!) cogs that are lighter, but you can’t beat SRAM’s commonly available XX cassette for its blend of durability and low weight. At 208g with a 11/36 gear spread, it’s 63g lighter than the titanium cog equipped XTR equivalent. Just make sure you run it with a SRAM chain, as we’ve encountered ‘tooth bending’ issues when using Shimano chains on XX and X.0 cassettes. It’s also worth mentioning that the more affordable X.0 cassette is also very light at 238g (11/36).
Monza Imports (03) 8327 8080 / www.sram.com
Nokon Cables
Truly obsessed weenies will seek out weight savings in almost every small part and Nokon cables have long been a popular choice. For gear applications only, their Slimline cables feature a 4mm outer diameter rather than the standard 5mm. Made from little alloy segments, it weighs 25g per metre compared to most other high quality gear casing which is in the 32-24g range. On a bike that uses full-length gear housing, it could save you around 15g. In addition to the weight saving, the segmented design can make it easier to deal with awkward cable routing and it’s also available in a range of anodised colours. Slimline cable is available in a 1.5 metre pack for $99 or 1.8 metres for $129.
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.eightyonespices.com.au
Road Derailleurs
While you can expect a drop in shifting quality (how much will vary from one setup to the next), road front derailleurs can work on double chainring MTB drivechains. Where an XX or XTR clamp-on derailleur weighs around 120-125g, a decent clamp-on road derailleur will be between 75g and 85g—for serious weight weenies it’s a good saving for minimal cost. Obviously this won’t work with a frame that needs a low clamp or direct mount derailleur. It also helps if your bike runs bottom-pull cable routing, although Speen in Germany (www.speen.de) do make cable pull converters.
MSC Ultralight Chainguide
As long as it suits the terrain that you ride (and your legs), running a single front chainring can be a great way to drop some weight. Not only do you eliminate one or two chainrings, but you also get to bin the front derailleur, one shifter, some cable and few links from your chain. However, unless you’ve got the new SRAM XX1 group, you will need to add some form of guide to keep the chain in check. At just 37g including the band mount, the MSC Ultralight chainguide is just about the lightest out there (and it’s even lighter if your bike has a high-direct fitting). Available in a range of anodised colours, it sells for around $60.
MSC Bikes Australia (02) 8205 3120 / mscbikes.com.au
BK Composites
A small German manufacturer, BK specialises in hop-ups such as brake and shift lever brackets, seatpost collars, a-headset caps and master cylinder covers for Magura Marta brakes, all made from carbon fibre. Their XTR Rapid Fire mounting brackets weigh just 20g, which gives you a 21g saving over the standard alloy brackets or a 10g saving compared to Shimano’s i-Spec mounts whilst retaining complete adjustability. Aside from saving a few grams, their nicely rounded carbon construction is kind to carbon bars and perhaps most importantly, they give your bike that custom ‘weight tuned’ look. BK also makes a version for SRAM triggers that saves 13g. These trinkets of German exotica will set you back $159.
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.bkcomposites.de
Specialized S-Works MTB Shoe
What’s the point in throwing many hundreds of dollars at the lightest pedals or cranks if you’re wearing the equivalent of MTB Blundstones? As long as comfort and stiffness isn’t compromised, weight is just as important in your shoes. At 670g a pair (size 42), Specialized’s S-Works MTB shoe is around 100g lighter than most MTB shoes—even the high-end carbon fibre soled ones. Beyond the low weight, they are also very stiff with replaceable tread, a micro-adjustable Boa dial closure system and the Body Geometry fit system. Expect to pay $399.
Specialized Australia 1300 499 330 / www.specialized.com
Tune Schwarzes Stück
Most would consider a 200g seatpost to be pretty light, but not Tune. Depending on its size, their Schwarzes Stück carbon post weighs 110-123g in 350mm length and 120-136g in an extra-long 400mm. As an example, the popular 31.6x400mm weighs just 119g. Pricing ranges from $399 to $429.
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.tune.de
12o’clock SuperLight
You’ll find plenty of minimalist, lightweight seatposts that share a similar and design to this one from 12o’clock. At 162g (31.6 x 350mm) it is certainly light but it also features some additional butting to reinforce the top section—a common failure point on this style of post. Selling for $110, the 12o’clock post is relatively affordable for its weight division.
MSC Bikes Australia (02) 8205 3120 / www.12oclock-bikes.com
Tune Speedneedle
Minimalist weight is all good and well, but you’d trade a saddle back in an instant if was horribly uncomfortable. While the part-padded and part-bare carbon Speedneedle looks mildly bizarre, it seems to garner a good deal of positive reviews for its comfort. As with all of Tune’s products, it’s exceptionally light. The 125mm wide Alcantara weighs just 85g, leather version is 97g and the 135mm wide while the Marathon version comes in at 109g. At $289 it’s in the same general price area as the full carbon saddles from the major brands.
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.tune.de
Selle Italia SLR Tekno Flow
Coming in at just 95g (actual weight), the new SLR Tekno Flow is very light for what is more or less a fully padded saddle, and measuring 131mm across the tail, it’s also respectably wide. While carbon shelled saddles can be overly stiff, Selle Italia uses a huge central cut-out to provide a degree of flex that should make this featherweight a viable choice for some. Amongst the lightest fully padded saddles in the world, the SLR Tekno Flow sells for around $480.
Cassons (02) 9684 1210 / www.selleitalia.com
Bontrager Paradigm
A new model for their 2013 range, the Bontrager Paradigm proves that you don’t need to go completely minimalist to get a light saddle. With decent padding and carbon rails, the Paradigm RXXXL weighs between 145g and 155g depending on the width. Bontrager offers their InForm saddles in three sizes; 128mm, 135mm and 145mm, so you can choose to suit your physical make-up and position on the bike. Expect the top RXXXL models to set you back $249 and they also offer an RL version with titanium rails—it’s 30g heavier and sells for $169.
Trek Bicycle Corporation (02) 6173 2400 / www.trekbikes.com
Specialized S-Works Prevail
With a real-life weight of 225g (medium without visor), the Prevail is a very light helmet. It also features massive ventilation holes, a dial adjustable fit system and kevlar reinforcement to hold the shell together in an accident. The AS/NZS approved Prevail comes in three sizes and sells for $299.
Specialized Australia 1300 499 330 / www.specialized.com
Tune GumGum
Star fangled nuts don’t mix well with carbon steerer tubes like those found on the RockShox SID or Niner RDO forks. Instead you need to use an expanding collet, and most of them weigh around 20g. The GumGum is compatible with carbon steerers and it weighs just 7g. It also works on alloy steerers, saving a few grams over a star fangle nut and it’s reusable.
EightyOneSpices (08) 8388 3581 / www.tune.de
