How to lighten your bike intelligently

Weight reduction is one of the keys to improving performance and enjoyment, whether for the rider or their equipment. The lightest bikes are often the most expensive, since those last few grams cost hundreds of dollars. Without going that far, because we have to stay reasonable, let's see how to lighten your bike intelligently, without changing the fundamental characteristics of a bike, namely performance, comfort, and safety, and without emptying your wallet.

By Guillaume Judas – Photos: Grok/depositphotos.com

At the heart of a bicycle is, of course, the frame and fork assembly, which represents its "soul" in a way and is the most expensive part to replace. In other words, It's often not worth changing the frameset just to save weight. You might as well change the entire bike.. And then, between a very light frame and a "heavy" frame, there is a maximum difference of 7 to 800 g, and for two frames with different materials. It's a lot but not prohibitive if we only intend to improve the overall performance of the machine.

As for the fork, the difference is at most only 150g between a light fork and a heavy fork. We strongly advise against separating this assembly, designed to work together, whether in terms of geometry or behavior (rigidity, comfort, handling route). So it's better to take care of the other components first..

The tires

In the entry and mid-range, manufacturers often save money on the running gear. So this is where there is the most to gain, and not just in terms of weight. Between a basic inner tube and a lightweight inner tube (butyl or latex), there is a difference of 40 to 50 g. For a TPU inner tube, the gain can reach even up to 70 g. Multiply by two and understand that this is the first item to take care of, especially since a lightweight inner tube is between 10 and 15 € (up to 30 € for a TPU inner tube). It just requires a montagand careful to avoid pinching. But the difference in behavior is really noticeable.

Regarding the tire, there is also a way to save up to 70-80g between a basic model and a high-end model, while maintaining a classic 28mm section. High-end tires cost between €60 and €90 each, and are in any case superior in terms of performance and grip. It's expensive for the piece of rubber, but it remains one of the least expensive and most interesting parts of the bike to replace.

Price: between 140 and 240 € for tires and tubes
Gain: between 160 and 280 g over the entire bike

The wheels

Here it is obviously more expensive, but It is not necessarily useful to look for the lightest possible wheels to improve the performance of a bicycle. Between basic wheels around 1800 to 1900 g per pair and good high-end wheels, the difference is 350 to 400 g, which is already a lot, for an investment around 1500 to 2500 €. You can save even more, by moving towards exclusive wheels whose weight drops below 1200 g per pair. That is 600 to 700 g less than a pair of first-price wheels. But the prices are soaring, often exceeding 3000 €, or even approaching 4000 €.

You also need to consider how you plan to use your wheels. Wheels that are too light may not perform best on rolling courses, for example.

Price: between 1000 and 4000 €
Gain: between 200 and 700 g

The group

Replacing the groupset may not be worth it compared to the price of the bike. Expect a difference of around 700g between the lightest groupsets (Sram Red AXS and Shimano Dura-Ace Di2) and a Shimano 105 Disc, which already works very well. A high-end groupset costs between €3500 and €5000, and is mounted on already expensive frames. On the other hand, it can be very interesting to change a few parts.

In the first place, the pedalboard. Expect a difference of up to 300g between an entry-level/mid-range model and a truly lightweight crankset. The price is obviously in line with this, as you'll need to pay around €500 to get a high-end crankset from a not-too-exotic brand. The cassette is also a heavy element, with an expected gain of 120 to 150 g, with equivalent teeth. Expect to pay between €250 and €500 for this component.

For the rest, you can save a little weight on the discs (up to 60 g for the pair, for €120 to €150), but generally brakes, derailleurs and levers are in line with the whole group: each part works in correlation with the others, and for each level of range there is a "small" difference in weight that accumulates in the end. But in terms of investment, it is not always interesting. It is therefore better to limit yourself to changing the crankset and the cassette..

Price: between 250 and 1000 €
Gain: between 80 and 400 g (for crankset and cassette)

The saddle

To stay reasonable, we advise you not to change your saddle model, especially if it suits you and you travel long distances. However, the same model is often available in several rail and chassis options from a manufacturer. It is therefore possible to save a hundred grams, for an investment of €200 to €300, while maintaining the same support. However, be careful of the firmness or density of the shell and padding, which affect your comfort.

Price: between 200 and 300 €
Gain: between 50 and 100 g

Peripherals

The case of a seat post is a little different, as it is often supplied with the frame kit. There are several types of shapes or diameters, which makes replacing this part problematic. However, there are alternative solutions, which allow you to save around 80 g compared to an already high-end carbon seatpost (for example with Darimo). But you have to count on a bill of more than €360.

The pilot's posttagIt is, however, easier to upgrade, unless you already have a monocoque handlebar supplied with the frame. You can save around fifty grams on the stem, for only €60. For the handlebar, the gain can be 50, 100, or even 150 g, but for a price of €100 to €300. However, be careful to preserve the unity of this part, whether in terms of clamping (with the stem) or rigidity.

For pedals, and sticking to the standard you are used to, expect a gain of 80g maximum, for a price of €200 to over €400.

Price: between 60 and 800 €
Gain: between 50 and 280 g

From single to triple

As you can see, upgrading a bike can cost from one to two times as much (between €1650 and over €6000), for a weight gain of around 550 to 1750 g. This is without compromising the unity of the machine, nor safety, nor even by fitting components that are too out of step with a mid-range bike, for example.

obviously, every investment deserves arbitration, but some so-called “wear” elements may be upgraded on the occasion of a mandatory replacement. This is the case for tires, inner tubes, the cassette or the saddle for example. In the end, the price to spend to lighten the bike only represents the difference with the basic components.

As for the most expensive item, that is to say the wheels, it is also the one which will most modify the perception that you have of your machineThe original wheelset can still be used for training or for the winter period. This will ultimately increase the lifespan of your beautiful wheels.

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