Aluminium Hardtail

Napalm73

Likes Bikes
Hi All,

What are the lightest Aluminium Hardtails on the Australian market? A few of the weight weenies webpages have custom bikes and I am after the lightest “off the shelf” bikes.

Would think that the Giant XTC would be up there, any other ideas?

Cheers,
 

uhuforrest

Likes Dirt
Hi All,

What are the lightest Aluminium Hardtails on the Australian market? A few of the weight weenies webpages have custom bikes and I am after the lightest “off the shelf” bikes.

Would think that the Giant XTC would be up there, any other ideas?

Cheers,
The new Cannondale Flash Lefty with carbon fork.

Roland
 

C Dunlop

Likes Dirt
All are about 1500-1600g. Since you are after an alloy frame, you're probably on a budget. Get something cheapish and spend more on wheels, fork and drivetrain, where quality and weight matter more.

FWIW cannondale alloy hardtails (F series) weigh about 1250-1400g (depending on size). This is at the lighter end of the scale, and the compatability with lefty forks (from ~1100g) and bb30 (potential to save 100g or so, when better [not FSA] bb30 cranks are released later this year, or run the uber expensive [$900 on ebay, ~$2k retail], crazy nice cannondale cranks means that this would be the lightest whole bike setup, if you had money to burn)

I wouldn't pay good money for a cannondale fork again if my life depended on it, but that is another story.
 

Pizzaz

Likes Dirt
He did say aluminium. I have an XTC2 frame, weighs about 1700g for 19", the whole bike is 12kg. I'm sure the XTC1 would <11 with the lighter rims, components etc.
Hmmm, sub 11 isn't that light for an alloy hardtail. My Cannondale 29er1 (alloy) is 10.5 inc pedals and this year's model (Flash - comes in alloy or carbon) is lighter again. Allegedly there is only about 200g difference between the alloy and carbon versions so if you speced an alloy Flash 26in version with the same bling that's on the full spec carbon version you'd have a sub 8.5kg alloy hardtail...

Even an off the shelf Flash F1 should be sub 10 easily (with its X9/X7 build)...
 

Napalm73

Likes Bikes
All are about 1500-1600g. Since you are after an alloy frame, you're probably on a budget. Get something cheapish and spend more on wheels, fork and drivetrain, where quality and weight matter more.
Thanks, two reasons for alloy:

1. Price.
2. Wouldn't want to dent a carbon frame if I have a big off.

Cheers,
 

akashra

Eats Squid
You're looking at about 1530g for a medium Giant 6013 based XTC Hardtail frame, add another 100g for a 6061 based frame.
 

morrisan

Likes Bikes
I have my cannondale F series sub 10 exactly 9.5 kg even with XT cranks , I think if I change the alloy lefty by carbon lefty and use another cranks could be sub 9 kg.
 

Benizmo

Likes Dirt
Kona kula supreme frame in scandium is right on 1.4Kg in 19" frame size to add another option
 

BMCFatboy

Likes Bikes
Frm

Hi All,

What are the lightest Aluminium Hardtails on the Australian market? A few of the weight weenies webpages have custom bikes and I am after the lightest “off the shelf” bikes.

Would think that the Giant XTC would be up there, any other ideas?

Cheers,
I ride an FRM hardtail made from Easton Aluminium weighing in at 1.25kg. My total bike weighs in at just over 8.5kg comprising Oval, XTR & FRM components and Stans Olympic ZTR wheels.
 

BigSplashBear

Likes Dirt
Thanks, two reasons for alloy:

1. Price.
2. Wouldn't want to dent a carbon frame if I have a big off.

Cheers,
Supporting C Dunlop's advice on spending your hard earned on good quality spec.
Not really had any big offs on my carbon XTC frames.
However, have seen a certain bloke on a Trance Advanced do a high speed nose wheelie that turned into a clipped-in explosive forward roll with a 180 degree rotation of the bars. The noise of his controls smacking his top tube was like a gun shot. To get the bars back around the right way we had to undo the clamps for one brake and one shifter. That force put a little scratch in the top tube. Were more dents in the rider's knee and helmet (which did its job of protecting rider superbly).

Of course you know your own riding style best - if you are concerned about big offs then having a CF frame will probably make you more tentative about riding and it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. Better IMHO to have a alu frame and remove the worry - that way you just have fun riding.

If you really want to save weight - go SS. :D
Have fun.

Bear - out
 
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adaib

Likes Dirt
You could look at aluminum carbon combination. Some bikes have carbon seat stays or whole rear triangles. price wise, its obviously cheaper than a full carbon frame, but not that much more than a full alloy.
You also get dampening qualities from the carbon, my Jamis Dakota has carbon seat stays and its amazing the difference
 

jaseh

Likes Bikes and Dirt
You could look at aluminum carbon combination. Some bikes have carbon seat stays or whole rear triangles. price wise, its obviously cheaper than a full carbon frame, but not that much more than a full alloy.
You also get dampening qualities from the carbon, my Jamis Dakota has carbon seat stays and its amazing the difference
Most alloy/carbon frames are no lighter than a full alloy frame. I had a Dakota and I agree the carbon stays give it a very comfortable ride but the frame was still up around 1600-1700g.
 

Napalm73

Likes Bikes
You could look at aluminum carbon combination. Some bikes have carbon seat stays or whole rear triangles. price wise, its obviously cheaper than a full carbon frame, but not that much more than a full alloy.
You also get dampening qualities from the carbon, my Jamis Dakota has carbon seat stays and its amazing the difference
Think one of the XTC's is a carbon/alloy combo.
 

Danman89

Likes Bikes
Have a look at a Felt RXC/ Six Elite, Alloy with Carbon Seatstay. Weighs under 1400gms easily, stiff and climbs like a goat!

All up my bike weighs 10.8 with Rebas and XT. Could easily be built under 10
 

72Fury

Likes Dirt
I have an XTC2 frame, weighs about 1700g for 19", the whole bike is 12kg. I'm sure the XTC1 would <11 with the lighter rims, components etc.
I've just built up a bike for my 11 year old son based on a current model XTC2 frame. It currently tips the scales at 10.1kg.
 

Napalm73

Likes Bikes
I've just built up a bike for my 11 year old son based on a current model XTC2 frame. It currently tips the scales at 10.1kg.
Some of you have listed some pretty light bikes. Any chance you could list the major components, ie fork, wheels, group-set etc.

Cheers,
 

72Fury

Likes Dirt
Some of you have listed some pretty light bikes. Any chance you could list the major components, ie fork, wheels, group-set etc.
Cheers,
My sons bike is built up with the following parts:

Frame: 2010 Giant XTC2 (small)
Fork: 2009 Fox F100RL
Headset: FSA internal
Stem: Control Tech FX 31.8 (45mm)
Top cap: KCNC with alloy bolt
Spacers: Carbon
Bars: Ritchey WCS carbon riser 31.8 (cut to 620mm)
Seat post: USE Alien Ti (27.2)
Seat post shim: USE Thermo plastic (27.2 - 30.9)
Seat: Selle Italia SLR XC
Crankset: Shimano XTR M970 (170mm)
BB: Shimano XTR external
Cassette: XTR 11-34
Chain: Dura Ace 9 Speed
Link: KMC gold lnk
Shifters: Shimano XT 9 Speed
Rear mech: Shimano XT shadow
Front mech: Shimano XT top swing
Wheelset: XTR M975 Tubeless Disc
Skewers: JetBlack Ti
Tyres: Maxxis Crossmark LUST rear
Maxxis Larsen TT exception front (with stans)
Brake Levers : Shimano XT Hydraulic
Calipers: Shimano XT (front)
Shimano XTR M975 (rear)
Rotors: Shimano XTR 160 (front)
Shimano XTR 140 (rear)
Pedals: Shimano XTR
Grips: ESI racers edge silicon
Bottle cage: Elite plastic
Cables: Shimano XTR
 

krizbike

Likes Dirt
Some of you have listed some pretty light bikes. Any chance you could list the major components, ie fork, wheels, group-set etc.

Cheers,
My scandium hardtail is around 10.5kg I think. Could push it under 10kg pretty easily, but I'm happy with it like this for now. Full details here. Scroll down to see the new wheels and other things.

It's using the MSC frame from Hodaka, which weighs around 1.3kg. I've had it for 10 years and the frame is still strong.

Chris
 

morrisan

Likes Bikes
yeah, I have my Cannondale Caffeine
Titanium bolts wherever I could do it
Saddle Selle italia SLR carbon and titanium rails
Seat post shim Woodman titanium bolt
Seat post Thomson Master piece
Spokes DT Swiss Revolution, alloy nipples
Mavic XC 717 Rims
Tyres Kenda Karma
Tubeless home made
Rear Hub XTR
Front hub System Integration Lefty
Cassete XTR 11-34
Brakes XTR rotor XTR 160
Shifters Twister X.0 rear Sram X.0 , front XTR
Cranks XT
Pedals Look Quartz carbon K Force carbon
Handlebar FSA
Bottle cage carbon
chain Sram PG something
Grips ultralight something
All this is about 9.6 kg
 
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