Video: How Much Do the EWS Pros' Bikes Weigh?
Right from its inception enduro racing has been a sport of compromise and at the heart of this has been balancing bike technologies. Bikes must be strong enough to survive torturous rock and root yet light enough to remain efficient across long, brutal days in the saddle.
We hit the first ever shakedown day here in Les Orres with some (fairly) high tech equipment in an attempt to establish just what the current enduro race machinery weighs and, perhaps more interestingly, how much importance the pro’s place on heft.
Bike Weights (many include tubes, tools)
Josh Carlson's Giant Reign: 15.09 kg / 33.3 lb
Noga Korem's GT Force: 14.2 kg / 31.3 lb
Robin Wallner's Ibis Ripmo: 14.85 kg / 32.7 lb
Ines Thoma's Canyon Strive: 14.12 kg / 31.1 lb
Vid Persak's Orbea Rallon: 15.2 kg / 33.5 lb
Greg Callaghan's Cube: 14.5 kg / 32 lb / Covered in mud: 15.8 kg / 34.8 lb
Author Info:
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I have 2, 2003 enduro bikes that have 7 inches of travel 63 degree head/seat tube angels, 2.7 tires, and are 45 lbs plus my old fat ass.....annnd I rode them up hill all day long, but we called them freeride bikes. I would say enduro bikes are just lighter better freeride bikes that, goes faster, climb better and still you can huck them without them folding in half...
Bike weight is important.
That being said, doesn't mean that all should go total weightweenie on all components.
Frame - I dare someone feeling a 350grm/400grm between same model
Suspension / brakes - it matters more how it perform than actual weight
Points Of Contact (rider/bike) - If you are not for bling/weightweenie, just go for something costly effective (price/reability/maintenace)
Tyres go for performance
try using light cassete and rd... and that's it you've got a 15/16kg enduro bike
....then they did. And the answer is a lot. Mud weighs a lot.
www.pamcookingspray.com/products
.25 climb time is interesting as well. It would definitely decrease the advantage of XC racers and bike would change. Less climb time = More enduro-bro bikes. More climb time = More XC-dude bikes.
I'm not saying the current format is bad, just that it's more one-sided and I would find the additional setup intricacy quite interesting for the format you propose. Plus, it would guide bike design/spec to maintain more of a good balance between climbing/descending, weight/burliness.
Lately I have seen some new formats being used. The enduro race where you are placed on your best time and can take as many runs as you want. That is pretty cool as well. Different formats keeps it interesting.
Keegan Wright is right. Just pedal it you weight weenies!
I'm always in the minority on this, but I adore my light all-mountain configuration, 28.6 lbs (13 kg) XL, and for a particularly important reason: With a light bike build, I get the pleasure of doing a second full lap with every visit! My second run of the day, in fact, is usually faster both uphill and downhill. I can't imagine missing out on the fun of that.
All of that said, I completely respect the different needs of an EWS racer.
I do think the typical rider should consider the amount of time they spend climbing when choosing or building a bike. I see too many fellow riders exhaust themselves pedaling expensive but heavy bikes all day for 10 minutes of descent glory.
. I haven't experienced that but I'm about a month in, thanks for the headsup
The would be great if it didn't become floppy
Nukeproof ARD - £50 pair - 130g per 27.5" insert
Rimpact - £37 pair - 90g per 27.5" insert
Rimpact is the only one I've tried, but so far I've been really happy with performance. Easy to fit and remove and no sealant absorption.
https://www.rimpactmtb.com/
The instruction video on their site is spot on.
Do i want lighter bike - yes I do!
Do i need lighter bike - no i don't;
Since it does not cause any reliability issues of the course of several years;
Just don't think that the Pro enduro racers' positions on weight apply to those of us trying to go our fastest overall, including the climbs. Also, their bikes aren't that heavy.
For all of us we have to choose parts that are likely to survive most of our rides.
I WW, but I also run inserts F & R, use a DH layup rear rim, and do some other non-WW stuff because it's what works and will survive the vast majority of my rides. But I tell you what, I'll pay to remove weight wherever I can cause it really does make a difference on the climbs.
But hey, to each their own.
Mines an XL with mostly GX, 2.6” Minion up front, and with pedals, bottle cage, Garmin mount, etc it’s 29.5lbs. Sooo many places I could cut weight.
I recently added Cushcore because I'm destroying about 4 rims a year from rock strikes with 26/24psi. Any more pressure I was deflecting off everything in sight and couldn't hold a line. With cushcores I'm running 25/20 and love them. Took me a total of 1 ride to get used to the extra weight
My L Ripmo with XO is 29 lbs without pedals, 30 with.
Alloy wheels, frame, and cranks.
Cushcore F+R, EXO Minions
Coil and a 36 with flats...
Radon swoop for me, no coil but vivid air and supergravity/DH tires. Haven't weighted it though but it could get in the same range I guess
Weight does not matter!! It's just a useful marketing metric, 1.2% lighter is 1.2% better; don't think so!
But I get your point. instead of paying enormous amounts of money to save a kg, I should loose 10% of my body weight.
However, what should not be forgotten is that while riding there is quite a lot of stretch required to move your bike around. A lighter bike will make you less tired and you can ride longer. The pros are fully trained and 15kg will be easier to handle than for me. And 1kg difference there will be important. 15kg will be easier for Richie Rude than for Noga Korem to move.