Pinkbike Poll: How Much Does Your Bike Actually Weigh?

Jun 30, 2023 at 9:14
by Dario DiGiulio  
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The long-standing assumption has been that the heavier your bike is, the more reliable it ought to be. Whether that's borne out in reality is a different matter, but luckily there are some knock-on benefits to a heavy bike besides the hope of durability. Stiffness, suspension performance, and stability can all be aided by some extra chassis weight, but then again you still have to lug the thing up some big hills. It makes sense that we're still seeing downhill racers strap lead weights to their bikes, but I don't think the pro XC field is going to see the same behavior any time soon.

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My personal bikes tend towards the higher end of the weight spectrum, mostly due to my fondness for big polished chunky aluminum components, but also because I tend to find that beefier parts tend to last longer. Whether you're in my camp or full on the other end of the spectrum, weigh that bike, and add that fateful (but luckily not all that important) number to the list below.

We've asked you how much a bike of a given category should weigh, and we've asked you how much your bikes weighed a few years ago. As it's been a while since we've run this poll, and with bike weights seemingly creeping up with time, it felt worth revisiting.

What is the weight of your current mountain bike?

The weight of the bike your ride the most, with pedals.




Assuming the same ride quality and durability, what weight would you make your current bike?

Everything remains the same, but magically gravity has less of an effect.



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274 Comments
  • 202 10
 If it rides exactly the same, why would I not wish it to be as light as possible? Second poll is weird
  • 22 20
 it doesn't, hence the weights on dh bikes.

you can see it if you watch suspension on motorbikes passing by, it works like nuts, while on a light bike + rider the chassis gets thrown around instead of suspension working
  • 23 9
 Heavier bikes can be better for descending (to a point). Some world cup teams have strapped weights to the bottom of their frames in the past. If you're all about going mach chicken downhill then you might prefer a slightly heavier bike.
  • 60 3
 @baca262: the poll specifically states that ride characteristics don't change though.
  • 15 2
 @Bergandy: if changing the weight/center of mass changes the way the bike rides, this would qualify as “rides differently,” not “exactly the same” and thus does not apply to the question at hand.
  • 5 8
 @Bergandy: I'd always assumed that was the same as weighting matchbox race cars; drag being equal, heavy things fall faster than light things.
  • 4 0
 @lyfcycles: I think it meant like not going too light that the parts would affect your ride quality. Like what is the minimum weight your bike would be with parts that didn't make your riding worse because they are too light. Could be wrong though.
  • 1 1
 I thought the same, then I remebered how rattly my old bike used to be at 4.5pounds less that the current. Somewhere in the middle would be great so I answered 16.3kg to the second poll
  • 9 1
 so everyone who claims that bike weight doesn't matter, surely didn't spend extra money on upgraded cranks, handlebars, wheels, and aluminum vs steel stanchion forks? Because those upgrades are all about weight savings..
  • 4 9
flag Lumenous1 (Jun 30, 2023 at 15:13) (Below Threshold)
 Weight is actually the engineering term for mass times acceleration. That is kg times gravity gives you newton force. This poll is asking for mass. Everyones bikes for example weigh nothing at the point of the top of a jumping arc where upwards acceleration is equal to gravity.
  • 10 1
 There is only one answer.,. Light as possible. But the question sets up an alternate reality where you could have a light bike with the same ride qualities and durability.
  • 2 2
 @racerfacer: OR you know, a lot of the other characteristics that the different materials bring. Those don't matter at all.
  • 9 0
 Perhaps weight is about how you ride? I have a riding buddy who is a plough king whereas I hop and skip over stuff. I want a lighter bike because it is easier to ride it how I ride.
  • 12 1
 @brance: I'm not sure where you studied physics, but if the drag is equal, then the acceleration is equal. Heavier things do NOT fall faster that lighter things if, as you say, "drag being equal".

Acceleration due to gravity does not have a mass component. (force of a falling object is a function of mass, but acceleration is not a function of mass).
  • 3 10
flag brance (Jun 30, 2023 at 16:59) (Below Threshold)
 @uberstein: Hint: think terminal velocity, not acceleration.
  • 10 0
 Poll should have said if it can go uphill just as fast, then what weight would you make your bike?
I'd love a 35-pound bike I can pedal uphill as fast as my 24-pound bike.
  • 1 0
 @brance: what now?
  • 2 0
 @shakabro: you can, it just requires more energy….
  • 3 9
flag brance (Jun 30, 2023 at 18:20) (Below Threshold)
 @onawalk: If you get two similar feathers and tie a fishing weight to one, which feather falls faster?
  • 1 0
 You made me go back and change my answer to 0
  • 2 0
 @baca262: to be fair, your unsprung weight is also magically lower
  • 3 4
 @brance: if drag is equal, then terminal velocity is equal.

Regardless, neither a matchbox car nor a mountain biker is approaching terminal velocity. And in fact, both the matchbox car and the mountain biker would fall at the same rate.
  • 13 0
 Sweet Lord the nitpicking of this comment thread... Y'all trying hard to overthink this one. Weight is the only thing you're changing about the bike in this poll. That's literally it.
  • 1 0
 @racerfacer: I ride an S1 status with bmx spline cranks and a zeb ultimate. It also has a diety/title cockpit and a chromag dirt jumper seat. Wheels are the toughest dt swiss wheel set I could build. Full xo1 drivetrain. I have only broken wheels, a derailleur hanger or two and some shift or dropper cables. It’s significantly more fun than a lighter more expensive bike. Dropper post and brakes are discarded customer takeoffs too. The point is it cost me less than a complete base level carbon stump jumper to put together and weighs a pound or two more and rides way better. It also breaks a lot less.
  • 3 1
 @TakeADeepBrett: If a 155lb rider and a 250lb rider both coast down the same straight smooth hill, who gets to the bottom faster? As a 155lb recovering roadie, I can tell you it ain't me.
  • 2 0
 @brance: you aren’t for real,
That’s the surface area of the feather affecting the result.
Drop a bowling ball, and a baseball, let one land on yer head, and let me know the result….
  • 4 2
 Have a 37lb regular bike and a 60lb ebike. Downhill the 60lb ebike is hands down faster and it is way easier to jump as it’s super stable in the air. I would not have guessed that in a billion years before I got the eeb. Different strikes for different folks, but the assumption that light = good might just be a holdover from MTB’s XC roots.
  • 2 0
 @baca262: missing the part when you magically accept it works EXACTLY the same.
  • 4 1
 @brance: gravity acts equally irrelevant of mass
(Check out Galileo been around for a while)
Air resistance has something to say.
You might consider momentum and inertia too.
But your going to accelerate at 10m/s²
Towards the centre of the Earth
  • 5 0
 @brance: as @TakeADeepBrett says, if drag is equal they will fall equally. An example of showing this in action is to drop things in a vacuum: youtu.be/s9Zb3xAgIoY
Hopefully that helps you see what's going on.
  • 1 0
 @YukonMog: did you really just say 10m/s/s?
TEN?
  • 1 0
 @YukonMog: and “YOUR”?
Sorry I had to make a second comment, but it had to be pointed out
  • 1 1
 @bikeracer28: The second question in the poll is a hypothetical, e.g. "magically gravity has less of an effect."

Bike dorks are always nerding things up with their "erm, um, yes, but the leverage curve of the suspension..."
  • 1 1
 @sonuvagun: if we don’t scrutinize, it’s a stupid question. We want low weight BECAUSE it changes the riding characteristics. If the riding characteristics don’t change, then who cares if it’s a billion pounds?
  • 2 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: simple, if all characteristics are the same i want the lightest bike. I cant put a billion pound bike on my rack, it will break my service stand and rip my hook out of the wall where I hang it.
  • 1 0
 @YukonMog: was that in a memo? didn't get that one, durrrr
  • 3 0
 @brance: To be obnoxious, all things fall at equal speeds. Heavy things have more momentum thereby making them less concerned with small things in their way.
  • 2 0
 @SidewaysSingleSpeed: dude, this whole comment section is full of people that saw an episode of Bill Nye and think they understand physics on a level deeper than 2nd grade.
  • 1 1
 @lyfcycles: i can write a billion dollars on a piece of paper too, does it make it a billion dollars?
  • 2 0
 @braydenkromis12: it says same ride quality. It’s a poorly written question is all. I read as “in a fantasy land where a 5 pound bike rides exactly the same as your 38 pound bike, would you ride the 5 pound bike?” Yes, absolutely.
  • 2 1
 @RonSauce: people who understand physics are few and far between, that's why every societal system always goes to shits, it's like giving a smartphone to a caveman. they can lie their ass off in the name of sanctimonious *fweelings*, can't wipe their own butt.
  • 2 0
 @Blownoutrides:

Lighter is better, when “you” are the motor…

Bigger and heavier bikes descend better, because everything is bigger( there is more stuff to absorb all the impacts better).

Motocross bikes weigh hundreds of pounds and guess what, they jump better and descend better too.

BUT, if you have to pedal uphill( without a motor), or for more than a few hours, lighter is better. For me, keeping a trail bike under 30lbs is my goal.
  • 1 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: exactly.
  • 1 0
 @lyfcycles: well then it won't go faster uphill either? But it does make a difference when lifting it into my car, right? Then I'll go as light as possible for sure.
  • 1 1
 @RonSauce: you could simply ride your billion-pound bike onto the bike rack, since when you sit on it, it magically DOES NOT weigh what you said, because it weighs the exact same as normal because it performs the exact same

I’m still on board for billion lbs bike that can be ridden like a 32lbs bike, you probably don’t even need to lock it up
  • 1 0
 @baca262: It’s not that simple. The added weight is always as low and centralized as possible, this helps optimize center of gravity. Add that weight anywhere else and it feels horrid.
  • 1 0
 @brance: last time I checked gravity was the same for all things light or heavy.
  • 1 0
 @Muckal: yes yes the loading on the car to me is a weighty decision.
  • 1 0
 All I know is I made my bike lighter and it's much more enjoyable to ride.
  • 1 0
 If you ride a big air DH bike and do biggest jump lines then going lighter means less stability in the air. So I’d go lighter on a trail bike but a DH bike should stay above 35Lbs. I’ve built a super light DH (Scott gamb trickstuff Pricola hd WAO wheels) and it’s more sketchy to fly through the air on.
  • 1 0
 @lyfcycles: can’t defy physics.
  • 1 0
 @fewnofrwgijn: There was nothing to scruitinze; it was just a goofy question with an easy answer.
  • 1 0
 My DH bike weighs in at 15,5kg and it feels a bit to light on fast choppy terrain. The ammount of weight on DH bike isn't as important as where the weight is located.
  • 1 0
 Fitness to all bike weights.
  • 61 1
 My ripmo AF with f/b doubledowns and coil and 38 weighs basically a million pounds, but really only feels noticeable when I do bigger climbs and really that's just the tires (front DD was a mistake). I can't stress weight as a 200+ pound guy who is not 4% body fat. On slow ups to rocky downs, weight is just not that important. I've also never noticed a performance benefit from finishing all the water in my bottle, so doubt frame weight is ever gonna matter to me.
  • 11 0
 My Ripley AF is about 5 pounds less than your million. Otherwise, I could have written your post myself. Smile
  • 19 0
 My Starling Murmur is 40+ with proper tyres and coil springs front and rear. Also 200+ lbs nudie and don't have the budget for light + strong. It goes uphill, I sweat my bollock off and burn the calories I over consume.
  • 5 0
 I'm a horrible climber but a competent descender so I always build my bikes to suit my weaknesses. My trail bike is a 30lb 150mm climbing machine and I still struggle to keep up with friends on their 38lb Enduro bikes on the way up. The way down I can easily manage with 150mm and EXO tires (30psi).
  • 6 0
 @z-man: I never have used DD tires until this year. I put a new sexy tanwall and got a tear in it after 8 rides so I'm done with lighter walls on the back for my trails. Lots of rocks. I've actually found a faster treadpatter with DD isn't as bad I as I would have thought. DD on the front feels ridiculous, though. 300grams for nothing as far as I'm concrend.
  • 2 0
 I’m a lot lighter, my Ripmo AF is still around 35 pounds. It doesn’t break.
  • 1 0
 @jesse-effing-edwards: which faster tread pattern DD are you on?
  • 4 0
 Can we assume you don't notice the weight because... your Ibis is doing the job?
  • 1 0
 Same here, Ripmo AF with coil, DoubleDowns front and rear and Cushcore at the back, weighs just under a million pounds more than the carbon Yeti I had before. Why? Because I'm waaaayyy fitter now than back then, plus, geometry is paramount and the Ripmo Af is proof of that! I climb a LOT under my own steam and a bike's weight has never bothered me. Ride bikes, have fun!
  • 2 0
 I follow your Ripmo AF and raise for Commencal Meta AM with DD tyres, water bottle, pump and tube/tools pack
  • 1 1
 My Ripmo AF was 32lbs with double down casing tires, coil shock, and a fox 38. Where did you put all the added lead?
  • 2 0
 @dualsuspensiondave: Are you on a size small? Helium filled frame? light xc carbon rims?? I should weigh mine, but it was the pig amongst the Rocky Altitudes I rode with this weekend and they roll in at 32lbs. .
  • 1 0
 @dualsuspensiondave: www.outdoorgearlab.com/reviews/biking/trail-mountain-bike/ibis-ripmo-af-nx-eagle 34 pounds, no 38.
  • 1 0
 My size XL Ripmo AF with Bomber Z1 Coil\Jade X and stock EXO+ Assegais comes in at 38.34lbs on my scale including the small tool pack strapped to the frame. I don't really ever notice the weight unless I jump on my XC hartail and climb a hill. I wouldn't trade the Ripmo for the world and have no interest in going back to air suspension at the moment...
  • 1 0
 @lazysod: Yes, this sounds more in line with my bike weight, hahah. DAng that is heavy though!! I have mind with a 170 38, coil rear, Assguy exo fr/DD rear + insert, so I assume I'm the same. I may go even heavier with a Chromag Lowdown next year as I have a lighter trail bike for easier stuff. All the weight!
  • 55 0
 As a fairly lightweight rider (135lbs/~61kg) I think the question of bike weight as a fraction of rider weight can sometimes be more interesting. My 35lb bike would probably feel much lighter for someone closer to 200lbs, as an example.
  • 5 0
 I've thought of this as well. I'm ~195lbs so shaving a pound or two off my bike seems like it wouldn't matter much when i'm already heavier than most. I suppose there's something to be said about having less weight to move around on the trail with your arms and such, but for climbing I don't think it would matter as much.
  • 3 2
 Better ratio might be bike travel / weight. 5 seems good, below 4 is bad (150mm/40lb= 3.75)
  • 13 0
 THIS is something I wish the bike industry put more thought into.
Also… do smaller lighter riders need the same amount of travel to ride the same terrain (at comparable speeds)?
Is a 140lb rider better off with a Fox34… and a 220lb rider better off with a 36 or 38 at the same travel?
Do heavier riders need tougher casings, rims, and higher spoke counts to get the same feel and durability?

On one hand, if there were BIG advantages to be had, I’m sure we would see this reflected more on the EWS circuit.

But as a rider who weighs 150-155lbs, I notice a really big difference when I drop 5lbs off a bike. Much more than when I drop 5lbs off my body. The place I notice this the most is on technical, undulating terrain like we have here in NW Arkansas. The more I’m moving the bike around, up and over obstacles, etc the more I notice the difference. But there’s a limit… a really light bike feels like it’s ping ponging off of every tiny obstacle.
The point being > terrain, style, rider weight… it’s all a factor.
For riding up forrest roads and down bigger mountains at higher speeds, I’ll happily take the 32-34lb bike.
  • 3 0
 Having a motorsport background, a better comparison would be power to weight ratio: total weight / power output. But since we are biological beings, this is hard to compute.
  • 2 0
 On the other hand, as a fairly lightweight rider your only weight loss options are on the bike. If I want to lose 10lbs, I can either pay 10k for a nicer bike or I can go on a diet for a few weeks.
  • 1 1
 That's is how i have always looked at this. It is quantified even more so the taller a person is when paired on a heavier bike because leverage is factored in. For example - a car jack being used with a 3 ft long handle requires less effort to raise the weight of the vehicle as opposed to using a 1 ft handle to jack the car up off the ground. The same leverage principle applies to removing a post buried in the ground, using a long board tied to the base of the post at the end and a fulcrum within a foot or so from the post, the person simply pushes down on the elevated end of the board with minimal force to extract the post from the ground.
  • 5 0
 I think this is really simple: you make your bike as light as you can while it still can take the abuse you throw at it. Lighter, less agressive riders need lighter bikes. Big heavy hitters need burly bikes. Bodyweight/bike weight is the most relevant number.
  • 1 0
 @hirvi: this too.
  • 38 0
 Two things you don't weigh...... Your bike and your lady........
  • 9 0
 I'd like to preserve my right to weigh anything that I sometimes carry, including my bike, my lady's bike, and my lady
  • 1 0
 These guys are fuuuunny
  • 21 0
 Need an option for: "My bike weighs 35 lbs but I am going to claim its 30 flat bc that's what the website says and everyone else's bikes are way heavier than they need to be and my bike can handle everything (My local xc trails), and yea of course I've actually weighed my bike, it's 30 lbs!!!"
  • 1 0
 Don’t call me out like this
  • 25 0
 My bike weight is about +5minutes behind everyone else.
  • 20 1
 I had an XC guy critique my bike setup (Druid with coil) while I was riding a 3K foot climb.
He said "That looks heavy"
I said "Well I guess I'll get a better work out then"
He said "Yeah... I guess you're right"

I climb for the workout, I descend for the fun. Pretty simple math.
  • 4 0
 In the same boat (or should I say bike?). The only place I'd want a shorter travel xc or hardtail is if I was consistently doing 5k climbs with no fun downhills.
  • 3 1
 totally agree. i have a spindrift 2018, fox 38, weights 15.5 kg. but climbs relatively good, with minimal bobbing, and descending it´s a blast. never felt the weight was limiting me in anyway. and also, considering my fat ass, complaining about one kg on the bike when i should be at least 5kg lighter seems like a nonsense
  • 3 0
 Ah yes. I run into this same dilemma in justifying an upgrade to my road bike. It would just make my rides faster and easier, and I'm riding this thing for cardio improvements.
  • 2 0
 I enjoy aspects of both heavier(longer travel) and lighter(shorter travel) bikes. Own a 150/140 trail bike as well as a shorter travel 120/100mm bike. There is a 7lb difference and I notice a dramatic difference in climbing and descending between the two. I enjoy different bikes for different trails as well as different ride lengths. I'm a light weight rider(135lbs) with more of an XC background and have a huge soft spot for light weight efficient dualies. But I love descending on the larger volume tires, slacker head angle, longer wheelbase, etc on the longer travel bike. First world problems, I know. I just love riding period!!
  • 17 0
 Who creates these polls with half kilogram gaps in the choices? You would get far better accuracy in your results if you expanded the intervals, but covered all of the weights. Otherwise, people are going to be giving answers that aren't an accurate representation of their actual bike (assuming they have weighed it).
  • 14 0
 I can't actually answer the poll because my bike weight falls in the gap. Not the first gap I've fallen into.
  • 5 1
 @ljblk: An obvious flaw in the metric system; if you convert to pounds and round you will magically be able to answer.
  • 1 0
 @ljblk: I have three bikes and none of them have an option in the poll lol.
  • 2 0
 it is a plot by Outside to get more comments, because they know that they will get lots of readers commenting on the stupid design of the poll (all they care about is the quantity and not the quality)
  • 1 0
 The super tight gaps mean only people should answer who bother to weight their bikes that accurately. The bike I ride most, I never even lifted. My guess is it is between 30 and 40kg. If I need to patch a tube or or replace a chain, I lay it flat, the drag it upside down so that I can work on it. Opposite approach to get it back upright. My mountainbike, I think the weight is somewhere between 12 and 15kg. I think that's a decent interval, make them about 3kg wide. And then have 1.5kg overlap so that people who think their bike is around 15kg can chose to 13.5 to 16.5kg category. I think that would be ideal though indeed, I'd still not be able to choose the right category for the bike I ride most.
  • 13 1
 37 lb club over here. Generally, I'm happy with an over-built bike that is more robust or less likely to need maintenance. That said, not all weight is created equal. Rims, Tires, Tire Inserts are all places where adding even a fraction of a pound makes a big difference in the energy you spend on a climb. I'm arguably the fittest I've ever been on the bike - but my climb times are never going to catch up to before when I was riding EXO tires with no inserts. Not even close.
  • 2 15
flag nicoenduro (Jun 30, 2023 at 12:41) (Below Threshold)
 Personally, same bike, 14,5kg with exo, now running conti enduro rear, Cush core xc and super trail magic Mary front + coil 15.65kg, im getting faster climbing times now and I’m less fit than I was back then… to me increasing the weight on rotational masses didn’t increase the effort on the climbs at all
  • 19 1
 @nicoenduro: Physics would disagree with you entirely and incontrovertibly, but ok!
  • 1 13
flag nicoenduro (Jun 30, 2023 at 13:09) (Below Threshold)
 @KJP1230: I know, but I know my fitness and my Strava don’t lie
  • 3 1
 @nicoenduro: How are you measuring your fitness that leads you to the conclusion you are less fit than previously?
  • 6 1
 @nicoenduro: Somehow you just don't exist in the same realm as our earthly physics.
  • 2 1
 @KJP1230: yes and no. generally speaking, mass influences acceleration, not speed . during climbing accelerations are very limited if any, so it could be that the difference is minimal, and other effects (fitness, condition on that particular day etc.) end up dominating the equation.
  • 3 0
 @Bruccio: You're forgetting that ascending a hill requires you to overcome the force of gravity. You also seem to be forgetting that potential energy involves mass.
  • 1 0
 @Bruccio: on a steep climb when you’re cadence is low, you’re accelerating half the time
  • 3 0
 @Bruccio: Generally speaking, mass affects everything (including intertia/kinetic energy, acceleration and even the effects of frictional coefficient's effects on a system). As @nickfranko pointed out, ascending is a constant acceleration, because you are working against gravity (which is a directional, accelerative force), friction at your tires, and to a lesser extent (unless you're very fast) air resistance.

Perceptually, it seems like a "constant" during climbs - but if you stop applying sufficient force, you will stop climbing almost instantly. In truth, climbing is a constant "acceleration" against the opposing force of gravity. Because this acceleration results directly from the rotation of your wheels against the earth, heavier wheels (this effect is increased with larger wheel diameter) and tires result in less acceleration per the same amount of power input to the system.
  • 1 3
 @KJP1230: if your speed is constant, then your acceleration is zero. laws of Newton. the force that you apply to the pedal counterbalances the gravity, friction and mechanical inefficiencies. +- 500 gr has a relatively low effect compared to all the other factors. especially in a system where bike + rider can easily go over 100 kg, which is exactly the point of my post. @deez-nucks nails it on the head, if your cadence is low then you speed is not constant and you have a lot of small accelerations which makes things way more tiring.

i mean if i had to chose to do a 1000 m climb, and had as option a 18 kg hardtail or a 14 kg downhill bike, i´d take the first anytime of the year...
  • 1 3
 @KJP1230: you aren't working against friction at your tyres. Friction at the rear tyre friction is what moves you forward.
  • 1 0
 @kevinturner12: what do you think "rolling resistance" is?
  • 1 1
 @kevinturner12: Correct, but you are working against friction at the front tire Wink
  • 1 0
 @KJP1230: friction is energy loss through heat, even if friction is driving you forward, friction is also giving resistance.
  • 1 3
 @jpat22: when i barely ride once a week and dont train, vs better diet, riding twice a week and training, that how i know my fitness is better or not.
  • 1 2
 @KJP1230: only if your wheel is locked. Friction at the front tyre overcomes resistance from the hub bearings.
  • 1 2
 @RonSauce: it is the energy loss from deformation of the tyre.
  • 3 0
 @kevinturner12: and why does deformation slow down the wheel? Friction from the contact patch to the ground. Think about what a tire is doing when it "deforms", it spreads, digs and grabs at the dirt. If there was no friction the tire wouldn't deform at all.

Rolling resistance is just layman's for friction
  • 1 2
 @RonSauce: the deformation takes energy. There is friction involved but not at between tyre and ground. It is rider weight that causes it the tyres deform when you get on the bike. Think about the direction the tyre is moving. At the contact point it is moving opposite to the direction of travel and so friction is acting in the direction of travel. It is a common misconception that rolling resistance is down to friction between the tyre and the ground.
  • 2 0
 @kevinturner12: meet me in the library during the second half of your lunch period and I'll tutor you with the rest of the guys failing physics.
  • 1 2
 @RonSauce: maybe start with scwalbe. From their website: 'The main reason for the loss of energy is the constant deformation of the tire.'
Try thinking of the direction of the different forces and try to find a way for friction between the tyre and the ground to act in opposition to the direction of travel without the wheel being locked.
  • 1 0
 Same weight as my old demo 8.
  • 2 0
 @kevinturner12: first law of thermodynamics. Every doesn't just vaporize, it has to be transferred somewhere, somehow. If you are losing energy in any manner it has to go somewhere, it is usually transferred by heat as a function of friction.

Seriously, do they not teach physics in schools anymore, or did your teacher just tell you to look up some marketing buzzwords on a website?
  • 1 0
 @RonSauce: yes energy is transferred by friction. But it is the friction between the molecules in the air in your tyres that then generates heat.
Why don't you just explain under what circumstances friction between tyre and ground can act in the opposite direction to the travel of the bike.
There are lots of explanations of this on line if you don't believe me. The scwalbe one was just convenient to find and it's hardly marketing is it?
  • 1 1
 @nicoenduro: that’s a level of preparation and is in no way a measure of fitness.
  • 10 1
 Around 30 lbs mark is where I like my bike to be. Not too light to ricochet off each impact but still remains lively and easy to maneuver
  • 6 3
 @beeboo nail on head. Handling and ride quality is where weight makes a HUGE difference, especially in wheels/tires. So many riders (editorial pundits included) go on about how a couple extra lbs don’t make any difference bro, but the handling between a 28lb and 33lb build is absolutely noticeable.
  • 6 1
 This poll is full of gaps! Every even-numbered weight in lbs is missing. I’m sure my singlespeed hardtail is somewhere over 30lbs but less than 31. I’d guess my ebike is about 50lbs.

They weigh what they weigh - I don’t really care! Every new bike I buy is heavier (and bigger and tougher) than the one before, but rides better.
  • 15 7
 Needs an option for; I've never bothered to weigh my bike.
  • 20 0
 There is that option?
  • 2 0
 Ignorance is bliss.
  • 4 0
 Every time I start thinking my bike is heavy on the climbs, it turns out that it just pedals like crap, which I decide when I try a heavier bike that goes up better. I just switched to a Giga, which is heavier, but smokes my previous ride uphill. I feel gained about a gear and a half. 38lbs now, with pedals and tools.
  • 7 1
 it's really hard to get a sub 32 pound bike without going to light casing tires sans inserts, which I'm never going to do again.
  • 2 3
 Not really. I ride big tires, big brakes, coil shock and bike sits at 30lbs. Only thing that ever needs maintenance would be the fox 36. Even my aluminum bike was under 32lbs.
  • 8 0
 I want my bike to weigh 19 lbs. going uphill and 40 lbs. going down.
  • 3 0
 Easy to do if you ride in a rocky area,just put a frame bag on your bike and fill it with some rocks at the top of the descents.
  • 4 0
 I've got a 30lb trail bike and a 36lb enduro bike. It's hard to tell how much of an impact weight makes overall, but lighter tires and wheels for sure make an enormous difference. The 30lb bike has carbon wheels and single-ply tires and it accelerates much faster and is more responsive on flat and uphill terrain, but then of course I have to be much more conservative in rough sections to protect the wheels and tires too. Not unexpectedly the lighter bike ends up being more fun to ride on tamer terrain, while the enduro bike is more fun on steeper terrain.
  • 4 0
 The heavier the better. Especially tires. A supportive damped casing increases stability in the rough and improved suspension performance, lower tire pressures, more calm ride ect. Worth it to have those benefits than a slightly faster climbing bike
  • 4 0
 My bike weighs 30ish pounds... the more important number is the motor I attach to the bike... that motor weighs 225lb and should weigh 160lbs if it were in proper operating condition. If I paid better attention to the motor, the bikes weight would be irrelevant.
  • 8 1
 Not as much as your mom jokes in …….
  • 45 2
 Your momma is so fat when she goes camping the bears hide THEIR food. Big Grin
  • 2 3
 Yo mamma's bike doesn't have any bottle cage mounts!
  • 11 2
 Your momma’s so fat, she irons her pants in the driveway..
  • 7 2
 Your mama's so fat, someone told her to haul ass and took her two trips Big Grin
  • 14 0
 Yo momma is so fat, I swerved to miss her in my car and ran out of gas.
  • 3 1
 @AppleJack76: ...and ended up in another time zone.
  • 3 0
 Hey now, someone's gotta make the rockin' world go 'round.
  • 4 0
 Your mom is so fat, she weighs herself on the Richter scale.
  • 1 0
 @dlford: very true sir. Very true..
  • 2 0
 @sportstuff: on the driveway with a steamroller.
  • 4 0
 I have been riding a v1 forbidden Druid for about 4 months and I am faster up and down on rocky trails than the lighter carbon ripmo I have. I’ve never weighed either but druid is definitely heavier
  • 1 0
 The rear suspension on the v1 Druid is magic. If you want it even better, grab a Cascade link.
  • 1 0
 @stevemokan: Yep... Same. Running Druid v1 with CC link. Heavier, but pretty fast up and down. Tons of fun.
  • 4 0
 I have a 32-pound Kona Process 153 CR. It’s a pretty beefy bike — definitely not worried about breaking anything. I’m pretty happy with the weight with all you guys talking about 37 pounds!
  • 5 0
 can we do one on the average size of ones reproductive organ and how it compares with seat angle
  • 2 0
 Shit, My alloy patrol with coil f+r, 2.6" conti tires w/inserts, a 240mm dropper post, and not a shred of carbon fiber is 41lbs. And it still gets me up just about any hill, technical or not, and boosts jumps better than almost any bike I've ever had.
  • 6 1
 Which of my bikes should I weigh, I have too many.
  • 18 0
 Sorry, you can’t have too many. Please amend and resubmit your complaint.
  • 1 0
 @idecic: Exactly. My wife says I have too many bikes as well,but she doesn't understand how this N+1 works.
  • 2 0
 @nozes: Sounds like you have too many wives!
  • 4 0
 My bike (alloy XXL, currently with DH tires on) is heavy AF and Im just not that pressed about it.
  • 2 1
 I've never weighed the hardtail, but it's probably high-30s
The freeride bike is a full 2006-era build, 47lb on the scale last summer.
The one I actually ride most is the commuter, with the racks, fenders, and bags for my lunch, change of clothes, and camera it's 50+lb
But bike weight never really mattered to me, at my lightest riding weight I was 175lb, now I'm around 250, so I've always gone for parts that'll hold up, instead of worrying about grams.
  • 5 0
 why does each poll option skip a pound of weight?
  • 1 0
 I read it as "31.0-32.9 pounds" and then "33.0-34.9" etc. but it is a bit odd.
  • 1 0
 @tpfenning: but my bike weighs 26.8lbs and there's no option for that Blank Stare
  • 1 0
 @matts67: right, in my opinion you would pick the 25-26 (25.0-26.9) option, but I get your point that it's not super clear.
  • 2 1
 "The long-standing assumption has been that the heavier your bike is, the more reliable it ought to be. Whether that's borne out in reality is a different matter"

From experience I'd say that heavy weight doesn't automatically mean durability. Ironically, I've never had any problems with carbon frames, not even lighter ones, while the frame of the heaviest alloy bike I owned (Commencal Meta) cracked at the main pivot.
  • 2 1
 Your issue is that the alloy bike you mentioned uses cracking welds as a feature.
  • 1 0
 Many brands now use AI to analyze comment sections like these to identify what customers consider important, automatically design the bikes and have them produced as the freight documents are already prepared so that they can be boarded on the ship that manages to stay just ahead of the Ever Given. AI identified that all we care about are bottle cages so they designed the sacrificial head tube to snap in case of impact to preserve the bottle cage. Because by popular demand weights are no longer mentioned in lbs but in kg, they magically realized a lower weight number without even trying. AI now wants a raise.
  • 3 1
 Got tired of a heavy Enduro bike and went back to a hardtail. Makes the local trails a lot more challenging. More fun to climb. And the downhills are more interesting. Trek Stache 29+
  • 2 0
 Somewhat in the same boat. My FS was a wacky contraption built from NOS. I never really figured out how to get the most out of the suspension. Last year I built a dirt jumper into a trail hardtail and had so much fun but found its limits too. This year I actually bought a complete hardcore hardtail and the other bikes are pretty much gathering dust.

If anyone finds my buy/sell this is all a lie and the FS is the best thing since sliced jelly and my loss is your gain.
  • 3 0
 I mostly notice the weight of my bike when adventure riding and doing a lot of hike a bike and carrying up rocks and cliffs and over blow downs. So yeah its important.
  • 2 1
 Me too. When you've ridden 200k, all uphill, and you're on the final ice climb of the day carrying your bike with your teeth then it needs to be as light as possible.
  • 1 0
 @kevinturner12: This guy gets it !
  • 2 0
 Skipped the second poll. Depends on the use: I like my DH bike at 17kg for tracking and damping. My enduro bike at 15.5kg to make it a little easier to throw around and pedal. And my trail bike as light as i can!
  • 1 0
 27 on my dc/xc rig with a reasonable $ build. I tend to pedal to my local trails the most often and they are just spicy enough for the short travel lightweight rig to be fun and at it's edge. My trail bike is in the 32lb range and could 100% replace my short travel bike as a quiver killer if I had a second set of lighter wheels and tires. But I'm way too lazy to be futzing with parts swaps pre-ride.
  • 1 0
 it only makes sense the next stage of evolution for the antiquated design is weight savings without a sacrifice in durability. Now the ebikes will steal the spotlight and R&D for the next decade at minimum, regular bikes will be so friggen good
  • 1 0
 My ALL \m/etal Kona Big Unit(available) is exactly 19lbs, but had it down to 18 with Ti XTR pedals and Garbaruk cassette. I sold those off as the pedals were nice, but not THAT nice, and the Garbaruk cassette shifts like ripe garbage. Of course the 3 lb DT Swiss wheels help get me there, but they are aluminum, as is my Race Face crankset. The biggest savings are in the tires, rims, saddle, seatpost, axles, then as much Ti hardware and fancy little bits you can find/afford. 10 years ago, I had a 150mm VPP that was also \metal/, and I got it down to 24lbs. It CAN be done!
  • 1 0
 My full coil 153 is a Quinney Tank, somewhere between 37-38lbs. Climbs like it uphill, rides like it downhill. Hardtail Fatbike is around 40. Occasionally I miss my 30lb '04 Slayer... Until I point my 153 downhill.
  • 4 1
 I ride a steel full suspension. Weight isn’t a big deal to me lol. 32.7lbs with pedals though.
  • 13 0
 What steel full suspension did you manage to get down to 32.7?
  • 1 0
 Which model?
  • 3 0
 @kwl1: Reeb SST
  • 1 0
 @MillerReid: Nice! I like the looks of that bike.
  • 4 0
 Edbull media inspired article.
  • 3 0
 Ed Bull Media is very inspiring.
  • 2 0
 My alloy Transition Spire weighs 45lb with a boxxer, coil shock, full water bottle, one up edc pump + tool, and dh casing magic mary's
  • 2 0
 Holy shit, I couldn't make my bike weigh 45 lbs if I glued lead to it.
  • 2 0
 Common, You can do better! Somehow you can make it 48 i bet Wink
  • 2 0
 @likeittacky: wire bead park tires, heavy duty inner tubes, and a Dorado comp would probably get it there
  • 2 0
 @justinfoil: it's like pedaling through molasses
  • 3 3
 150lb rider, 37lb enduro bike, built in such a way that I don't really break components, would not change a thing, the bike rips. bike weight is a myth. Even dropping two pounds off a bike saves an imperceivable amount of watts (ref. pinkbike weight experiment from last year)
  • 4 0
 That’s awesome you have a setup you love and also don’t have to worry about breaking things. That’s the dream for sure.

Not sure I'd call bike weight a myth though. There are times it really does matter, even on the descents. Like if your trails have lots of short, punchy DH segments (say less than a minute), having a light bike that accelerates quickly without much effort can be the difference between ridiculous fun and kinda boring. A lot of the dessert trails I ride are like that. A near 30 pound bike with fast rolling tires really shines here.
  • 4 0
 That stupid experiment had so little to do with actual mountain biking. Yes, 1 kg is like half a percent slower up a couple miles of fire road. But 1 kilo, or more, extra having to be muscled around on miles and miles of janky trail, well that adds up, and for more than just your legs.
  • 3 0
 The “pinkbike weight experiment” was simply the physics formula for work against gravity, being re-told.
Weight means a LOT more than climbing against gravity in mountain biking
  • 1 1
 wow...such light bikes in the pole answers. my big enduro, without trying to make it heavy, or light for that matter, is 16.2 kg. Add a 660ml water bottle and it is close to 17 kgs. Nothing in the spec is particularly heavy or light. DDs, gx axs, one up dropper, carbon bars, 1850 grams wheels set...and yet, 17 kgs with the water bottle "on board". (180-170mm nuke giga)
  • 1 0
 So dumb without taking into account bike size and rider weight. My bike is middle of those options, but I'm heavier than most, which makes my bike relatively way lighter than most.
  • 1 0
 I love how you say weight isn't important but then you do a poll on the weight of bikes lol why do you need to know this info if it isn't "important"?? Clearly it is to you guys if you're doing a poll on it.
  • 2 0
 I decide my bike is too heavy when my shoulder starts to hurt getting it off the tailgate. When this happens I wait until my shoulder stops hurting and continue riding it.
  • 2 0
 Have an S5 Evo alloy just like Dario with the same coil but a Zeb and some heavy aluminum wheels and DH casing kryptotals and mine weighs in around 38lbs
  • 3 0
 Bigger isn't always best...
  • 4 1
 Your "current" bike hahaha as if anybody here had only one!!
  • 2 0
 That's what I was thinking.
  • 2 0
 My hardtail is pretty heavy, but once you add almost 20kg of KRS seat and child I soon forget the weight of the bike.
  • 3 1
 An underrated benefit of riding with a toddler is how light the bike feels on your next solo ride!
  • 2 0
 I'm surprised to see riders still using a henway on their big enduro bikes.
  • 2 0
 Some still put updog on their beesay.
  • 4 1
 my 5" travel trail bike comes in at 25lbs - how? 26" wheels
  • 1 0
 Preach! Devinci Dixon. Heavy rubber on Havens, 34 fork and dropper. Oh, and that pesky front derailleur. 32 pounds.
  • 2 0
 who cares, my first year at whistler my dh bike was 64 poumds. my last recent one was 38..
  • 2 1
 Don't you guys know how to count? Why aren't the options adjacent to each other? You have 1 pound ranges AND 1 pound gaps. 31.5 is covered, but 30.5 is a coin flip? So dumb.
  • 1 0
 I enjoy making my giga lighter and durable were possible, I'm not wealthy but don't mind spending my hard earned on parts I like.carbon bars,xtr cassette, DT wheels and so on
  • 1 0
 I could drop some weight off the bike pretty easy, but I like my Marzocchi fork and chunky tires. Instead I'm going to lose 25 pounds off of me.
  • 1 0
 Then do it.
  • 1 0
 Hey guys, marketing needs to know how heavy your bikes are so that we know exactly how much to fat shame you to get you to buy new stuff.
  • 1 0
 all mine are bloody tanks dual ply tyres steel hardware light bikes just feel weird and dance around when on the charge in the rough stuff!
  • 11 10
 My bike weighs well over 50lb. When trails get steep I just switch it to turbo
  • 4 6
 The only time my 50 lbs bike sucks to have is when I complete a 20-mile ride and have to put it back on my bike rack.
  • 1 0
 When trails get steep I shift it to high gear, don't need turbo
  • 1 0
 You sing Turbo Lover by Judas Priest to i bet
  • 1 3
 This is the way
  • 1 0
 @Coolit12z: wow, your bike seems quite exhausting if you're struggling after a 20 mile ride.
  • 3 1
 The bike I ride the most is the commuter. Never weighed it.
  • 2 0
 What does "actually weigh" mean? .....as opposed to what?
  • 18 0
 You'd be surprised how many people think their bike weighs 30 pounds but haven't actually put it on a scale.
  • 4 0
 As opposed to what the manufacturers say mostly
  • 3 0
 @mikekazimer: Like the bike ask its owner " Do i look Fat" Smile
  • 1 0
 @mikekazimer: for sure. I would bet $3.50 that most people that claim their bike weighs 32lbs….actually weighs 35lbs.
  • 3 0
 LIFT WEIGHTS
  • 1 0
 Somewhere between 31 and 33 depending on which wheelset and what time of year (PNW in winter = lots 'o mud on the bike!)
  • 3 1
 My bike is 36.5 but there's option for that. lol. 36-37 doesnt exist.
  • 2 0
 Um freedom units don't allow me to select my bike weight...
  • 2 0
 11.3-11.8 kg 12.2-12.7 kg This is not how you specify contiguous ranges.
  • 1 0
 Think my DH bike is around 36lb. Not bad for coil front and back. Shame it's a fragile beast.
  • 2 0
 My XXL Alloy Spire weighs a meaty 41lbs, actually.
  • 2 0
 Can I have one that weighs 15lbs on the climb and 40lbs on the descent?
  • 1 0
 Came here to say this. If it pedals well the weight won't matter as much on the downhill, built up my current bike to around 37.5 lbs and it feels so much better than a previous (same model) version that I tried to go as light as I possibly could on.
  • 2 0
 Just wear an empty pack and fill it with rocks before every DH; don't forget to empty it for the next ascent though! Wink
  • 1 0
 @likeittacky: I just did 3/4 stages of an Enduro race with both the fork and shocked still locked out. I like the strategy but am not sure anything involving memory is a good choice for me.
  • 2 0
 @bocomtb: Enduro suspension that has lockout ...Well thats retarded Wink
  • 4 3
 Judging by this poll, it looks like most of you knuckleheads are over biked. Not surprising.
  • 1 0
 LMAO!
  • 1 0
 what if my bike weights between 24 and 25 lbs, or between 26 and 27 lbs, or between 28 and 29 lbs etc.?
  • 1 0
 As far as the second question, all other things being equal, who wouldn’t want a bike that’s lighter to carry?
  • 1 0
 It’s more about where the weight is located than what the weight is to a point. I prefer my bikes to be 28-30 lbs.
  • 1 0
 40 pound bikes on maxxterra or 30 pound bike on maxgrip?
  • 2 1
 Damn y'all ride some heavy bikes!
  • 1 1
 Are any of the lead weight strapping WC DH riders on the podium? I don't know the answer but I expect it's low or none.
  • 2 0
 Probably not - buuuut the podium consistently is a solid mix of aluminum and carbon bikes. What that signals to me is that I need to lift more, and worry less about the weight of the bike.
  • 1 0
 @noodlewitnosteeze: this is the way! Deadlift proper weights and lift your bike right after, it works wonders for your perceived bike weight.
  • 1 0
 What I don't know what hurt me
  • 5 0
 Spelling hard
  • 2 0
 Spelling hurt you, you even said so. Thoughts and prayers
  • 1 0
 ...always more than I think it should.
  • 2 0
 Half a kilo gaps? Jesus.
  • 2 1
 Fooked if I know. Fooked if I give a bollox.
  • 1 0
 Who in the actual (enter your favorite expletive) cares!?
  • 2 1
 Needs lower weight classes My ht is 17lbs
  • 1 0
 Who’s strapping lead weights to their downhill bike?
  • 2 1
 I’m shocked anyone would ride an enduro bike over 31lbs… i
  • 1 0
 lbs / kg conversation way off.
  • 1 0
 Where are all my 32+lb steel hardtail people at?
  • 1 2
 Why would I buy a heavier bike when I could just not have a sh@t before I go for a ride.
  • 1 0
 amateur dilettante!
the pros/real riders are so far beyond just doing that
  • 1 0
 Why were you holding it in before?
  • 2 2
 900+ with their main bike under 19lbs? Who let the roadies in!?
  • 7 7
 dont know, dont care
  • 11 3
 But cared just enough to click this link and comment.
  • 4 0
 @alxrmrs: "I don't know, I've never weighed it" wasn't a poll option when i clicked on it, but fair point i guess
  • 1 0
 You don’t want to because it’s even heavier than you think.
  • 2 0
 @kingbike2: so? As long as it rides well all is fine.
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