My mountain bike is heavy, so I drilled it out.

[@overcookednoodle6572]

not the fork decalsssssss. My man evan just commited war crimes

[@casianalexandruczimbor2531]

ong bro, Fox has some of the best! 😔

[@richardferedinos4238]

Agreed.

[@OrangeJusseShredders]

You ruined the bike by taking of the fork decals!😢

[@baulmitfahrrad]

i‘ll be honest, the bright orange logos just don‘t look good on most of the bikes (like in this case). if fox would put like stealth decals on there it would look way better

[@ethanrevitch]

They’re bright orange 😐

[@Ferrari255GTO]

And i thought drilling a dropper post hole was sketchy... Edit: i hadn't watched the video yet XD I thought he was gonna drill "speed holes" to make the frame lighter

[@ArtisanCustoms]

me too lol

[@Alkan_is_best]

same

[@Chalkee-n5b]

comprimised the strength of the carbon, shame this guy is so sketchy lol rolling billboard for payin full price yet got bars half price lol guy needs give his head a wobble

[@Ferrari255GTO]

@@Chalkee-n5b you don't have to pay exact full price to get something, i paid 200€ for my Fox DHX2 Factory series, now go look up how much it costs. It's not new but it was reconstructed recently and runs like new with a nearly 700€ difference in price. Can't say anything about "compromising the carbon" since i don't know to what degree the damage caused could potentially be catastrophic

[@Zinxxxxxx585]

Same

[@Dan_Kornfeld]

Good fun, and a very light build! The ripped out water bottle rivnut hasn't compromised the frame, but it has damaged the carbon. A thin layer of epoxy will stabilize the frayed carbon, and either a vinyl decal, a piece of electrical tape, or even a piece of the 3M mastic tape over the hole will keep dirt and moisture out. Keep doing what you do, cheers👍‼

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks Dan I will get right on that repair! I bought a carbon repair kit after I made the big hole haha

[@mokujinsan9946]

@@EvansMTBSaga please do mate, I've worked a lot with carbon. It's to protect any loose carbon surrounding that rivet hole. Normally these areas are reinforced with an extra layer of expoy and carbon. But just to be safe I would at the very least add some TLC. Also wear a mask when working with carbon fibre... It's nasty shit. ♥️

[@CrazyRogue230]

mann i love logos, its a part of the reason i buy certain parts over others lol

[@twd_fanpage9]

Same 😂😂

[@twd_fanpage9]

One up bars look so good

[@A42sre]

Wonderful! Finally a youtuber who doesn’t hate on xc bikes

[@EvansMTBSaga]

They're fun! I wish I wouldn't have let the MTB culture get to me with all the XC bike hate. I would've tried them sooner

[@Wfuntime3]

The wife fork swap 👍😂👌. Great video 🤘

[@peterfranzjr.1190]

This is what I came to say in the comments 😂

[@MohammedIbrahim-hc5ti]

Lol

[@garrettgriffin9613]

I keep watching this channel because Evan’s preferences fascinate me. Nobody else is wet sanding their M7 bars or taking decals off their Factory fork. He is the embodiment of “you do you and I’ll do me”

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Nicely put! That's the spirit of mountain biking

[@jf8534]

I removed the decals off my fox 36 and then added stealth black. Barely noticeable but still there. That RF stem now looks like something off Amazon for 19$

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Yeah the stem looks like race face ordered it some AliExpress then slapped their logo on. All good though cuz it was cheap and I wanted to try 70mm

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Just checked, it was $28

[@ThisGuyRides]

Actually, $19 stem on Amazon look pretty fancy, anodized in all different colors. Wouldn't trust one, though.

[@NonLegitNation2]

@@ThisGuyRides I actually went from a $100 Race Face Atlas stem to a $25 ZTTO stem from Amazon because the Race Face stem didn't match the color scheme I was going with. The new stem has been great and I get tons of compliments on it because of the color (burnished copper/brass) I've never seen another stem like the one I have.

[@RideShagbark]

This is a great stealth advertisement for the Reverb AXS 27.2 dropper. I enjoy your desire to de-badge everything, especially the tires and forks.

[@molybdnum]

I love the de-branding. Customize your bike's ride and look to what fits you and don't get sucked into materialistic mtb! Buuuut you gotta consider a few things. If you have to wet-sand to get to the decals, you're removing clearcoat and scratching up the carbon. You can re-paint, but black tape (or carbon tape) or a sticker will achieve the look and keep the resale value while adding wear protection. If you plan to resell you should keep your original purchase receipts when you can to prove those bars are ENVE and not aliexpress, and expect some skepticism from buyers.

[@Tingley19]

Only 9k more to go. Just subbed finally.

[@zmack06]

I love your 80s. style music

[@ThelifeofJulien]

If the carbon fiber is frayed that hole is a weak point for cracks. Would file it down smooth, add aa layer of epoxy to the edges. If you want a full diy repair, i would use some carbon fiber bits mixed with epoxy and fill the hole. using a ballon on the inside to put some pressure.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks for the tips! I ordered a carbon repair kit and I was thinking about using a road bike inner tube, cutting it, inserting in the seat tube, then doing the repair, but I'm not sure if I should add a strip of carbon inside the seat tube

[@ThelifeofJulien]

You can add a thin strip of carbon inside the tube. Pressure is key in getting a good bond.After that you can get to an body shop for a quick touch up with the airbrush

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Love how that bike turned out! There's something about a crazy light bike that is special. Great video.

[@Libertà_sulla_vita]

Its called a thin wall socket. You can get a set from Amazon or Harbor freight on the cheap.

[@valentinonguyen2504]

I also broke a water cage screw, just use a 4-5-6mm rubber stopper plug to insert it and reattach the dropper seatpost and it will stay there forever :d

[@topspot4834]

One of the only channels in the MTB genre that's still making original content. Nicely done Evan, you'd have 500k easy if KZbin algo wasn't so backwards

[@seanm5058]

other logo removal doesn't bother me, but the fork decals are a must in my opinion. gotta show off how much you spent on it! (to be fair, when you have kashima it is pretty obvious)

[@Lewisbike_miya]

Loving your video! Much Appreciated!!!❤

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Nice brakes! I'd love to try your 4 pistons

[@haylol139]

oh got my old hard tail serviced at my local trek shop and i got those grips and i loved them i got them in reddd

[@bcc1955]

Love the logo removal. Dad taught me same. Hate stickers and big logos on products.

[@garbagewitch1]

Those ESI grips are my favorite, I have those on all of my bikes

[@madtownangler]

I was expecting a couple hundred holes drilled in the frame to save weight LOL.

[@saloonatnoon]

Everybody was because that's what the clickbait title says

[@GelMibson-u2y]

evan out here voiding warranties for the viewers and sportsfans!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

All for your viewing pleasure!

[@AdventureAwaits4u]

A small Evans MTB Saga sticker will cover that hole up nicely. 👍🏼

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Haha true!

[@jf8534]

Honestly, I paid 350 Cad for a brand new Liv Tempt for my wife because it fell off the display and broke one of the water bottle screws. I used a small piece of black gorilla tape over the hole and you'd really have to look for it.

[@davidbolam71]

Lewis brakes, good choice! Looking forward to hear how they perform.

[@Ferrari255GTO]

I'm building a hybrid all round XC bike with my brother, it's a canyon nerve FR from 2012. We've installed a shorter 35mm stem, fresh grips, a new set of aliexpress 170 cranks to transition to a 1X11 (they feel extremely solid thus far) and a few other bits and pieces. We plan on getting an inverted fork, a new rear shock (since the old one feels extremely odd) and a set of Maxxis Hookworm tyres. It'll be a really fun experiment and it will give my brother a fairly capable bike for what he wants. Literally can't wait to see how it comes out, but we gotta wait since there's no budget RN

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Sounds awesome! So 26" wheels? I've always wanted to build an early 2010s bike on the channel. Its interesting will all the varying standards

[@Ferrari255GTO]

@@EvansMTBSaga yup, i actually haven't had a 27.5/29er yet, but from the experience i've had before i wanna keep my 26"

[@EvansMTBSaga]

That's so cool!

[@Ferrari255GTO]

@@EvansMTBSaga well, it's also inconvenient since all the new compounds and stuff are only available for 27.5-29. i really wanna try the super soft Magic Marys, they have to be crazy grippy

[@Crankaholic]

I like the ESI chunky grips but I LOVE the Wolf Tooth Fat Paws. I feel like they have a little more grip and shock absorption but the best part is they go on and off the bars much easier. I like to constantly change my cockpit and would always accidentally tear and ruin my ESI grips. No longer have that issue with the Fat Paws.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Interesting! Thanks for telling me about those. Yeah those ESI chunky grips basically can't be removed to change stuff around without destroying them

[@hugovela2919]

You can use an air compressor to blow them out. Just insert the nozzle on the inner side (closest to the stem) of the grip. Squeeze air in between the bar and grip. Then pull at the same time.

[@tommyofastora]

Great video and I agree screw logos. Can't help but wish you had time to reclear them after mucking up the coats, though!

[@FreeseMTB]

Please get some new decals matching the frame for that fork I hate how cheap a fork looks when you remove the decals

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I thought about it, some maroon ones maybe. But they're so expensive and idk if you could tell I don't care about logos that much 😂

[@FreeseMTB]

@@EvansMTBSaga i noticed personally I really like decals from slik graphics they have superior quality and at a great price

[@MK-mp8wu]

I love taking off fork decals .... much cleaner looking

[@technikstein8974]

Works great with more holes, than it is lighter. So you can make a cheap carbon frame as light as a pro carbon frame and the frame is 10 times stronger.

[@Tingley19]

Evan, we need an “Evan’s BMX Saga” this summer!

[@Feuervix]

Is 31 pounds too much? My bike weights roughly 37 pounds

[@jonathanhunter6150]

I think you could even put less grippy/lighter/faster rolling tires on too. It makes a huge difference!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Dude those ground control tires are 800g and I have CushCore XC too! Huge area for improvement. Also (I cut this part from the video), I was talking about how those tires are awesome, but with this light of a bike I feel like the tire isn't deforming as much and is too stiff, so a lighter tire will be a must moving forward. Thanks for watching and commenting!!

[@Jinedan]

I pull decals often as well. I was afraid you were going to try to convert that XC frame into something more hardcore. Glad you kept it XC, just capable! Planning on racing it???

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Yup! I signed up for a US national cup in Fayetteville next month!

[@Jinedan]

@@EvansMTBSaga Nice, see you there!

[@lameboysmtb6705]

A chip in the stanchion only matters really if it has a burr on it or if its really big you can lightly wet sand that burr away if it does so you prevent farther seal damager but do expect quicker seal maintenance intervals

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I can feel it, but barely. I have some 2000 grit sandpaper so maybe I'll knock down that edge

[@mtbboy1993]

I live in Norway so I don't need a water filter. Water from Norway can actually be bought in USA, Voss water is Norwegian tap water.😆 If there's contamination we get a warning.

[@HH_Yee]

I did same thing ( removing rivet for bottle cage on same place ) on specialized chisel m size for fitting 210mm dropper post. I can confirm it is nothing wrong in terms of structural integrity as a mechanical engineer. You would get Emotional Damage on the paint scratch though lol

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Did you fill the holes? Thanks for weighing in with as a professional

[@HH_Yee]

@@EvansMTBSaga I just left it as is, but if you are worried about water going through that hole, I think ppf or any water ressistant film would be enough :)

[@Bobo-ym1df]

5:08 try using 1/4 10mil sockets and extension. That’s what i use

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks for the tip I will try to find that dang 10mm socket lol

[@lukerisser9163]

I took the fork decals off my bike too I think it looks clean

[@Raiden-Ooi]

I appreciate the effort on these videos!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks Bobby. For some reason, this video took forever to film and edit

[@ggmtb959]

hello

[@TomCollins-c4h]

I like XC and shorter travel bikes and have a Transition Spur myself. I find it funner than lugging around a 35lb bike.

[@junkandcrapamen]

re: the hole ... i would sand down a 1 inch ring around the seattube where the hole is, fill it with a carbon patch or some epoxy, sand smooth and paint it a color that fits. Black always works. Loving the no logos look too.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks for the tip! Should I buy a sanding attachment for a tool or just do it by hand

[@junkandcrapamen]

@@EvansMTBSaga I would probably do it by hand as it's only a tiny area, but I've never actually done this. So take my advice with a lot of salt.

[@MillerRL96]

A bet a good bit of the compliance comes from the ENVE m6 bar. I switched to that bar a few months ago and absolutely love it. 35 should’ve never taken off 31.8 carbon bars feel so good.

[@MorganGlassco]

I've got a Polygon Xtrada 5 I'm thinking about drilling the frame for a dropper. I knew Id have to drill 1 hole for the cable routing. Then I realized the water bottle cage was blocking insertion and would mean I need to drill 1 or 2 of them out. I've had the dropper a year + and haven't got around to trying it.

[@YongPark-g3h]

You should've gotten an external cable routing dropper

[@TomCollins-c4h]

I laughed so hard with the shot and your reaction with them spraying the trail like that.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Haha yeah that was at the top of the hill. What was going on 😭

[@DannyBurrisfitness]

I always remove decals. I love a clean look

[@rascal1234]

Fox transfer SL is light, though only has 2 positions. It does work fast though and is kashima coated. Also, change the seat post collar. Save a few more grams.

[@RuezgaDaniel]

In my opinion, forks without decals look much better, but when you go to resell them or sell a bike with them you will have people hesitant or skeptical of whether or not it is really a Rockshox or Fox fork. You will most likely have to buy another sticker kit anyway unless you are committed to keeping that fork.

[@mtbboy1993]

19:20 The reason for the squeal is the pad compound I think, usually noisier in slower pace braking. This is not as bad as Hope/Galfer purple pads. Those are uncomfortable to listen to. But rotor might playa role in noise too. But as this rotor was quiet with other pads on other brakes, this is the pads not the rotor. I'm curious how these brakes hold up, and the pad durability, longe very.

[@IvanPrskalo]

Fork looks blant, dull without decals. You should leave at least 3 and 4... Otherwise, bike is awesome and I like what you didn't with it.

[@selder03]

ESI grips are all I run. Fyi. They're the best with gloves only.

[@Creator_Standard-YT]

His poor wife belike Wtf happened to my fork and Dropper

[@reggieringgoldjr68]

I removed the logos on my Rockshox Domain fork, and they look great. To me, they stand out more without the logos all over them. Thanks for the content and video. 🤝🏾🇺🇸💪🏾🫡

[@samgivner9010]

Those r def my dream brakes so nice

[@jagoss45]

JB Weld putty for the win!

[@basvanleeuwen4502]

Finally a long build video🎉

[@davidviola9564]

My Aluminum 2018 GT Aggressor Comp, fully upgraded, weighs in just 27.8 lbs. Upgrades include TPU inner tubes, aluminum rims, lightweight spokes, chinese hubs (ARC MT009), Ti Axis, integrated carbon handlebars, a Suntour Epixon modded to 140mm and a TranzX dropper. IMO Polygon with the carbon wheels should be lighter. Could you go even lighter? Would be a great video. Last minute edit, mine is 27.5", so it may explain part of the reason.

[@bucketlist.original]

Please don't make the mistake in the high - low - series to slamm the worst parts on the low bike, rather leave what's already on, or get something that's bang for buck, but paying for making it worse, is kinda crazy!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Oh yeah I definitely would not put crap on the low bike

[@ToddNZMTB]

Yes! No labels ftw, can't stand labels on everything.

[@alexisrs4362]

Great video! Love your work, just a tip if your trying to get a good amount of grams off id recomend changing the rotors as its srams hevier and thicker rotors out there! /Professional bike mechanic❤

[@kshysztof9649]

Nice to see you build an XC bike, I hoped you'd get under 9kg! So sad to see the rivnut for the second water bottle go... It will be really useful on long marathons. Couple of advices from me about the XC ideology: If you want to trash the really heavy climbs, get your chest low. Also, get the front of your bike low, like really low. I'm talking 17 degree negative stem, zero rise bar. It will be faster on straights too. The dropper post is controversial. The thing with hitting drops with regular seatpost is that you need to ride bibs. They're close to your body, so you can move your butt over the seat and hit them this way. This much travel is just a bit too traily for me, but you're new to XC world, so you know... Eventually everyone who wants to be competetive gets that idea: Low front end, light bike, 2,25" tyres, good brakes, and they don't get any better than this

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks for the tips! I did my first XC race yesterday and already posted the video of the race kzbin.info/www/bejne/aaKUd4SqnLJ9aMUsi=vCQj-ZgOWFn7Ku73

[@fpeter01]

6:53 if I get my dirty hands on a new fork the first thing I do is removing the decal. The market is full of nicely designed decals.

[@PhillipandreiEstravela-fg8if]

That build is my ideal bike build but with different frame

[@PaulW-q6d]

I removed the decals on my Fox 36s and on other forks. I dont think the FOX logos look very good. Looks so much more stealthy without them! Way to go!

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Yeah I'm super glad I removed them, I was the most timid about removing them compared to the others

[@StanleyKubick1]

you didn't compromise the frame in the slightest. there are holes all over all structural tubing in bikes, motorcycles and cars

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Thanks for the comment! I ended up carbon patching it for fun. Turned out nice and brutalist. I even clear coated it

[@BraveNewWrld87]

Definitely do something to seal up the exposed carbon from that hole in the seat tube. UV light causes carbon to decay quicker and its important to have UV resistant paint or clear coat on carbon fiber that is exposed to light for the longevity of the frame

[@hardmtnbiker]

That’s really light! Personally I don’t like QR seat post clamps so I would replace those. I don’t use my big Garmin Edge 840 on my mountain bikes but like to use the small Edge 130. I only use my power meter on my gravel bikes. Since you’re trails seem to be well groomed and not too technical, you could probably use lighter casing tires and XC CushCore and that would dampen the rough sections.

[@308Mike]

I think that fork looks amazing without the decals.

[@Cpt-Pugwash14]

Advertizing and logos are the first thing i pull off when i get a bike

[@ArtisanCustoms]

as long as you didnt expand the hole or damage the carbon then the carbon is not compromised at all

[@natemtbaltaccnt]

I’ve seen Lewis breaks on Surrons and they work really well so on a mountain bike they should be good

[@danielmallinson8800]

I’ve never heard someone refer to carbon frame as stiff, depending on the weave pattern the stiffness on carbon changes so carbon wheels are designed to be stiffer while frames are designed to be more compliant Edit: hairspray works the best for silicone grips, having put on many pair over the years it it’s quite slippery while it’s wet making them super easy to put on and is tacky when it dries so there is no chance they move

[@Knacki42]

I removed the ESI handle bars from my Cannondale immediately. I could not stand the feeling when gripping them. Felt like the isolation of a heating pipe.

[@RADU1st]

I like those grips but they are bloody expensive in UK. Nice build btw.

[@alainbergeron1675]

Evan, my favorite mountain biking channel by far! Keep up the great content 😊

[@billydeewilliams8909]

keep it clean, keep it cool

[@jamesv6288]

I have a Giant XtC Slr 29, which although is aluminum, its super light and has support for a dropper. Also quite compliant yet climbs like a beast. You should try it out!

[@SchmitzJeanNoel]

Sand the hole, degrease it and fill it with a structural epoxy. Sand it again after 24 to 48h of curing. Job done.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I got a carbon patch kit with epoxy and hardener. Got it all filled and clear coated, turned around pretty good!

[@njshift]

The sleeper look never fails. Very popular with city bikes to deter filthy criminals.

[@JJJJ-p2t]

Me personally would of removed the polygon decal and sprayed it clear coat to show the carbon off... it would be lighter too.... nice build though... can't believe it's that light.... thanks for the video....

[@rafamegatube]

Just an important tip. Protect that damn hole hehe. As you exposed the core of the carbon fiber in an uncontrolled way, would be nice to avoid water ingression into that. I mean, it should not be a problem, but just in case some delamination has occurred during the drilling.. besides that, go out and have a bunch of fun with this nice bike bro 🙌

[@RawBoxProductions]

You should do a quick review on the "Lewis" brakes 😀

[@MB-jz3uu]

Love the waterboy reference

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Haha me too! Glad you caught that

[@jstrahn]

Amazing how much weight you were able to shed!! Pretty sweet new shower feature on Medusa. That'll be nice this summer! 😂

[@SummitMTB]

OK but i REALLY like the synthwave stuff going on in your videos now 😍

[@MrSupermugen]

100%, for the price we pay for Bike parts all stickers an logo's should come off parts. I've done it for years... im not free advertising.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Agreed! The seller gave me an enve logo kit with a whole bunch of colors and that should be the default. Send the bar blank with a sticker kit

[@MrSupermugen]

@@EvansMTBSaga I remember When A shop gave me a deal on a bike and whinged i took the Name off... I asked if said brand was paying me to ride bikes....the answer was obviously no, He is still salty to this day over it, been over a year haha... Some brands, like oneup im happy to leave their name on stuff, they are good people and They have excellent products and damn good pricing - their Customer support is the best ive ever dealt with.

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Yeah man OneUp is cool. They sent me a little care package for High Low 2. Great products and excited to try the V3 dropper

[@wesleywermuth9545]

Sweet video.

[@mike_wottawa]

ESI Grips are the only Grips I use on ALL my bikes. I was using them before I was sponsored by them

[@EvansMTBSaga]

There is a more expensive version than the ones I installed (not sure of the model name). Do you recommend those over the standard chunky grips

[@zanekoogler4763]

I would honestly just remove both the rivets sand the paint off in that area. Wrap a layer of carbon around the seat tube and re paint it.

[@Pedals-Plus]

LOL. I don't like logos when I paid for the part.... Whips out Park tool SG-7.2 and thrashes. Honestly loved the video just having a little fun keep up the great work. And go put some tape on your car's emblems. 😁

[@MTB_FANATIC99]

Would you get this bike over the polygon xtrada 7??

[@rowlerthedachshund4634]

do you have a dirtbike / are you getting a dirtbike Evan / Scott !

[@WendtRiding]

Slap a sticker over the hole and shred!

[@Jeff13579]

Scott scale carbon frames are really good

[@godspeed821]

15:20 hey evan i wanted to ask where did u get the xx1 derailleur cover spare part from? I've looked everywhere to replace my scratched x01 cover but couldn't find it. edit: is it only for axs systems? I'm looking for the mechanical one

[@EvansMTBSaga]

Ah yeah it was from worldwide Cyclery and I didn't know it was axs only. Good luck!

[@JoshMcGehee]

What ceramic coating did you use?

[@EvansMTBSaga]

A brand called Pellicare. Good stuff!

[@fpeter01]

Any hardtail without dropper is a gravel bike. I use it all the time and lowering your body mass is a big deal.

[@zimzMIS201]

Warranty? I don’t need no warranty. Proceeds to drill frame. Does Polygon warranty their frames?

[@EvansMTBSaga]

I think so, but I haven't read a clear warranty policy on their site