The Diminishing Returns of Mountain Bike Weight Reduction | Polygon Syncline on a Diet

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Does weight matter to you?

[@Paganiproductions84]

Yes one of my bikes is fully modified only fork and frame and brake calipers are stock

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@Paganiproductions84 those are my favorite types of bikes!

[@Paganiproductions84]

@@AdrenalineIsLife i only ride xc hardtails whitout a dropperpost and whit flat pedals they are so far the most fun bikes here in the Netherlands

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@Paganiproductions84 for flatter terrain, they are the best choice by far. Enjoy!

[@Paganiproductions84]

@@AdrenalineIsLife I also like them on the hills

[@chadwells7562]

It wasn’t true weight per se that produced the improvement, it was the reduction in rotating mass. Which is an impediment to acceleration, and on a course that doesn’t feature much climbing it makes sense this would be the majority of the benefit.

[@wendellhenry9043]

I love the beat in this video 😊

[@kris8165]

I reduced the weight of my 29er by going single speed,and I have put some narrower tires, narrower handlebars,and that's it! Current weight? 10.95kg😅 My entire life I'm on the budget, can't afford anything light! My go to bike is my fixed gear (converted to single speed) bike, that weighs 7.7kg! I got nothing else,no 🚗 just 2 bikes, and a 1pair of legs😁 I enjoyed the video! Greetings from Croatia from Kris 😎

[@Deuce_Dufresne]

Badass bike, I’ve been eyeing one myself, though I wouldn’t be upgrading it as extensively as you. Great video!

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

It's been a great bike! You don't need many upgrades to really wake up this bike. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@FrankAllen-fx2hw]

careful with a knockoff seatpost.. my buddy crashed / injured badly when his snapped

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

😬 ouch! It worries me too. I think I'm going to swap it back to the stock seatpost. Thanks for the heads-up. Hope your buddy is ok. 🙏

[@bobwalker8917]

I did enjoy your efforts, congratulations. Set your sights on 2025‼️‼️💪💪💪💪

[@MrPetyoKostakov]

Very valuable! Thanks for the effort!

[@callumjohnson9433]

Evan though you didn't get a better time with more weight saving, I believe your efficiency over time and distance will improve and fatigue will be reduced allowing you to ride at max effort for longer making you faster overall.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

I agree. Marginal gains 💪

[@MTBTrailSherpa]

Excellent work on the video. Excellent information and well presented. At my age, I don't race anymore and the best way for me to improve is to lose weight. However, the fun factor of riding a lighter bike makes a huge difference!

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Thanks. Couldn't agree more! The best weight loss is on the rider.

[@davidperry7266]

It'd be interesting to see how a bigger chain ring would affect your speed, or an oval versus round.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

I'm curious about running a bigger chainring. The change in gear ratios would definitely impact average speed. There's a part of me that thinks an oval chainring would be a hindrance on this bike, but it might be worth some experimentation.

[@jok658]

Could do with less riding footage. But the rest is awesome. Considering the bike for myself actually. Really cheap here in Australia 🎉

[@HUKIT.]

I’m local and primarily ride Kettle but occasionally Palos too and I’m always shocked that people are running DD Minions DHF/DHR’s and other boat anchors for tires as they’d appreciate shaving that weight as that’s just not needed here 9/10 times.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

You're 100% correct. There are lots of people with the wrong tires at Palos. I think that much of the time, it's just what their bikes come with and they don't understand how that affects performance.

[@politan83]

Yes! I recently switched from DHF/DHR combo to a Specialized Butcher up front and a Rekon on the rear, and holy cow did it bring my local trails back to life.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@politan83 That Butcher is still an aggressive tire, but that Rekon should get you around fast.

[@politan83]

@@AdrenalineIsLife The Butcher at least seems to roll more quietly on pavement, which I take to be an indicator of rolling resistance.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@politan83 I always found the DHF to be sluggish. I love the Butcher. I run a Butcher/Eliminator combo on my enduro bike. I'm running the T9 version, so it's a little slow if it's not on steep terrain. It's a great tire. You will not be lacking in grip.

[@chrisknasiak8603]

Less weight doesn't always mean faster but it will be easier to pedal so you can go at a higher effort for longer. There is a lot to be said about pedaling around 30lbs for 2 hrs vs pedaling 23lbs for 2 hrs.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Couldn't agree more! Speaking of, we need to ride soon!

[@BikerFisherKid]

So as a racer on my local high school team I can say that weight is definitely important. Like you said, there have been plenty of races where the 1 second actually matters. That said, I’ve never actually owned a race bike, only borrowed others for the important races.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

I've been blown away by how fast a dedicated XC race bike can be. Once you have an optimal setup, the rest is up to you and your training. Good luck with your race efforts!

[@corydalus981]

My most effective weight shaving has been the 30 or so lbs off my gut and butt! I actually hip hinge better w/o the 24-pack in the way....

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

An absolute fact at the end of the day.

[@carlp5351]

The additional weight savings would have come into play if you had more climbing on the course. Based on the video really didn’t see any major climbs. I live in the Denver area and my normal training loop is about 13 miles and has about 1500 of climbing.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Correct. I typically cut climb clips for brevity, and watchability. The lower weight would be more noticeable over a longer distance. Which has been my experience over the course of the riding season. Terrain here in the Midwest is more rolling, and we're usually fighting short punchy climbs regularly rather than the longer, more sustained climbs you have in the Rockies.

[@TheMediocreMountainBiker]

IMO, wheels and tires are always going to give the most significant change since that’s where the grip comes from. The reduction in rotational unsprung mass will all the benefit of spinning up/down (acceleration and braking) faster as well as allowing the suspension to react quicker. General weight reduction still has a benefits like reduced wear and tear on the drivetrain and your body. 🩻 Great video and awesome job hunting down those deals!

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Thanks. It was certainly an interesting experiment. Admitted I was a little surprised at how little there was gained in that final batch of upgrades. Glad you enjoyed the video!

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@georgeb2590 Thanks. I remember this was an old rule of thumb from way back. 1lb off the rotational mass is like 2lb anywhere else.

[@petercummins1097]

I think you might pick up a bit more speed if you look into your position on the bike. If you can get the bars below your saddle, you'll reduce the frontal area and wind resistance. It looks like you might be a bit upright?

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

I did slam the stem a bit later in the season. I can only go so high with the seat given my body proportions. The only other option is negative rise bars.

[@marriedoff]

I have a 27.5 wheel, would the i30 wheels same brand be a significant weight savings from the stock syncline c5

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Depends on which version. There are "Tough" and "Light versions of that wheel. Regardless, there is some weight savings over the Shimano hubs. There are weight specs are on the WTB site. You can weight your stock wheels and see how they compare.

[@shadrachs]

Just curious -- what size frame was the C5 Syncline you used for this video?

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@@shadrachs Medium

[@dtolios]

Cool journey. #1 issue with DIY cycling projects is the incompatibilities. And ofc depending on your fitness and experience, training more, eating better before and on the bike + faster (= slippier, thus experience needed) tires would do more for you as a step 2. I think you should spend some more time explaining "director gaps" in the process, i.e. why you had a miss-match 10-52 cassette on there to begin with (because the Proterra i27s you got were xD driver and the microspline (MS) 10-51 did not fit, but "hey, you can use a Sram Cassette with Shimano RD of same #speeds, at least for MTBs because Sram made sure to screw this up with new chain spacing/rollers on their Road groups) etc, and why it might be important to plan ahead on these...often hubs do offer optional free-hub bodies so you can swap them out, even leave them mounted on the cassette or cog setup you have (e.g. swapping between HG freehub for SS and xD or MS for geared versions, if you are on the SS boat, or race SS too etc, where the HG freehub + cog(s) might be a cheaper and more flexible alternative than the xD/MS SS adapter). Also, although the M6100 10-51T is ~590gr, if you don't want to go into the whole miss-matching, dropping a gear, spending for new shifters + RDs (even if bin-parts, there is a $ tied to them), you could always look into the 10-45T M8100 option. Still 12s, but 460gr and tighter spacing/more even % ramping between cogs to maintain your cadence smoother, and still end up paying less $ overall.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Just saw your comment. It got held for review by KZbin for some reason. Good eye! I had to cut some segments for time. I swapped the cassette to a GX eagle ( it was intended for a different project) when I changed the wheels. This was an interim solution as I was switching to SRAM for the final build, and I didn't have time to wait for an MS freehub to arrive. The Proterra wheels are available in HG and MS freehubs. One can retain the stock drivetrain if they so choose. That is the cheapest option. The weight difference between the SLX and GX was negligible, and there were no issues with compatibility. You bring up a lot of great points, and I think we're long overdue for a video about parts compatibility. Thank you for the very insightful comment. Sorry I didn't respond to this sooner.

[@Changchar37]

The speed increase you get out of the first upgrade might have a lot to do with the tire and hub change, not all about weight. Rolling resistance is a big deal

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Rolling resistance did play a factor. There was also a noticeable difference in weight between the two setups. Both hubs were higher engagement. Lower rotational weight made for faster acceleration and braking, which was what I noticed most on the trail.

[@hafidhfinandriyanto7657]

Have you try syncline on road and see how much avg / max speed it can reach in kph?

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

I haven't done any extended road rides with it, but I found it to be very good on road. I have done some gravel riding on it. it is excellent on gravel.

[@raymond1035]

Mine reached around 50kph+ , pretty fast.

[@hafidhfinandriyanto7657]

wow with that speed, it should be fine if want to keep up with road bike peloton right?@@raymond1035

[@perfectzero84]

I think changing the gear ratios hurt the final result.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

I feel like I'd benefit from a 34 tooth chainring with this setup.

[@jamiehiggins1462]

Great video! I think weight does matter especially wheel rotational weight. I upgraded my gravel bike with light wheels/tire combo and I could immediately tell the difference especially on steep hills. I am just getting back into mountain biking and was thinking about buying the polygon syncline c3 mainly because it is so light and has modern geometry. I'm a 58 yo woman and just getting my old full suspension mtb on my car rack has become a struggle, which is why I have been thinking about the syncline. I was wondering about the size. I am 5'6" with longish legs/short torso and sit between the Small and Medium. Any advice for sizing?

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Less weight makes the ride so much more enjoyable. At your height and proportions, it's likely you'd fit best in a size medium. Bikes Online has a sizing calculator where you can get a size recommendation to confirm. Thank you for watching. I'm glad you enjoyed the video! 🙏

[@shadrachs]

thanks for this video! Just curious, what size frame was the C5 Syncline you used in this video? I am seeing some different weights for this bike - ranging from 26 lbs to 30 lbs out of the box. Thank you!

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@shadrachs That sounds about right. A lot of the extra weight is in the wheels tires and tubes. Stock tires are wire bead and heavy.

[@madcapper6]

How would you rate the overall quality and weight of the frame as far as carbon XC frames go? Thank you for the vid and all the great content. I really loved and appreciated your vid on your 1 year journey in XC racing. Cheers to you and have a merry Christmas.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

The frame is very lightweight and has held up well. There is still more opportunity to shave even more weight. I have no issues with the frame so far despite a couple of hard crashes. I'd say the bike is designed for efficient power transfer over all else. Compared to all the other hardtails I've ridden, the difference is noticeable. I wouldn't call it a rock garden slayer. Thanks for watching and commenting. 🙏 Have a merry Christmas, and happy new year!

[@alexrobles6492]

Great video!! Interesting. The balance of lightweight vs durability. It’s different for everyone. Lightweight is better.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Thanks. I definitely love light weight bikes but It's definitely a personal thing.

[@rubenconzales9718]

What was the weight of the frame only?

[@Enduro_Cowboy]

Seat post clamp and lock on grips have to go... virtually free wait savings!

[@icantgivecredit871]

What's your long-ish term review of the SID fork? I've read complaints about the previous generation of SID forks suffering bushing play among other problems.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

No issues with the SID so far. It's been very consistent. No noise or rattles of any concern.

[@icantgivecredit871]

@@AdrenalineIsLife Cool! If you don't mind my asking, where did you find one for $500? I've been looking around and have noticed the prices for forks like these are usually in the range of $600-900.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@icantgivecredit871 Planet Cyclery was blowing out overstock last winter. They had a 100mm 32mm SID ultimate raceday for $380, but I hesitated, an hour it sold out.

[@icantgivecredit871]

@@AdrenalineIsLife WOW, that's crazy. Thanks for the info, I'll keep an eye out.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

@@icantgivecredit871 you're welcome!

[@madcapper6]

Where can I score one of those SID forks for $500?

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

It's all timing. I hesitated and missed out on a 100mm SID ultimate for $389. Here are a couple of deals right now. A little more but still a solid price. www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=102518&category=94 Not a SID but I'd say a comparable alternative. 😉 www.universalcycles.com/shopping/product_details.php?id=106658&category=92

[@madcapper6]

@@AdrenalineIsLife Thank you 👍

[@Baldysyoutubechannel]

Great job.

[@bretlamb5454]

P r o m o s m ☝️

[@bpisan]

I never get why people weight their own personal bikes without pedals.

[@AdrenalineIsLife]

Point of reference to the claimed weight of the manufacturer.