What Am I Doing?

This honestly isn't just my attempt at a clickbait title...in the mid 2000s Trials frames were usually overbuilt and heavy or super light and weak, neither of which was what I wanted.
The result was that it wasn't uncommon for riders with a bit of time on their hands to modify their frames to try and save some weight but still retain enough strength to survive a season or two.
After finding one of my old comp frames at Tartybikes which I had cut a hole into the headtube and BB shell I realised that this might not be something people knew about. This old Atomz frame was pretty conservative, depending on the frame you could go to town with drilling holes so I got myself a new (to me) frame from the correct era...an Adamant A2 which I could use to see exactly how much weight could be saved.
Just like the disclaimer at the start of my video...please DON'T try this on your frame unless you're willing to take the risk. You'll definitely loose any warranty at best.
I'm going to get this bike built and ridden soon and see how it feels.
Thanks for watching!
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[@Ali_Clarkson]

Before the comments roll in, there’s lots of bad habits and techniques going on in this video...I’m very limited in space, tools, time and experience (and maybe brains) so don’t take this video as advice, it’s simply entertainment and I’m doing stuff so you don’t have to.

[@TheWebstaff]

Dremel Speedclic cut off disks are the best for cutting. Worth the extra..

[@lukehill6395]

Looking at frames like this, i wonder if you could flip the frame upside down (with the bb on the top of the frame) and build a bike up like that, then see how it rides? you might have to get a little creative with the cranks/hub but it would be interesting to see how bad it is!

[@treewizzard]

major props for taking the sharp edges off most of those holes you drilled!

[@Aljonone1]

A tooth brush works good for stripping paint & sure would have an old one? Have been busy building new trail lines, but could do with some help with knowing how technically difficult to make them? What I can ride is not a good guide, but trails still ride good?

[@2nd3rd1st]

Boring video, but you could have done a hole lot worse.

[@joeldriver381]

Note to self: Don't let Ali borrow any of my frames. LOL

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Haha!!

[@JoelTGM]

"I made sure to clean your bike for you before giving it back. There was a lot of mud and extra metal on it. It's so clean you can see through the dropouts again!"

[@DubsnSubsSessions]

Honestly, as someone with a small machine shop at home in his shed, with like 5 things that can drill holes, you're much better with a hand drill than I am! Good job and that hole saw looks pretty sweet!

[@weareallbeingwatched4602]

Hacker skills

[@IgorDz]

Ikr! His hand-drill skills are impressive

[@TheVacras]

I don’t know if drilling holes into my frame would give me a confidence boost to be honest :D

[@Egcmikey]

Raw frames are the best!! Love seeing the welds, especially on steel!

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Mmmmm raw steel!!

[@christhrelfall80]

Thank god your not a dentist! 😂😂😂😂! Great video!

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Lol I’d be the worst!

[@ronwhite8503]

You're.

[@euanbeaden74]

As a machinist and engineer, I can say you've done a pretty good job considering your skill and tools available! The only area which might have been substantially weakened is the BB yolk, but as the holes are all round and don't have any sharp corners; it will probably be okay for a long time. Unless you hit it on anything and dent it, it'll be 'reeeeet'! We've all done things like this when we started riding!

[@felipenavas]

I really like to see people modding bikes, thanks for the video!

[@gafrers]

Fantastic, being this "crude" made it more real. Did you usually "chase/retap/pass" the threads of the BB where drilled?

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Doesn’t get much more crude than this haha! I think I did chase the threads in older frames when I worked in a bike shop that had the tool... in this case I’ll use a cheap bb before putting a better quality one in

[@gafrers]

@@Ali_Clarkson Thank you for answering. Great content as usual.

[@TimInertiatic]

@@Ali_Clarkson wire brush to remove the loose material probably be sufficient. Apparently you can make your own chase tool by grinding slots in the threads of metal BB cups...? Luckily after an unmasked respray (!) a wire brush on a drill worked for me

[@gabiold]

@@TimInertiatic You can! Last time I messed up my BB threads during a spindle replacement. I bought a BB kit for retro bikes witn steel cone cups, it was like $2. I have cut three slots similar to how a thread tap looks like, and it worked perfectly on an aluminium frame. For those who want to make this tool: - identify which is the left thread, so it should be cut accrodingly - search for the start of the thread, and cut the slots far away from that. It is already very hard to align the tool properly in an already damaged thread, and without the proper leading edge it is even harder. - don't force in this tool in one pass. If the thread is more worn or full of dried thread locker, that won't fit in the shallow groove. Remove the tool and brush out the chips.

[@judechandler5102]

I know you said you wouldn't. But would you please reconsider a video about making brake pads? Please...

[@MaYbYl8eR]

His big secret

[@gtasomogyi]

As building my old-school trial bike, what is based on a UMF Hardy Steel 2 ('10), what I've learned: Yes, that 158g is worth. Here 150g, there 150g (lighter fork), somewhere else 150g (lighter tyres), and maybe another 150g (another pedals!), and you got easily -1kg! That is really something to notice when you ride. And than you can go further: change stem, bar, inner tubes, gearing (f.e. from 32-23, to 22-18), seat tube (if you have a seat), BB and cranks (from square taper/isis/howitzer to GXP/Hollowtech 2), what are not big investments, if not everything is brand new. but that's how my 15+kg (original setup) bike got 12,78kg! At the moment, since a really ligther fork, ligther front wheel, front brake disc is on the way... :)

[@Andy-Sas]

Love these builds

[@jonathanarandilla6156]

Its 1AM but your video is my favorite to watch

[@WestonWill]

I wonder how may years before we get 3D printed frames that look like crazy spider webs and are twice as lite and twice as strong!

[@devononair]

That would be awesome!

[@Aljonone1]

Crazy spider webs would not make a good frame design, so no?

[@connorcampbell144]

Ali have you been to Tesco by any chance? Every little helps.... even taking the stickers off

[@robinrai4973]

Christ! I felt like I was gonna get arrested by opening up the gear cable mounts on my frame, meanwhile here you are doing this!

[@jamesconroy7030]

I used to work at a bike shop that carried Litespeed Ti frames. The sales rep would always brag that since it doesn't need to be painted, that saved 1/4 pound right there.

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Yeah I think I remember a few ti frame brands claiming the same thing!

[@benpc1794]

@@Ali_Clarkson do you remember Pete Wright from back in the day on Trials-forum? I recall titanium holes and other such shenanigans!

[@Aljonone1]

@@Ali_Clarkson Remember cutting up a Ti frame & designing full sus frame for titanium red back in mid 90s But Titaniunm red got ripped off by Russian's that built frames in mig fighter jet factoty & never saw frames built, sad but true!

[@richardmiddleton7770]

I've done this on a Zoo Pirana (I think) which was massively over engineered for me. You have to take into account that these frames have to survive a 90kg+ rider dropping off a 10ft wall so for me at 64kg pottering around jumping off nothing higher than say 5ft, I could really go crazy with the drilling. Of course noone is going to want to buy the frame afterwards so you have to keep that in mind! Also you can save twice as much weight simply by changing tyres or even going tubeless as tubes are around 250g each!

[@Gordonhaymes]

Innovation is the mother of invention...someone steps forward...makes the risk...we all move one step forward... Dremel or not... that’s engineering 🤘🇨🇭👀

[@HavokTheorem]

Pro tip: Use soap as a lubricant on your cutting and grinding tools when machining aluminium. Makes the chips stick a lot less.

[@Pickfordr100]

We haven't all left the room 🤣

[@desmation]

Definitely a Dark Art.. lol A long time ago, I externally butted the tubings. I systematically sanded and counted every stride with a sanding disc on an angle grinder. (You can use a caliper to test how much material each pass removes. Do more passes near the centre of the frame.) It is SLIGHTLY safer than drilling holes. I brought a low end frame down to approx 1650grams. After 6 months of riding, I threw the frame away before hurting myself or anyone else.

[@TimInertiatic]

Very interesting. I've cut redundant bosses off frames but was always a bit nervous in case there was just a hole under the braze on, so left an ugly stub. The countersinking is very my mechanics inspired. I'm the same now :-)

[@mikesloan3805]

wow pretty cool. I like that this vid had voice commentary and not just subtitles.

[@weareallbeingwatched4602]

Frame drillium. Scary stuff.

[@matthewkuhl79]

This is the first time i've ever stopped to look at a train wreck 😬 This reminds me of my sportbike days where guys would spend disgusting amounts of money to save less weight than getting fit and eating right would yield for free (obviously not applicable in your case)

[@Jskjerning]

I am looking forward to this frame riding 🤪 The dropout section is my biggest concern.

[@lorenzorighi99]

I think that this format with voice comment would be much better even for builds videos

[@enzodougherty9429]

Taking the term "weight weenie" to a whole nother level :)

[@peglor]

That lad on a recent Pinkbike video with a sub 8 kg Scott full suspension XC bike would beg to differ...

[@alexandercherednichenko6381]

why don't you drill more holes inside frame tubes????

[@thomasstone1363]

Brilliant Video! Thanks Ali

[@audunskilbrei8279]

As a mechanical engineer I can tell you that what you did to the drop outs has massively weakenend them. Especially the left one. The material that you removed was taking most of the vertical forces(forces going perpendicular to the length of the frame) coming from the rear axle. I would not ride that frame.

[@audunskilbrei8279]

Please have a look at this: imgur.com/a/rK0YEFv I did a simple stress analysis on on a dropout like that. I don't have the exact measurements so the dropout I modelled is only an approximation. But it still serves to prove my point. What you did more than quadruples the stress in certain areas of the dropout and it could very well lead to a fracture! The images also clearly shows that the stress distribution in the part is dramatically altered.

[@Aljonone1]

May be less strong? But still strong enough!

[@jackolson8775]

@@audunskilbrei8279 Im no engineer, but there is an important factor missing in that calculation: A base point. That dropout could have easily been 100Xs stronger than needed to start, if he's reduced the effectiveness by 4Xs he still has plenty of strength there. What you are saying is legit, Im not disputing that, I can clearly see what you describe. I also agree to be cautious with that thing, no one needs Ali hurt.

[@audunskilbrei8279]

@@jackolson8775 You are correct. They could very well have designed that frame with a 10x safety factor and it will be fine. But what has happened here is that the stress has been shifted to a point where the engineers never meant it to be. This is, in many ways, comparable to removing the seat tube in the frame. The double triangle design of a normal bike frame is extremely strong when all the parts are in place. Remove just one tube and it becomes an order of magnitude weaker. Even with a 10x safety factor it might not be enough. And the scary thing about aluminium is that it might not crack right away but you may have fatigue fractures in a months time. Basically my point is the same as your last point. I want Ali to be safe and I personally feel that this frame is no longer safe. I could very well be wrong(I hope I am if he keeps riding it).

[@jackolson8775]

@@audunskilbrei8279 Thanks for the insight. Absolutely correct on the aluminum fatigue.

[@sylvaner01]

Do what you can with the tools you have, just buy a better drill when you can ;) go makita. Thanks for the video it’s pretty interesting. Looking forward to the build video for this frame.

[@SaintVes]

Well, I did not started the video yet, but I already want it to be longer!!! :)

[@duroxkilo]

i did that to a pair of freeline skates and ended up reducing the weight by about one steel bearing :}

[@lennartdelarambelje1154]

I can understand the experimental factor of doing this, but the amount of effort and actual total weight saved does in no way add up to the loss of structural integrity of your frame.. But you knew that already ;) Nice vid nonetheless! :)

[@digbysirchickentf2315]

You still own a heavy frame, why not start with a regular weight frame and make that lighter? Maybe would be more risky, and maybe would be a duller video.

[@Ali_Clarkson]

I just had to work with whatever the cat dragged in

[@digbysirchickentf2315]

@@Ali_Clarkson I think you wanted more metal to be able to remove. 'makes a better vid' said the cat. But if you mean the frame was free cuz so heavy, that works too.

[@ЛенарМаннапов]

You destroing that frame for a two gramms of mass

[@ecols]

Nice to see you featured my former bike in the video, but please ask next time for usage rights for the pictures. The abused downtube was mine...

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Point made and it’s been noted, apologies if it annoyed you. Hopefully you can see it from my side too though, I needed ANY picture of a scratched up/dented down tube on a trials bike but you’d be surprised how few there are on-line (certainly in a high enough res). Yours was the only suitable one I could find after an hour of looking, it looked to be an older photo from a sales description and not anything that was earning the owner any money from royalties. My video was due out that same day on Patreon and to try and figure out the owner of the photo would have taken too long and posting it on social media to find the owner might have given the frame away. I seriously never expected the owner of an old photo of a down tube from a sales advert would want to arrange usage rights. I’m in the wrong for using a photo from Google without permission but hopefully my reasons give some insight to why I did.

[@ecols]

@@Ali_Clarkson no worries! I never intended to claim anything. I am glad to help out a fellow trials rider any time. In case you need additional pictures you can get in touch any time. The profile you got it from is flickr.com/photos/ecols feel free to flip through and see if something can help you out.

[@JNAMOTORSPORTS]

I feel like light weight isn’t worth it for many reasons I would rather things last Saving weight makes very little sense in the modern era. The rider does make up for weight on any bike and skills.

[@Ali_Clarkson]

I agree

[@irvsstella]

This is like a video nasty (circa1984) chopping and slashing your way through an innocent frame with no mercy. Butchering without consent, hacking away, it's giving me an erection now. I need to change channels before its too late. New subscriber....

[@yourhairlineisgone]

Road cyclists: WRITE THAT DOWN!!!! WRITE THAT DOWN!!!

[@davidbronstein2040]

I swear, Road cyclists are the most obsessive people I have ever met. You don't need to have the lightest bike and wear Lycra if you're just nipping down to the shops!

[@vrooom666]

Some motorsport company acid dip thier race car shell to make steel much thinner. maybe you could do the same.

[@mymateroog42]

But how does she ride Mr Clarkson.

[@paullmight42]

daaaaaaaang...Also, pspspspspsps

[@jackandi1]

I have 2 jokes #1 this is the most holly bike I’ve seen #2 what is this video about how to make Swiss cheese Hope u like the jokes

[@mortadhalaouici7184]

hi

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Hello

[@nickt471]

#trefolex

[@tastytechaddictsmtb]

Why not just buy a carbon frame instead of weakening a alloy one 🤦🏻‍♂️

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Because I can afford a 14 year old alloy frame but I can’t afford a 2020 carbon one

[@tkbotsss7564]

DONT TELL ME WHAT TO DO LMAO

[@frisinafrancesco2334]

Hai bisogno di farti un Banco di lavoro, ciao Ali.

[@noejuliansaavedra]

😐

[@paulmtv3665]

?

[@coolcycles]

Worst video, until 'Homemade Aero Frame' comes out, featuring Ali and his hammer...

[@derekblake9385]

The weight saved is pointless, take a dump and you have about the same.

[@SPEXWISE]

Sorry, copied it.

[@JoshuaSpierVideos]

These trial folks are a different breed man haha

[@orangekj8856]

I never clicked so fast. Love your vids

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Thanks man that means a lot to me :)

[@BrynKitchenham]

is that your sunday bike? coz its holy im sorry....

[@WIPEYOURLENZ]

Jesus Christ 🤦🏼‍♂️

[@Coolcmsc]

I remember doing a few things that included a bit of heating of a full suss frame using a mate’s gas welder - ‘‘twas an aluminium one. All went well until a few weeks later charging down to Ladybower...... Well, suddenly, I had an easy to transport folding frame 😂🤣🤣😂

[@invertrialsbiker9391]

Adamant lovers look away now 😂 I never knew anyone that used to do that to their frame's but a few of us used to do it too our magura hs33 lever blades

[@PaulWilliams1978]

Just here for the frog analogies 🐸

[@Ali_Clarkson]

I use them all the time!

[@shaunbeakley348]

Please don't do this to bikes, also Ali, don't ride this, we all love you

[@Ali_Clarkson]

I agree, don’t do this although I’m confident this will still be strong, you should see some of the older frames I ran...actually spoiler... the Atomz want the only old comp frame I found, also have a very highly modified comp frame which I’m going to build into a full bike soon

[@michael_emtb]

I really enjoyed that Ali!! Nice one!! Always great to see different content, and someone willing to do something different 👍🏻👍🏻

[@bikeislife8405]

Ah yes, the rarest metal on earth: Drill-inium

[@humanidadhechocanal8816]

Ese es un cuadro inservible loco las modificaciones que isiste no sirven

[@AlexSalikan]

I remember Jeff Anderson and Kevin Liu took a grinder to an entire frame to make the tubing thinner back in the day. The watermelon bike. Based on a Meta VTT.

[@Ali_Clarkson]

See if I had a bit more time, a shed and a steady hand I’d have tried that with this frame too

[@budycelyn]

with all the weight most of the time being on the rear wheel i'm not sure the drilled dropouts would support the stress. removing the thinner sections takes away a lot of strength from that area alone.. but as an exercise in weight reduction, good try :)

[@YanDoroshenko]

Alistair, my lad, would you please explain, how exactly did you "find" a frame? It's a bicycle frame, not a penny forgotten in the old winter jacket.

[@Aljonone1]

He found it under Danny's bed or behind the couch?

[@YanDoroshenko]

@@Aljonone1 Makes sense.

[@JordiMoll]

It´s a lot of work and time for a few grams. It´s good to see but not necessary. Same things on MTB or road bikes. Weight isn´t everything. My surprise comes on DH world. They use aluminium frames. Much more genle when rides hard. The stiffness of carbon fiber are so hard and don´t absorb the big impacts like aluminium. Nice videos on this chanel. Greetings from Mallorca.

[@bobjow5341]

Nice video good job

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Thank you :)

[@alimantado373]

I linked this on Hambini's channel Bwahh! not really :)

[@lynxg4641]

Insane Ali, insane :-D I was off by 7g guessing the final weight after "diet", guess 1970g, because I know how little you actually save doing stuff like that having removed guides etc that weren't being used on older frames. Will be very interested to see you ride that built up and then if holds up fine, then maybe look to do further "dietary" actions to it to save some more.

[@hedf]

My phd went to antarctica after watching this

[@elorz007]

Weight savings hater comment bingo: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | Take a dump | Cut your hair | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --| | Disc brakes | You wouldn't not wear a helmet | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --| | Titanium strips | I used to ride a 32 lbs bike in 1992 | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --| | Tubes are already butted | My dad did this and snapped the seatpost | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --| | Losing weight is healthier | What's next, helium in the wheels? | |---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --|

[@Amiebike]

I almost cry, I understand that's a common thing in trials bikes, but it still hurts haha

[@Ivan_trialist]

Did you make logo "crank brothers" in head tube 😁

[@Tutt1997]

Absolutely love this video! Keep up the awesome content Ali!

[@zacharydevan4107]

Don't forget about grinding down the welds. It takes off more than you'd think and looks slick too.

[@sunreindeerfog]

A good example of “knowing the rules before you can break the rules”

[@vivoslibertos]

Welcome to the Drilluminati

[@osoznalaa]

let's ride without protection and wear, -0,5 kg)

[@benatization1990]

Супер) Но дырявить фрезерованый потай в дропаутах я бы не стал.

[@baconfister]

Awfully painful seeing you struggle with the cordless and rather anemic cordless Dremel tool. The corded one will give you back 50% of your precious wasted time. I have endured using the “wrong” hand tools in the past so I can totally appreciate your painstaking (and obviously frustrating) efforts for this video. Mad kudos seeing you struggle how I have in the past (I was using cordless tools to modify car engines - internal reciprocating components and porting/polishing intake/exhaust runners and stuff like that - only to gain 4HP in a stupid car!).

[@gusrodger6897]

Do as I say not as I do !

[@Ali_Clarkson]

Definitely!

[@jackolson8775]

As a machinist, you are correct, I was cringing. Ha ha ha! Id say the #1 thing ( besides using more cutting fluid - vegetable shortening works great on aluminum, believe it or not ) would be using a vice or some sort of clamp down set up. It'll save a LOT of time, headaches & broken bits. I was entertained, however. ;)

[@paul-sm3wh]

Yh just ad one hole for good luck.🤔🤔🤔😂😂😂😂your crazy bro no harm in a third ppphhhaaahaaahaa mad man. Looks sick though. 👍🏻💪🏻✊🏻

[@MaYbYl8eR]

You just shortened your lifespan with that stripper compound fiasco

[@carlosperez41]

Tanto aligerar, tanto aligerar , es más probable que parta más fácilmente, y luego irás con dos camisetas, o con algo por el estilo, es más fácil quitarte un kilo o más (adelgazar ) , que hacer eso con un cuadro

[@jjjjrrr678]

Get some better tools and go crazy.... think you can hit 1.6kg! Engeneering design for human use has at least a safety coefficient of 2 :)

[@mortadhalaouici7184]

give me a bike

[@Ali_Clarkson]

I’d actually love to be able to give everyone who asked a bike but the reality is I pay for my MTBs and I don’t get given my trials bike often enough to be disposable, I often have to sell them at the end of a season to help cover costs of making these videos

[@IgorDz]

An old saying goes: give a man a bike and he will ride for a day; teach a man to bike and he will ride for a lifetime (in rare cases could still be a day, but let's stay positive). The moral is - Ali is a great teacher!

[@davideiotti9725]

When you remove paint like that is there any downside? Is it better to apply a bit of clearcoat afterwards?

[@waldodewaal4123]

That disclaimer though lol

[@Ali_Clarkson]

As much as I think most of my viewers are sensible and able to think for themselves I felt like I had to at least put something

[@doufa1000]

Or maybe skip on friday pizzas and loose few pounds, but hey, who has time for that anyways ?

[@johnmorrison7171]

You should do the same on Danny's Santa Cruz......

[@JoelTGM]

Good vid and well narrated

[@meteormedia7021]

Everything about this seems like an extremely bad idea

[@humanidadhechocanal8816]

Por qué es más débil en todo sentido

[@shaharsdechen2537]

Waiting for for another rainy day so you will build the bike

[@Nickporter17]

Every filing flake is another bit of weight saved. Wow 😂