Your mountain bike is too heavy. Drop real weight with these picks and tips.

This time last year I wrote an opinion piece arguing that it’s time for mountain bikes to lose some weight, saying “lighter weight equals better performance and we shouldn’t separate the two.” Since then, not a lot has changed, with a parade of high-end, 2024 test bikes stubbornly failing to weigh under the 32lb. mark. Compare that to just a few years ago, when the lightweight bar was 30lb. or less.

If you’ve been riding for some time, you know that a lighter bike isn’t just easier on the climbs, it’s also a more playful and fun bike to ride. The good news is that there are always opportunities to shave some weight off your current bike, and the following components can help.

Check out our lightweight picks below and keep scrolling for tips to lower your mountain bike weight, including a couple that won’t cost a cent.

HUNT Proven Carbon Race XC MTB 29 Wheelset

$1,399.00 | $1,119.20 sale

These 29″ carbon XC wheels weigh just 1,469g for the pair and feature 30mm-wide rims so you can run tires up to 2.6″ wide.

Buy from Hunt

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Fox Transfer SL Dropper Post

$399.00

The bike industry has latched onto the letters SL to indicate bikes and components that are super light. In this case, the Transfer SL weighs up to 25% less than a regular Fox Transfer dropper post, which is significant. For those who are truly dedicated to saving weight (and money), Jenson USA has the shortest travel Fox Transfer SL Factory posts on sale for 50% off.

Buy from Worldwide Cyclery

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ESI Chunky Grips

$18.99

The ESI Chunky foam grips are a Singletracks reader favorite, though personally it took me a while to give these a try. I worried they would be difficult to install, or might twist compared to a lock-on, but it turns out they work great, and at 60g weigh significantly less than a pair of traditional MTB grips.

Buy from Amazon

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Vittoria Air-Liner Light Tire Insert

$69.99

Yes, the Vittoria Air-Liner Light weighs less than most tire inserts. But the real weight savings comes from being able to run lighter tires AND wheels while still riding just as hard.

Buy from Amazon

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Rockshox SID Ultimate Race Day 3-position Fork

$999.00

The Rockshox SID Ultimate is one of the lightest 120mm suspension forks you can buy. The 3-position damper and tunable DebonAir+ air spring make for a highly capable (and lightweight) downcountry fork. Weight: 1,480g.

Buy from REI

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Schwalbe Racing Ralph 29.2.35″

$95.00 | $76.00 sale

The Racing Ralph is clearly designed for racing where every gram counts. Still, if you ride hardpack and are generally light on your feet, two of these tires could save a pound or more depending on which tires you’re currently running. It’s worth a try, right? Weight: 745g.

Buy from Backcountry

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Crankbrothers Eggbeater 3

$149.99 | $134.99 sale

These aren’t the lightest Crankbrothers pedals — that would be the $499 Eggbeater 11s. Still, these are lighter than most clipless pedals and at $134.99 on sale, they’re a great value. Weight: 280g (pair).

Buy from Crankbrothers

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Specialized Chisel Comp

$3,400.00

$3,400 for a 28.2lb full-suspension mountain bike? You’d have to pay $10,999 for a Santa Cruz Tallboy that weighs under 29lb (and even then, just barely).

Buy from Specialized

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Shimano XTR M9100 Brakes

$324.99 | $259.99 sale

Four piston brakes are great, but truth be told not everyone needs that much stopping power. If you’re one of those riders, I recommend going with quality 2-piston Shimano XTR brakes. Weight: approximately 312g.

Buy from Competitive Cyclist

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Race Face Next SL handlebar

$179.99

For those looking for a truly lightweight carbon handlebar, the Race Face Next SL is an excellent choice that weighs just 167g.

Buy from Amazon

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SQLab Ergowave 612 R

$219.99

The SQLab Ergowave 612 R is one of the lightest saddles we’ve tested. Fortunately it doesn’t sacrifice comfort, making this an all-day saddle fit for any adventure. Weight: 164.5g. Read more.

Buy from Jenson USA

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SRAM XX1 Eagle Upgrade Kit

$1,065.00 | $799.99 sale

Sure, SRAM Eagle Transmission is the latest and greatest, but even the lightest XX version still weighs two thirds of a pound MORE than the purely mechanical XX1 groupset. This upgrade kit doesn’t include cranks which will deliver maximum weight savings. Weight (with XX1 cranks): 1438g. Like the light weight of XX1, but want wireless shifting? Upgrading to XX1 AXS only adds about 100g, still almost 200g lighter than an XX Eagle Transmission group.

Buy from Thunder Mountain

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Kask Caipi Helmet

$179.00 | $125.00 sale

OK, this won’t make your bike lighter, but a lightweight helmet means less fatigue and more comfort on long rides. Select colors on sale. Read more.

Buy from Jenson USA

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Titanium bolts

From $11.99

Weight weenies love this trick! Replace stock bolts with titanium to save single-digit grams off your bike.

Buy from Amazon

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Ibis DV9

$2,999

The Ibis DV9 is a no-nonsense carbon hardtail that’s fast and lightweight with a frame that weighs under 3lb.

Buy from Jenson USA

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Trail One The Crockett

$125 | $95 sale

The Crockett carbon handlebar features a 35mm clamp diameter and 800mm length with a minimal 20mm rise. With a starting weight of 205g, you could go even lower by trimming to a 780mm or 760mm width.

Buy from Worldwide Cyclery

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Specialized Roval Traverse SL II 350 6B

$1,500.00

This is the lightest trail wheelset Specialized makes, and at $1,500 the price is about a thousand dollars less than top-of-the-line wheels from other brands. We found these wheels more than live up to the claim that they’re “engineered to be ridden recklessly.” Weight: 1751g. Read more.

Buy from Specialized

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Blackburn Cinch Carbon Bottle Cage

$69.95

Bottle cages are lightweight to begin with, and at just 16g, these are among the lightest of the light, with many competing carbon cages weighing almost twice as much.

Buy from Competitive Cyclist

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Tips for saving weight

Chasing bike weight savings a gram at a time gets expensive quickly, with diminishing returns beyond a certain point. Fortunately, most of us aren’t there yet, and can reasonably shave a pound or two off our trail bikes with minimal compromise.

Consider what you really need: Depending on your riding style and the trails you ride, you might not need four-piston brakes, or tires with the toughest, heaviest casing known to man. It will take some experimenting, but try to find the level of component that’s reliable enough without being overkill.

Weigh your bike periodically: As a friend loaded my bike into his truck, he remarked how heavy it felt. This surprised me; I had selected the mostly high-end components for my build with an eye toward keeping a reasonable weight, but he was right: it was a beast. It turns out the main culprit was all the stash tools and accessories I had added over time, many of which were unnecessary. Weighing your bike periodically will alert you to weight creep so you can avoid carrying things you don’t need. It also gives you a feel for how little choices, like heavier-duty tires, add up.

Customize your ride: Trimming handlebars is an easy way to save a little weight, and also allows you to dial in the right fit. Ditto for a shorter stem and/or cranks. Of course, this tends to go the other way if you’re tall. Ultimately, getting the right fit is more important than saving weight.

Sometimes lighter is cheaper: Don’t assume that lighter bikes and components cost more than heavier ones. As you can see in the picks above, sometimes lighter is cheaper. When that happens, it’s a win-win!

Do you have a tip for saving mountain bike weight? Please share it in the comments below!

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