What is the easiest and the cheapest way to make a full suspension MTB lighter?

Question

I have a Iron Horse Maverick 4.2, and I love it. THe only problem is that I sometimes have trouble getting up hills. What is the cheapest and easiest way to lighten up my ride, or how can I make it a better climber?

Answer 1

The Maverick 4.2 is not really a good bike to upgrade. The thing is, it will cost you a LOT of money just to drop weight.

If you are looking for a performance difference, replace the tires and tubes with the lightest ones you can find. If this doesn't do it, replace the wheels with a lighter set. At this point you will have probably spent more than the bike cost new. Still not satisfied? Replace the fork and rear shock (in that order). By now you will have realized that buying a better bike would have been cheaper than swapping parts... and you are still stuck with a heavy frame.

Answer 2

It would be difficult to lighten up your bike without spending a lot of $$$. Most everything is heavy on it including the frame. About the only somewhat cheap thing you can do is get lighter tires. Almost any good light weight part is expensive. Especially wheels and forks and these two items would cost more than your bike new. Selling your bike and buying a new one would be cheaper.

Answer 3

you cant really lighten it without alot of expense, full suspension bike are naturally heavier and are meant for down hill or level riding they are to take out shock since they do flex they are not good for climbing because alot of the energy you put into the pedals goes into the shock and it is absorbed by the shock if you can and im not familiar with that perticular bike, set you shock on the hardest setting so it wont absorb as much energy if your not doing some serious downhill rides you dont need a fully suspended bike, you have to use more energy than is needed to climb, trust me i ridr 4000 miles a year off road and another 2000 on asphalt i also have raced in norba for 3 years

Answer 4

Probably different tires. Most tires might weight around 700-800 grm each, but there are some that are like 500. This is rotational mass and it's very important.

Answer 5

Does the 4.2 have a lockout on the rear suspension.....full suspension bikes are harder to get uphill with...locking out the suspension should help you until you get to the dowhill

Answer 6

Go on a diet? Hee Hee. Seriously strip it of low speck gear and put XTR, or better speck that will lose a lot of weight but it is also expensive. Good Luck

Answer 7

iron horse makes krapy xc bikes they are hard to upgrade and if you do the parts are krap ,it is also imposable to lighten a bike significantly without spending at least 1000 dollars,try santa cruz super light just under 16 pounds.