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Inexpensive all-mountain bikes now weigh 1.5 kilos more than in 2017
In our Comparison test of all-mountain bikes for beginners in BIKE 2/2017 In the past, inexpensive mountain bike fullys with a wide range of uses weighed an average of 14.33 kilos ready to ride. All bikes in the comparison group cost less than 3000 euros. Six years later, the same test field: Once again, full-suspension entry-level bikes from the major manufacturers Canyon, Focus, Giant, Rose and Specialized are included (test in BIKE 3/2023). The full-suspension mountain bikes with around 150 millimetres of travel have the same model names and are aimed at the same area of use, namely maximum downhill fun and touring suitability at the same time. All-mountain bikers now have to pay a little more for an affordable fully. However, at 3000 to 3300 euros, the bikes are still affordable for most mountain bikers and have not really become more expensive in view of inflation over the last six years. The big surprise comes on the scales in the BIKE test lab: on average, the affordable MTB fullys now weigh an impressive 15.81 kilograms including pedals.
Inexpensive mountain bike fullys have gained 250 grams per year
Where is the pain threshold for an all-mountain bike up to a maximum of 3300 euros? At 16 kilos ready to ride? In this case, with Canyon, Focus and YT, half of the test bikes from BIKE 03/23 really hurt - even in a double sense on steep ramps. Today, affordable, downhill-strong mountain bike fullys already come into weight classes of Light e-mountainbikes before - without an e-bike motor, mind you! 2017 was the Rose Root Miller 2 the heaviest bike in the Test. Six years later, it is the lightest MTB fully in the comparison group under 3300 euros. In 2023, affordable all-mountain bikes are on average 1.5 kilos heavier than in 2017, meaning they have gained an average of 250 grams per year.
Is a heavy mountain bike fully automatically bad?
If you're not just looking for a bike for shuttle descents and bike park visits, but want to pedal up to the trailhead under your own steam, you'll benefit from a lightweight mountain bike. Especially on steep ramps and extended MTB tours, the excess weight of a heavy mountain bike really takes its toll. Even on flat or hilly terrain, a high bike weight disrupts the flow of the ride, as a full-suspension bike can quickly become sluggish on flat terrain from around 14.5 kilos. The extra pounds come at the expense of acceleration, agility and, last but not least, riding enjoyment.
Of course, the importance of mountain bike weight depends on the area of use. A heavy race fully is a no-go and is penalised accordingly in the points system of the BIKE tests. For enduro MTBs and downhill bikes, weight is of secondary importance for most riders. Supported by gravity, downhill performance is what counts most. All mountain bikes and trail bikes in particular have to offer a good compromise between touring suitability and performance on the trail. Light all-mountain bikes can be better than heavy ones, but they don't have to be. We have to take up the cudgels for the manufacturers of affordable all-mountain fullys: In 2023, all bikes ride better than in the 2017 test.
Even a heavy MTB fully doesn't have to be a bad climber, provided the other basic conditions are right. A sporty yet comfortable riding position is crucial. Steep seat angles ensure efficient pedalling and, together with a top tube length from 620 millimetres upwards (in size L), a balanced position. With an easy climbing gear, bikers can reach the summit even on a 16-kilo bike. Large gear ranges are therefore a must. The 454 per cent of the Sram NX Eagle, or Sram SX Eagle 1x12 drivetrain, should be the minimum. Better is 510 per cent upwards, as with the Sram GX Eagle drivetrain or the Shimano SLX or Shimano XT drivetrain. A heavy MTB bike will only pedal efficiently with a drive-neutral rear triangle. If the excess weight is accompanied by a constantly bobbing rear shock, the energy quickly dissipates in the suspension. Shocks with switchable platform damping can calm bobbing rear ends.
Why are current mountain bikes so heavy?
Critically speaking, the weight gain in the all-mountain sector is comparable to a man who once weighed 80 kilos weighing 88.4 kilos six years later. In humans, the question arises: is the extra weight due to fat or is it muscle, which weighs more but also promises more power? The situation is similar with cheap mountain bike fullys. It is worth taking a closer look at where the extra 1.5 kilos have been invested. Can bikes still be sporty after a weight gain of over 10 per cent, have they gained other qualities or have they simply degenerated into chubby obesity patients?
Extra weight on affordable all-mountain bikes: the aluminium frame
Inexpensive full-suspension mountain bikes in particular suffer from excess weight, even without an electric motor. All-mountain bikes weighing around 14.5 kilos now often cost 5000 euros and more. For the Scott Genius 900 Ultimate (suspension travel 160 millimetres front and rear / weight including pedals 13, 15 kilos), for example, are priced at a hefty 11999 euros. In the price range around 3000 euros, you will only find fullys with aluminium frames. While the massive metal frame of the Focus Jam is only around 450 grams heavier than the carbon counterpartthe aluminium frame of the Canyon Spectral 29 weighs around 900 grams more than the carbon fibre frame. YT's aluminium frame weighs around 700 grams more. The difference between the aluminium and carbon versions of the Specialized Stumpjumper is around 1.2 kilos on the frame, but also at least 1100 euros for the complete bike. Lightweight mountain bikes can also be built from aluminium. However, this requires a significantly higher development effort for good riding performance. This costs manufacturers a lot of money, which is not always included in the budget for entry-level full-suspension bikes.
Additional weight on affordable all-mountain bikes: add-on parts
Our all-mountain test of the 2023 generation shows: Even inexpensive MTB fullys with aluminium frames are good. However, the frames of the Rose Root Miller and the YT Jeffsy made of aluminium last updated in 2020. Not every manufacturer offers the latest technology for a small price. This does not mean that bikes with slightly older technology have to ride worse - quite the opposite! However, the example shows that manufacturers of cheaper and heavier all-mountain bikes save costs in development work. The manufacturers have also adapted add-on parts to match the downhill characteristics of the current generation of touring bikes. For example, wide handlebars of around 780 millimetres are now standard on mountain bikes with 150 millimetres of suspension travel. Compared to 2023 and 2017, longer frames and larger, more stable add-on parts account for an increase in weight of approx. 400 grammes.
Additional weight on affordable all-mountain bikes: suspension fork and rear shock
With their modern geometries, the latest mountain bikes across almost all categories offer more fun on the downhill. Flatter head angles and longer main frames allow more speed downhill and increase the feeling of safety. It goes without saying that the equipment of modern bikes has to keep up. Almost all manufacturers of all-mountain bikes now rely on Suspension forks with a diameter of 35 or 36 millimetres on the stanchions. This provides more stiffness at the front and improved steering precision, even at high speeds. Compared to the forks with 34 or even 32 millimetre stanchions that used to be common on all-mountain bikes, this is a significant gain in performance, but also an additional cost of about 200 grammes on the scales. On downhill-orientated bikes, such as the Canyon Spectral or the YT Jeffsy, there are shocks with an external reservoir. Thanks to their larger oil volume, these "piggybacks" ensure slower heating of the shock and more consistent damping performance on long descents. The larger dampers weigh even more about 200 grammes more.
Additional weight on affordable all-mountain bikes: tyres, brakes and gears
Almost all current all-mountain bikes roll on large 29-inch wheels Wheels. These promise improved rollover characteristics with uncomplicated handling thanks to modern geometries. This means you are happy to accept the extra weight compared to 27.5 or even 26 inch wheels. However, a large part of the extra pounds in rotating mass is not accounted for by the wheels themselves, but by the tyres, brake discs and cassettes. Today, all-mountain tyres, such as the Maxxis Minion DHF and Maxxis Minion DHR widely used in the bike test in BIKE 3/2023, are at least 2.3 inches wide. Many manufacturers even rely on 2.4 or 2.5 inch wide tyres. The current all-mountain tyres have more grip and, above all, better puncture protection than was the case in 2017. Wide tyres Twelve-speed drives require large cassettes. The MTB drivetrains in the lower price categories in particular, such as the Shimano SLX or Sram NX Eagle, are significantly heavier than the smaller cassettes of the old 11-speed or 10-speed drivetrains with front derailleur. More downhill speed requires powerful but heavy four-piston brakes and large brake discs with a diameter of 180 or 200 millimetres. Around 700 grams complete wheelsets in affordable all-mountain bikes will weigh more in 2023 than they did six years ago.
Jan Timmermann
Editor
