open 0.10 sub 8kg hardtail

[Wayne pudding Mol]

When I started this build it was always about a very light hardtail that was user friendly. In other words a proper mountain bike although it's function for me is mainly gravel. I worked out that if I had kept all the parts on that I tried, the bike would weigh 7.35. But my bum vetoed the ax lightness saddle which went to uksaffas sub 5 cannondale hillclimber and one or two other items just didn't work for me. I was happy at a weenie bit over 7.5 but was finding corners and downhills plain scary. Asked and received some good advice and this week tossed the1.9 sworks renegades in favour of a 2.3 front and 2.1 rear spaz fast traks. Now the Open is a chubby 7.85 but after a nice longish ride today, I can confirm that weight just isn't everything. The bike is so much more stable, flies downhill and I honestly couldn't feel any negative impact part from maybe on tar.

 

Now just the creaking BB to sort out which isn't simple in this case. It's a rare BBright with the Clavicula M3 crank. I have purchased an alternate enduro BB from Open in case the noise doesn't go away and will fit and eagle crank/chainring if need be. This would be last resort as the light M3 looks the business, is super light and is the costliest item on the bike. It doesn't deserve to be in the spare parts bin. But the creaking !

 

New parts pictured - schmolke seatpost 99 grams - could be a lot less but they ask your weight when you purchase and at 95, this is what you get. New trick stuff rotors, 68grams each.

[Captain Fastbastard Mayhem]

Awesome! Glad the Fast Traks are working out for you. 

[UK-Saffa]

Looks great, and that Schmolke stuff

 

Regarding the creak, is the crank cap on the NDside tight? Been reading a lot about THM cranks creaking recently on WeightWeenies, and a fix on one particular cannondale was to apply a touch of thread lock on the crank cap.

[V18]

This bike makes me djass

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Looks great, and that Schmolke stuff

 

Regarding the creak, is the crank cap on the NDside tight? Been reading a lot about THM cranks creaking recently on WeightWeenies, and a fix on one particular cannondale was to apply a touch of thread lock on the crank cap.

I have tried all sorts - because the bike and cranks are so light, I think the creak is flex  - I'm at the heavy end of what this bike can take - I think its top end is 95 and that's me.  Even in racing snake guise I'm 90 - Stripping the BB and crank one more time this weekend otherwise I live with it or change to XX1 - extra grams and possible silence - meanwhile, next project, my gravel monster awaits all the leftover parts like the lauf fork.....

[Steven Knoetze (sk27)]

That open is begging for some tan walled Onza tyres.........

It is a nice build, would never work for me but I can appreciate the effort and research in chasing the ever changing goal.......

Sub 7kg possible if money was no problem???

[Wayne pudding Mol]

That open is begging for some tan walled Onza tyres.........

It is a nice build, would never work for me but I can appreciate the effort and research in chasing the ever changing goal.......

Sub 7kg possible if money was no problem???

I have Onza skinwalls on my Pyga but they are a little heavier than these - sub 7 easy enough if you don't want to be comfortable - this is a bike anyone can go and throw around without worrying about stuff breaking. I had it at 7.35 but couldn't corner or go downhill - I'm sh*t enough without further handicapping myself.

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Very loosely connected to my original thread - in my weight weenie madness I ended up with a lot of spare parts. Basically the parts I had in a box for the Open project before the insanity took control.  

 

I bought this frame super cheap on the hub and had it resprayed and repaired by carbon bicycle repairs in Durbanville once again - They also fixed the wheels purchased on the hub (never buy wheels without inspecting them) The stem and bars need sorting but I will set it up properly after I take it for a ride tomorrow

 

I have never ridden a Lauf fork so that will be interesting too

[Wayne pudding Mol]

Building this bike left me with a lot of spare parts as I spent most of 2018 spending 2019 through to 2021s bike budget.  What to do with spare parts?  Trawl the Hub, find a R2500 beaten up Cannondale frame and have it painted - this is the result

[Wayne pudding Mol]

But, I have been blown away by the Lauf fork - bear in mind that the Open is my gravel bike and I mostly ride gravel - so inevitably this happened...

 

The bike weight has yoyo'd from just below 7.5 to a porky 8.15 - it's now settled on 7.77 which has nice symmetry  - The Lauf is light and has allowed me to get beefier wheels.  

 

Louis at Knipe racing did some fine tuning like getting rid of the crank creak no one else could.  For me this Open is now perfect.  I would like to ride the Swartberg GF on it.  I'm fit enough but I'm a quitter.  The thought of riding up Swartberg pass after 140km in the saddle is daunting.  The longest time ever spent on a bike is just under 6 hours on day 2 of the Sani.  I would have quit but had a partner.  

 

I have entered.......didn't make the start line last year for no reason other that my mental frailty

[Monark]

That is such an epic build. It will glide up the pass. Well done dude.

[Me rida my bicycle]

Building this bike left me with a lot of spare parts as I spent most of 2018 spending 2019 through to 2021s bike budget.  What to do with spare parts?  Trawl the Hub, find a R2500 beaten up Cannondale frame and have it painted - this is the result

you obviously have a much better spares box than me.???????????? Those f29 frames are really comfy and lekker to ride! ????????

[Me rida my bicycle]

But, I have been blown away by the Lauf fork - bear in mind that the Open is my gravel bike and I mostly ride gravel - so inevitably this happened...

 

The bike weight has yoyo'd from just below 7.5 to a porky 8.15 - it's now settled on 7.77 which has nice symmetry  - The Lauf is light and has allowed me to get beefier wheels.  

 

Louis at Knipe racing did some fine tuning like getting rid of the crank creak no one else could.  For me this Open is now perfect.  I would like to ride the Swartberg GF on it.  I'm fit enough but I'm a quitter.  The thought of riding up Swartberg pass after 140km in the saddle is daunting.  The longest time ever spent on a bike is just under 6 hours on day 2 of the Sani.  I would have quit but had a partner.  

 

I have entered.......didn't make the start line last year for no reason other that my mental frailty

drooled over this at Louis shop. What do you weigh and how do you find the fork?

Saw its the normal 1 not the light so guessing your over 65kg? Isn't it very bouncy?

[Wayne pudding Mol]

drooled over this at Louis shop. What do you weigh and how do you find the fork?

Saw its the normal 1 not the light so guessing your over 65kg? Isn't it very bouncy?

Very rude question I weigh 95, yes I could be 5kgs lighter but I'm not giving up beer and I love cooking and someone has to eat it!

[Wayne pudding Mol]

That F29 frame is great, thanks for that info, I really didn't know what frame I bought, it was cheap and light and I sent it directly from seller to Carbon Bicycle Repairs in Durbanville for a new coat of paint - it's on it's way to Louis today - the spares story goes like this....was building the Open and then kept upgrading the parts - all of a sudden I'm broke because I've upgraded everything.  

Regarding the TR29 Lauf fork - I haven't and probably won't try it on a trail, but on gravel, no matter how rutted,  its incredible.  So good in fact that it feels better on gravel than my Stepcast 100 or the shock it replaced, the German A xcite.

[Hairy]

I have some new upgrades but that's not the reason for this post - The Open is terrifying downhill and particularly on corners - despite my 90kgs pushing the rubber onto the gravel, its a tad dangerous and I'm thinking tyre choice could be the reason and I need help  - no doubt I'm opening myself up for a plethora of opinion but hopefully someone will make sense - Currently it rolling on SWorks renegade 1.9s - bear in mind this is a gravel bike that does very little technical terrain.  These roll fast, weigh zip and this thing climbs like a mountain goat despite the jockey.  

I need to compromise a little because a crash is imminent - remember weight is important here - I can spare a few extra grams as its now 7.5 due to German ingenuity like a 98 gram Schmolke seatpost and a set of rotors at 68 grams each from trickstuff

 

 

Awesome! Glad the Fast Traks are working out for you. 

I was 100% convinced you were going to recommend a Magic Mary in supergravity casing