The Best Weight Saving Hacks For Bikes! | GCN Tech Show Ep. 254
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- Опубліковано 7 лют 2025
- Last week Ollie was at the national hillclimb championships, where he not only took part in the race, but also spied out some of the best weight weenie bike tech around! Alex and Ollie delve into the details of it, as well as looking at the power data of Andrew Feather's monster winning time!
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What's the best weight saving tech you've seen? Let us know in the comments below!👇
best weight savings tech is def. no girl friend. you usually drop a stone.
removing the lever from the thru axle
@@ClaviculaNotoria haha, best answer.
Where to begin?? I have a Cannondale six13 weighing 5.5 kg and I have almost gone through all bits on that bike to save weight, except removing the paint, it's just too beautiful as is.
Take a pre-ride shit
I do hope we are going to see a GCN video of Ollie at this championship, brilliant to see Ollie blasting it and having the credit he deserves
Damn Ollie! To be that competitive with Mr. Feather, having a time and power output within the realm, is astonishing! Well done!
Alex and Ollie, I don't think I have seen the two of you with more passion in a segment than this one. Carry on gentleman. Ride to the level of your smile.
As a climber and weight weenie I really enjoyed this GCN Tech show. Ed Laverack is a good friend of mine. A solid 5th and his disc break Factor bike was above 6kg. Mega performance from Feather and a great ride too Ollie.
Glad you enjoyed it Ethan! It was a great day out 🙌
@@gcntech If it wasn’t as far away I’d have been there myself.
@@ethangodridge6833 Would you of raced? 🤔
@@gcntech Yes. I’m better suited to longer climbs but nationals is an event you can’t miss if you can go.
I always enjoy the hill climb season with all the different bike builds! The ingenuity and creativity of these competitor's is simply amazing!
So much fun ogling at all the crazy builds 👀
The mystery brakes (25:19) are KCNC CB3 Road Angle Calipers and I have a pair of KCNC CB4's on one of my bicycles and I Love them. They weigh 170g for the pair.
Are those red rubber bands used as return springs?
They sounds great! 🙌
Thanks to Ollie for making the trip up for us to have this insight from the tech and aero gurus!! Amazing to see such an array of bikes in the top 10 of both the male and female field...especially Illi, not only Everest Holder, British Champ but also the Sa Calobra QOM holder this week!! Congrats to you guys of course at Team Andy! I've heard this 8wkg bounced around a lot over the last few days though. Bell did somewhere in the region of 7.5wkg and I did bang on 7.5 until the wheels came off with 300m to go but we were level pegging up until that point with the Featherweight, small plug to my analysis video on my channel :)
Thanks for commenting Ed! It was a great day out and some amazing riding, Including yourself 🙌 Will you be back for more next year? 🤔
@@gcntech Of Course!
And then Feather just decided to whack it at 600W for the last 300m 🤯
I was a massive fan of the John Canning / Ollie combo and I struggled a bit once John moved behind the camera. Today's episode finally put that to rest. The chat between Alex and Ollie about the hill climb tech was fluid, came across as unscripted and really showed your passion for cycling and bike tech. Great work guys (still luv ya, John).
Glad we could win you round! These two are a great combo, Cannings is still pulling the strings behind the scenes! 👀
Awesome episode lads. Just raw enthusiasm for a classic, grass roots event. It’s what it’s all about.
We're are very lucky to these events 🙌
Ollie continues to impress, such a beast.
What an amazing Tech Show! the rapport was top! And yes, both of you to the national hill climb champs next year, please!
The challenge has been set 🙌
Also could do a shorter one in the lead up, so Alex is in the game. Monsal is always great, first weekend of October!
I think one of the pleasures of bikes is their simplicity and ability to personalise. Unfortunately over the past few years there has been an increase complexity and decrease in the ability to customise. (also a ridiculous increase in associated cost). There is something very pure about trying to cycle up a hill/mountain as fast as you can and likewise working on your own bike to achieve that. I know you showed some more exotic bikes but it is possible to get a very light bike at a relatively low cost at least compared to the current price of higher end road bikes. I hope events like these become more and more popular and perhaps manufacturers will respond by providing some greater choice than is currently the case. Thank you for a great video.
Love the witty and wisecracking repartee between Ollie and Alex, more of this! 😄😄
Ditch the bar tape and front derailleur, flat bar, bare carbon, removing most of the rear cassette, ceramic bearings (only for the 1 ride), dyneema spokes, absolute minimum spokes on front wheel, polyurethane tubes, lots of extra spoke holes drilled, shorten the chain down to the minimum that you can use with gearing, very worn tyres (or at least front tyre), remove bottle cages and bolts, no power meter, remove any excess length on the seat stem, lightweight hubs etc. Maybe 650c rather than 700c wheels.
Short lightweight socks or potentially ditch them for the 5 minute ride, absolutely lightest kit that you can find, lightweight helmet, no hydration for a while before the race.
Nice ideas...I made a 1X road bike out of my 25 year old steel framed bike...fitted titanium skewers /bolts, removed mudguard mounts..some drillium...used lightest parts I can afford...(..not much.)...and result? 12kg 😄😄😄
Great to see my old haunt on the show. I used to do that climb regularly, though not at pace! Would do a nice long ride first, then climb the hill, sausage egg and chips in the cafe at the top, then roll back home to Llangollen at the bottom of the hill. Will have to head out there again; it's been a few years.
Sounds like a great loop! Alex might of taken on the race if he new there was dinner at the end 🤣
The brake calipers mentioned at 25:18 are KCNC CB4
CB3’s
cheers mate!
Ollie talking about tech stuff, like a child talking about cakes. I don't understand much of what he's saying, but I'd watch him for hours just for the genuine enthusiasm 🙂😍
Hahaha once he's off there is no stopping him. 😃
@@gcntech True. He's so sweet 🙂
We love our Zed wheels. Brilliant brand and a top bloke who builds them. We have 2 sets on the eldests cross bikes
Until a few weeks ago, my To Do List as a beginner (2 years) cyclist from Belgium was limited to bikepacking trips and going up famous mountains (crossed the Mont Ventoux, Grand Ballon and the Super Planche des Belles Filles out that list this summer)...
Taking part to a HC race is now added to that list. The mood there seems so fun!
I was so disappointed there isn't apparently any in Belgium despite excellent candidates like La Redoute... I guess a trip to UK is coming. Thanks for the great vids as always !
You can enter any Type B event (called club events) but for Type A events (open events) you need to be a member of a CTT-affiliated club. Affiliation is only £30 a year and non-U.K. clubs are welcome so you can just ask your home club in Belgium to affiliate and wear your jersey with pride in U.K. time trials 😊
Thank you for a superb episode. I loved the lightweight bikes.
thanks pal! glad you enjoyed
That was my Synapse at 33:35. Don't agree it's a triathlon lunchbox. It's got top tube bolts for a reason, so you can easily access your phone, snacks etc.. Agree about the topeak stand being ugly and maybe the angle the photo as taken. Will try again. :)
Great coverage of the National Hill Climb!! 👏👏👏 I too was crushed like a pea under a big boy's shoe that the LiteSpeed titanium bike did not receive the BELL DROP last week. 😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫
Ollie, sign-up for the Red Bull Hillclimb here in the San Francisco area! Do it!
Sounds great 🙌
Zed wheels are ace, Lee makes some great wheels, I have a set of 44mm deep on my bike. Absolutely love them, super light too 😀
They sounds great 🙌
Fantastic episode, thanks! The calipers at 25:20 are the KCNC CB3 Road ANGLE brakes. I see the set on Amazon for $275 USD
As we know. Andrew Feather is THE Beast... Chapeau. Chapeau.
#GCNTech - although more specific for the main channel, but this is about climbing. Now Ollie is turning into a strong rider, why not make something similar to the TT challenge? We want to see Ollie with a chance of being the one dropping and not getting dropped :)
Definitely do the Hillclimb Championships. It would be great to see a stage-by-stage bike build for the event and maybe both Ollie and Alex can enter next year. Would make great GCN content.
I absolutely loved your enthusiam, particularly Ollie's for the hill climbs and light weights. It almost made me want to have a go, but I would probably take about half an hour which would sort of take the gloss off!
Do it, it's you vs the hill and a stop watch. It doesn't matter if you are at the sharp end or not, everyone is encouraging.
Thanks for sharing your passion for hill climbing. Inspired!
Ollie is a beast!
@gcn tech - the last bike has KCNC CB4 Hill Climb calipers. It had Titanium skewers as well. KCNC makes great Ti and Alloy parts that are machined to perfection. A good competition to brands who make bling lightweight stuff.
Did you use those yourself?
@@BennoSattler no I’m just very familiar with the Second hand/Asia market. I have a full Sram Red build on a Taiwan open mold that weighs 14.6 pounds with mounts and pedals. Aero wheels and all. Only cost $950 to build
@@BennoSattler they’re supposedly ok but only fit a max 25 tire
CB3’s
Been weight weenieing my serotta ottrott on the cheap into a bit of a hill climb bike , but with trying to keep it a bike you can ride not just up hill , would like to try some hill climb events next year looks great fun
I’ve fulfilled a dream today and made it on the GCN tech show. Me in the background at 22:59 😂
Love the personalized artwork on Rebecca Richardson's bike
Looks so cool 🙌
Loved that look at the hill climb nationals. I was there with my normal bike, but I did try and strip it down, so, bottle cages, front mech, big ring come off and for the last day of the season also the bar tape. Unfortunately, my chain dropped before the last ramp (maybe need to invest in a narrow wide ring), so race ruined after training from early summer! See you on the struggle next year.
let's do it!
I think the entire GCN team should enter the hill climb competition next year. 😃😃
make this the top comment please
YES
Best show for a long while, well done gentlemen
Ollie mentioning that he had a 36x30 on his bike, reminded me that when I was still racing, I would do a fast group ride that had a steep 1km 20% hill before the regroup point. I was always the last one up the hill because I used my race gears to do it. A 39x23. The rest of the training ride was big ring flat.
Speaking of hill climbs, I really would love to see Ollie or Hank take on the Pittsburgh Dirty Dozen in Pittsburgh, PA USA
"The Best Weight Saving Hacks For Bikes!"
Drillium enters the chat, sees Carbon, immediately turns around and sees his way to the door!
5.8w/kg from Ollie is very impressive! Would have absolutely smoked 2019 Ollie who I'm guessing would have been around 5.1w/kg. I've always had a lot of fun swapping out components, and getting the weight of my stock bikes down.
Last week it was "speed holes' and this week missing the Hank Scorpio user name drop. Gentlemen you have got to watch more of The Simpsons!
25:16 those are from kcnc a thaiwanese cnc specialist. I have a seatpost from them and it is 140g for 80€ so not only cheaper cheaper but lighter than thm, beast, tune and other very expensice parts.
That was a funny quip, Ollie, triathlon lunch box on the top tube.
He's a quick chap 🤣
Nice to see Alex fired up about lightweight tech, which we recall he prefers over aero from the Oct 29 2020 GCN Tech Show 🤣
@ 25:00 its a Cervelo R3sl and its got KCNC CB3 brakes.
First!
Not really...
Cheat.... :)
Absolute love the hill climb chat! 🎉
We love chatting hill climbs, some great tech behind every rider 🙌
Z wheels. I have a set on my gravel bike. The two guys are ace and the wheels are superb. £900 got me a pair of on point gravel wheels, SRAM eagle hub and lefty front hub. Would easily recommend. Nice coffee too.
The best GCN Tech show ever 😎
Those brakes are KCNC.
Lighter than EE brakes and have better bites feels!
18:00 kind of like Phil Gaimon at the Mt. Washington. At least Feather wasn't injured.
Only the Brits could have a national hill climb competition that is only 1.5km long 😅.
GCN has a lightweight 1x drivetrain tandem….. Ollie and Alex need to write the next chapter in this bike’s journey on the struggle next year! You could have a mini race a month beforehand to decide who gets to be stoker/captain…
Got a great photo of you at the start oli of the hil clmb champs.. fk me best weekend of the year that was !! Big ups eddy laverak
Wow! 4.9kgs for that Aethos with vhe cool paint job! One thing I've noticed at races where I've helped lift a few bikes over the barriers into the starting shoot, is how lightweight some of the the xtra small bikes are of some of the very small female riders. Obviously well under 6.8kgs even without the handlebars cut off.
31:58 - "How would you describe the colour of the front" - It is Orange like the GCN logo behind you guys :D
We have a cat and she has been “trained” to come for her food by ringing a souvenir cow bell purchased in Bourg St Maurice. She was going quite bonkers listening to tge bike vault today!
Oli telling us he's colour blind is kind of a game changer. From now on, every time Oli's going to say he's digging a paint job, I'm going to wonder 'which one, the actual colour or de 'colour blind' version?'.
It explains some of his office fashion choices too 😬
I don't know about the frame but the calipers at 24:24 are KCNC CB4 "HILL" brakes. They are really bad and flex like hell, but as the name suggests they really only exist for this purpose.
Decent effort Ollie my mate won the Vet 55 you weren’t far behind him and he can climb for an old guy🤫
The Scott was an uber nice 👍
Agreed!
It's these 'hardcore' members of the cycling community who keep the sport interesting and well supported.
2:13 GCN editors, next time you should show a few seconds clip of the video
You all need to come to Colorado and climb Pikes Peak.
those mysterious brakes are KCNC CB3 or CB4...was searching for new brakes for my fix but one of those costs as much as the bike it would be put on
In my experience, you can relax. I had those exact ones in black.
And they flex so much that they made scraping noises and took their own anodising off. And they have poor braking performance still. Two pairs went back on warranty.
I went with Fouriers then (not affiliated) at 210 grams/pair, and those work as well as DuraAce 9100 rim for example.
Love the show! Planning my first Gran Fondo next year and looking to buy a bike for training over the winter. If you could build a bespoke bike for a hilly long ride (cause ... I can:-), what would you select?
Oh that's one to mull over! Ollie's Hill climb Canyon Ultimate was pretty special 🙌
I love the niche British cycling scene. I’m amazed you guys haven’t tried to ‘kill’ a presenter on the iconic 3 Peaks Cyclocross race though…. That could be a fabulous series or GCN+ epic film
we have! oscar and si did it a few years back!
The brakes are from a Taiwanese company called Kcnc.
GCN+ doing a whole documentary of 2023 British Hill Climb Season.
Paul Roselle rode all four routes up Mont Ventoux on a fixed gear (I believe an IRO Mk. V).
10:02 he was about to say "triathlon . . ." then remembers he hates us!
Someone said our name 👀
Do you expend more energy on a climb while seated or out of the saddle?
#gcntech
I think that bike is a early Cervelo R with the 3T forks
I was thinking a Cervelo R3SL. Old style Squoval downtube and the super thin chainstays. #gcntech
The whole GCN team should do the hill climb
The Rim brakes you are looking are KCNC CB3
I could be wrong, but that guy Ollie looks just like a guy on GCN!🤔
Congrats, Ollie, for being in the hot seat for two minutes. Hope it wasn't too hot. 😀
He isn't going to let that one go 👀
I love how bike vault rules change week to week along with the presenters. Best way to get a Supernice is to submit on a week Hank is there.
Fun presentation
Yay, I made comments of the week!
My nanosecond of fame.
what is the chinese frame at 9:40 - maybe winspace?
Positively Thinking of the lube the tubes video, is there going to be a second take with teflon nano ceramic grease ?
Although in real life a slow puncture would not equate to a slow fall with that one. 🙀
Thank you for the consistency in upbeat, we all know internet can be a weird place, thank you for making it a positive, nice and fun channel
The light bike with the paint scrubbed off is a Cervelo RC-A
Don't tell the UCI that I use aero bars in a gravel race recently. I feel like there going to knock my my door down any minute
Better watch your back 👀
Well congratulations to André Plume et Thomas Cloche, as well as Olivier Bois de Pont, ofc :)
What’s the white on Ollie’s hoody! I’ve been messing with tubeless 😂 honest 🤣🤣 no worries your only on UA-cam we have no others at GCN 🤦♂️
Only positive comments from me! Good job guys 👍
Great video ! But I can’t stop looking at Ollie’s watch , why is the band over the face ?
The bike that you asked what the brand is. Haven't a clue. But the brakes are KCNC CB4
25:19 KCNC makes those - stay away. Tbey flex in use and then scrape their own anodising off, design fail right there. Check the Fouriers forged calipers if you want light with BITE. (210 grams / pair).
For me (60kg/132lb), a pair of properly set up Zero Gravity (0G 05) is sufficient, by using alloy screws and shortening the brake shoe holders, they come down to 170 grams/pair. Before, I had two single pivot Campy Veloce skeleton brakes, by using titanium screws as brake bolts, titanium brake cable holders, lightweight brake shoe holders (for shimano brakes, I had to make additional spacers of carbon fiber) and an alloy brake spring holder, they come down to 200 grams/pair.
wouldn't a fixed gear drivetrain be the most efficient as well as the lightest ? my experience with living in a hilly city and riding fixed is that fixies are absolutely amazing at climbing - it's the long descents that you gotta be prepared/capable for ;)
Yep - There’s isn’t a drivetrain more efficient than a single speed, and with a fixed gear there’s also no delay from the hub engagement. If you get the gear right for a given climb you’re sorted*. I wonder how many geared set-ups stayed in the same sprocket anyway.
*Of course as Ollie says, the gradient needs to (ideally) stay as consistent as possible.
As a lifelong gear-head, the components & weight-savings techniques of the hill climb bikes are interesting, but my favorite part of racing is going up hill and would love to see the bikes normalized so that it all about the climbing technique of the rider not the equipment. I'm thinking something like the IROC series of auto racing where everyone rides the same bike (sponsors!) or weight is added to bikes to make them all the same weight at the starting line. The latter would make gear selection easier. Also I've hear y'all mention in this video & in past videos that 34T is the smallest chainring you can put on road cranks (assume you are referring to 110 BCD). I can assure you that you can fit a 33T, as I'm sporting one on my new 105 cranks (4 bolt) and had one on my older 5 bolt FC-R700 crankset that was just replaced.
May be a stupid question , butWHY are there “front” brakes or ANY brakes ona uphill race ?????
Can we also get a hill climb only Bike vault edition. Front and rear light attached mandatory!
I went to college with Sam Darnold. And yes, Ollie does look like KMag
He got his eyebrow Back!!!!
I reckon then paint stripped bike was a Btwin