Carbon Decisions

what carbon parts would you go for if you wanted to build as light as possible not including frame ?

fork
seatpost
bottlecage
shoes

in terms of general upgrades, it's always best to go with wheels - it's rotational momentum and saving a few grams there can be equivalent to saving a few dozen grams other places. the only time you really want heavier wheels is during a tt, points race, or something long and drawnout where it helps to have more rotational momentum pushing you forward.
on that note, after wheels, cranks are the next best upgrade.
carbon stem, handlebars, and seatpost are usually less about saving weight and more about comfort/fit.

for an expensive build what carbon crankset would you suggest ?

Carbon's not always ligher than alu. Modified alu parts can be lighter still.. but if you want light:
http://weightweenies.starbike.com/articles.php?ID=21

Bicycle Fibre for an expensive build what carbon crankset would you suggest ?

Expensive build of what?

like top end stuff ?

Yeah, but are we talking ss mtb, fixed for track racing, street fixed, etc??

street fixed luxury item not for getting from a to b special rides ?

Wheels
Cassette
Crankset

Go for the stuff that moves the most (it effectively weighs more the faster it moves) and resembles solid chunks of metal.

There are things that are almost pointless to replace out, such as the handlebars where there is very little weight loss to be made.

You can't really go wrong with THM-Carbones Clavicula cranks as far as carbon cranks go. But if you prefer a more classical look go for the Campagnolo Record ones.

Tune do Titanium cassettes. You can always get those from Campagnolo too.

Wheels, you would be hardpressed to beat Ada or Lightweight wheels.

That'd be nice. Carbon components all over the shop. Could you modify current Record cranks to be single ring? That might be something to look at.

Just looked and it seems possible. I think that'd be the only way to get a carbon fibre crank. To get a road one and take off the inner ring.

building from scratch so will prob buy mostly carbon just to be a dick about it .

How about being a dick about it with this?

Deda Alanera (380g)

Oooh this bike could turn out a real peach with the right parts

Just realised Velocity Boys post about the handlebars. But don't they just look so damn cool?

its a mercian frame, pure brilliant white.

I get a lot of my weight weenie stuff from http://www.b-t-p.de/B-T-P_Team/b-t-p_team1.html

My current build is heading towards 14lb - but if you have the money, time, research, anally obsessive attention to detail and a Dremel™, it is not difficult to hit 10-12 lb.

Don't forget to shave off another quarter of a pound with titanium and alloy bolts, Nokon (or alligator) outers, powercordz cables and endless details like extralite™s expander plug and some uber rare M2 stuff like seatpost clamp and pedals.

Like Hippy said, carbon is often not the lightest stuff, for example if you look at the seatposts below and compare like for like, the USE Alien post in aluminum is lighter than the same sized/length/designed post in carbon.

For handle bars you won't get any lighter than Schmolke (carbon in this instance!)

http://img230.imageshack.us/img230/3899/weightsdr0.jpg

http://www.poshbikes.com

dt http://www.poshbikes.com

£490 for a saddle and seatpost http://www.poshbikes.com/product.php?id=265

dogsballs [quote]dt http://www.poshbikes.com

£490 for a saddle and seatpost http://www.poshbikes.com/product.php?id=265[/quote]i dont think ill be going that expencive.

i wouldn't trust carbon handlebars, looking at the pro tour bikes it was surprising to see mostly mid-top range ally stuff being used. the deda bars i have are only 200g and cost £40-£50 carbon bars don't weigh much less but cost 4 times the price.
evidently those who pick my bike up say it's light, i don't know how much it weighs and it was never meant to be weightweenie bike but open pro's instead of heavy deep-v's, carbon post, light drops not heavy mtb risers, all contribute to it's lightness.

i would have thought a modern external bb crankset would save a lot of weight but i don't think a track one exists? maybe a ti square taper bb would save a fair bit?

MrSmith i would have thought a modern external bb crankset would save a lot of weight but i don't think a track one exists? maybe a ti square taper bb would save a fair bit?

I have one. A Specialities TA one. Can't say it makes a difference at all.

As said earlier, wheels are where you go to shave weight.

yeah you could also shed a few pounds and ride a little more... i think the carbon/weight thing is a cop-out.

MrSmith i would have thought a modern external bb crankset would save a lot of weight but i don't think a track one exists? maybe a ti square taper bb would save a fair bit?

Here is my TUNE AC38 Ti bb at 156g - by comparison I have a Hatta R9400 steel BB (pretty much the same as Sugino's BB) which comes in at 324g.

I wouldn't recommend a Ti BB for fixed, it is pretty noodly, visibly flexed under power, enough to throw your chain under extreme loading.

P.S. Tune AC38 Titanium BB for sale !

Shinscar yeah you could also shed a few pounds and ride a little more... i think the carbon/weight thing is a cop-out.

Or just have a good shit in the morning and trim your hair.