There is definitely a trend of people running all the heavy things, but I think what will stick is people running a heavier part where they think it counts.
Take rear rims for example. When 30 mm rims became the norm about 5-6 years ago, the rims that came out were both wider and lighter than the narrower rims they replaced (e.g. Flow MK3, ARC 30). The thinner metal resulted in dents if you looked at them wrong. We now have options of ~600 g rims that, for the minor weight penalty, actually look okay after a season. I can’t see myself running a 500 g rear rim any time soon (as someone who doesn’t run inserts). But these heavier rims largely didn’t exist 5 years ago.
These heavier, more durable, better descending parts, which are definitely influenced by both e-bikes and enduro racing, give us the option to optimize where it’s worthwhile.
July 28, 2021, 10:23 p.m. - DMVancouver
There is definitely a trend of people running all the heavy things, but I think what will stick is people running a heavier part where they think it counts. Take rear rims for example. When 30 mm rims became the norm about 5-6 years ago, the rims that came out were both wider and lighter than the narrower rims they replaced (e.g. Flow MK3, ARC 30). The thinner metal resulted in dents if you looked at them wrong. We now have options of ~600 g rims that, for the minor weight penalty, actually look okay after a season. I can’t see myself running a 500 g rear rim any time soon (as someone who doesn’t run inserts). But these heavier rims largely didn’t exist 5 years ago. These heavier, more durable, better descending parts, which are definitely influenced by both e-bikes and enduro racing, give us the option to optimize where it’s worthwhile.