Weapon X: 9lb Light Bike Build

Triathlon bike gear is primarily concerned with aerodynamics, usability, and user-friendly adjustment. But now and again, even the staunchest physicist can get the itch to venture into weight-weenie territory, no matter how little the potential time savings. Or, if we want to keep our 'logical thinker' hats on, we can devise scenarios in which going full weight-weenie makes sense, like a point-to-point steep uphill time trial. No matter our reasoning, this is our ultralight build, which we are calling Weapon X. The name comes from our original goal to make a bike that would clock in at below ten pounds. And we made it. This glorious 1x build is exceptionally light in weight, but nevertheless completely robust, and just as capable descending the hill as it is floating up it.

But it's the crafting of the thing that is really the end in itself here. There are custom bits absolutely everywhere on this build. How simple, clean, and functional could we make each part? This is not the Mai Light Bike, which was a very fragile thing, and was basically meant to be ridden by a 140lb rider on pancake flat straight roads. Weapon X is meant to be a daily driver, extremely robust and without limits as to where it can go. We wanted to see just how bombproof a 9lb bike could be.

Hit the jump and we will tour you around this very special build.