How light can a bicycle be? The UCI has set a minimum weight for racing bikes in international cycling competitions. If one of the racing machines weighs less than 6.8kg, it is not allowed to participate in competitions. Why and how sensible this regulation is, is hotly debated. What is interesting here, however, is that bicycles can be even lighter than 6.8kg. And that is truly not much. But what does a particularly light bicycle bring? And how does it become so light? You will find out here!
The big bicycle manufacturers have been in a tough head-to-head race for years to see who builds the lightest bike. Usually, racing bikes are the focus of weight comparisons because every gram is traditionally haggled over here. But actually, it doesn't matter whether it's a racing bike, a mountain bike, a gravel bike, a city bike, or a trekking bike on the shopping list, more and more cyclists are wishing for a particularly light bicycle. Especially the emergence of "Light E-Bikes" has reignited the discussion about the ideal weight of a bicycle. But why?
Why should a bicycle be light?
A light bicycle has several advantages:
- It is easier to get moving. That means, it gets going with less effort on your part.
- If you like to travel quickly, a light bicycle is also practical, because you can get it up to speed with less legwork.
- Especially on inclines, the weight is noticeable, you literally have it much easier uphill if your bicycle weighs less.
- But not only while you are sitting on it, a light bike is a lot of fun. It is easier to push, lift, and load, and this aspect is particularly interesting for trekking cyclists and everyday riders.
There are studies and various experiments that examine the relationship between weight, speed, incline, and air resistance. Since they experiment with various parameters, they are difficult to compare. Sometimes there is more incline, sometimes a heavier rider, sometimes a lighter bicycle, and so on. Furthermore, they usually take place in the context of professional sports and are therefore of little relevance to us Wald-and-meadow bikers. As a result, you can then read, for example, that about 1kg more on the mountain makes a cyclist about 1% slower, or how many seconds of time gain you can achieve with 590 grams less. In one thing, the test results agree: The heavier the bicycle + rider, the more difficult it becomes. Conversely:
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A light bicycle makes your life easier! |
When is a bicycle considered "light"?
When exactly a bicycle is light cannot be generally determined, it depends, among other things, on the type of bicycle.
"Once without anything, please!" A singlespeed has a lot of style, hardly any equipment, and little weight. Image © Creme Cycles
This is the weight you should expect for a bicycle
- City bike: A fully equipped city bike with a low entry, mudguards, chain cover, and so on can weigh almost 20 kg. Lightweight city bikes, such as singlespeeds and fixies, weigh about half, around +/- 10 kg, although the usual comfort equipment with mudguards and lighting system is often missing!
- Trekking bike: Trekking bikes traditionally have a full range of equipment. They are also built particularly robustly to ensure reliable rolling on longer bike tours and changing terrain. However, since long distances can be tiring with a heavy bike, weight is saved here as well, and a trekking bike can be as light as 12 kilos. Approximately 18 kilos is the upper limit here.
- MTB Hardtail: Hardtails are the lighter mountain bikes, for an aluminum bike you should estimate about 14 to 15 kilos, with a carbon frame it becomes significantly lighter at around 8 kilograms.
- MTB Fully: If you want to ride a fully, you can expect about 12 to 14 kilos of bike. Super-light carbon bikes weigh slightly more than 10 kg, but are also correspondingly expensive.
- Road bike: The lower limit mentioned at the beginning, which the UCI allows for road bikes, is a good guideline. Many road bikes weigh more, between 7 and 10 kilograms is normal. But some bikes are even lighter!
- Gravel bike: Gravel bikes are derived from road bikes, but the relationship with touring bikes is also noticeable. In terms of weight, the popular gravel bikes fall right in the middle, weighing between 8 and 14 kilograms. The equipment makes the difference here.
- E-bikes: E-bikes play in a completely different weight class, but we still want to mention them for comparison. Particularly robust and fully equipped models are close to the 30 kg mark, while extra light versions can even fall below the 15 kg threshold.
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Generally, a bio-bicycle under 15 kilos is considered light. If it weighs less than 10 kilograms, it is particularly light. For an e-bike, a bike is considered particularly light if it weighs under 20 kilos. |
These limits are flexible, they differ for example from manufacturer to manufacturer, from one model year to the next, with different equipment options, and so on. Also important: the frame size and wheel size! Often an average value is given, so a model in size M is weighed and this weight is given for all sizes. Often bicycles are also weighed without pedals or optional equipment such as mudguards, so the bike that arrives with you may be slightly heavier - or even lighter.
Wide tires, powerful suspension, plenty of travel, and lots of fun... but a fully is not light! Image © NS Bikes
This is how a bicycle becomes light
How does a bicycle become lighter? Manufacturers of bicycle frames and components probably ask themselves this question daily. Especially in the road bike sector and around mountain bikes, lighter components are repeatedly released.
There are three approaches to putting a bike on a diet:
- A lighter bicycle frame
- Light components
- What can be omitted?
Steel, aluminum, carbon: Light, lighter, lightest!
You can pay attention when buying to find a particularly light bicycle. It is then made of a light frame material and the lightest possible components. In the past, bicycles were made of steel tubes and thus very durable (and damage could be welded!), but they were also very heavy. It is understandable that bicycle builders went in search of other base materials. From the 1970s, the significantly lighter aluminum bike caused a sensation until it was replaced by carbon as the frame material of choice in the 90s.
The frame material has a major influence on the weight of a bicycle. It also affects the riding characteristics and durability and not least the price. Here is an overview:
The stable heavyweight: A bicycle with a steel frame
Bicycles with steel frames were the starting point, they enabled the bicycle to become mass-compatible. Steel tubes are inexpensive, easy to shape, and very durable - perfect for building a bicycle. They are also not too stiff, so even an unsuspended bicycle becomes quite comfortable, the material brings some "self-damping" with it. But light? Unfortunately not. That's why the majority of bicycles today are made of aluminum. But steel bicycles still exist, and not just with cult vintage bikes! Anyone who wants to buy a particularly robust bicycle buys steel, especially style-conscious fixies and single-speed bikes, urban bikes, gravel bikes, and pack mules like expedition bikes are built on a steel frame.
A bicycle with a steel frame:
- is heavy
- is very robust and durable
- very inexpensive
- allows for slim tube diameters
- has a slight self-damping
A typical steel bike with particularly slim tube diameters. Image © 6KU
Light and inexpensive: the aluminum bicycle
Almost every bicycle today is made of aluminum because aluminum is light, durable, and scores with good stiffness values. It remains robust even under high stress and is not susceptible to weather influences and moisture. An optimal alloy for bicycle construction. It is also inexpensive and easy to process, making aluminum perfect for the mass production of excellent everyday and sports bicycles. From afar, you can recognize aluminum bikes by the fact that they have larger tube diameters than steel bikes, so the frame has enough stability. On the other hand, aluminum allows more leeway in frame design.
A bicycle with an aluminum frame:
- is light
- quite durable
- easy to shape
- inexpensive
Carbon bikes are the lightest
The lightest bikes on the market currently have carbon frames, and components like handlebars or seat posts can also be made of carbon, they are torsionally stiff and feather-light. Carbon fibers give bicycle designers free rein in designing the frames, and an aerodynamically optimized shape is no problem.
The downside: Carbon is not cheap. If you click on the most expensive bicycles and bicycle parts in the online shop, you will certainly end up with carbon. Carbon has another disadvantage: Manufacturing allows for very durable carbon frames today, but they still cannot withstand point pressure or impacts.
Carbon is:
- light
- torsionally stiff
- freely formable
- expensive
- can break
Titanium, wood, and bamboo
Usually, the talk is about the "big three", aluminum, steel, and carbon. But there is another material from which bicycle dreams are made: titanium. Titanium is light, flexible, and extremely durable - so why aren't all bicycles made of titanium? Simply put: Titanium is extremely expensive, most bikers just don't want to dig that deep into their pockets.
Renewable raw materials are something fine, and so there is eager experimentation with them in bicycle construction. But they not only grow back, compared to metals, both materials are also quite light. Sounds like a smart concept! There are already some manufacturers who have developed a wood bicycle or a frame made of bamboo to series maturity, but so far these bikes are still rather a fringe phenomenon.
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Carbon |
Aluminum |
Steel |
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light |
lighter |
heavy |
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stiff frame construction |
stiff frame construction possible |
slight self-damping |
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free frame construction |
easily formable |
works best as a tube |
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requires larger tube diameters |
narrow tube diameters possible |
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expensive |
affordable |
affordable |
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sensitive |
durable |
durable |
Lightweight components
Just under 1000 grams vs. 260 grams – a significant difference for very similar bicycle parts! Especially when you consider that you have to mount this weight twice on the bike, as it is about tires. An average MTB studded tire weighs around 800 grams, often even more, while a road bike slick tire weighs only 260 grams. Ok, the comparison may be flawed because you can't just swap the tires, but there are lighter and heavier versions of many bike parts.
Another example: In recent years, an innovation has caused a shift in the components market: 1x drivetrains are on the rise, among other reasons, because they are lighter than 2x or even 3x drivetrains.
For years, lighter components have been developed, which are initially found in the top segment but become mass-produced after a few model years. The big exception is the brakes. Disc brakes are heavier than rim brakes, but since they decelerate better, they are the standard today.
The weight of bicycle parts can vary greatly. Affordable parts are usually heavier than high-end components. Lightweight trekking or road bike parts are lighter than robust off-road equipment. Carbon handlebars are lighter than aluminum or steel handlebars. Replacing bicycle parts can make a big difference and is therefore an essential part of weight tuning.
By selecting particularly lightweight bicycle parts, you can significantly reduce the weight of your bike.
What can you do without to make your bike lighter?
Everything that is not absolutely necessary can go. Especially with racing bikes, this motto is the program. Sporty bikes usually travel without components and attachments like mudguards. This saves a lot of weight. It's just a shame if you get caught in the rain. Another part that is very practical in everyday life but looked at askance by sporty riders: the luggage rack. And so you can unscrew part by part until you more or less arrive at a fixie. This is not particularly safe and not allowed in public road traffic, but definitely light!
Many problem areas with heavy bicycles mainly serve comfort. Suspension forks, suspended seat posts, thick, soft saddles, wider tires, and so on cushion uneven surfaces. This makes the ride smoother, but the bike is then heavier.
Do you really need that? Less comfort makes a bike light! Image © Liv
A lightweight bicycle for women? Does that exist?
Of course, there are particularly lightweight bicycles for women as well, but the rumor that women's bikes are particularly heavy persists stubbornly. This may be because a "women's bike" is still often thought of as a city bike with a low entry and full equipment. With features like a thick bell, a second luggage rack on the handlebar, or a heavy hub gear, the bike just weighs significantly more.
However, particularly lightweight bicycles for women are also being built today, but unfortunately, this rarely works in combination with the low entry. Among hardtails and city bikes with trapezoidal frames, there are some models that weigh less than 15 kilograms.
The frame shape makes the "women's bike" heavier!
Why does weight have something to do with the low entry? Quite simply... To keep a bicycle frame stable in this shape, it needs a little more material, while a diamond frame, thanks to the high top tube, is robust and durable even with thin-walled and slimmer tubes.
A glance and you recognize the problem... such a women's bike is beautiful. But light? Unfortunately not, because it has a lot of frame. Image © Creme Cycles
Which bike is particularly light?
If you want to buy a particularly light bike, you should look among the racing bikes, as they are traditionally the lightest. Due to the special riding position, a true racing bike is certainly not suitable for everyone. Their closest relatives, gravel bikes , are generally equipped for off-road use and therefore also heavier. Even among MTB Hardtails, there are particularly light models today, while the suspension always makes a Fully significantly heavier. In general, weight is also saved on MTBs, with "airtime" being the key word here. But since the bikes still have to endure a lot, a certain weight cannot be undercut, otherwise stability suffers.
The weight leaders are city bikes, while when buying a trekking bike, you have the choice, as there are particularly light bicycles, but also real heavyweights, which are then particularly stable.
