nikonik

What's the lightest bike I can buy for less than 500$?

BHOFM

Some of the early Cannondales were light and you can find them for a couple hundred and do
some up grades.

Maelochs

No reason you shouldn't be able to find something used for that money that will weigh under 18 pounds. The older, the less less weight will costs ... but go back more than about a decade and everything starts getting heavy again. Tech has definitely moved forward.

For a New bike, go to Bikes Direct and shop in your size. 20 pounds should be doable ... a little less on sale, if something in an odd size/spec happens to work for you.

For a new bike, $500 is barely enough to get the minimal level of quality I would be willing to pay for. At that price point get quality components and save up to get better tires, then better wheels. If that is as much as you can spend on a bike, get Reliable .... unless you plan to race professionally, (in which case you will be getting team bikes for free) the extra couple pounds will not make a difference in your enjoyment.

A broken bike is no fun to ride, and how much it weighs is Moot. Look for a bike with real parts (not pressed-metal or plastic knock-offs) in all the places it matters (drive train, mostly, at that price point.) Shifting and braking and being able to get on your bike and ride when you want to, not when it is repaired, is more important than shaving off three extra ounces.

The Most important thing is get a bike that fits you size-wise. Second, is get a bike that fits how you will ride it. Forget he rest---it is mostly marketing hype.


When you know more about how you ride, how much and at what pace over what distance and to what end, you can start shopping for bikes better suited to your more specific needs and desires. For $500, focus on getting a bike that fits and lasts.

CliffordK

There has been progress in the last decade, but there are still some good deals from 10 to 20 years old.

The Scott CR1 was a very light frame from the early 2000's. I'm not sure what groupset would be best on a budget. Perhaps 5700 - 105, or 6700 Ultegra.

Also some good deals on 80's and 90's steel frame bikes.

Phil_gretz

Hey Nik, Why don't you tell us how light you think is light? Any how do you intend to ride? And how tall you are? And what general area (city) you're in?

That way, we can tell you what kind of bike's appropriate for your purpose, and whether weight really will matter for you, and what the target weight might be...

Phil_gretz

...because these things matter. Are you riding on paved trails only and might be okay with a hybrid? Then 26-28 lbs might be what you're looking for. Off-road technical riding without big jumps or intensely rocky terrain? Then a hardtail mountain bike might be the ticket. 30 lbs is likely the affordable weight. Road biking with a desire for nimble speed on maintained roads/trails? Then you should be able to do sub 23 lbs with some research. As for sub 20 lbs as was suggested, that'll be harder because you'll be looking used and higher end.

Caliper

This is advertised at 12.7lbs and leaves plenty in the budget.

https://www.amazon.com/woom-Pedal-Bi...ight+kids+bike

Maelochs

So ... why do you want the lightest $500 bike on the market?

bbbean 

If you're buying a bike in that price range, you should focus on finding the nicest components you can find. Weight will be secondary to having good, functional, reliable components and wheels.

fietsbob

One speed enough? ("nothing weighs less than a part not installed")

Out here the LBS has a few nice Used bikes .. some are pretty light..







....

LesterOfPuppets

Best I've seen on the local CL lately is a mid-90s Cannondale R800 for $300. They were a hair under 20lbs in 54.

Ironfish653

There's one in my neck of the woods (an R-800) for $180. It's a little tatty, but complete.
Get a set of take-off wheels for $200, leaves enough scratch from your 5 Benjamins
for a modern bend bar and new saddle, and you've got your self a budget hot-rod.
I don't need another road bike, but...………

*Edit: Just found another one, with some slight modernization, right at $500. It's a 60cm. How tall are you?
*Edit2: Actually, there's a pretty good number of nicely-specc'ed 5-8-year-old road bikes on my CL right now for ~$500. Modern bikes are nice, but there's something about the cantilever dropouts on that 2.8, though...

Maelochs

Once again, we get a one-hit wonder.

Oh, well ... it passes the time.

veganbikes

Hey while we are wanting things, I want about 50k to build a couple bikes and a good workshop/bike space and get some tools and maybe have a little left over to donate to some non-profits I know and trust that do excellent work.

nikonik

Less than 15 pounds. I would use it for a short commute (10 minutes). The first part of the commute is easy and no traffic. The second part of the commute road is not bike-friendly and there are no bike lanes.

LesterOfPuppets

New bike?

15 lbs for $500 is only possible if you buy a stolen bike.

EdwinHeadwind

For a ten-minute commute, I'd just get a skateboard.

Maelochs

Why do you need a sub-15-lb commuter? Not saying you shouldn't have one ... but why?

As a person with tens of thousands of commuter miles behind him, I want a commuter to be reliable and sturdy, capable of dealing with bad weather, and able to haul my gear.

Why ride a 15-lb bike with a full knapsack and rain cape?

Well ... because you want to, I guess ... which is fine.

But why only $500?

And where did the 15-pound number come from? You know that would be lighter than the bikes the pros ride in the Tour de France, right?

Also ... five minutes in bile lanes, five minutes on the road with traffic .... you could ride a 30-pound bike and it wouldn't be noticeably faster. A ten-minute commute? You won't even be warmed up when you finish.

Further ... what do you ride now? How much other riding do you do?

Can you do all your own maintenance? This mostly matters if you get a used bike, which might need work to be fully ridable after purchase. Because you are so close to work, you can get away with walking. I found as a car-free commuter, going to bike shops was impossible because I had to go to work every day. I needed at least two bikes and a third wheelset just to make sure I was always at work on time.

Would the bike see other uses?

I assume you have a totally secure place to store the bike when it is at work?

I assume you cycle enough to know that a 15-pound bike is a pretty rare animal, right?

Ironfish653

I'm going to take a flyer at answering these questions. OP has decided he would like to ride to work. Based on past (possibly childhood) history OP figure $500 should be a good price for a bike.
OP doesn't actually know what a bike weighs but figures 15 lbs is a nice number.

I guess I've been around here (and other forums) long enough to become cynical about bridge-dwellers when I see a post like this, but it seems like a lot of work to make a profile just to ask a single off-the-wall question.
Seeing as how the OP has actually replied, I'm willing to put this in the 'doesn't know what he doesn't know yet' category for a little while longer.

(Besides, i'm offshore for another week, so there's not much else to do )

CliffordK

One advantage of a light bike is the ability to carry it.

Up 10 flights of stairs to an apartment? But, then there may be other factors such as compactness.

15 pounds is very light for a bike, and you will likely start making compromises such as wheels and tires not suitable for regular commuting. 20 pounds is a much more reasonable target.

On the other hand, as mentioned above if the commute is mostly flat, then you can save a little weight by going single speed (fixie).

There are lots of single speed bikes that are absolute junk. You may well be best off by sourcing quality track components and building your own bike if that is the direction you wish to go.

daoswald

With gears and brakes, or without?

Fixed hub single speed bikes would be the lightest if all other factors are held equal. A given frame, seat post, wheel set and handlebar will be built into a heavier bike if the build has gears, and a lighter bike if it is single speed.

If you want gears a 2x drivetrain will usually be lighter than a 3x of similar quality. A 1xN drivetrain will often be lighter than the 2x of similar quality.

A shallow cross section wheelset will often (but not always) be lighter than a deep aero wheelset of the same price range, which is why shallow rims are often used for climbing. But for under 500 you will be getting cheap wheels anyway .

skidder

Here ya go. With no gears, chain, no frame, and only one wheel (different wheel sizes available), its gotta be pretty light.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B007Y5FPLS...2-c3dc9d8d345f

Plenty of cash left over, too!

Hoopdriver

A Trek Émonda SLR 9 is only 13 1/2 pounds. $11,000 dollars though. Build your own 15 pounder for ~$1,000


A lot of weight can be saved if you give up gearing. Also consider removing the pedals, crank, and chain and just scooting along, even though that will take more energy per mile than riding a 35 pound bike.

indyfabz

Or save the money and walk.

Doctor Morbius

It's good to see the new year getting off to a great start.