How Much Does a Hybrid Bike Weigh?

Cycling is an excellent sport and a great way to improve your fitness. It’s a great way to explore nature and connect with fellow bike enthusiasts. What’s amazing about cycling is the different amount of bikes on the market and their unique characteristics. Many new and very experienced cyclists take to using a hybrid bike as they offer so much in the way of multi-purpose riding.

A hybrid bike is a mix between two different types of bikes, and they are excellent for adding extra comfort to your ride and even giving a bike extra ability to go on multiple terrains. Hybrid bikes hugely range in variety, and a common question we are often asked is how much does a hybrid bike weigh? In this article, we’re going to tell you everything you need to know.

The Different Types of Hybrid Bikes

Before we start discussing the weight of hybrid bikes, you must understand the different types of hybrid bikes you will find in today’s market. Hybrid bikes, unlike other bikes, come in so many different shapes and sizes, and these are the most common.

Flat Bar Road Bike

The first type of Hybrid bike is a flat bar road bike. This is where they have taken the thin tires and aerodynamic frame of a road bike and paired it up with the flat bars of a mountain bike. This is going to give you excellent ability on the road and tarmac cycle paths but with the comfort and control of flat bars.

Rigid Mountain Bike

Then we have the rigid mountain bike. This hybrid is where they have taken a mountain bike frame with relaxed geometry and given it rigid forks. It means you can go on light off-road trails while still having the ability to ride quickly on roads.

Relaxed Step through MTB

Then we finally have the relaxed MTB. Typically this hybrid will be a step through frame with flat bars and suspension forks. It is excellent for comfortable riding on all types of terrain on and off-road. It will be fairly sluggish on the road but great for all round cycling.

What Affects the Weight of a Hybrid Bike?

Not all hybrid bikes are built the same, and because of this, they do weigh different amounts. If you want to know what affects the weight of a hybrid bike, here’s what you need to know.

Frame Material

Hybrid bikes come mainly in two materials. You have aluminum and steel. Steel is heavier, more flexible, and cheap to produce. Aluminum is lighter, stiffer, and a little more expensive than steel as far as production goes. Steel is more comfortable, but aluminum is faster because it transfers power better, being lighter and stiffer.

Forks

Then we have the forks. You get a few different types of forks on hybrid bikes. The lightest being rigid carbon fiber forks, closely followed by aluminum steel and aluminum forks. The heaviest are suspension forks which do make the bike much heavier but also give it much more ability.

Gearing

Then we have gearing, and depending on the level of gearing you have, it can change the ability of the bike and also the weight. Hybrid bikes with a wide range of gears will often be heavier than bikes with limited gears.

Wheels and Tires

Wheels and tires make a big difference when it comes to the weight of a bike too. If you’re on road wheels with skinny tires, they will be much lighter and faster than mountain bike wheels with large knobby tires.

Size

The size also significantly affects the weight of a hybrid bike. A small frame will be much lighter than a large one, which can make a difference of up to a kilo on some bikes.

Electric or not?

Many hybrid bikes come with electric power. This means they are installed with a motor, battery, and onboard controls. Having these extras does make the riding much easier, but it can add kilos to the bike, making it very heavy.

How Much Does a Hybrid Bike Weigh?

As there are so many different types of hybrid bikes on the market, the best way to tell you more about the weight is to show you what each type will weigh.

How to Make a Hybrid Bike Lighter?

If you feel your bike is too heavy, you have some options to make it lighter, which we highly recommend. Here are our top tips for making a bike lighter;

Upgrade components

A great way of shaving some weight off your hybrid bike is to upgrade some of your components. You could go for lighter gearing, but your best bang for your buck is changing your wheels and tires. The Wheels and tires are very heavy and a very easy upgrade to change on the bike and save a huge amount of weight.

Change the bike altogether

Hybrid bikes tend not to cost a huge amount, and instead of upgrading, you could look for other bikes on the market which are lighter or go for a different style that might suit your riding more. We highly recommend looking at the weight of bikes you might be comparing before purchasing one.

Remove any unnecessary parts

Hybrid bikes always come with many accessories. You have chain guards, bells, spoke protectors, and even adjustable stems and suspension seat posts. Removing these parts which aren’t needed or replacing them with standard parts is a great way to save yourself a lot of bike weight.

Conclusion

Hybrid bikes are a very comfortable ride and excellent for multi-purpose riding. They are not performance machines and tend to be heavier than other types of bikes. We highly recommend not to worry too much about the weight as these bikes are designed for long days out and slow rides with your friends and family or a short commute.