17 lightest bicycles

Review of the best according to the editorial board. On the selection criteria. This material is subjective and does not constitute advertising and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.

The total weight of the bike determines not only the maximum speed, but also the handling in various road situations. A heavy bike is less pliable to change course, sluggish and requires better quality components that will not break from the application of high loads.

The editorial board of the magazine conducted its own analysis of products in the segment, and selected 17 lightest and best bicycles in 4 thematic categories. The following were taken as criteria for selecting products in the rating:

1. user reviews;
2. in-house expert opinions;
3. level of technical equipment and quality of components;
4. cost indicators and focus on specific consumer groups.

The lightest bike rating

Nomination	a place	Name of product	price
The lightest road bikes	1	Scott Addict SL (2016)	RUB 373,000
	2	Merida Scultura 8000-E (2019)	RUB 154,000
	3	Cube Attain SL (2019)	RUB 62,500
The lightest city bikes	1	TREK Verve 3 (2018)	RUB 37,000
	2	SHULZ Hopper	RUB 17,700
	3	Dahon EEZZ D3 (2017)	RUB 42,000
	4	Strida LT	RUB 31,000
	5	Novatrack Aurora 20 2 (2016)	RUB 8,000
Lightest Mountain (MBT) Bikes	1	Dewolf CLK 900 (2016)	RUB 182,000
	2	Merida Juliet 7.600 (2019)	RUB 55,200
	3	Format 9212 (2019)	RUB 57,400
	4	TREK Marlin 7 Womens 27.5 (2019)	RUB 37,000
	5	Scott Contessa Scale 30 29 (2019)	RUB 52,400
	6	STELS Navigator 610 V 26 V030 (2018)	RUB 9,500
The lightest kids bikes	1	Scott Scale 16 (2019)	RUB 18,700
	2	SHULZ Bubble 16	RUB 13,000
	3	Royal Baby RB12-16 Buttons 12 Alloy	RUB 5,400

The lightest road bikes

Scott Addict SL (2016)

Rating: 4.9

An expensive and premium road bike with a carbon frame and a reliable body kit for professional riding. Thanks to its lightweight design, it weighs only 5.98 kilograms. The 28-inch wheels are also made from Zipp 202 carbon fiber, and the tires are the Continental Grand Prix 4000 kit. Both are SRAM caliper brakes, as are the crank arm, cassette and shifter with derailleurs (Red kit).

There are 11 stars on the Scott Addict SL cassette, and only 2 on the system, due to which the number of possible transmissions is 22 pieces. Back in December 2018, the cost of this bike was a whopping 750 thousand rubles, but the change of season and obsolescence are making themselves felt: today this bike can be purchased for 400-600 thousand rubles. Naturally, we are talking about professional cycling: ordinary users do not need such excesses.

Advantages

• specially designed for professionals;
• very lightweight due to the carbon body and wheels;
• 22 gears;
• high-quality body kit;
• comfortable fit on the Syncros RR1.0 seat.

disadvantages

• extremely high price.

Merida Scultura 8000-E (2019)

Rating: 4.8

A road bike of a completely different caliber, designed for professional athletes and amateurs of high-quality, expensive equipment. It weighs a good 7.5 kilograms thanks to its lightweight carbon frame and Vision 40 SC carbon fiber rims. As tires, the Grand Sport Race kit from Continental is used, which is suitable both for driving on flat highway roads and on light off-road.

The Merida Scultura 8000-E body kit is fully professional, from the Shimano Ultegra Di2 kit. Except cassettes: they belong to the Shimano CS-R8000-11 line and include 11 gears for shifting. In turn, the bicycle system has 2 sprockets (with 52 and 36 teeth), so the total number of gears is 22 pieces. This bike model is perfect for competitions (including international ones) and is recommended by a number of famous cyclists.

Advantages

• professional body kit;
• oversized tires with a Kevlar bead cord, perfect for off-road and smooth road surfaces;
• 22 gears;
• lightweight frame and rims;
• a rigid fork that transmits the slightest change in relief to the steering wheel.

disadvantages

• high price.

Cube Attain SL (2019)

Rating: 4.7

The road bike from the Cube company cannot compete with the representatives of the technical segment of the professional segment. However, its advantages are expressed in terms of cost, and this is also worth considering. The frame and rims (Cube RA 0.8 Aero models) are made of aluminum alloy, which naturally added weight, even despite the thin Conti Ultra Sport 2 tires. Both the front and rear Attain SL brakes belong to the semi-professional series of the Japanese company Shimano, namely the 105 BR -R7000. They are mechanical, tick-borne, with a resource designed for 20 thousand kilometers.

The bike's drivetrain is also made from Shimano 105 series components. The number of available speeds is 22 with 11 sprockets in the bottom bracket and 2 in the system (with 50 and 34 teeth). This model of road bike is perfect for off-season training, as well as for those who are starting to approach professional sports.

Advantages

• high-quality selection of transmission and brake components;
• a sensitive set of tires from Continental, which gives an advantage in acceleration on straight sections;
• low (relative to competitors) cost.

disadvantages

• quite heavy: 8.9 kg of weight.

The lightest city bikes

TREK Verve 3 (2018)

Rating: 4.6

The classic urban bike with a rigid fork, weighing 13.24 kilograms. The aluminum frame is attached here to 28-inch wheels, which are made with one small design feature. The Bontrager Tubeless Ready aluminum rim has a double rim for added strength and ride comfort. The classic wide Bontrager H5 Hard-Case Ultimate tires also add versatility to the bike, making even rough terrain feel smoother.

The TREK Verve 3 has 27 speeds that are varied with 9 stars in the Shimano CS-HG20-9 cassette and 3 stars in the system. The rear derailleur of the Shimano Alivio RD-T4000 sports bike is the most reliable piece of kit, since the rest of the components belong to the recreational class. Braking here is carried out using V-Brakes on the front and rear wheels. The cost of the bike at the moment is more than 35 thousand rubles, and even in this respect it looks preferable to the 'exotic' Strida LT.

Advantages

• wheels with double rims;
• 27 speeds;
• high quality transmission and brake components;
• nice appearance.

disadvantages

• not found.

SHULZ Hopper

Rating: 4.5

The SHULZ Hopper is an example of what a small city bike should look like with an acceptable level of quality. In saying this, we mean the cost factor: it costs 2 times less than its previous competitors, but partially surpasses them both in reliability and in equipment. The 16-inch frame rests on wheels of the same diameter and can be folded in half, making storage possible even in a small apartment. The weight of this bike is 9.8 kilograms – you must admit that the difference with the model from Dahon is minimal. And if we take into account the factor of rich equipment and remove all unnecessary, then we will have a new leader in lightness.

The SHULZ Hopper transmission contains walking-level components. For example, Neco B910 Cartridge cards, which have 2.2-2.5 thousand kilometers of working resource. Complete with the bike itself, in addition to the standard fenders, a footrest and a bell, there are reflectors, reflectors and a holder for a plastic bottle to take water with you. In general, a very worthy representative of the category, which occupies the second line of our rating.

Advantages

• high quality of structural elements;
• folding frame and pedals;
• abundance of color schemes and nice design;
• relatively low price.

disadvantages

• landing while driving is not the most comfortable.

Dahon EEZZ D3 (2017)

Rating: 4.4

The Dahon EEZZ D3 city bike takes the first place in terms of lightness, the light-alloy frame of which is made in an original curved style. The peculiarity of this model lies in the fact that it combines elements of a sports and an initial class, marking the 'throwing' from one extreme to another. For example, a sport-grade rear derailleur from Shimano Tiagra sits alongside Dahon Neos 3 Twist start shifters and DahonCustom cassettes.

In fairness, it is worth noting that the Dahon EEZZ D3 caliper brakes are walking brakes with a working life of about 1700 kilometers. The model offers a choice of only 3 speeds of movement, but for city walks this is more than enough. As we said above, it is one of the lightest on the market with an indicator of 9.7 kilograms. Of course, it could have been smaller, but the body kit and accessories gave a slight increase in weight. It's nice to ride it, but the cost, in our opinion, is too high, more than 40 thousand rubles.

Advantages

• nice design;
• good driving sensation;
• sports rear derailleur;
• a choice of 3 speeds.

disadvantages

• high purchase price;
• entry-class transmission components.

Strida LT

Rating: 4.3

A very original and expensive model of a bicycle for city walks, made according to all the canons of ergonomics and presentable appearance. The Strida LT differs from the standard appearance in two things: first, the small 16-inch wheels, and secondly, the atypical 'triangular' frame for the same 16 inches with a fixed saddle and trunk. The total weight of this structure is 11.2 kilograms – not bad at all for the bustle of the city. But what about handling?

And the handling of the new 'miracle of technology' is quite tolerable. Cast aluminum discs have mechanical disc brakes that can be attached to the fork, frame, or directly to the hub. The fork is rigidly fixed, no shock absorption is provided in it – this is so. However, due to the original position of the frame, inertial forces on the steering wheel are felt differently. Thus, we have an almost ideal model of urban transport, which will attract attention more willingly than any Bentley or Rolls-Royce … and at the same time it will cost a thousand times less.

Advantages

• Belting;
• original design;
• comfortable seat with gel inserts;
• cast aluminum wheels with reinforced plastic spokes and disc brakes.

disadvantages

• atypical design that you need to get used to;
• quite high, by the standards of bicycles, the price.

Novatrack Aurora 20 “(2016)

Rating: 4.2

A chain bike with a straight handlebar, which became one of the bestsellers in its debut year. Due to the successful selection of transmission components, they are still considered a classy representative of urban bikes to this day. Despite its 14 kilograms of total weight, it is easy to operate, and the reason for this is the special weight distribution of the driving and driven parts. The steel and strong frame has a folding mechanism, so the Novatrack Aurora 20 “is conveniently stored even in the apartment. The braking of the model is the usual entry-level foot brake. With the transmission, everything is much better: thanks to the planetary design, the gearshift system is hidden inside the hub, and the installed SRAM Automatix 2 speed derailleur belongs to the recreational class.The entry-class bottom bracket has a working life of no more than 1000 kilometers, and it is this that is a frequent reason for the negative in the direction of this bike.Otherwise, there is nothing to highlight, except to note the good equipment and cost.

Advantages

• comfortable fit;
• simplicity of design (except for the planetary hub);
• 2 speeds;
• the presence of a trunk, bell, fenders and footrests included.

disadvantages

• “weak” carriage;
• 14 kg total weight is too much for this type of bike.

Lightest Mountain (MBT) Bikes

Dewolf CLK 900 (2016)

Rating: 4.9

The leader in this category is the mountain bike for professionals: the Dewolf CLK 900. With a weight of only 9.16 kilograms and with highly professional equipment, it can easily withstand difficult routes on rough terrain. The RockShox SID XX 27.5 air / oil fork allows fine tuning of the level of stiffness and locking of the fork. The carbon frame mounts on 27.5-inch wheels with Schwalbe Rocket Ron tires and DT Swiss XRC 1200 dual carbon rims.

The peculiarity of the Dewolf CLK 900, as in the case of the Merida Juliet, is that the system contains only one sprocket, limiting the number of speeds to 11. But the quality and working resource of the switch, shifter, carriage and cassettes is not undermined: they are all taken from SRAM pro-series (XX1, BB GXP, XG-1199). This bike is very expensive for a reason: it is designed for performing athletes and people involved in preparation for the competition. And in terms of equipment, it costs 180 thousand rubles.

Advantages

• the highest quality equipment for transmission, running gear and brakes;
• lightweight carbon fiber frame with a high threshold for perceived loads;
• Schwalbe double carbon rim and grippy tire;
• 11 speeds;
• great for driving on rough terrain.

disadvantages

• extremely high price for ordinary consumers.

Merida Juliet 7.600 (2019)

Rating: 4.8

Again, the female model of a mountain bike, which became the ideological successor of the Juliet series. In essence, nothing has changed from the previous model in the lineup: it is still a semi-professional drivetrain from SRAM NX Eagle, Shimano sports disc brakes on hydraulics and the same 12 speeds due to the lack of an additional sprocket on the system.

The total weight of the Merida Juliet 7.600 is 11.83 kilograms and, thanks to the ideal weight distribution, even a fragile girl can handle it. The front air-oil fork of the bike belongs to the professional class and has a stroke of 100 millimeters on duty with adjustable stiffness, offset and Remote Lockout function. Merida's own rims have a double profile, and the well-known Maxxis Ikon 27.5 inches with a Kevlar cord is used as rubber. Ultimately, this bike can be a great buy for years to come if you don't intentionally 'kill' it off-road.

Advantages

• comfortable fit and excellent body weight distribution;
• high-quality soft fork with an abundance of settings;
• 12 speeds;
• exceptionally high-quality body kit.

disadvantages

• high price.

Format 9212 (2019)

Rating: 4.7

A reputable hardtail tailored to tough conditions of use. As noted in the specification, the Format 9212 is a mountain bike and dirt bike. This is confirmed by the factory equipment: Maxxis Ikon tires with pronounced lateral supports and moderately deep tread are ideal for kneading mud and crashing into off-road soil. At the same time, the strength of the wheels is ensured by the Weinmann Disc Bull light-alloy rim, which can withstand enormous overload and shock stresses.

The Manitou Circus Expert air / oil fork at the front of the Format 9212 has a travel of 100 millimeters and can be adjusted as needed. One of the features of the bike is that the brake is located only on the rear wheel. And although this is a 160mm SRAM Level hydraulic disc, it would have been somewhat quieter with the extra. And finally, a final fact: there are no derailleurs here as the bike only has one speed. Weight: 11.4 kg.

Advantages

• simplicity of design;
• high degree of reliability;
• air-oil fork;
• belonging to dirt bikes.

disadvantages

• relatively high price;
• the presence of one disc brake on the rear wheel;
• just one speed.

TREK Marlin 7 Womens 27.5 (2019)

Rating: 4.6

Another mountain bike that can be used as an XC bike. It has more cross-country ability than the previous representative of the category, but also belongs to the bikes designed for girls. Its weight is 13.65 kilograms – ideal for maneuvering on rough terrain and off-road. The RockShox XC 30 Coil 27.5 sports oil-spring fork has a travel of 100 millimeters, and together with the Hard tail shock absorber it perfectly dampens momentum from uneven terrain.

If the TREK Marlin 7 Womens 27.5 transmission uses exclusively Shimano walking accessories, then braking is performed by the Tektro HD-276 sports hydraulic brakes. 27.5-inch wheels with Bontrager Connection rims and Bontrager XR2, 27.5×2.2 tires provide excellent digging and traction, even in sharp turns at a distance. This is a good choice for sporty ladies: certainly expensive, but without obvious design flaws.

Advantages

• very good front fork with TurnKey Lockout adjustment;
• can be used for cross-country and hard off-road spurt;
• high quality transmission components;
• disc hydraulic brakes from Tektro;
• 27 gears.

disadvantages

• relatively high price.

Scott Contessa Scale 30 29 (2019)

Rating: 4.5

An expensive bike with components of a sports-walking class, which will suit both ordinary users and semi-professional athletes. It weighs 13.8 kilograms due to its large frame size and 29-inch wheels on Syncros X-20 Disc alloy rims and Kenda Slant 6, 29×2.35 “tires. Hard tail shock is paired with SR Suntour spring / oil fork XCR-RL-R with 100mm stroke.

Of the sports components of the Scott Contessa Scale 30 29, there are Shimano BR-MT200 disc hydraulic brakes of 160 and 180 millimeters (rear and front brakes, respectively), as well as a Deore RD-M592 rear derailleur and BB-MT500 Cartridge bottom brakes. The shifters and cassettes are walking, but the front derailleur will cause many malfunctions associated with the bicycle: it has a small margin of safety. However, if you do not touch it (or rather, forget about it completely or change it when buying), then problems can be avoided. Also, the bike offers only 18 speeds and is intended for girls.

Advantages

• nice design;
• 29-inch wheels;
• adjustable fork with 100mm travel;
• suitable for cross country.

disadvantages

• 'weak' front derailleur;
• very high price.

STELS Navigator 610 V 26 V030 (2018)

Rating: 4.4

A mountain bike with 26 '' aluminum wheels, ideal for people who don't want to spend a lot on a bike. STELS Navigator 610 V 26 V030 is suitable for both city driving and off-road driving. However, we don't recommend driving it on bumpy roads, even though the bike has a Hard tail shock and a soft front fork with 60mm travel. This fork breaks easily when riding over bumps, especially with a good front end at high speeds.

The rear and front derailleur, as well as the shifters installed on the STELS Navigator 610 V 26 V030, belong to the entry class. These are standard components from the / Shimano Tourney series with a safety margin of 400 to 800 kilometers. But the carriages, according to statistics, “live” longer, and belong to the walking body kits of the Cartridge company. Thanks to the 7×3 sprocket system, you can switch gears in 21 positions, thereby choosing the intensity of the load on your legs. This is a great offer for outdoor activities, for which you have to allocate storage space.

Advantages

• inexpensive model;
• Walking V-Brake and Cartridge Bottom Brakes;
• 21 speed;
• feels great on light off-road.

disadvantages

• entry-level body kit.

The lightest kids bikes

Scott Scale 16 (2019)

Rating: 4.9

The situation is pleasant with the Scott 16-inch bike, which is on par with some older bikes. All components of the transmission and brakes in it are walking, designed for 1.5-2 thousand kilometers before a scheduled replacement. Tektro J-310 V-Brakes are installed on both the front and rear wheels. The aluminum frame has a rather massive appearance, but in reality it is not so heavy, and therefore the total weight of the entire bike does not exceed 7.6 kilograms.

The Scott Scale 16 wheels are also large in appearance, however this is due to the thickness of the Kenda K905 K-Rad tires. Thanks to them, the stability of the bicycle increases not only along a straight path, but also when cornering, since the contact patch of rubber with the surface is larger. However, due to friction, speed is lost, so the child will have to work hard to disperse the 'iron friend'.

Advantages

• the contact area of ​​the tires with the road makes the bike more stable;
• great appearance;
• walking level body kit;
• massive, but light and sturdy frame.

disadvantages

• high price.

SHULZ Bubble 16

Rating: 4.8

When it comes to prestige and exorbitant costs, the SHULZ Bubble 16 comes into play. This bike is designed for children aged 4-6 (or up to 125 centimeters) and weighs 5.4 kilograms. The aluminum 16-inch frame is not visually massive, however, it ensures that all elements are securely fastened to itself. The design of the fork is rigid, without dampers and shock absorbers, but the torque from the pedals to the wheel is transmitted using a belt – the standard chain is no longer featured here.

The SHULZ Bubble 16 wheels with a diameter of 16 inches are made of an alloy rim with tires on metal bead cords. Front and rear V-Brake type brakes from Tektro have an increased service life – their resource lasts an average of 1.5-2 thousand kilometers. Only side wheels are supplied with the bike – the footrest, fenders and front brake must be purchased separately. Does this fact make this model less attractive? Certainly. Hence the second place in the ranking, given in advance for the lightness of the frame.

Advantages

• the smallest weight in the category (5.4 kg);
• quality walking-grade brakes;
• belt drive instead of chain.

disadvantages

• too expensive bicycle model;
• very meager equipment – fenders, front brake, footrest and trunk are offered to be purchased separately.

Royal Baby RB12-16 Buttons 12 Alloy

Rating: 4.7

Inexpensive bike, simplified design, designed for children aged 2 to 4 years. Its thick aluminum alloy frame suppresses the influence of external factors on the balance of the child, but also creates a problem in the form of a couple of extra pounds to the total weight. The model is completely devoid of shock absorption and has a rigid fork that does not transfer inertia to the steering wheel.

Royal Baby RB12-16 Buttons has 12-inch wheels with the ability to set (or remove as unnecessary) a pair of side wheels. The side cord of the 'native' tires is made of metal and protects them from side cuts. The rear brake is standard foot brake, the initial one, designed for 500 kilometers, and the front brake is V-Brake with a similar margin of safety. Of the accessories, in addition to wheels, the set includes a chain protection and a bell – a classic set of children's bicycles.

Advantages

• an inexpensive model with a simple layout;
• the presence of side wheels included;
• thickened frame to reduce the chances of drifting and loss of balance by the child.

disadvantages

• the heaviest in the category based on the child's age (7 kg).

---

Attention! This rating is subjective and does not constitute an advertisement and does not serve as a purchase guide. Before buying, you need to consult with a specialist.