Commuting - Lightweight vs Heavyweight Commuter Bicycles?

A coworker commented that I have an incredibly heavy bicycle, probably over 30 lbs. It's a bit like a tank, with a steel frame, an IGH, drum brakes, fenders, rack, kickstand, etc. It's not unpleasant to ride, I lowered the gearing and it's a nice ride overall. But that conversation got me wondering whether or not my bicycle is absurdly heavy (and maybe if I should go lighter somewhere down the road) and how much of an impact does the weight of your bike have on your commute. Thoughts?

If you are in Europe, do as the Europeans do . . . go heavy. Actually, 30 pounds is a bit on the light side.

my fair weather pony is a clean titanium road bike that weighs in at ~17 pounds.

my foul weather beast is an IGH/disc brake hybrid that weighs in at ~27 pounds.


the overall effect on time between the two bikes is probably only 5 minutes or so over the course of my 15 mile one-way commute*, but the lighter road bike is undoubtedly more fun to ride! a lighter bike accelerates a lot faster from all those damn stop lights along my urban commute route.


(*) the time difference between the two bikes is based on more than just the weight difference alone. geometry, aerodynamics, tires, drivetrain efficiency, etc. also play a role in my road bike being noticeably faster than my hybrid.

Extra weight might play a role in commute speed if you have a lot of red lights and stop signs, or if you have hills. Once you get going on the flat, there's no penalty for weight.

Weight, as on your bike, is beneficial for commuting. You don't need to worry about the bike falling apart (as much). You've probably got good reliability with the IGH in dirt or slush. With fatter tires, you won't notice rough roads (do you see potholes on your route) as much, and you needn't worry about flats as much.

If you are in Europe, do as the Europeans do . . . go heavy. Actually, 30 pounds is a bit on the light side.

In Amsterdam or Copenhagen, or anywhere it's flat. Those bikes tend to last forever. In the Alps, OTOH, few people ride heavy bikes unless they're e-bikes. Most of the commuting bikes I see tend to be around 20-25 lbs and made from aluminum.

In Amsterdam or Copenhagen, or anywhere it's flat. Those bikes tend to last forever. In the Alps, OTOH, few people ride heavy bikes unless they're e-bikes. Most of the commuting bikes I see tend to be around 20-25 lbs and made from aluminum.

Send some of that cool Alpine air our way. It's been close to 100F and humid for a week. And no electricity for a few days after the 80 mph winds blew through here Friday night.

Send some of that cool Alpine air our way. It's been close to 100F and humid for a week. And no electricity for a few days after the 80 mph winds blew through here Friday night.

That's alright Alan, you're already entirely too cool! :)

A coworker commented that I have an incredibly heavy bicycle, probably over 30 lbs. It's a bit like a tank, with a steel frame, an IGH, drum brakes, fenders, rack, kickstand, etc. It's not unpleasant to ride, I lowered the gearing and it's a nice ride overall. But that conversation got me wondering whether or not my bicycle is absurdly heavy (and maybe if I should go lighter somewhere down the road) and how much of an impact does the weight of your bike have on your commute. Thoughts?

If you like riding it and it works for you, don't worry about weight.

Extra weight will only affect the average commuter when it comes to hills and headwinds. The more stoplights encountered the less time difference should be accounted. Heavier bikes are easier to maintain current speed but harder to accelerate.

Besides, if you hadn't ever worried about bicycle weight before, why start now?

I think that your parade has been rained upon...

Send some of that cool Alpine air our way. It's been close to 100F and humid for a week. And no electricity for a few days after the 80 mph winds blew through here Friday night.

I would if I could. Yesterday's high was 65F. Today was a bit warmer, around 75F. :)

The weight of my bike is a mere pittance against the weight of my a**.

The weight of my bike is a mere pittance against the weight of my a**.

:lol: :roflmao2: :lol:

A coworker commented that I have an incredibly heavy bicycle, probably over 30 lbs. It's a bit like a tank, with a steel frame, an IGH, drum brakes, fenders, rack, kickstand, etc. It's not unpleasant to ride, I lowered the gearing and it's a nice ride overall. But that conversation got me wondering whether or not my bicycle is absurdly heavy (and maybe if I should go lighter somewhere down the road) and how much of an impact does the weight of your bike have on your commute. Thoughts?

There's your answer. Quit worrying about weight, and get back to enjoying the ride. ;)

There's your answer. Quit worrying about weight, and get back to enjoying the ride. ;)

Thanks. And thanks everyone for the input. I'm going to stick with what I've got as it works just fine. :)

If you are in Europe, do as the Europeans do . . . go heavy. Actually, 30 pounds is a bit on the light side.

Thanks, I was gonna say, "30 pounds is incredibly heavy?" My bike is 35 pounds before I put on the stuff I'm going to carry, and that's in the summer. In the winter the tires are heavier and I'm carrying at least one extra spare light battery. The weight doesn't bother me any, it just makes me stronger.

I only have one bike.

My commuter (a vintage stumpjumper comp mtb) weighs in at around 30 lbs once I've loaded it with gear. I sure as heck wouldn't sweat weight on a commuter as long as I was happy with the bike and the parts. Besides fat tires are great for commuting and they aren't light.

The weight of your bike is not nearly as important as the fit and whether or not you like it set up the way it is.

4th Floor Walk-up, bringing your bike into your Flat at night .. then it matters

riding into the garage or locking it to a canal side
Iron fence might not, matter.


take a light bike, add racks, panniers, mud guards and a good lock,
and presto the bike is not so light any more.

.. but a lot more useful as a commuter's tool.

A coworker commented that I have an incredibly heavy bicycle, probably over 30 lbs. It's a bit like a tank, with a steel frame, an IGH, drum brakes, fenders, rack, kickstand, etc. It's not unpleasant to ride, I lowered the gearing and it's a nice ride overall. But that conversation got me wondering whether or not my bicycle is absurdly heavy (and maybe if I should go lighter somewhere down the road) and how much of an impact does the weight of your bike have on your commute. Thoughts?

A heavy bicycle is harder to haul upstairs and load into/onto vehicles. This may be significant: my back hurts just thinking about trying to load my wife's heavy IGH city bike into a car. I can lift my commuter with plenty of titanium and carbon fiber comfortably with one hand (22-24 pounds on a fish scale with lights, lock, rear rack, seat pack with tools/spare tube, pump, and empty water bottle).

A lighter bicycle will make you faster up the steepest hills in proportion to the total weight lost.

Assuming a 185 pound rider with 15 pounds of luggage (what I get when I weigh my pannier with laptop, papers, work clothes, rain gear, warm/wind resistant clothes, snack food, spare lights...) and a 30 pound bike dropped to a 20 pound bike he'd be 4.5% faster up the steepest hills (ex - go 6.27 MPH not 6 MPH).

On flat ground the difference can be calculated but not measured with certainty due to other variations. The same rider with .4 M Sd and .760 Cd per Grassi and Gibertini's paper on a ~6' tall cyclist riding atop the hoods with .004 Crr pedaling at 200W would see a 0.04% speed increase from 21.30 MPH to 21.39 MPH on flat ground.

A pannier does make a big difference from the aerodynamics - it's like a 20% increase in CdA but makes comuting, much, much more comfortable than with a backpack.

I have a road bike I use for long training rides and organized rides and a mtn bike commuter which is very heavy. That is the bike that really makes me stronger and faster when I am on the road bike. Plain and simple!

Spend an extra $2000 on your ultra-light commuting bike and you'll save at least 2-3 minutes EVERY day! If you make $40/hr, the time savings will pay off in less than 5 years.

No brainer IMO.

Another perspective: pro cyclists have uber- lightweight bicycles. They also tend to have some sort of mobile support vehicle that offers repairs or even replacement of the whole bike in case of some sort of mechanical issue. I don't have the luxury of the SAG wagon and personal mechanic. I ride what I think will hold up to the abuse my Clyde butt will put it through. Performance may suffer a bit, but form, function, and durability rate higher on my selection criteria than performance on my commuter.

Of course, this is my first bike and if I had it to do over again... I'd still pick longer chain stays to avoid heel strike than light weight.

I agree with all the posters who say that if your bike works for you, who cares how heavy or light it is? If the gearing is right, the fit is perfect (or at least comfortable), the ride is enjoyable, I wouldn't worry about how light or heavy the bike is. Unless you live in a fifth floor walk-up :cry:

I will choose certain bikes over others depending on the situation, though. For example, I prefer using drop bars and some form of foot retention (toe clips, straps, clipless pedals, etc.) when I have to ride more than about 3-5 miles at a time with steep hills. I prefer a bike with swept-back bars and platform pedals if I have to do a lot of "stop-n-go" riding in the middle of downtown.

There's no too heavy or light enough bike. Does it suit your purposes? Then it's fine.

I prefer a lighter-than-average bike, but I sometimes ride my old English 3-speed. It's about 40 pounds. I just ride it more slowly.

A coworker commented that I have an incredibly heavy bicycle, probably over 30 lbs. It's a bit like a tank, with a steel frame, an IGH, drum brakes, fenders, rack, kickstand, etc. It's not unpleasant to ride, I lowered the gearing and it's a nice ride overall. But that conversation got me wondering whether or not my bicycle is absurdly heavy (and maybe if I should go lighter somewhere down the road) and how much of an impact does the weight of your bike have on your commute. Thoughts? Depends on how much you weigh. Do not think in terms of % weight reduction of the bike or you will be fooling yourself. If you weigh 225 lbs, bike weighs 25 bs, that's a total of 250 lbs. Take the bike down to 15 lbs which is going to be high-end and quite costly, and you have only reduced the weight of BIKE + RIDER by 4%. Mostly you have a placebo effect because the bike will be so much easier to carry up a set of steps. Obviously, it will matter more for a 120 lb rider.

Don in Austin

Sometime I ride this one 20 miles..75 pounds

My commute and only bike is 46.6 pounds:
http://sites.target.com/site/en/spot/mobile_product_detail.jsp?tcin=11125130

I hated it initially, but now I've gotten used to the weight. I did some basic tuning and its .. ok, now. It's just a 6mile commute (3 miles each way) but there is a stiff wind against me. I've canceled my plan of getting a lighter commute bike .. saving up for a nicer cuclocross bike instead.

Like most people here, I have a fairly heavy bike: LHT, two panniers full of the usual anal commuter stuff. It probably weighs about 40-45 lbs total, heavy enough to be horrifying to a roadie, but not that bad for a commuter. And, like others have said, heavy isn't really that much slower in most urban situations than a lighter bike. However, if you have a heavy bike, you really need to watch out for your knees and IT band: if you charge up hills and take off from intersections as if you're on a Felt or something, your joints will suffer. It's best to pretend you're in a truck: start in a low gear, and gradually work your way up to full speed. And don't be shy about spinning up those steep hills in your granny gear at 6 mph.

My bike weighs about 35 lbs empty. It has lights, fenders, rack, IGH, drive train protected from the elements, intregral lock. If I went lighter,I would be compromising on what I need. I need my bike to be reliable, low maintenance in crappy weather, dry, able to carry my stuff. It averages about 15 mph which is not unreasonable.

There is a guy at work who owns this light spindly thing. A thing of beauty. He only rides it in sunny weather. He also owns a car for when he can't ride.

My bike used to be around 35lbs, now 27lbs. Over a 6 mile stretch the extra weight equated to about 3-5 minutes. Main difference I noticed was the gear range I was using. Worrying about weight on a commuter bike seems like a moot point to me if you have to bring things with you anyways.

My bike used to be around 35lbs, now 27lbs. Over a 6 mile stretch the extra weight equated to about 3-5 minutes. Main difference I noticed was the gear range I was using. Worrying about weight on a commuter bike seems like a moot point to me if you have to bring things with you anyways.

It's not a moot point if the bicycle has to be carried up stairs and the bicycle has to be maneuvered around tight bends in the stairs.

Oh, and hills. I notice my housemates' 26lb bike is easier than my 32lb bike going up the 16% grade going into work.

The weight of your bike is not nearly as important as the fit and whether or not you like it set up the way it is.

Have a CX bike w/drop bars and 2x9 gearing. Center pull cantilever brakes. The frame and fork are aluminum and steel, respectively w/28mm flat resistsnt tires. Use front bags as panniers in combo w/a trunkbag. Been doing the job for 4 years+ w/virtually no issues. Just did my first rebuild. Replaced rear der, chain, cassette, bb, brake pads, cables, saddle. Rebuilt rear wheel w/a hub upgrade as well as getting an Ultegra 6700 rear der. Sora front der is still functional and fine as well as shifters. Not alot of snob appeal, but it's solid and reliable. Also, got Forte extra thick puncture resistant tubes.

So what is the lightest, practical build you can do using IHG (>3 speed), dynamo lighting, rack and fenders.

ie put a butted aluminium frame, carbon fork, Shimano Alfine rear and dynohub together with some lightweight but strong finishing kit (ie no weight weenie fragile bits). Is this basically a Civia Briant or does that use heavier than neccessary components?
Is there a useful frame out there that we could use?


My ride is on the heavier side because it has some frame hinges and a fat slab of metal at the eccentric bottom bracket. I don't find the weight to be an issue.

I just switched to a heavier bicycle (8 speed Shimano Nexus IGH) from an 80's steel racing bike (Schwinn Tempo) for my commute. My commute takes about 4 minutes longer over 3 miles, but the ride is much nicer. It floats over chipseal and rough pavement in a way that the Tempo could never do. My commute is 3.2 miles one way, mostly flat with a very small hill towards the end. I can definitely feel the difference in speed and responsiveness, but it doesn't bother me. And now I can really strip down the Tempo because I don't have to try and make it be both a commuter and a weekend-fast-fun machine.

Bottom line: if the bike works for you and you're happy with it, it's all good. If you want to get another bike, get another one. No further need for justification.

In Amsterdam or Copenhagen, or anywhere it's flat. Those bikes tend to last forever. In the Alps, OTOH, few people ride heavy bikes unless they're e-bikes. Most of the commuting bikes I see tend to be around 20-25 lbs and made from aluminum.
How many people bicycle commute up and down the Alps? Or Alps like terrain?

The benefits for the typical bicycle commuter gained by fenders, kickstand, cargo carrying equipment, reliable components IGH gearing, etc., may outweigh the time costs for commuters not obsessed with setting speed records or trying to earn Internet/bicycle club bragging rights for "efficiency."

I used to commute on my old road bike but I found that when the weather got less kind that it got a bit unpredictable so I forked out a town bike in racing green. It's really heavy and awful on the hills but I just think about the benefit to my fitness and the advantage I'll feel in the summer when I'm back on my quick bike again!

The benefits for the typical bicycle commuter gained by fenders, kickstand, cargo carrying equipment, reliable components IGH gearing, etc., may outweigh the time costs for commuters not obsessed with setting speed records or trying to earn Internet/bicycle club bragging rights for "efficiency."

Those are only perceived benefits and are highly dependent on the rider. For me, fenders and a kickstand are a waste of time and just add weight. I've used derailer systems from 30+ years of year around riding and never found them to be unreliable. I do use cargo carrying equipment but keep it to the minimum that I need to get me, my clothes and lunch to work.

There's also a contingent of commuters who seem to be obsessed with setting weight records to earn bragging rights for 'inefficiency'. 35 lbs is portly no matter how you cut it. It may not hurt anything to ride a heavy bike but it doesn't help either.

I have a light road bike. Real joy to ride.
However, for commuting, I use a cheap bike i can lock, leave anywhere. Since I commute in work clothes most of the time, I have fenders. Rack to keep things on the bike, not on my back(pack). It is also a joy to ride. Just not that fast.

Road bike is around 10 kg, while commuter is around 20 kg (40 pounds). If I made it any lighter, it would cost more. Takes a bit more effort to accelerate, but apart from that, no problems.

I used to commute on my old road bike but I found that when the weather got less kind that it got a bit unpredictable

This is another thing I noticed - my upright commuter is very slow in a headwind, but it doesn't get buffeted by cross-wind gusts nearly as much!

But that conversation got me wondering whether or not my bicycle is absurdly heavy (and maybe if I should go lighter somewhere down the road) and how much of an impact does the weight of your bike have on your commute. Thoughts?

I have a bike pushing 20# (from above), a bike pushing 40# (from below), and a bike around 30#; the latter 2 perform about the same but the heavier one carries the load much better, so I am thinking that what is worth doing is worth overdoing, w/ bike weight. The skinny one has no rack so is just plain limited on what it can carry.

I don't know if I de-racked the 30 pounder how close its performance would get to the 20 pounder. Not close enough to bother taking the rack off, I am thinking.

The 30-pounder is gettting pushed into a studded tire ghetto, not a lot of use otherwise.

You will built stronger muscles on a heavier bike.

How many people bicycle commute up and down the Alps? Or Alps like terrain?

The benefits for the typical bicycle commuter gained by fenders, kickstand, cargo carrying equipment, reliable components IGH gearing, etc., may outweigh the time costs for commuters not obsessed with setting speed records or trying to earn Internet/bicycle club bragging rights for "efficiency."

Except Alfine 11 hub costs more than my entire bike.

Except Alfine 11 hub costs more than my entire bike.

Here is some news, there are IGH hubs available other than Alfine 11 and the other zoot suit expensive IGH hubs promoted by cycling "enthusiasts." Even more when you consider used bikes like the trusty and reliable 3 speeds sold in this country for many years.

Here is some news, there are IGH hubs available other than Alfine 11 and the other zoot suit expensive IGH hubs promoted by cycling "enthusiasts." Even more when you consider used bikes like the trusty and reliable 3 speeds sold in this country for many years.

Those are not useful in hilly areas. Gear the low end down to 25 inches and the high end will be less than 50 inches. Even Nexus/Alfine 8 doesn't give me the range I use on a daily basis.

Heh. The only bike I own that's less than 30 lbs is my Brompton.

My 20 year old Trek with racks and fenders is about 37 lbs. My Novara road bike is about 32 lbs. My 70s Schwinn step-thru? About 40 lbs.

They're all smooth riding bikes, but not light. I should try a light bike some day, just for the experience.

Those are not useful in hilly areas. Gear the low end down to 25 inches and the high end will be less than 50 inches. Even Nexus/Alfine 8 doesn't give me the range I use on a daily basis.
You are right, a three speed is not the best choice for you and other cyclists who find the hills on your commute require more gearing. That hardly is a mandate for everybody else to get with the enthusiast/LBS program and fool themselves into getting more expensive racing derived equipment to meet their more normal needs.

How many people bicycle commute up and down the Alps? Or Alps like terrain?


My point was simply that not all of Europe is like Amsterdam and Copenhagen where people ride heavy bikes over flat terrain. A large swath of Europe is mountainous, or at least very hilly, and many people commute on lighter bikes. It was a counterpoint to the claim that a 30lb bike would be considered light in Europe. It's not. Dutch bikes are heavy no matter what.

You are right, a three speed is not the best choice for you and other cyclists who find the hills on your commute require more gearing. That hardly is a mandate for everybody else to get with the enthusiast/LBS program and fool themselves into getting more expensive racing derived equipment to meet their more normal needs.

What do you define as normal? Your implied that IGH is great for commuting, which I won't argue, but their ranges tend to be very limited compared to derailleur systems except the more expensive ones like Alfine 11, Rholeff or Nuvinci.

My daily commute involves 500 ft sections of 16% grade and the entire hill is about 9% on average over a distance of about a mile. This is completely normal to me.

My point was simply that not all of Europe is like Amsterdam and Copenhagen where people ride heavy bikes over flat terrain. A large swath of Europe is mountainous, or at least very hilly, and many people commute on lighter bikes. It was a counterpoint to the claim that a 30lb bike would be considered light in Europe. It's not. Dutch bikes are heavy no matter what.

IMO the terrain in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and Holland is a contributing factor to the bicycling popularity. I was watching a travel show on TV where the guide went through these areas on a bicycle and repeatedly emphasized how flat it was and that a even a 10 mile ride was quite easy to do.

If a heavy duty or light weight bike is best depends on your use/requirements.
During winter months when it is dark on my ride home, temps in the 30's and raining sideways I ride my fat tire fenderbeast. Full dress it probably weighs almost 40 lbs. The14.8 mile ride takes me about 70 min.
Summer months I ride my road bike and the ride takes about 50 min.