Average folding bike weight?
 

Hi everyone. As the title says. What is actually the range of a folding bike weight should be?

The folders I have owned range in weight from 21 to 29 lbs. Some folding bikes on the market weigh less and some weigh more. It all depends on your budget and the type and/or brand of folding bike you are interested in.

Our 4spd T Line is 18lbs 4oz ready to ride. A C Line ebike w/battery mounted is 39lbs 6oz. A standard C Line 6spd is 26lbs 7 oz. I once put a BSO folding ebike with front suspension and mag wheels on a Park Tool scale and it wouldn't weigh it,max weight was 55lbs.

Average weight really isn't a thing given how many different folding bikes there are. There are bikes with wheels from 12" to 700c,steel/aluminum/carbon,derailleur and IGH bikes. A better question would be to ask what kind of folder you're looking at generally weighs.

Expect about 5-10 lb higher than a similar non-folding bike

My bike is about 30lbs. Steel framed bifold. I just want to know whether my bike is overweight or not. 😅

When i searched stock folding bikes in online stores they usually weighs 13-14kg. Some even lower like 8kg. What makes the biggest difference between them? Is it the frame or the combination of smaller parts.

Its the same as for not folding bikes.

The lower weight folding bike have a frame that weight less due to the use of higher end material (high end steel, titanium but carbon, up to now, didn't prove to result in lower weight for folding bikes) and more sophisticated manufacturing process (butted tubes, hydroformed frame...).

And, like lightweight not folding bikes, they have lower weight, more high end and more expensive components.

But its true that a folding frame weight more than a not folding frame because the folding mechanism add some weight and the fact that the frame is folding requires some frame reinforcement that also add some weight.

Hinges
The reinforcing around the hinges
Design choices, for instance, using a single top tube instead of a conventional double triangle design. The single top tube has to be made more robust to prevent bending and twisting AND additional structure for the folding mechanism.

The frame is generally the big item, but the longer seat post and stem don't help.

It's engineering compromise.
Folding makes for a heavier frame.
You can have a lighter frame if you pay (a LOT) more.

Smaller fold with smaller tires.
Smaller tires sacrifices ride quality
Increase ride quality by suspension and/or bigger tires
Suspension and/or bigger tires sacrifices fold size and weight increases

Weight isn't really a big deal unless you're picking it up all of the time or are a top tier racer.
And if you're a top tier racer.... then why the hell are you on a folder?!


(rant mode off)

I also have a 20"/406 wheel bifold in steel, chrome-moly steel so bare new it was supposed to be 28 lbs with fenders and a small steel rear rack. About 1.5 lbs lighter for aluminum frames with aluminum rear rack by same company. Cheap "hi-ten"(sile) steel bifolds can easily add on 10 lbs for very similar bike, but I can't recall if those had steel seatpost/handlepost/handlebars/rims, I just remember the weight spec of 38 lbs.

Right now, 28 lbs would be feather light, as all the additions on my bifold put it well over 50 lbs; 2X crank and front derailleur and shifter, bolt-on aero handlebar, stout rear rack, trunk bag full of tools and spares, full-size rear panniers, small front rack and panniers. But for utility as a townie, it's awesome, I can do big food shopping. But the carry up stairs is a grunt.

The range is huge. Folding bikes are a compromise between portability and rideability. The more emphasis in one area, the less in the other.

My Airnimal with an aluminum frame is a bit over 30 pounds, 24 inch wheels, the designers emphasized rideability over portability. Most of the components are the same as on full size bikes. But a folder that is designed to be easy to carry and store under a desk will be much lighter, especially if it was quite expensive.

A vintage Raleigh folding bike will be quite heavy.

+1 too.

It will be useful to specify what type of folding bikes u are referring to before we talk about average weight? :)

Range is 15 - 40 lbs.

Mine's 30-33 lbs. Another 5 lbs. when I put bags on it. ZiZZO Forté.

At 30 lbs, yours is not overweight, but not trying to be light either.

ZiZZO makes a Liberté model that can't carry as much weight that is 23 lbs. To get lighter than that requires either a lot more money or some big compromises. (like smaller wheels and no gear choices)

The weigh will be influenced by a few things :
1. Frame material, and fold design (Alu vs steel, carbon, etc) (Dahon type bifold, trifold, break apart, etc)
2. Wheels
3. Components

In the end, they all involve quite a high cost and up to a point, it is not worth doing in a cost/weight/speed consideration

My Origami Swift, with it's steel mudguards and rear rack, is around 39/40 lbs... It rides great, but it weighs a ton! My Dahon Unio ebike weighs 41 lbs. The funny thing is, the Swift feels so much better when riding it. I wish I had a motor + battery setup on it.