BMX is the one type of bike that doesn’t have a weight limit. With all parts optimized to work together to hold up average and big riders, even someone over 400 pounds can ride the bike just fine. But how heavy are BMX bikes in the first place?
BMX bikes have an average weight of 23.6 pounds. Lightweight models weigh 20 pounds but they tend to be somewhat expensive. The heavier ones weigh between 27 and 28 pounds, though you can trim down the weight by switching up some of the heavy components with lighter ones.
Lighter BMX bikes have become such a big deal for beginners and pro riders, particularly because they make freestyle riding and performance of simple and advanced stunts easy.
You do have to be careful with lightweight BMX bikes, though. Some lighter bikes aren’t better than heavy ones and tend to feel fragile due to flimsy components. Which are the types of BMX bikes you want to avoid.
For what it’s worth, it might be best to go for a heavy model with a robust frame build. Then you can trim down the weight a little by exchanging some of the heavy component with lighter ones.
How Does Weight Affect A BMX Bike?
You never have to worry about BMX weight limit because manufacturers have designed these bikes in such a way that they can handle a rider of any weight.
You do however have to mind how much a BMX actually weighs so you can make the right buying decision.
Why?
It’s because how heavy a BMX is highly influences how easy you can pedal and how fast the bike can move.
Many riders prefer to get lightweight BMX bikes because they’re nimble. And in addition to being easier to carry, lighter BMX bikes accelerate faster with every pedal strike.
It’s a different case altogether when it comes to heavy BMX bike.
First, they are not as nimble and are difficult to carry. Second, they require more energy to pedal, and they may not be good for someone who isn’t interested in some muscle toning exercise.
But I should say this:
Heavy BMX bikes aren’t bad at all. They aren’t as nimble and they won’t accelerate as fast. But considering the quality of the components used as parts, any BMX in the 25 to 28 pounds weight range should be fine.
Lightweight VS Heavier BMX Bikes: What Are The Differences?
Now that you understand how weight affects the performance of a BMX bike, let’s go even farther and take a look at the difference between a lightweight and a heavy BMX bikes.
I’ve based the comparison table below on a number of factors, including price, stability, and purpose.
| Lightweight BMX | Heavier BMX | |
| Speed | Faster and nimble than heavy BMX | They are slow but more stable than lightweight BMX |
| Purpose | Ideal for competitive purposes due to speed and not as durable as heavy BMX | Ideal for all kinds of riding styles and more durable than light BMX |
| Resale | They have a better resale value than heavy BMX | They have a lower resale value due to the weight |
| Price | Lighter BMX are more expensive | They are cheaper and often readily available |
| Tracks | You can only ride them on smooth tracks. They aren’t ideal for off0-track roads packed with rugged areas and bumps | Can ride well even on rough paths and bumpy trails |
Should You Care About How Heavy A BMX Bike Is?
The weight of a BMX bike is something you need to take seriously because it does have a huge impact on your ability to ride and perform tricks.
If you’re just interested in a BMX that you can use for casual riding in the streets and off roads, weight may not be such an issue.
But if you want to perform simple and complex tricks, from no hander and J hop to bunny hops and 360-degree, you need to mind the weight of the bike. In this case, it’s best to go for a lightweight bike so you can easily perform such range of skills without struggling.
Is 27 Pounds Heavy For A BMX Bike?
First, it’s important to note that BMX weight ranges between 22 and 28 pounds. That’s to say that 27 pounds is on the higher end.
But before we can conclude that 27 pounds is too heavy for a BMX, we need to examine how much weight the components add to the bike in the first place.
If the BMX weighs 27 pounds, exclusive of the weight of the hub guards, pegs, brakes, and gyro, then it’s definitely too heavy for a BMX. If add the weight of these components to the bike, it gets even heavier – and uglier so to speak.
On the other hand, if the bike weighs 27 pounds inclusive of the weight of the components, then it’s possible to trim down the weight by switching some of the heavy components with the lighter ones.
The key player in the weight game is the material used to make BMX frames. Aluminum and carbon fiber frames are generally lighter, so a BMX made of these materials won’t be as heavy.
Chromoly frames are also great, but they are a little heavier than aluminum.
Do Racing And Freestyle BMX Weigh The Same?
Racing and freestyle BMX bikes don’t weigh the same. Racing BM bikes are lighter than freestyle BMX, which is one of the reasons why many pro riders prefer them.
a) Racing BMX Bikes
Racing BMX bikes are lightweight because they’re about speed. The deal here is to get going faster as you pedal, so you don’t want too much weight dragging you.
During design and modeling, manufacturers trim down the weight to make BMX racing bikes as lightweight as possible. The process involves using lightweight materials to make the frames parts.
And if you ever been a keen observer, racing style BMX bikes have thinner wheels, which have two benefits.
First, thinner tires don’t add much weight to the BMX bike. Second, they make it easy for you to achieve full speed sine there’s minimal contact with the ground.
b) Freestyle BMX Bike
Freestyle BMX bikes tend to be heavier and for a good reason. The goal here isn’t to move freely in short bursts of speed. Rather, it’s all about strength, resilience, and resistance.
In other words:
Freestyle BMX bikes have to be strong enough to stand up to constant landings and impacts. Technically, they have a solid frame and tires with more spokes.
Then there are additional components that these bikes must have for true bmxing experience, which do add up to the overall weight of the bike.
For example, pegs add weight to the bike. But since it’s an important component that you’ll depend on 100% of the time, you really can’t factor it out when trying to optimize the weight of the bike for better performance.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. Are BMX Lighter Than Mountain Bikes?
Small and medium-sized BMX bikes are lighter than mountain bikes. They weigh between 20 and 25 pounds, which is a limit that we can conformably consider to be lightweight.
Large BMX bikes are as heavy as mountain bikes. Often their weights fall between 25 and 29 pounds, which is too heavy for a standard BMX.
Both BMX and MTB have components that add weight to the bike, with mountain bikes having more components that explain why they’re heavy.
2. What Are The Lightest BMX Bikes?
There are a number of lightweight BMX bikes ideal for those who had rather go light and get the best performance.
These are:
- Mongoose Legion L500 BMX Bike (View on Amazon)
- Redline Bikes MX24 (View on Amazon)
- Mongoose Legion Freestyle BMX Bike (View on Amazon)
The benefit of such lightweight BMX bikes is that they not only ride faster but they also make it easy for you to perform tricks and stunts with ease.
But must you really buy a lighter BMX?
Well, not exactly. To be honest, whether you buy a heavy or lightweight BMX is entirely up to your personal preference.
In my opinion, it’s okay to get a heavy BMX because they’re stable. But keep in mind that they are only fine for normal riding and bad for everything else.
Lightweight models, on the other hand, give you the best of everything a BMX ever has to offer. More importantly, they are the best for processional riding, street racing, and performance of tricks and stunts.
You get the idea, don’t you?
Conclusion: ”How Heavy Are BMX Bikes?”
I hope you now understand how heavy BMX bikes are and why it’s important consider your options before buying one.
The most important thing to keep in mind is that the bike you choose from a weight perspective depends on what you would like to achieve. Keep that in mind and you won’t have a difficult time figuring out what BMX bike to get.