What are some lightweight budget bikes?

Define affordable.

Like Curmy said, it would be a lot easier for us to help you if you gave us riding style, trail type selection, and most importantly; what you are willing to spend.

a nice affordable USD$10,000 hardtail from cannondale weighing in at 16.75lbs is about to be announced shortly...

Define lightweight and affordable it is very very rare that those two words are mentioned together let alone when talking about a complete stock bike.....I think the weight weenie LTD scots are about $10k for us? thats lightweight but not cheap

nathanbal said:

a nice affordable USD$10,000 hardtail from cannondale weighing in at 16.75lbs is about to be announced shortly...

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wowzers

Maybe a Motobecane fly team fits depending on your budget.

I am looking to spend less than $600

dd61999 said:

I am looking to spend less than $600

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go eBay and look for a second hand one. There are some bargains to be had.

jw8725 said:

go eBay and look for a second hand one. There are some bargains to be had.

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I prefer something new

I really dont mean to sound pessimistic but there is little chance you will get a 'light' bike for $600 new - what do you consider light? A hardtail in that price bracket will vary from around 29-30+ pounds

Most new $600 bikes are going to spec'd with the same quality of components, none of them what you'd call light. You'd be hard pressed to find a name brand hardtail under 25 or 26 pounds for that kind of money. Even something like the Motobecane 700HT is likely 25+ pounds.

Only way to achieve a lightweight $600 bike is to build it yourself. This one I did 5 years ago fits that number, and that was done when the US dollar was worth a lot more.

http://forums.mtbr.com/showthread.php?t=32152&highlight=budgetlight

dd61999 said:

I prefer something new

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you are dreaming....or just define lightweight as 30 lbs+ and you will be set

L.L Beane cruiser bike, comfortable, 30lbs. What's so bad about that?

Thx for the necro-post.

I would also love to buy a lightweight mountain bike for £400 ($600) but as already said, if buying new it just won't happen.
Not unless you define "lightweight" as under 35 pounds.....which is still a lot lighter than the $200 "chain store" mountain bikes.

I built a 22lb hardtail w/ 1600. But most wouldn't call that cheap.

Chinese carbon frame (which was awesome btw) and stans crest wheels.

I built 2 sub 20lb 26er, ht, used xtr and v-brakes for just under a $1000 each for my kid's first race bikes. Riding heavier crappy bikes in their first few races and representing well, they earned them.

You will get a better bike at $600 buying used and then upgrade parts as you go. New at that range ain't worth buying.

The cannondale sl series have quite light frames for cheap money. Also a very nice ride, great feedback through the frame. I have a 2012 sl4 which standard is 28.5lb's, which granted isn't that light, but it's only because of the ancillaries. The frame is a stormer and worthy of upgrading. One of the lighter frames around.
think i saw 1900grams some where for the frame ?