When it comes to riding, there are various types of bikes that are available to you on the market. You can get almost any type of bike for any purpose. There are mountain bikes, road bikes, beach bikes, hybrid bikes, the best lightweight BMX bikes, fitness bikes, and several others.
Each of these bicycles has its unique design and structure that makes it different from others and well-suited for its purpose. However, we are going to be focusing on a particular type in this article, and that’s the lightweight pro BMX bikes.
If you’re wondering what a BMX bike is, it’s the type of bike you see in BMX races. They are specially designed bikes meant for off-road racing and stunts. The fantastic thing about these bikes is that you can use them for different purposes asides from racing and stunting.
In these BMX bike reviews, we’re going to be looking at some of the cheap light BMX bikes available on the market.
What is the Lightest BMX Bike?
Take a look below for the best light freestyle BMX bikes and the things you need to look out:
1. Mongoose Legion Freestyle BMX Bike
The Mongoose Legion is one of the top choices of high-quality BMX bikes today.
The bike is designed to be strong and fit or off-road riding. It’s equipped with some of the best components available, and we’ll be looking at some of them.
The lightweight BMX frames are chromoly 4130 steel. You should know that a typical BMX bike is meant to be light. The steel used to make the Mongoose Legion is lightweight and also strong. This makes the bike suitable for off-road racing and even good for pulling off stunts. The weight of the bike contributes to its speed ability. You can ride at high speeds both on and off-road.
The bicycle is also equipped with other features that complement its speed. It features an aluminum u-brake that’s strong and highly responsive; it has good stopping power. You can also decide to change the brakes as they are easy to remove. The bike also has a threadless sealed bearings headset.
2. Elite BMX Model Bike
The Elite BMX Freestyle Bike is a great bicycle that’s a little above an entry-level type of bike.
This bike takes riding to a new level when compared to entry-level bikes. If you’ve mastered riding and you want to upgrade so that you can perform more tricks or perform better generally, this is a great choice for you.
You can be certain that this bike will last you for a long while and it’s capable of taking any abuse you give to it. It’s also lightweight and easy to maneuver. The frame is 18 inches, and it has a built-in headset.
The bike is equipped with rear u-brakes, they are a great type of brake system and have proven to be very effective.
3. Schwinn Sting Pro and Predator Cruiser BMX Bike
The Schwinn Sting Pro and Predator Cruiser BMX bike is very high on our best entry level BMX bike list. Schwinn is a well-respected name when it comes to bikes and bike accessories. They are one of the top bike makers, and they have made a large number of bikes that are considered the best of their type.
The Schwinn Sting is no exception, and it offers you some amazing features. This bike has an eye-catching design that features a retro look and high shine finish. With this bike you can ride in style and still enjoy maximum performance.
The 20-inch frame is with high-grade steel. This material is light, and it makes the bike one of the light BMX bike for sale on the market. You can attain a very high speed, which makes it a great choice for a racing bike. The material used to make this bike makes it very strong and durable.
For a bike capable of attaining very high speeds, it needs a very strong brake system that can control this speed. This bike is equipped with dual caliper brakes on both the front and rear wheels, and this brake has high stopping power and fast response.
4. Mongoose Title Micro BMX Race Bike
Another one of the best lightweight BMX bikes is the Mongoose BMX Race Bike. This bike is available in different models that can be used by different types of riders. You can get a make of this bike that’s suitable for your kids, and you can get one that is suitable for you even if you’re not a professional rider. The range of availability is one of the main advantages of the bike.
The bike is designed to make it as easy as possible to ride. If you’ve not ridden in a long time and you want to pick up where you left off, this bicycle will let you do that easily.
Like a standard BMX bike, the frame of the Mongoose BMX Race Bike is very light. It makes it easier for you to maneuver, and you can attain some impressive speed with it. The bike is also equipped with an easy-to-apply rear handbrake.
With this brand, you don’t have to worry about not getting a style you like or one that fits you. As we said there are different types of the bike available for different people ranging from size to experience.
5. Dynacraft Magna BMX Bike
The Dynacraft Magna Bike is a perfectly designed bike for a kid. If you’re looking for the perfect present to get your child, this is it. The bike has a design that fits the demands of kids, and it’s extremely easy to ride.
The bike is lightweight, making it convenient for the kids to ride and try new tricks with. It’s also durable and can stand the rigors of riding.
This is also a good bike for our kids because it will last them a long time. Kids have this ability to break almost anything. But with this bicycle, you don’t have to worry about that happening.
The bike comes partially assembled so you’ll need to put some parts together like the handlebars, seat, front wheels, and pedals. But this is very straightforward and easy to do. Another great thing about this bike is the price. It’s very affordable and it offers a lot for the price.
6. Sullivan Ambush Mini BMX
One of the first things that will catch your eye about this bike is the design. The Sullivan Ambush Mini BMX is designed with a color combination that makes you love it instantly. This bike is a good show-off bicycle.
Apart from its aesthetic value, the bike also has a high level of performance. It’s one of the easiest bikes to perform tricks with. Even kids can perform tricks which makes it one of the best youth BMX bikes you can get.
Besides the nice design and performance, the bike is also designed to provide as much safety to the rider as possible. It’s one of the safest super light BMX bikes out there. It’s designed with 10-inch wheels and a freewheel rear hub. The tires are also spaced wide for easy stunting.
Finally, as expected from a BMX bike, it’s very light. This factor adds to the ease of riding the bike and makes it suitable for kids also. The lightness also makes the bike compatible with riding fast and hard.
7. Redline Bikes MX BMX Race Bike
The Redline Bikes MX BMX Race Bike is a very versatile bike that can serve a wide range of users. It’s one of the best cheap lightweight BMX bikes out there, and it’s among the bikes that are topping our really light BMX bikes list.
This bike is suitable for simple races and other small-time professional activities. It’s also a great choice of bike to use for learning. If you’re a beginner, this is a good bike to learn with. This bicycle is designed to take the abuse and stress that you have to offer them.
It’s made with an aluminum frame; this is why we consider it one of the lightest BMX bikes in the world. Aluminum is a very tough material but is also equally light, even lighter than steel. With this bike, you can ride at impressive speeds and with a great deal of ease.
The lightness of the bike also makes it a good choice for kids. It’s easy to control and pedal, and they can even use it to learn stunts and things like that.
8. Kent Pro 20 Boy’s Freestyle Bike
The Kent Pro 20 is specially made for freestyle riding and it’s well designed to fit this purpose.
You can conveniently use this bike on a wide range of terrains. If you like riding on more than one type of terrain this bicycle will meet your requirements. The bike is strong and it makes a great freestyle BMX bike.
The steel material used to make the frame gives the bike a high degree of strength and durability. Given the type of exercise the bicycle is designed for, it’s a very important factor. The bike is also equipped with an alloy seat clamp, and a freestyle rotor, you can pull off an impressive number of stunts on the bicycle.
The Kent Pro is also designed with a unique and effective brake system. It comes with both front and rear brakes. This is a good feature, and it makes the bike even more convenient for stunting. The bike also comes with 20-inch wheels that can handle the frame of the bike and support the activities it’s designed for.
How to Get the Best Lightweight BMX Bikes
There are several brands and makes of lightweight BMX freestyle bikes in the market. Some are good and some aren’t even close to being top rated BMX bikes.
We are adding this segment so that you can spot a good BMX bike for street riding by yourself. We will be giving you some factors to look out for when shopping for your bicycle.
Frame
We can’t stress enough the importance of picking a good light weight BMX frame. Apart from the lightness of the frame, it also has to be strong and durable.
Most of the time off road BMX bikes under 300 dollars are put under rigorous use, so the frame needs to be up to the task. The most recommended frame will be the Chromoly steel frame.
This frame is the strongest and most durable type of frame. It’s also cost-friendly. With this type of frame, you can use your bicycle for a great deal without worrying about damage.
Material
The materials used in making the bike go a long way in determining how light the bike will be. The common materials used in the design of BMX bikes include aluminum, Chromoly 4130 steel, and hi-tensile steel.
Aluminum is the lightest material that can be used to make the bikes but is more expensive than the steel counterparts.
Next is the Chromoly 4130. They are less expensive than the aluminum frame, and they are stronger but weigh more.
Finally, we have the hi-ten steel. It’s the cheapest of the materials and one of the most commonly used. It’s not as strong as the Chromoly steel, but it will still work fine.
Weight
One of the major features of a BMX bike is its weight. A lightest 18 inch BMX bike is meant to be lightweight to suit its purpose better.
The weight of your bike will determine how easy it will be for you to maneuver it and also perform tricks with it. Furthermore, it will determine to a larger extent how fast your bike can go. So, before you get a bike, give it a weight check.
However, you want to be careful about the lightness as well. You may end up getting a bicycle that will be too light for you to ride, and if it’s too light, it’s prone to damage as well.
Size
It’s important to pay attention to the dimensions of the bike. It entails the weight, height, wheel size of the bike. You will want to get a bicycle that matches the body size of the rider.
If you’re getting the bike for an adult, it’s safer to go for a bicycle with bigger wheels like 20+ wheels. It will be convenient and easy for the person to handle. However, if you want to get a bike for a kid, it’s better to get one that has smaller wheels.
Another important thing to note is the seat and handlebar. It’s safer to get adjustable seats and handlebars.
If the seat and handlebars are adjustable, it gives room for the person to grow without having to replace the bicycle.
Brakes
The main purpose of a BMX bike is for racing and pulling off stunts, so it’s designed to attain high speeds. For a bike like the BMX bike, it must have a highly-effective brake system.
You can get different types of brakes that are suitable, but the most commonly used ones are the U-brakes. You can also get other types like the handbrakes, v-brakes, footbrake, and several others.
The point is whatever brake you decide to go with must be compatible with your bicycle, also ensure that it’s very effective with high stopping power and fast response.
Spokes
The spoke count is often overlooked when we want to get a bike; most people don’t know the significance of the spoke.
However, the spoke count is a major part as the right number of spokes can give your bike a stronger disposition.
The regular number of spokes is between 28 to 36. The number of spokes on your bike also depends on the size of your bike. If your bike is bigger than the normal size it’s expected to have more spokes and it can have up to 48 spokes.
Rims
There are different types of rims available to you, and you need to pay attention to your rims.
Two things you need to note when picking a rim is the size and the material used to make it. The standard rim size is 32mm, but other sizes depend on your desire.
The bigger rims are stronger than the 32mm rims. They are capable of withstanding more pressure and they are suitable for off-road riding which is common to BMX bikes.
But you need to remember that the bigger the rim, the more weight you add to your bicycle.
Gear Ratio
One thing that you’ll have noticed is the gear of the BMX bike. Unlike its other counterparts like the road bike and mountain bikes that have more than one gear, the BMX bicycle isn’t designed that way. So if you see any BMX bike that is offering multiple gears, I will advise you to avoid it.
However, the gear ratio of your bike is an important factor that you still need to consider. The gear ratio isn’t usually written on the bike, but you can easily get it yourself.
All you need is the number of teeth on your chainrings and the number of sprockets on your bicycle.
Wheels
The tires and wheels are other aspects of your bike that you need to pay attention to. Normally, the tires of the BMX bikes are thicker than that of the road bikes. They are designed this way to suit their functions.
However, there are varying degrees of thickness to the tires. If you want your bike for the speed, go for the thinner version of the tires. But if you’re more into stunts then the thicker and wider tires will fit you better.
The wheels of your bicycle also determine to a great extent the types of tires you can use and the type of terrains you can navigate. Make sure you get wheels that are suitable for your body build and purpose.
Assembly
There are different makers of BMX bikes, and each has their way of packing their products. Some bikes come fully assembled while others come with some parts separate and in need of assembling.
These bikes are usually designed so that you can easily put them together. But if you know you’re not good at putting things together, then go for a bicycle that’s already fully assembled.
On the other hand, most bicycles that require assembling usually come with a manual showing you how to do it. So ensure your bike has a manual as it will make things easier for you.
BMX Disciplines
There are different classes of BMX bikes as we’ve shown in our reviews. You have bikes for kids, adults, beginners, professionals, and experts. There are probably more classes that I’ve not mentioned, but the point is there are several classes of BMX bikes.
The type of bicycle you get is dependent on what class of rider you fall into. If you’re learning how to ride or you want to get a bike for your kid, you can go for the entry-level BMX bikes, they are very convenient for that purpose and easy to ride.
If as a beginner you go for a pro BMX bike, you won’t enjoy it, and it will be a waste of your money. So it’s important to get a bicycle that matches your discipline.
BMX Bikes vs. Regular Bikes
What is a light BMX bike? The most common and evident differences are in the design with the lightest BMX bike brand. BMX bikes that are light are designed for speed and easy maneuvering so that the rider can pull off stunts with ease.
They are usually lighter than your regular bikes, and this design helps them attain impressive speeds. BMX bicycles are also stronger and tougher than regular bikes.
Lastly, the wheels of BMX bikes are bigger than those of regular bikes.
Conclusion
With all we’ve seen and also the bikes we’ve tested, if we’re to choose one of the best lightweight BMX bikes, it’s going to be the Mongoose Legion Freestyle BMX Bike.
This is exactly what a BMX bike should be. The frame is 4130 steel, the best material used in making BMX. It’s very light and durable.
It also comes with aluminum U-brakes and a thread-sealed integrated headset. The bike is perfect for both professional riders and people who are just learning and practicing.