According to one embodiment, a gear includes a steel portion that is oriented on a center axis. The steel portion includes a hub, a cylindrical rim, a web, and a plurality of engagement features. The hub is centered about the center axis. The rim has an exterior surface and an interior surface that surrounds the hub and is centered about the center axis. The web extends from an exterior surface of the hub to the interior surface of the rim. The engagement features are on the exterior surface of the cylindrical rim. The gear also includes a first composite piece adjacent to a first side of the web, the first composite piece extending from the hub to the interior surface of the rim, wherein the first composite piece does not extend past the hub towards the center axis.