Reputation – How does the brand stack up against its competitors.Overall performance – How do the bikes cope on the ascents and descents? What is the riding experience like, what is their suspension like? What is their weight capacity?.Battery efficiency – We compare the batteries in terms of their efficiency, power and charging speeds.Motor efficiency – We compare the power, efficiency and level of smoothness of the motors.We look at a range of budgets and want to make sure that they are offering the best value for their price bracket Lightweight bikes are often more expensive. Value for money – Even the best electric bikes can vary significantly in their pricing.Some of the key criteria we looked at when we were reviewing include: We have selected four different lightweight electric bikes to review.Įach has its own specific advantages in terms of features, usability and performance. There are restrictions in certain States on where these can be used – always check.Max speed 28mph (often referred to as speed pedelecs).Pedal-assist mode or thumb throttle function.Generally no restrictions on where they can be used in the US.In some areas, the motor can be no greater than 250w.In general, though, they are broken down as follows within the United States: Class 1 e-bikes In Europe, e-bikes are generally not allowed to go above 15mph on their power-assist modes.Ĭheck out the People For Bikes website, which is a handy resource for gaining a better understanding of these sometimes nuanced regulations. Within the United States, there are even some states that don’t conform to the norm. The laws vary depending on the country you are in. (Seriously, look how happy he is with his lightweight bike!) Be Aware of the Electric Bike Classesĭon’t forget to check the Class of the electric bike you are considering too. You want to be like this dude – easily carrying your eBike wherever you need.
Some manufacturers, controversially, don’t even publish the weight of their bikes when listing the specifications as they argue it should not be a deciding factor. E-Mountain bikes are generally heavier than road bikes as they need a more robust frame, additional stability and they often have more advanced suspension. It also depends on what you are using your bike for too. If your bike is super light, but it doesn’t have an efficient motor and battery, it wouldn’t be a worthwhile investment. You should also be looking at things like the suspension, brakes, tires, motor and battery. While we are looking at lighter bikes in this article, it shouldn’t be your main focus when considering which e-bike to select. Weight isn’t Everything When it Comes to an e-bike Though It also makes a difference if you are a commuter having to lift your bike on and off public transport, for loading onto a bike rack, and for carrying upstairs to your apartment!įolding electric bikes, along with electric scooters, are becoming increasingly popular, and many designers compete to achieve the lowest weight possible. Lifting a bike that weighs a few kilos more over a gate or wall can seem like a big difference when you are physically exhausted. Of course, the lighter the bike is, the easier things become in terms of maneuverability and portability. If the bike is lighter, it also means that the mileage range that the battery life will cover should be more. The heavier the bike, the more you will have to work to get it up the hill, and the same is true for the work the motor will have to do. This is particularly true when you are on ascents. The biggest reason that serious cyclists opt for a lighter bike is that it can impact speed.
Of course, this varies depending on budget, design, specification, and whether it is a road or mountain bike.Įlectric bikes typically weigh over 40 lbs (18kgs), so they are considerably more substantial. OEM is 45AH and this is only just adequate.A typical non-electric bike tends to weigh anywhere from 25 to 35lbs (11 to 16kg). You will need to connect the car somehow to this as the terminals are smaller. This has smaller capacity than the OEM (but the same as the Lithium battery recommendations). Looking down the list you will need the Red Top 35. Later we switched to lithium for racing and it was a few hundred grams (again off the top of my head). Varley Red Top Batteries, Chargers & Gridstart - DMS technologies We also carried a large lead acid battery to help it out starting it when it was pitted.
We used to try and preserve it as much as possible by using two of them, one to swap with the other if it got low from starting the engine a lot during testing. Click to expand.When I was working with race cars we had a lightweight battery which was good for a few starts, it was super lightweight (a few kg off the top of my head).