Lightweight electric bike

Electrically assisted bikes, trikes, etc. that are legal in the UK
dodger1
Posts: 66
Joined: 24 Aug 2018, 10:03am

Lightweight electric bike

Post by dodger1 »

I would appreciate advice from those who have an e-bike.
I'm nearing the point of buying one, but those I've seen seem to be very heavy.
Basically I'd like a flat bar, disc brakes, touring bike with panniers, mudguards, comfortable saddle, all for no more than about 15Kg
The trouble is, looking online, there's now so much choice and I'm floundering.
I know everyone's usage is different, but I'm really interested in touring/day rides of (currently) no more than 50 miles. Hopefully an e-bike will allow me to extend that.
I love my Dawes Galaxy Ultra, but age is hitting both of us!
Jdsk
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Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by Jdsk »

Do you have a price range?

Thanks

Jonathan
peterb
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Joined: 2 Dec 2017, 10:13am

Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by peterb »

I'ii be amazed if anyone finds the bike you describe at under 15kg, or anywhere near. The lightest e-road bikes available are around 12kg and £4.5K up - eg Scott Addict e-ride 30, Ribble SLe, and are certainly not touring bikes. I have an Orbea Gain - middle of the range equipment wise, small size frame, and with pedals mudguards saddlepack, lights, bottle cage etc it weighs almost 16kg. If you then add a supplementary battery pack to give more range it adds even more weight. That said have you checked out the Ribble Hybrid ALe and the CGR ALe?
dodger1
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Joined: 24 Aug 2018, 10:03am

Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by dodger1 »

I don't have a price range, although I expect to pay £2K+.
I've looked at so many bikes online, I've forgotten most of them, but what I'm most interested in is the experience of those who've already tried/bought a lightweight.
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fossala
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Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by fossala »

Specialized Vado SL?
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Audax67
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Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by Audax67 »

Earlier this year I was looking on-line at Decathlon's non-electric Triban RC 520 gravel/adventure bike with a view to equipping it with a hub motor. The Triban would be eminently suitable for touring, since it has all the attach points you need including on the front forks. It weighs in at 10.5 kilos. However:

1. you can add around 3-4 kg for a motorized wheel (not Decathlon's) and another 1.5 kg for a 250 Wh battery. The rest of the cabling & gubbins will add a chunk more
2. adding a third-party motor invalidates the guarantee and quite possibly your third-party insurance.
3. the bike hasn't been available since February (in France)

My old Ti Audax bike weighs in at 10.5 kilos "naked". Adding a motorized wheel, controller unit, console and battery takes it up to 17.8 kilos. Adding a seatpost rack and a saddlebag with a spare battery takes it over 20 kg; however, if I reserve the motor for the difficult bits I can get 140 km out of a single charge, and I have managed 130 km with 1000 metres of climbing. My longest 1-day ride to date was 239 km with both batteries and recharging during coffee/lunch pauses. I wasn't pussy-footing it either: I did almost 1800 metres of climbing and had a 23.6 kph moving average.

This last to say don't worry too much about weight unless you want to load it into a car or train, and even then you can load the bits separately. I have back & ankle problems and so far I've had no trouble.
Have we got time for another cuppa?
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Cugel
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Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by Cugel »

dodger1 wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 4:16pm I would appreciate advice from those who have an e-bike.
I'm nearing the point of buying one, but those I've seen seem to be very heavy.
Basically I'd like a flat bar, disc brakes, touring bike with panniers, mudguards, comfortable saddle, all for no more than about 15Kg
The trouble is, looking online, there's now so much choice and I'm floundering.
I know everyone's usage is different, but I'm really interested in touring/day rides of (currently) no more than 50 miles. Hopefully an e-bike will allow me to extend that.
I love my Dawes Galaxy Ultra, but age is hitting both of us!
I believe that the best value e-bike capable of most of what you want is this:

https://www.wiggle.co.uk/vitus-e-substa ... 105-2022-1

It has drop bars et al but you might find, if you persevere, that these are rather more comfortable than straight bars, especially with the current 105 gear/brake levers. It's advertised as weighing just less than 15 kilos.

It will take guards and a rear pannier rack. The saddle may or may not suit you, as they're rather personal things. The wheels are road-oriented with 25mm (27mm in practice) tyres but you can fit (tubeless if you want) tyres up to 47mm wide in the frame, with guards as well, on those same wheels.

The carbon frame, Fazua e-motor and 105 gearing make it a bargain even before the discount .... which is currently a huge 24%.

********
There is an identical frame set up as a gravel bike, with wide tyres and a single chainring. But if you want a touring bike, the road version is a better choice.

Cugel

PS I bought one when it only had 10% off but still think it a real bargain.
“Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence are usually the slaves of some defunct economist”.
John Maynard Keynes
dodger1
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Joined: 24 Aug 2018, 10:03am

Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by dodger1 »

Thanks Cugel. That looks a seriously good bike and, even with guards and rack it will still be under 15Kg.
Definitely interested and they offer 0% finance too!
I can live with drops, which is what I currently have.
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Cugel
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Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by Cugel »

dodger1 wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 6:28pm Thanks Cugel. That looks a seriously good bike and, even with guards and rack it will still be under 15Kg.
Definitely interested and they offer 0% finance too!
I can live with drops, which is what I currently have.
Mine is already festooned with various swapped out and additional parts, some of which I already had and one or two I've bought (only if discounted, naturally). :-) These metal guards are good quality and will cover tyres up to 45mm wide:

https://www.merlincycles.com/kinesis-fe ... 95079.html

I've fitted a Redshift boingy stem from another bike (soon to be sold) along with a Specialized COBL-GOBL boingy seatpost and Brooks Professional saddle from a different bike (also soon to be sold). One of those other bikes also contributed the rear pannier rack and pannier bags. I've fitted 45mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres (currently discounted at Merlin) to an existing pair of Hunt tubeless 4-Season gravel wheels I already had on the old winter bike. I've just sent for a 46 tooth big chainring to replace the 50 toother of the chainset.

A marvellous gravel bike, soon to become a marvellous winter bike when the guards go on. It'll also do the shopping. It could tour but my touring days are over as my new abode in West Wales has a zillion roads I've yet to explore.

Cugel

PS The Fazua motor reduces those thousands of Welsh hills from black-arrow monsters to just the ordinary sort of hill. My ever-older body says thanks on every ride.
“Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence are usually the slaves of some defunct economist”.
John Maynard Keynes
dodger1
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Joined: 24 Aug 2018, 10:03am

Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by dodger1 »

Cugel wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 6:47pm
dodger1 wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 6:28pm Thanks Cugel. That looks a seriously good bike and, even with guards and rack it will still be under 15Kg.
Definitely interested and they offer 0% finance too!
I can live with drops, which is what I currently have.
Mine is already festooned with various swapped out and additional parts, some of which I already had and one or two I've bought (only if discounted, naturally). :-) These metal guards are good quality and will cover tyres up to 45mm wide:

https://www.merlincycles.com/kinesis-fe ... 95079.html

I've fitted a Redshift boingy stem from another bike (soon to be sold) along with a Specialized COBL-GOBL boingy seatpost and Brooks Professional saddle from a different bike (also soon to be sold). One of those other bikes also contributed the rear pannier rack and pannier bags. I've fitted 45mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres (currently discounted at Merlin) to an existing pair of Hunt tubeless 4-Season gravel wheels I already had on the old winter bike. I've just sent for a 46 tooth big chainring to replace the 50 toother of the chainset.

A marvellous gravel bike, soon to become a marvellous winter bike when the guards go on. It'll also do the shopping. It could tour but my touring days are over as my new abode in West Wales has a zillion roads I've yet to explore.

Cugel

PS The Fazua motor reduces those thousands of Welsh hills from black-arrow monsters to just the ordinary sort of hill. My ever-older body says thanks on every ride.
Hi Cugel.
The ever-older body is exactly why I feel the need to look at e-bikes. Our Cornish hills are getting steeper.
Thanks for the info.
peterb
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Joined: 2 Dec 2017, 10:13am

Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by peterb »

Cugel wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 6:47pm
dodger1 wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 6:28pm Thanks Cugel. That looks a seriously good bike and, even with guards and rack it will still be under 15Kg.
Definitely interested and they offer 0% finance too!
I can live with drops, which is what I currently have.
Mine is already festooned with various swapped out and additional parts, some of which I already had and one or two I've bought (only if discounted, naturally). :-) These metal guards are good quality and will cover tyres up to 45mm wide:

https://www.merlincycles.com/kinesis-fe ... 95079.html

I've fitted a Redshift boingy stem from another bike (soon to be sold) along with a Specialized COBL-GOBL boingy seatpost and Brooks Professional saddle from a different bike (also soon to be sold). One of those other bikes also contributed the rear pannier rack and pannier bags. I've fitted 45mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres (currently discounted at Merlin) to an existing pair of Hunt tubeless 4-Season gravel wheels I already had on the old winter bike. I've just sent for a 46 tooth big chainring to replace the 50 toother of the chainset.

A marvellous gravel bike, soon to become a marvellous winter bike when the guards go on. It'll also do the shopping. It could tour but my touring days are over as my new abode in West Wales has a zillion roads I've yet to explore.

Cugel

PS The Fazua motor reduces those thousands of Welsh hills from black-arrow monsters to just the ordinary sort of hill. My ever-older body says thanks on every ride.
- but what does it weigh with all those changes/additions? It's surprising just how heavy a saddlepack is complete with tools, spare tubes etc - mine over 800gms. Pedals are heavy M520 almost 400gm a pair. Wide tyres are heavy. Brookes saddles weigh a ton! Racks panniers and mudguards add a fair bit too. Even if the bare bike weighs 13.77kg, I don't believe it could be under 15kg with all that kit added!
dodger1
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Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by dodger1 »

Good point Peterb
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Cugel
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Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by Cugel »

peterb wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 9:37pm
Cugel wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 6:47pm
dodger1 wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 6:28pm Thanks Cugel. That looks a seriously good bike and, even with guards and rack it will still be under 15Kg.
Definitely interested and they offer 0% finance too!
I can live with drops, which is what I currently have.
Mine is already festooned with various swapped out and additional parts, some of which I already had and one or two I've bought (only if discounted, naturally). :-) These metal guards are good quality and will cover tyres up to 45mm wide:

https://www.merlincycles.com/kinesis-fe ... 95079.html

I've fitted a Redshift boingy stem from another bike (soon to be sold) along with a Specialized COBL-GOBL boingy seatpost and Brooks Professional saddle from a different bike (also soon to be sold). One of those other bikes also contributed the rear pannier rack and pannier bags. I've fitted 45mm Schwalbe G-One Allround tyres (currently discounted at Merlin) to an existing pair of Hunt tubeless 4-Season gravel wheels I already had on the old winter bike. I've just sent for a 46 tooth big chainring to replace the 50 toother of the chainset.

A marvellous gravel bike, soon to become a marvellous winter bike when the guards go on. It'll also do the shopping. It could tour but my touring days are over as my new abode in West Wales has a zillion roads I've yet to explore.

Cugel

PS The Fazua motor reduces those thousands of Welsh hills from black-arrow monsters to just the ordinary sort of hill. My ever-older body says thanks on every ride.
- but what does it weigh with all those changes/additions? It's surprising just how heavy a saddlepack is complete with tools, spare tubes etc - mine over 800gms. Pedals are heavy M520 almost 400gm a pair. Wide tyres are heavy. Brookes saddles weigh a ton! Racks panniers and mudguards add a fair bit too. Even if the bare bike weighs 13.77kg, I don't believe it could be under 15kg with all that kit added!
It now weighs more, no doubt. But not that much more. Mind, I have another Fazua-powered bike that's race-bike style weighing just 13kg (a Lapierre e-xelius) for zooming about. :-)

However, there's far too much concern, in modern UK cyclist culture, with weight. It makes far less difference to your ride than you might assume.

https://www.cyclingabout.com/how-much-d ... -you-down/

What makes the most difference is the efficiency of the bike and it's parts at putting your leg (or e-motor) thrusts down on the road under the back tyre with minimum energy loss on the way. I've known many lightweight bikes that were horribly inefficient. Example: the noodle-things made of aluminium in the early days of bikes made with that metal. Wheels of a similarly squishy kind that also had poor bearings and leaden tyres.

With an e-bike, the weight is of even less concern on the road. I've been passed when unpowered by many 28kg Bosch-powered semi-tanks doing 15.5mph up the hills. Their weight is really only an issue when you have to carry them up a flight of stairs or hoist them on to a carrying rack on the car.

Cugel
“Practical men who believe themselves to be quite exempt from any intellectual influence are usually the slaves of some defunct economist”.
John Maynard Keynes
richtea99
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Joined: 30 Jun 2020, 9:56pm

Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by richtea99 »

peterb wrote: 28 Aug 2022, 5:03pm I'ii be amazed if anyone finds the bike you describe at under 15kg, or anywhere near. The lightest e-road bikes available are around 12kg and £4.5K up - eg Scott Addict e-ride 30, Ribble SLe, and are certainly not touring bikes. I have an Orbea Gain - middle of the range equipment wise, small size frame, and with pedals mudguards saddlepack, lights, bottle cage etc it weighs almost 16kg. If you then add a supplementary battery pack to give more range it adds even more weight.
Agreed with that.

A 2020 Gain (i.e. the previous incarnation with external cabling) is quite close to a touring bike - I replaced a Mercian with it. :shock:
The addtional weight over a steel audax tourer is offset by the flexibility/ease it offers when climbing hills. It's a compromise I'm very happy with after 2 years of use.

An Orbea Vibe is close to a Gain if you want flat bars, but as peterb says, probably closer to 16Kg once you've loaded it up with the extras:
https://www.orbea.com/gb-en/ebikes/urban/vibe/cat/

A Boardman HYB 8.9e will probably get you better climbing ability on steep Cornish hills, but that's another extra Kg on top of the Vibe/Gain:
https://www.boardmanbikes.com/gb_en/pro ... -8.9e.html

Neither will get you 50 miles unless you limit the assistance to just hill climbing / strong winds. I get around 70-80 miles doing that.

To get below 15Kg with guards, rack, bell, pump, etc, you'll need to go carbon, and pay through the nose to lose the extra Kg or two.
Halla
Posts: 260
Joined: 27 Apr 2008, 9:28pm

Re: Lightweight electric bike

Post by Halla »

I have seen a number of adverts recently for a British built electric bike called Estarli, the e28 has a claimed weight of about 16kg.

Has anyone else seen this or bought one.

Maybe this would be worth consideration.

Hope this helps.
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