Ultralightweight E-Bikes

[VXman]

Since reading this I'm getting adverts on Facebook for one - £749!!!

 

[Lenny HB]

Specialized always have offers in their stores, especially on step through frames. I bought mine with £1000 off

My X5 is a crossframe got it on one of their deals got £1700 off.

 

[TDub49]

We are fairly high users of our now 6 year old E bikes. They still work perfectly after 12,000 kms.

But, I recently retired, bought an Electric MG4, thinking about (well waiting to put a tow bar on it) but it has a nose weight of 50kg. The bike carrier will weigh 12kg.
We thought about going non electric as a second bike, and even one of us (me) going non electric, but we have more or less dismissed this idea.

Then I found Fiido E bike with very good reviews, allegedly 100km range weighing in at 17.5kgs but not suitable for the height challenged wife, coming in £1,000.

Fiido C21 E-Gravel & City E-Bike

This 9-speed e-bike weighs 17.5 kg, rides quietly, and feels like a traditional bike. With quick braking and easy stair carrying, perfect for city commutes.

uk.fiido.com

For the wife we have found the Engwe N1 Air step through coming in at under 16kgs for £1200 with decent enough reviews and again an alleged 100km range

ENGWE N1 Air Carbon Fiber Commuter E-bike 100KM Range

ENGWE N1 Air is a commuter e-bike that weighs 15.6kg, supports a range of 100km, and is equipped with a smart anti-theft system to improve security.

uk.engwe.com

We intend on keeping our current well used bikes, but we think we can take these ones to Spain in the Winter with the motorbike in the garage and the bikes on the back (as the combined weight of the present 2 is well over 50kgs). The daughters can then also borrow the unneeded bikes which is an added burden bonus

Does anyone have one of these 2, heard rumours from a bloke down the pub whose best mates next door neighbour saw one once ?

Interesting. The range and weights given sound almost too good to be true . . . . . Will be really interested in hearing how you get on with them.

 

[suavecarve]

Interesting. The range and weights given sound almost too good to be true . . . . . Will be really interested in hearing how you get on with them.

The range will do us. We only do 40-50 kms on the flat and charge daily. But I ve just been watching further video reviews and owing to the weight of the bike people are turning off their electric when they get up to speed, increasing the possible capability.

If she ever sits down just about to order hers but the discounted place hasnt got stock of mine so some more googling required !

 

[suavecarve]

Ordered a step through at 1079 from Engwe but they didnt have the one for me.

So further googling revealed a place in Europe (probably not in mainland Europe but paying in Euros) and that actually gave me an option to buy hydraulic for an extra 50 Euros. I declined and went for the mechanical at £1078 as I think they are good enough for us and easier to work with (admittedly more work) for the cycling we do.

So it may be worth looking in Europe if hydraulic brakes are a deal braker. I ll update when we get them and how we get on with them in this thread in the future sometime.

They will be available to look at and potentially try at Swaffham, Thorpe and Brightlingsea rallies, unless they are rubbish !

 

[kevino]

We both have Ribble e bikes - in my opinion great lightweight bikes - Julia's is an Al e really light mine bigger and heavier due to suspension etc but both go happily in the garage on Thule slide out rail and both have range sufficient for our needs.

 

[Loopyxlou]

Some of the light weight bikes I’ve seen don’t have removable batteries, so I wold question how heavy a heavier bike is with its battery removed compared to a so called light bike with its battery in place.

Hi, it’s not the lifting/ handling that’s the issue, a lightweight bike is so much easier to ride, especially when the battery goes flat.
In theory if it’s a good brand battery you don’t need to worry about removing it…..

However you can remove the battery cells on a Vado SL by removing the motor/ crank assembly, then the batteries can be dropped out the bottom of the tube - not a quick job but at least it’s serviceable.

 

[Landy Andy]

Hi, it’s not the lifting/ handling that’s the issue, a lightweight bike is so much easier to ride, especially when the battery goes flat.
In theory if it’s a good brand battery you don’t need to worry about removing it…..

However you can remove the battery cells on a Vado SL by removing the motor/ crank assembly, then the batteries can be dropped out the bottom of the tube - not a quick job but at least it’s serviceable.

My point is that a 25kg bike can be a 21kg bike if the 4kg battery is removed. A 18kg bike with a fixed battery is always 18kg.

The purpose is making the weight lighter. So being able to remove the battery brings the rack carried weight closer.

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[Jon Stewart]

Since reading this I'm getting adverts on Facebook for one - £749!!!

View attachment 1198201

That was probably my post, sorry!

Very good bike though (only had it about 4 weeks)

 

[Jon Stewart]

Ordered a step through at 1079 from Engwe but they didnt have the one for me.

So further googling revealed a place in Europe (probably not in mainland Europe but paying in Euros) and that actually gave me an option to buy hydraulic for an extra 50 Euros. I declined and went for the mechanical at £1078 as I think they are good enough for us and easier to work with (admittedly more work) for the cycling we do.

So it may be worth looking in Europe if hydraulic brakes are a deal braker. I ll update when we get them and how we get on with them in this thread in the future sometime.

They will be available to look at and potentially try at Swaffham, Thorpe and Brightlingsea rallies, unless they are rubbish !

May not make any difference, but depending on the market some of the engwe bikes, the right hand brake lever is actually the rear brake, rather than front.

 

[suavecarve]

May not make any difference, but depending on the market some of the engwe bikes, the right hand brake lever is actually the rear brake, rather than front.

I saw that and they have changed it on the N1 to make it suitable for the ability of my brain

But then again, that's the one I bought in Euros !

 

[Loopyxlou]

My point is that a 25kg bike can be a 21kg bike if the 4kg battery is removed. A 18kg bike with a fixed battery is always 18kg.

The purpose is making the weight lighter. So being able to remove the battery brings the rack carried weight closer.

Yes, I get that, but the 18kg bike is 18kg on the road, whereas the 21kg bike becomes 25kg when you ride it, and that makes a big difference difference

 

[Landy Andy]

Yes, I get that, but the 18kg bike is 18kg on the road, whereas the 21kg bike becomes 25kg when you ride it, and that makes a big difference difference

But that isn’t what this post is about. The post is about the weight of a bike so that it can be transported.

 

[suavecarve]

Just an update that my bike (the European ordered one) is out of stock in UK so the Europeans can't send one !

But our issues are actually solved by only getting the wife's bike. We bought a used Thule velocompact at 14kg for £175. Her new bike is 15.6kg and my current bike is 23kg less the battery, which when I add that up it comes just under the 50kg nose weight
But if I remove her battery at 2.6kg for putting on the tow bar I m absolutely spot on for 50kg.

Tow bar gets fitted next week for £960

 

[Bertilak]

I would like to open the other element of this thread: carrying capacity of towbars...
In my mind the nominal nose weight is only one part of the equation.
On a flat level road, yes the tow bar, and the rear suspension, carry the said weight; (with an exaggerated effect on the suspension due to the leverage).
However I imagine the peak loads on the bar, that could cause it to fail, are totally different; e.g. max braking force applied to the ball, (perhaps 400kgf for a 750kg unbraked trailer), total weight of the trailer, and it's position relative to the axle, the compliance of the trailer suspension, will all massively alter how the trailer tries to shake the car.
So personally I wouldn't worry about being a few kilos over on nose weight on an attached load. To me that's a different thing...

Comments?

 

[EuroTrotters]

We are fairly high users of our now 6 year old E bikes. They still work perfectly after 12,000 kms.

But, I recently retired, bought an Electric MG4, thinking about (well waiting to put a tow bar on it) but it has a nose weight of 50kg. The bike carrier will weigh 12kg.
We thought about going non electric as a second bike, and even one of us (me) going non electric, but we have more or less dismissed this idea.

Then I found Fiido E bike with very good reviews, allegedly 100km range weighing in at 17.5kgs but not suitable for the height challenged wife, coming in £1,000.

Fiido C21 E-Gravel & City E-Bike

This 9-speed e-bike weighs 17.5 kg, rides quietly, and feels like a traditional bike. With quick braking and easy stair carrying, perfect for city commutes.

uk.fiido.com

For the wife we have found the Engwe N1 Air step through coming in at under 16kgs for £1200 with decent enough reviews and again an alleged 100km range

ENGWE N1 Air Carbon Fiber Commuter E-bike 100KM Range

ENGWE N1 Air is a commuter e-bike that weighs 15.6kg, supports a range of 100km, and is equipped with a smart anti-theft system to improve security.

uk.engwe.com

We intend on keeping our current well used bikes, but we think we can take these ones to Spain in the Winter with the motorbike in the garage and the bikes on the back (as the combined weight of the present 2 is well over 50kgs). The daughters can then also borrow the unneeded bikes which is an added burden bonus

Does anyone have one of these 2, heard rumours from a bloke down the pub whose best mates next door neighbour saw one once ?

Nice

Mine weighs 27.5kg

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[suavecarve]

Paulas step through turned up yesterday in impregnable packaging.

Took about an hour to build whilst watching Newcastle finally win. Probably just over half hour putting it together. Front wheel, 2 mudguards, side stand, seat, bell and steering column using the useful toolkit provided.
Battery came with hardly any charge but the charger is also lightweight and can be charged in or out of the bike. Tyres pumped up we went out for local 14km cycle on tarmac and a short off road forest trail type thing.

Immediately noticeable was Paula now keeps up with me. I tend to cruise about 20-21 kph but I slow down to keep us together. Paula is happier about 18-19 kph.
So I did my normal cycling and she was permanently behind me, which was kind of disconcerting as I normally have to freewheel for a bit to let her close the gap as she's never there when I check.
We then had a mile long straight of road and Paula led. 23-24 kph. I said that she was going faster but I didn't realise she had it in 4th out of 7 gears. So we tried it again with her using top gear, level 1 assist on the flat. 25kph and I was having to keep up with her.
The hill on the way home is normally turbo (level 3) and medium gear. Today (because of having to slow for a dog walker) she put it up to level 2 assist but stayed in top gear.
She could feel the bumps (no suspension) but nothing more than the full suspension on her haibike. Should this change in future I have bastardised and old bike with suspension seat and can get a suspension pole.
Brakes are harsh at the moment but that was expected.
She is a very happy bunny with it.

It looks like our cruising speed will go up to 25kph from 20kph and 20% battery used for 14 km. That gives us 70 km range (which will only improve on via verdes, voie vertes and canal paths) which is more than adequate for us.

It looks very much like her Haibike has just retired if we don't do any off roading