The Pros & Cons Of Lightweight E-Bikes

[@embn]

What do you think about lightweight E-Bikes? Let us know in the comments below! 👇

[@2nd3rd1st]

Can't remove the battery, unusable for me, also a big fire hazard.

[@adrianhobden7745]

I am a 70 year old male and long time mountain biker. A few years ago, finding I could not keep up with my friends on the hills, I bought a Specialized Turbo Levo. I absolutely loved it but there were a couple of issues. The first is that, In the US, there is a lot of bias against EMTBs - both individual and institutional. Most trails are closed to EMTBs and the Specialized looks like an EMBT and sounds like one! The second is the weight. I do not notice the weight riding on trails but I found, right from the beginning, that the extra weight challenged me when putting it on a bike carrier. One day I was on a solo ride in the forest when I found the trail blocked by a large fallen tree. I couldn't get round it and I couldn't lift the bike over it - a very frustrating experience which led me to investigate lightweight bikes. My solution has been the Scott Lumen 910 which meets all my requirements. It doesn't look like an EMBT and doesn't sound like one. I can also lift it no problem. I am, I admit, very fortunate to be able to afford this bike and keep my old one. I use the Specialized for mountain trails and the Scott for local, less steep terrain.

[@border304]

Yeah I struggle to lift my Levo too. But I love the power. Looking at gearboxes next.

[@johnpettitt6513]

Exactly my own experience. On solo rides I could not lift my Wild FS over large unreadable obstacles ( I am 73) so bought a Rise M20 and never looked back.

[@Magoo71]

Well I love my first eMtB....raced XC in the 80's and 90's...took 20 years off to fly RC planes but now back riding again for the last two years. I currently ride a Luna Cycle Apollo and just love it's performance. It's heavy at 54 lbs but it delivers 160Nm of torque with it;'s 1100 Wh battery takes me easily 25-30 miles with 3-4000 ft of climbing! Gonna be 72 next month and I just keep looking for more places to ride here where Mt Bikes started here in Northern California.....Can't wait for Fall because it's so damn hot here....seems like in the current heat, Demo Forest is the place to go!

[@martintramuntbikemallorcak481]

I am a newbie to eMTB's, I am a road (and MTB) guide here on Mallorca. I built my own 23kg eMTB with the Bafang M510 motor. I was able to put top end gear onto this build. The end product is I LOVE IT!! I get all my fitness from riding my road bike so my aim was to have as much fun as I could with a MTB and I certainly have achieved that!! It took me a while to get used to the weight of it (I had an ordinary Trek Fuel exe prior for a few years) but I was struggling in all honesty with the road guiding and mixing it with MTB guiding in same week (some tough rides here!!) So, I thought the best thing was to get myself onto an eMTB... and I have never looked back! I have my first eMTB guiding trips tomorrow with some clients... I am very happy with the power of the M510... I now love the over run on it!! I have found myself riding my road bike less this summer!! haha...Maybe I have succumbed to The Dark Side!! I did have the opportunity to build a lightweight or a full weight bike (as Lightweight Carbon had just brought out their new lightweight frame) but I chose the powerful way... and I am so glad... some of the terrain here on Mallorca is MAD!! and i am able to go up things easily that you would never go near on a lightweight..(and i am a road bike mountain goat at 75kgs!) - So, for me... full weight/full power/BIG battery all day for me!

[@davefreeman9347]

Being a 78kg fairly strong rider I bought my trek fuel exe as with a busy life style kids etc when I do get my windows to ride I want to do an extra descent or two the exe is perfect for that and it feels so much like an acoustic bike which is what I really wanted, this being my first e-bike i must say its an absolute blast and makes the burning bits of riding fun, its like Ive fallen in love with mountain biking all over again, its horses for course when it come to getting an e-bike.

[@enriquee.k3329]

Thanks for the video bro, honestly from my own perspective I prefer the 24k, I go with the gang since 3 years, i switched to e-bike just recently, but I tried the light weight, too much expensive and the components wasn’t good enough, unless I buy the higher version and over my budget plus I don’t need light weight when I have engine to support me, I bought the Trek rail 9 2022, and it’s a beast and so so stable on the tracks and the singles I only upgraded to tires 2.6 and to be honest I don’t feel any weight while riding even on Eco, I can ride 80k easily and with no problem, so my point is to get the same components on light weight I need to pay double the price to reduce only 6K 😅 don’t make any sense to me, the Bosch engine is a beast with its 625 battery ⚡️😎 I say always, imagine you ride motocross weight 150k 😅 and then you switch to e-bike weight 24k your ganna sing hallelujah 🎉

[@johngourley5035]

I am 65 years old and starting riding 3 years ago. Started on a stumpjumper, bought the Levo SL and thought I would mix it up. I didnt as the SL felt the same but better, my riding improved as I went further, faster and wasnt tanked. Recently bought the new Levo SL and it feels a more capable bike. The power is fine for me. I ride with a friend on a full power and can often keep up on the hills but I need to put more effort in and cadence is important. The range is the downside, but I use the extender battery when going long, and change the power settings. On steep terrain I use battery and effort, but so does the full power. For me handling the bike is so much easier, and I dont have the same range anxiety as my friend. His bike is a beast to pedal with a flat battery, mine is like a normal bike. The lines are getting blurred as the next generation will be a little heavier, with bigger batteries, say 450w and that will be the best of both worlds. Pretty similar to my extra battery now.

[@tromansn]

You said it right, it’s a completely different sport, love to ride both full fat (Levo g3 in super slack front/rear) in Turbo it’s a thrill, especially as you can change your loop & chase steep climbs and smashing descents as they hold a muddy line very well. But love an SL too for the great descending feel (you can pop off & over features like a normal bike giving that zippy feel and lift into car or over obstacles much easier) and the efficiency for mileage rides is amazing (Levo SL2 46m & had 40% left just internal battery). The KSL is a beast descending and climbs so well for what it is, I think I’m at the sweet spot being 86kg & like to get a workout. SL needs a light wheel/tyre combo to get the best out of it, circa 900-100g max (save the 1,200-1,400g for the full fat as you need the stiffer side walls to prevent burping) 🎉😊 ebikes see the best fun with your clothes on 😂😂

[@rezenclowd3]

My KSL lives on chuck that eats rims and destroys tires. Need DD and EXO+

[@R1eger25]

i got a fuel exe mainly so i can flatten the ground and ride more. and i have a knee surgery preventing me from putting all of my power to that leg, so a light emtb gets me to where i used to be before the surgery. cannot keep up with full power ebikers but can ride normally with my friends again.

[@SUBcyclist]

Excellent video, Adam. These are all good considerations to keep in mind for someone who is looking to buy a low/mid power bike.

[@embn]

Thanks for the great feedback! 👊

[@devinchesney358]

I think hauling/transporting would be a pro of the lightweight emtb's! Compared their big siblings (full size emtb's) these things are easier and simpler to load into a truck with a tailgate pad or bike rack!

[@earlytimz]

Yes! My full fat AllMtn is 10+ pounds heavier than my new Rise and that makes all the difference when loading on a tailgate!

[@danielcedolin2034]

Firstly I definitely think a light weight EMTB is faster on 80 percent of rides against a full fat . Most Ebikes never see a mountain . So the local hills and trail centre is where you will find them . Have a race around a trail centre say llandegla 14 miles see what bike comes first . Use a mid level bike like a trek exe and a full fat 750 battery trek .

[@guillermocruz2189]

Im a road bike rider thinking about buying an e-mtb. I have been super confused about where to go, which brand, lightweight or not. I am still worried about this $$$$ decision but you have answered a lot of questions. Thanks,

[@drewl4921]

Got a Rise and love it, found I can go /do anything I want on it and that’s mostly in trail mode. I’d go lighter if I could much better ride than my old Levo

[@earlytimz]

Love my Rise! Coming from a Haibike Allmtn the Rise is so playful and natural feeling. I ride mostly trail mode as well.

[@jordanmackay3568]

I have a kenevo SL. 21kg dh tyres, coil etc. Done 6 laps of my locals last night in 1hr 40 mins. Av heart rate at 140 and burnt near 1000 calories. Full fats are not needed unless you are old and require 85nm. And I just came from a full fat with bosch

[@earlytimz]

I came from a full fat Bosch bike as well but prefer to spend all my time on a lightweight Orbea Rise nowadays.

[@rohankilby4499]

Thanks Adam great points, I’m running a fuel Exe ride my weight 85kgs and find when I’m riding alone or with mates on analog bikes it’s perfect, I tend to tootle around in the lower power settings getting a good work out. However when I ride with the full fat e-bike crowd or go racing I’m much more conscious of battery and range limitations. I can usually keep up but can burn a ton of battery trying to doing so, leading to on occasions a few unpowered kms to get home, the light weight certainly helps here too however 😁👍

[@nERDANZIEHUNG]

What are the lightest Full-Power EMTBs? I actually have the 2019 Husqvarna MC6 and want to replace it with the new M1 Sporttechnik Enduro with the SX Engine. I even have ridden a bike with Fazua Ride 60 and compared to my EP8 the difference wasn't that noticeable.

[@bostondye3736]

I have a canyon torque on cf8. I don't find the weight a big deal. I think more riders should embrace the weight and train accordingly. I'll have the big battery and motor any day.

[@SubaruWRC1996]

The only thing that put me off a lightweight e mtb when I got one was it's hill climbing capability as most lightweight ones have 250 watt to 300 watt motors on average and from what I've heard 250 watts is not enough to climb hills well which is the main reason I wanted an e bike. I know on my full power e bike being the turbo levo I can fly uphills in top gears with no issue and I love it but I doubt I could do that on a lightweight emtb

[@markroberts7866]

Love my trek fuel exe I’m under 10stone though and most of the riding I do is just getting up fire roads so I can hit descents, coming from riding a Merida big trail 600 it doesn’t feel to much different jumping either.. At 48 I was feeling limited riding analog too, I would say don’t hire one if you aren’t going to buy one because there’s no going back after a session on a emtb haha.

[@thim8009]

I'm 6'2" and 235 pounds. Light weight levo sl didn't cut it for me. By the time I carried 2 range extenders, I was the same weight as a full power levo. It also seems that a lot of light weighters didn't have more than 140mm of travel. They are getting better with longer travel in some brands now, but I will stick with my decoy and levo with cascade link to get 160mm rear travel

[@Iaroslav86]

Lightweight emtb 18-19kg, yet 60Nm is a solution. Something like Rise is even possible to be tuned up to 80Nm, actually no need in that. Extra battery for longer rides. Not something overpriced

[@earlytimz]

The Rise with 540wh battery is an awesome rig.

[@craigweightman799]

A long awaited video great feature 👍

[@brianbass4971]

I’m a fan of the light weight ebike, especially with a removable battery. It’s great for lift assist areas where e-bikes are not allowed. Just pop the battery and get in the queue. As a lighter rider, I also appreciate the lighter weight of the bike in terms of maneuverability and basic bike handling. Right now I’m really loving my Transition Relay and think that Fauza really has something special with their Ride 60 motor.

[@dadventuretv2538]

Would love to see a vid of your thoughts on and use of the Relay with and without the battery. It’s what Im looking at and sounds like for same use scenario as you.

[@sharpsbattle]

I have a regular trek roscoe 8. Wanting to learn about light e-bikes. For me the video would have been more helpful if you made clear what exactly you are comparing.

[@stujm8376]

Very interesting, I’m torn between full power and lightweight. Tbh I like the idea of both, but would probably go for a lightweight as I see full power bikes more as long rides that just can’t commit to. Maybe I’m wrong though…

[@Dannyjones1]

You simply can't beat the capabilities of a 'full fat' EMTB. There is no need to compresmise with less weight. The strength of the motor is what will get you riding your bike more. Whether it's lapping your favourite trails or going on a long distance ride, the motor and battery is what keeps the enjoyment level high. The extra, or added weight becomes irrelevant over time as you'll be riding way more than you ever would on any analog or lightweight EMTB. The transition to full fat will change everything, for the better.

[@FrazMTB]

Full power ebikes all the way. As an ex motocrosser I appreciate the added weight compared to my analogue enduro. It just ploughs through the trails.

[@rezenclowd3]

No thanks. I would hate to have another 10lbs over my Kenevo SL, and I already do full pulls down on it, hitting PRs as often as possible seeing if I can get to the bottom using all my energy, the hit another lap up if its a short one.

[@theoldguyofwhinlatter157]

Hi ,I have a whyte e 160 s 26 kg, I weigh 67 kg I'm 74 stopped going on rough stuff ,because of my weight I get a good mileage ,could do with a lighter hard tail. Need a swop part x 😊

[@stephengore2982]

Well done adam! Its off the bike full power biks let you down had to store and carry lots of people dont live in houses I have noticed as well around here a lot of trails around here are being damaged by heavy emtbs . I have efull powered focus love it! But i am going light soon steve from down under ta

[@runningfoxx]

What are the bikes in the video? Specifically the yellow Specialized.

[@greggory448]

Climbing hills are the Best 👌 👍

[@embn]

Yea! Especially if there is a good way back down 🤘👊

[@matthemason7918]

What about the q factor my knees really suffer if it's a big number.

[@kokibr91]

If was going to get a bike before I have ridden one, I would have taken full-fat emtb. Fortunately, had the opportunity to ride Levo SL and Levo head to head. The SL is mindblowing. It just makes analog bikes obsolete. Ride is exactly like a normal bike, motor off and you can ride as much as you want. Still, on steep climbs power is perfectly enough. Full fat Levo is way too heavy. A lot of momentum in corners, needs harder braking, not nimble. Like driving an SUV on a twisty road, instead of a hot hatch. Moving the bike around is also troublesome. Turbo mode is unusable on many trails, too much spin, stones flying behind you, too fast on a narrow and twisty singletrack. Yes the sensation of all that power and the possibilities it provides for climbing are tempting. However, both SL and Levo will get to the same place, despite in a different way. The excesive weight however, cannot be undone.

[@danielcedolin2034]

Maybe the wacks hacks is the way forward full fat Ebike with a 500watt battery for 2 hours ride on an evening the put the 750 in for a big weekend ride .

[@rezenclowd3]

Just did 3300ft 12mi climb and 6mi down today on my small 320whr battery with 37% remaining....

[@waynephilbert]

I'm confident many in the comments will share that lighter power mtbs cause less wear and tear on the bike. Brakes, suspension, drivetrain, tyres all get less of a workout than they do on full power bikes. As a bigger / heavier rider of like the range and support of full power, but the reduced wear and lighter handling is hard to give up.

[@I-come-from-the-Future]

I thought so too, but then I noticed how much weight differences there are between my friends which is in a range of 30 kg - none of them is a fatty. Also, just make a tour with a camelback, some food and repair stuff and all of a sudden you also have those additional 3 or so kilos.

[@waynephilbert]

@@I-come-from-the-Future and the one I have really encourages aggressive riding. So then it's got a coil, inserts, longer dropper, bigger forks and then you realise you've added 2kg in weight just to accommodate said aggro riding.

[@GreatAytonWild]

Riding without the power on 😂

[@2nd3rd1st]

As a mountain biker I will never have my shins tattooed, they're already scarred and that picture would be in shreds in no time 😆same goes for skaters

[@ajandlucy]

There are a huge amount of inaccuracies in this video I have both and although you talk at the beginning about how close they are by the end "it's a totally different sport" well it's just not. My lightweight Fazua-powered bike is quite close to my 3kg heavier Shimano full-powered bike. The truth is that you can get a full powered lightweight e-bike, as you guys well know there is a significant variance between a Shimano E7000 motor (full powered but only 60NM?) compared to a Rocky Mountain motor. You can definitely climb waaaaaayyyy faster on a 60nm 450Watt Fazua than a zero nm zero watt regular bike, it's crazy to suggest otherwise.

[@grantnewby3756]

Simple, you can't beat power to get you to where you haven't been able to go before for longer. Levo Alloy Comp is great just light weight cassettes and drive chain for the power of the bike make it not fit for purpose. Very disappointing oversight ?

[@alfredo6083]

They open up a niche market in a market that was starting to be exhausted.

[@ttengineer404]

You definitely cant fly with an e-bike. At least in North America. The battery must be under 160WH for it to go on a plane, and no ebike has that small of a battery. You are allowed x2 160WH batteries, but only the specialized range extender meets that and you still have to remove the bikes internal battery.

[@worldstallestmidget]

With all d on respect for the money that it costs I want the biggest battery and biggest motor I can have! The light weigh e bike is fir the guy who doesn’t want to go full e bike!

[@jasonmaccormack2239]

They just far to much, they literally cost the same as a full power emtb.

[@douglaskaye1395]

Light weight it the bikini factor again “Less is more”

[@henrybatson8455]

Full fat all the way

[@tomg224]

full fat full power only ! just go on a diet lose some kg of your body fat and train to get a bit stronger so you can throw that heavy bike like nothing .. peace !