Lightening up an ebike

[Mteam]

So, my bike (orbea wild fs m team) weighs 23.3kg with pedals , its got reasonably high end components on it (shimano xt12 speed gears and brakes, dt Swiss hx 1501 wheels, carbon handlebars, etc) from the factory, it has a carbon frame, maxxis dhf 2.5 exo tyre of the front, and Dhr doubledown on the back, set up tubeless. 200mm brake discs front and rear, It has the 625wh battery.

What can I do to drop significant weight from it without spending a fortune or Compromising on durability and ability downhill?

The only option I can come up with is buying an additional 500wh battery, and using that for most rides, keeping the 625wh battery for big rides, that would drop it to about 22.5kg, but I'm wondering if anyone has any clever/thinking outside the box ways of shedding weight without affecting the things that matter.

 

[steve_sordy]

Carbon rims?

Or buy a Focus Jam2 9.6 NINE that weighs 20.4kg. OK, it only has 378Whr battery, but you can double that by adding the TEC pack and you then have a Shimano-powered bike with a 756Whr battery that still weighs 700gm less than yours with the 625Whr battery. For weight and performance, I'm struggling to find a bike that can beat it.

 

[Mteam]

Carbon rims?

Or buy a Focus Jam2 9.6 NINE that weighs 20.4kg. OK, it only has 378Whr battery, but you can double that by adding the TEC pack and you then have a Shimano-powered bike with a 756Whr battery that still weighs 700gm less than yours with the 625Whr battery. For weight and performance, I'm struggling to find a bike that can beat it.

Good idea but not for me, Ive done the carbon rims thing on my normal bike, they would save a small amount of weight, but they're fragile and expensive.

I've never broken alu rims, but every carbon rim I've tried I have broken, that and they also give a really harsh ride quality, so it's a no for carbon rims for me , it's not a compromise I'd be willing to make.

 

[Mteam]

Ive been toying with extreme things like removing the charging port from the frame, so only giving the option of charging the battery out of the bike, or removing the battery lock, removing some motor mounting bolts, but these would save just a few grams, and probably not worth the compromise.

 

[steve_sordy]

Good idea but not for me, Ive done the carbon rims thing on my normal bike, they would save a small amount of weight, but they're fragile and expensive.

I've never broken alu rims, but every carbon rim I've tried I have broken, that and they also give a really harsh ride quality, so it's a no for carbon rims for me , it's not a compromise I'd be willing to make.

Have you seen the Santa Cruz Reserve carbon rims that Danny Mac tries his hardest to break?

 

[Mteam]

Let's put a max spend of £1 for every gram saved on it.

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Why do you want to lighten it up? I can't see the point unless it's to do whips mid air?

 

[R120]

Given the spec you have the only realistic substantial weight saving is going for the smaller battery.

 

[Mteam]

Why do you want to lighten it up? I can't see the point unless it's to do whips mid air?

A few reasons

- I think a lighter bike handles better on the trail, hops and manuals I feel would be better on a lighter bike - but it would need to be a lot (>1kg) lighter to make a noticeable difference.
- lifting the thing over stiles and manhandling it into cars would be easier.

But to make a noticeable difference to both the above it needs to be a lot lighter, hence why fiddling around the edges saving a gram here and there is not worthwhile imo.

I don't think there's anything I can do aside from the smaller battery, but I thought I'd throw it out to the forum and see if anyone has any lateral thinking ways of dropping serious weight without compromise

 

[Mteam]

Given the spec you have the only realistic substantial weight saving is going for the smaller battery.

Yeah agree, just throwing it out there, you never know, there are some clever people out there with left field ideas.

 

[routrax]

Sell it and buy a lighter emtb?

 

[Mteam]

Sell it and buy a lighter emtb?

Probably fails the pound per gram saved rule. Plus nothing in stock that fits my wider set of requirements.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the bike, just seeing if there are any quick, easy, cheap ways of saving weight that I haven't thought of.

 

[Doug Stampfer]

Sell it and buy a lighter emtb?

Like a dengfu E10

 

[routrax]

Probably fails the pound per gram saved rule. Plus nothing in stock that fits my wider set of requirements.

Don't get me wrong, I'm happy with the bike, just seeing if there are any quick, easy, cheap ways of saving weight that I haven't thought of.

Stop eating pies?

Seriously though, if you want a light bike, buy a light bike. Trying to lighten up a full-fat emtb is going to be an expensive exercise.

 

[Mteam]

Stop eating pies?

Seriously though, if you want a light bike, buy a light bike. Trying to lighten up a full-fat emtb is going to be an expensive exercise.

So far you're all confirming what I thought to be the case.

 

[Banktramp]

So, my bike (orbea wild fs m team) weighs 23.3kg with pedals , its got reasonably high end components on it (shimano xt12 speed gears and brakes, dt Swiss hx 1501 wheels, carbon handlebars, etc) from the factory, it has a carbon frame, maxxis dhf 2.5 exo tyre of the front, and Dhr doubledown on the back, set up tubeless. 200mm brake discs front and rear, It has the 625wh battery.

What can I do to drop significant weight from it without spending a fortune or Compromising on durability and ability downhill?

The only option I can come up with is buying an additional 500wh battery, and using that for most rides, keeping the 625wh battery for big rides, that would drop it to about 22.5kg, but I'm wondering if anyone has any clever/thinking outside the box ways of shedding weight without affecting the things that matter.

The biggest weight saving you can make is the rider, get on those salads ?

 

[routrax]

The biggest weight saving you can make is the rider, get on those salads ?

More pies = more traction

 

[Zimmerframe]

Let's put a max spend of £1 for every gram saved on it.

Don't take a water bottle ... I'll PM you with the bank transfer details for my £650.

 

[Mteam]

Don't take a water bottle ... I'll PM you with the bank transfer details for my £650.

I only have a 450ml water bottle, so I'll just transfer £450

 

[Jackware]

Swap the dropper post for a carbon or lightweight aluminium seat post (can't remember the brand)?

Use a cf saddle with no padding?

Lightweight Alibaba sourced pedals?

Foam grips?

Minimal sealant?

Are any forks lighter than currently fitted?

Also a few grams saved here and there on different components soon add up

 

[Zimmerframe]

I only have a 450ml water bottle, so I'll just transfer £450

You could upgrade to a 650ml and then I'll owe you £200 instead ?

 

[mark.ai]

 

[flash]

10 speed drivetrain and a 500wH battery.

Gordon

 

[Gary]

Fox 38 - RS Pike = 490g saving - FREE? You'll probably get enough for the 38 to cover the cost of a discounted Pike online
Fizik saddle - Selle SLR 135g = 110g saving @about £45 S/H on Ebay (in good condition)
500wh Battery = 750g saving @ £600

1375g
Bringing the bike down to just under 22kg (which IMO is right about the point where most Ebikes start to feel cumbersome)

10 speed drivetrain would save you just over 120g in weight if you go to 11-36 and Zee FR mech but you'll also need a new freehub body to switch. But you'll also have to be prepoared to actually put in effort for certain climbs (but still not as much as a normal bike)
If you want to go 11-42 the lightest affordable mech for that set up is the older XT 10 speed M786 and you'll only be saving 80g ish
Either way, switching to shimano 10spd will pay for itself over 12 speed running costs the first time you need to replace the drivetrain

 

[Mteam]

Fox 38 - RS Pike = 490g saving - FREE? You'll probably get enough for the 38 to cover the cost of a discounted Pike online
Fizik saddle - Selle SLR 135g = 110g saving @about £45 S/H on Ebay (in good condition)
500wh Battery = 750g saving @ £600

1375g
Bringing the bike down to just under 22kg (which IMO is right about the point where most Ebikes start to feel cumbersome)

10 speed drivetrain would save you just over 120g in weight if you go to 11-36 and Zee FR mech but you'll also need a new freehub body to switch. But you'll also have to be prepoared to actually put in effort for certain climbs (but still not as much as a normal bike)
If you want to go 11-42 the lightest affordable mech for that set up is the older XT 10 speed M786 and you'll only be saving 80g ish
Either way, switching to shimano 10spd will pay for itself over 12 speed running costs the first time you need to replace the drivetrain

Its actually last years orbea, so has fox 36 ebike fork, not the 38,but I guess the principle is the same, but I prefer the fox over the pike, so that's a change I'm not willing to make.

Drive train - there's not much saving there, but I suspect I'll do something in that space once I have worn the existing setup out.

Saddle is a good one. ?

 

[Olof Bike Adventures]

What everyone else said, + changing tyres would probably remove some considerable weight (but you will lose on grip e t c of course).

 

[maynard]

Is it a 29r both wheels . . If so maybe a mullet will make the bike feel less cumbersome.

 

[Hobo Mikey]

Don’t bother just ride it. The more you ride it and get used to throwing it around the lighter it will become. No one buys an ebike because they want a light bike.

 

[Mteam]

Is it a 29r both wheels . . If so maybe a mullet will make the bike feel less cumbersome.

I've got a spare 27.5 wheel here that would fit but i think it will lower the bb by too much, might give it a try though when I get bored.

 

[Mteam]

What everyone else said, + changing tyres would probably remove some considerable weight (but you will lose on grip e t c of course).

I've used lighter tyres before on previous bikes, and it's not grip that reduces with tyre weight, but strength and specifically resistance to punctures. With lighter tyres than these I always get flats.