Why are so many EMTB riders obsessed with the weight of the bike?

[rburlin1]

As a new EMTB rider, it seems that the motor on the bike makes the weight of the bike almost irrelevant, except for very technical riding, which as a 67 year old I am not going to do. If I went on a diet and lost 5 kg, wouldn't that be almost as good as having a lighter bike, particularly when the motor is helping with the hard uphill parts of a ride?

 

[Phill_B_34]

1 reason (my reason) of being obsessed with the weight of an e-mtb is that being obsessed about the weight of a standard road and/or mtb is a 'normal' thing. I've just got to retrain my thinking that my Jam2 doesn't need carbon everything. And you're right, losing 5kg is a great way to drop the overall weight, better for you, better for the bike , better for the range...just all better!
But the only area where I will look at going lightweight are wheels/tires as they directly influence the handling characteristics of the bike regardless of drive.

 

[outerlimits]

If you can afford to make it lighter, then why not. But can you afford not trying to make yourself lighter if you have some to loose ?
Bike weight loss will be of less significance than body weight loss. I can not afford the former but can’t afford no to regarding the later.

 

[Macone]

I agree totally with the original comment. I see people talking about upgrading their brakes/suspension/tyres/rims e.t.c. because these ebikes are 10kg's heavier than a non ebike. to be fair I'm probably 20 to 30kg heavier than the average mountain bike rider. Its like people don't understand that the motor/battery/frame/suspension/brakes are trying to compensate for all of the above. One kilogram or even maybe five to ten kilos, don't really mean anything in the grand scheme of things.

 

[Andy A]

I agree with you I am not bothered about the weight of mine as I certainly can't feel the weight and these bikes have a motor so they will be heavier, just get out there and enjoy them.

 

[Pug907]

I guess, for many, like my wife who has spinal arthritis, e-bikes are a game changer in 2 ways.
1, she got to ride the southdowns way on her Haibike Xduro, which she wouldn't have managed on her mandraulic ones.
2, I had to lift it in to her car before she left, meaning she can only go local or hope she finds someone at the other end to help her get the bike in/out of the car. Once riding weight becomes irrelevant, depending on what and where, I guess.

 

[Trail Doug]

Lost more weight over the last 8 months than the toral weight of my EMTB. Got a normal bike worth of weight still to loose. Puts saving a few grams here and there on the bike into perspective. If youve got the money to burn then why not get some bling but the saving as a percentage of total bike weight will be negligable.

 

[Dax]

The weight of the bike changes the way it handles. Ive probably gained the weight difference between a carbon levo and my Kenevo since Xmas, but theres no getting around the fact that the levo handles more like a mtb than the Kenevo, regardless how many beers and pies I pile on.

 

[More-read-than-ride]

I think the weight argument is very valid in terms of where in bike you locate the weight. That is why bottom bracket drop is a factor along with wheels etc. because as in any moving vehicle the lower and more centralized the weight, the less important it is.

So, while I partly ageee with the original comment for less agile riders, the way the weight is distributed is extremely important to be able to move the bike.

That being said, I have reserved a Flyon (28kgs), because I believe the big battery, power and good weight distribution has more positives for my riding style than an overall lightweight bike. In other words, I think weight is definitely an issue but depending on where and much more for some riding styles than others.

 

[Trail Doug]

I'm not saying saving a kilo on finishing kit isnt going to make a difference to the feel of the bike. It's just going to make much less of a difference to the feel of the bike than the same weight saving would on a 30lb (14kg) normal bike and is going to cost just as much. Saving weight is just much lower down my list of priorities than it would be on a normal bike, a second battery, a decent car rack, a van and trips away to new places to take advantage of the ebikes abilities jump higher up the list. You're also not going to be able to save as much weight on wheels and tyres without throwing way more money at them due to EMTB wheels needing to be more durable than normal bike wheels.

 

[Kangr]

The question of weight of a ebike is something i've been pondering myself ever since i rode a lapierre 729.
Previously to the Lapierre I had ridden a pivot shuttle at around 46lb in weight. then i got to try the Lapierre at 54lb, so we're looking at around 8lb difference in weight. Did this weight make a difference to how the bike rode? Did it feel cumbersome and unwieldy?
The answer to both of these questions is no. I thought that the Lapierre rode better, it felt more fun and playful to ride. I'm going to spend some more time on the Lapierre and see if my opinion changes.
but so far i'm surprised that 8lb in bike weight didn't effect the ride negatively, in fact the bike felt more sure footed and controllable.

 

[Andy A]

Recently when I went out on my Jam2 I attatched the TEC pack to the frame and it felt no different whatsoever to when I ride it without the TEC pack.

 

[Gary]

As a new EMTB rider, it seems that the motor on the bike makes the weight of the bike almost irrelevant, except for very technical riding, which as a 67 year old I am not going to do. If I went on a diet and lost 5 kg, wouldn't that be almost as good as having a lighter bike, particularly when the motor is helping with the hard uphill parts of a ride?

The motor doesn't help in the slightest when bunnyhopping, manualling, cornering or jumping.
The extra weight actually hinders acceleration and braking performance
I guess you must only ride yours uphill and in a straight line

I have no idesa whether you are a healthy weight or overweight so couldn't say what the effect of losing 5kg will do for you. But if you're overweight. go fo it. EVERYTHING is more fun when you're not overweight.

I'm in no way obsessed with the weight of my Ebike. but I wouldn't want it to be any heavier than it already is (47lb)

@Kangr My Vitus was around 51lb stock. Switching out the tyres and tubes to tubeless exos and swapping a couple of other parts took around 4lb off it's overall weight. The bike rode like night and day for it. basically far far more playful lighter.
If you want to compare the effect of weight, use the same bike. not two completely different bikes.

I have a 35lb DH bike which now feels crazy light for the first couple of runs if I've been riding the Ebike for a while. While in tha alps last summer I tried a little experiment and added a Dakine tool bag to the bike under the downtube right infront of the BB. The tool bag weighed around 2lb (DH tube, CO2, tools etc.) that extra 2lb mounted as low as possible was enough to alter the bikes stability noticably. (Yeah. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't tried it for myself)
What i'm hinting at here is WHERE the weight is is as important as what weight the bike is.
Lighter wheels and tyres and your suspension will work better, where as heavier wheels hold more momentum and feel more stable.

 

[Gary]

due to EMTB wheels needing to be more durable than normal bike wheels.

This just isn't a thing!

 

[Trail Doug]

Don't see many 19mm XC rims with 2" tyres on ebikes! I'got a set of 23mm rims with 2.35 XC tyres for longer gravel rides. I'd use them on a normal trail bike but I wouldnt dare use them on the ebike piling over rough rocky trails, I'd be putting tyre slugs in them left right and centre.

 

[Gary]

Don't see many 19mm XC rims with 2" tyres on ebikes!

What's your point?
They'd actually work just fine. infact they'd be great if XC is your typical riding.
I run a 2.3" rear tyre on mine

I'm not a sheep though

 

[steve_sordy]

The weight of the bike is very important to me, but maybe not in the way you might first think.

Following a dislocation of a vertebrae in 1996, I've had a weakness in my lower back ever since. Every now and then that weakness manifests itself and I get a muscle spasm, or I tear a disc, or something disabling. I then have to spend a week, or often more, recovering and in a lot of pain before I can even walk without a stick. I absolutely hate that, it's not who I want to be at all!
Despite doing a Pilates class every week and doing daily exercises, I can still get a muscle spasm if I open the dishwasher in the wrong way! So the weight of the bike is very important to me. I spent what still feels like a fortune fitting a tow-bar and buying a suitable rack for it and my emtb. I even paid extra for a carbon fibre framed bike to save another kilo or so off the weight. I used to put my clockwork mtb in the back of the car without a problem, but I knew I was on the edge. I firmly believed that the extra 7.4 kg vs my clockwork bike will mean that sooner or later I will damage my back again. There is no way that I wanted to gamble in that way, so a tow-bar rack it had to be. Strangely, given how strenuous mtb can be, and how mobile you have to be on the bike, I have never incurred a back problem whilst riding. Not even when falling off my bike!

Since taking up mtb in 2008 and Pilates four months later, my core strength, overall fitness, flexibility, and balance have all soared. Previously I was heading towards premature ageing and a wheelchair. I've been saved!

 

[Kangr]

@Kangr My Vitus was around 51lb stock. Switching out the tyres and tubes to tubeless exos and swapping a couple of other parts took around 4lb off it's overall weight. The bike rode like night and day for it. basically far far more playful lighter.
If you want to compare the effect of weight, use the same bike. not two completely different bikes.

I tend to agree with you, as geometry and suspension system can make more of difference between bikes. but I was surprised that a bike that was heavier, felt better to ride.
I haven't done a lot of trying to pop off things with this yet but the little i did try, the front end seemed to come up easier.
it's just struck me that the overall weight of the bike isn't as important as the bike itself.

 

[Trail Doug]

The motor doesn't help in the slightest when bunnyhopping, manualling, cornering or jumping.
The extra weight actually hinders acceleration and braking performance

In which case at the same speed you'll be hitting stuff harder and therefore need stronger wheels and tyres. Anyway, your mind is made up as is mine. Baaaaa!

 

[Gary]

Stronger than what?
I'm not light and predominantly a fairly fast DHer who likes to jump a lot so I run strong rims on all my bikes.
I don't need anything stronger on my Emtb.
it's the rider and how they ride that dictates how strong/stiff rims need to be not the bike.

 

[Trail Doug]

Good for you.

 

[R120]

I am not a weight weenie, and have never really cared about the weight of my bikes, picking parts for fitness of purpose over weight.

However with EMTB's you are seeing big spread of weights over similar bikes, mostly down to the choice of motors, batteries, and how they are integrated into the bike. The heavier they are the less efficient the range of the bike will be, and that alone is a reason to want a lighter bike.

You can take a L Vitus E-Sommett VR at 22 kgish and a same size Mondraker Level R at 27kgish. Bikes designed o do similar riding, with similar specs. You dont see that kind of weight difference between normal bikes of similar specs in similar sectors.

 

[StuckintheSpokes]

The motor doesn't help in the slightest when bunnyhopping, manualling, cornering or jumping.
The extra weight actually hinders acceleration and braking performance
I guess you must only ride yours uphill and in a straight line

I have no idesa whether you are a healthy weight or overweight so couldn't say what the effect of losing 5kg will do for you. But if you're overweight. go fo it. EVERYTHING is more fun when you're not overweight.

I'm in no way obsessed with the weight of my Ebike. but I wouldn't want it to be any heavier than it already is (47lb)

@Kangr My Vitus was around 51lb stock. Switching out the tyres and tubes to tubeless exos and swapping a couple of other parts took around 4lb off it's overall weight. The bike rode like night and day for it. basically far far more playful lighter.
If you want to compare the effect of weight, use the same bike. not two completely different bikes.

I have a 35lb DH bike which now feels crazy light for the first couple of runs if I've been riding the Ebike for a while. While in tha alps last summer I tried a little experiment and added a Dakine tool bag to the bike under the downtube right infront of the BB. The tool bag weighed around 2lb (DH tube, CO2, tools etc.) that extra 2lb mounted as low as possible was enough to alter the bikes stability noticably. (Yeah. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't tried it for myself)
What i'm hinting at here is WHERE the weight is is as important as what weight the bike is.
Lighter wheels and tyres and your suspension will work better, where as heavier wheels hold more momentum and feel more stable.

What changes did you make and what items did you replace them with?

 

[Gary]

What changes did you make and what items did you replace them with?

Tyres to exo 2.3 minion SS exo rear, 2.5 DHF exo front. Both in the faster rolling dual compound
Saddle to SLR 135 (I already had, have them on 4 other bikes too)
chainring to alu 36t narrow wide (for better graering not weight saving but weighs a lot less than the steel shimano ring it replaced
grips to Sensus lite (not for weight saving, Sensus are the best grips for gloveless riding available, but they were slightly lighter than the nukeproof lockons).

I'm not a weight weenie BTW.
I'd NEVER run carbon bars or cranks, alu spoke nipples or fasteners or any titanium parts at all.
Strength/durability is always my first priority when choosing any part.
i'm a smooth rider and don't run low tyre pressures so don't really need any tougher than exo tyre casings.

Oh... and the rear axle is now a Brand-x bolt in axle rather than the quick release thru axle the bike comes with. The lever broke off the original so it needed replacing. I bought the thru bolt version for security (nothing to catch it on and losen it anymore) rather than weight. but again it is lighter.

 

[martinf]

When I first moved to emtb (Levo HT) at 65 from a lightish steel framed HT (Cotic Solaris 29er, which I still ride - occasionally I found the extra weight noticeable riding at low speeds, especially tricky terrain, mud etc. and hard work riding one-handed on the road when indicating to turn (yes, I do. And I can really feel it in my body (like the thread starter, I am now 67) when I’ve ridden 30 miles on the Downs. But of course the difference is, I couldn’t ride 30 miles on the Downs on a non-emtb.

 

[All Mountain Coaching]

As a new EMTB rider, it seems that the motor on the bike makes the weight of the bike almost irrelevant, except for very technical riding, which as a 67 year old I am not going to do. If I went on a diet and lost 5 kg, wouldn't that be almost as good as having a lighter bike, particularly when the motor is helping with the hard uphill parts of a ride?

The motor doesn't help in the slightest when bunnyhopping, manualling, cornering or jumping.
The extra weight actually hinders acceleration and braking performance
I guess you must only ride yours uphill and in a straight line

I have no idesa whether you are a healthy weight or overweight so couldn't say what the effect of losing 5kg will do for you. But if you're overweight. go fo it. EVERYTHING is more fun when you're not overweight.

I'm in no way obsessed with the weight of my Ebike. but I wouldn't want it to be any heavier than it already is (47lb)

@Kangr My Vitus was around 51lb stock. Switching out the tyres and tubes to tubeless exos and swapping a couple of other parts took around 4lb off it's overall weight. The bike rode like night and day for it. basically far far more playful lighter.
If you want to compare the effect of weight, use the same bike. not two completely different bikes.

I have a 35lb DH bike which now feels crazy light for the first couple of runs if I've been riding the Ebike for a while. While in tha alps last summer I tried a little experiment and added a Dakine tool bag to the bike under the downtube right infront of the BB. The tool bag weighed around 2lb (DH tube, CO2, tools etc.) that extra 2lb mounted as low as possible was enough to alter the bikes stability noticably. (Yeah. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't tried it for myself)
What i'm hinting at here is WHERE the weight is is as important as what weight the bike is.
Lighter wheels and tyres and your suspension will work better, where as heavier wheels hold more momentum and feel more stable.

This ^^^^^^

If you just sit down and pedal everywhere or just meander down the trails then no, a few extra kgs doesn't make any difference. If you're a playful and active rider then it makes a massive difference.

I rarely keep the wheels on the ground, especially the front Losing 2kg off the bike with wheels etc made a huge difference to the feel of the bike.

 

[Gary]

I rode a £7700 Mondraker Level RR today
it weighed over 10lb more than my Emtb
Same amount of suspension front and rear and similar level of finishing kit.
I couldn't even manual it.
I couldn't give it back soon enough.

 

[R120]

Yeah I rode one round a car park at the weekend and it was a monster truck - rob has one on test right now.

 

[Trail Doug]

I rode a £7700 Mondraker Level RR today
it weighed over 10lb more than my Emtb
Same amount of suspension front and rear and similar level of finishing kit.
I couldn't even manual it.
I couldn't give it back soon enough.

A couple of hundred gram is one thing but 10lb heavier is insane!

 

[Gary]

@Trail Doug The mondraker is still very much in the ball park weight wise many people feel is perfectly acceptible for an Emtb to be.

From what you said earlier in thei thread your good self included.

Mine is light for a 170mm 504wh Emtb.


@R120 I reckon I've been right all along about the length of Emtbs. Although only an "L" it was the extra reach combined with the weight not just the weight alone that made it so difficult to get the front up to balance point in a manual. the weight and the 29" wheels made it feel like it was keeling over at low speed and much harder work to maneover in every way. The higher BB and larger wheels added to this feeling too.
Stability is insane though. (But I hated that)
it's 44mm longer in reach and about 30mm longer in the stays than mine.