Originally Posted by
Pop N Wood
I should really let this go but you are massively misstating the difference 10 or 20 pounds of ebike equipment. Weight really only matters when accelerating or going up hill. Cruising at a constant speed it doesn't matter. The heavier bikes ride fine, I typically get half way through my rides before I feel the need to turn on the assist. touring bikes can go as high as 80# with gear people ride those through flipping mountain ranges all the time.
Half of you guys are saying the same thing I am: only way to reduce weight is to reduce capacity. My point to the OP is you may THINK you want to prioritize weight over everything else, but my contribution to you is you may rethink that once you gain some experience on an ebike. The lighter weight bike really isn't going to ride that much better, but make too many compromises on battery size and you are going to be left with a bike that doesn't do anything well.
I guess we're going to have to disagree. I have a 19 lb bike and a 4.5lb motorized system and a 130wh motor and I easily do rides of 20 miles and FOR MY NEEDS that's perfect. I don't want nor do I need a bigger battery with more range. And I am not the only one who desires a lightweight simple system. As a lightweight rider, 20 pounds makes a HUGE difference in my expended effort when I am not using the battery. I am not "crusing at a constant speed" like many riders who have their assist on the entire ride. I specifically do NOT want to do that, and it seems the OP does not either. Some of us want to ride our regular bikes just like regular bikes and only use the assist as an actual "assist" when we come to a hill. And weight matters then, too.
I find so many people who think because they are hooked on using juice the whole time they ride, and want more and faster power, that everyone else does. There is a subset of riders who are not looking for that. I have no problem with you doing that, if big batteries mean you can ride longer distances and you wouldn't choose to pedal those distances instead, it's all good. But you need to realize that's not everyone. And not all of us get sucked in by the ease of the motor and want more and more assist once we try it. In fact, I've gone the other direction - I use my assist less now that I initially did because over time I have gotten stronger by riding routes I wouldn't normally have taken without the confidence of the motorized assist.
There's no one-size-fits-all with e bikes. We all use them in different ways and for different purposes. And all the various uses are good =).