Advice for lightweight bike

[RFH]

Hi all. Suggestions for a lightweight (around 40 lb or less) class 1 or 2 for < 3k? I want to use it for biking so want some gears. Just need help on hills due to knees. Am on the smaller side. I’ve had a great and peppy class two for years but 58 lb so looking to shed weight. Have read about the Aventon soltera but not clear how much the delay will be an issue. Seems there are lots of options in Europe. Thanks for the advice.

 

[AHicks]

Hi all. Suggestions for a lightweight (around 40 lb or less) class 1 or 2 for < 3k? I want to use it for biking so want some gears. Just need help on hills due to knees. Am on the smaller side. I’ve had a great and peppy class two for years but 58 lb so looking to shed weight. Have read about the Aventon soltera but not clear how much the delay will be an issue. Seems there are lots of options in Europe. Thanks for the advice.

Pretty sure Europe is going to be pretty light on class 2 selections. Throttles are illegal there.

 

[RFH]

Thanks. Yes initially I was really hoping for a class 2 but since low weight is more important to me than the throttle I adjusted my requirements to include class 1 (don’t need the speed of class 3). My current ebike handles the weight well when moving but having to lift it up is getting to be progressively more challenging. And sudden stops are not fun.

 

[m@Robertson]

To get down into the 40 lb range you really have to go with a low power bike with a small battery. The battery is a big part of the weight gain on an ebike.

A Van Moof X3 has 24" wheels, is good for riders down to 5' tall and 'only' weighs just under 46 lbs. I recently returned from a holiday in Europe where I did a fair bit of ebiking and by far the brand with the most bikes on the road was Van Moof. Especially biking around Amsterdam. Nothing else was even close (the #2 was different flavors of the Super 73... not scrambler bikes in general but the actual Super73)

VanMoof X3

Take the VanMoof X3 e-bike for a spin – a radically compact frame loaded with our signature motor, battery, and anti-theft tech

www.vanmoof.com

I owned a Luna Fixed which is a 3 speed and it is 39 lbs. Not a powerful bike.

Luna Fixed Stealth Ebike

The most Stealthy bike on the market, with a hidden battery and discreet mid drive motor... this bike looks like an ordinary road bike but packs a big punch.

lunacycle.com

 

[RFH]

Thanks all. You’ve given me stuff to think about. The Vado sl 4 is out of stock at the moment. Tha van moof I think would be great for bouncing around town but I’d like to be able to ride like a regular bike as well. Haven’t ruled out getting the cheaper aventon soltera for now and trying again in a few yrs.

 

[AHicks]

Thanks all. You’ve given me stuff to think about. The Vado sl 4 is out of stock at the moment. Tha van moof I think would be great for bouncing around town but I’d like to be able to ride like a regular bike as well. Haven’t ruled out getting the cheaper aventon soltera for now and trying again in a few yrs.

Meanwhile you have a bike to ride now, so no hurry. That should give you plenty of time to make yourself crazy looking for the bike that checks all of the boxes.

 

[RFH]

Exactly! It can be a full time hobby if I’m not careful.

 

[rich c]

I ride a BMC City Ltd. Class 1, 38 pounds, carbon fiber, with a normal eBike battery. About twice your budget though.

 

[RFH]

I just bought a turbo Vado sl4 step through. They didn’t have them anywhere in small and weren’t going to get them in until next April. On a whim I called another LBS and they happened to have one even though the specialized website didn’t note it (maybe why it was still here?) It was between that and the Aventon soltera. Very different bikes except both lightweight. I couldn’t try the soltera and worried I’d be disappointed with the ride quality esp off motor. The Vado does ride really nicely. My wallet is hurting a bit but the rest of me is happy (except for the color but I’ll get over that). Thanks all.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What colour?

 

[RFH]

Sort of a light green. Not my color. Pretty much every other bike in the store had great colors. This was more like a puke green to me but it rides really nicely.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Sort of a light green. Not my color. Pretty much every other bike in the store had great colors. This was more like a puke green to me but it rides really nicely.

Uh. I'd love that colour!

 

[RFH]

i figure it will be more eaily seen being lighter