Road bikes with lightweight electric systems

[JRA]

"and 20 mph on steep climbs where a lot of roadies would probably use that type of limited assist is a pretty good clip"

It takes a lot more than the Project Y bikes motor is capable of to assist a bike up a steep climb at 20 mph. At best it would be off assistance on level ground against a headwind and good for a few extra mph uphill until the battery goes dead which wouldn't take long with the small wh battery it has.

I just climbed a 2 mile steep hill last night to get a quick ride in and used over 50 wh/mi pushing 800-1000w and averaged a little over 14 mph pedaling the whole way in a stiff gear. Left to my own devices I would be lucky to climb that road averaging half of that on a lightweight road bike. Which is the reason that I like my road bikes to have assist capability beyond what the manufacturers are providing, but not outlandishly so and actually 1000w is legal in the state I live in, Oregon.

Road bikes are not obsolete though if the amount of them I see on a daily basis is any indication. The push by the big manufacturers to get people to buy e mtb's/upright position type e bikes just makes it seem like they are the only option for e assist. But until they are presented in a similar fashion to the bikes I ride I don't see drop bar road bikes becoming popular. Especially if they are presented capped at 20 mph which most decently fit road bikers can average under their own power.

 

[Captain Slow]

@Timpo You bring up an interesting point and I’d be interested to see how many roadies would convert for the speed alone.

For me personally, I ride my bike every day because I love it. I ride my road as much as I can because it’s damn fun. I’d ride it every day if I didn’t get so tired (200 miles commute per week) and so I need an ebike.

My ebike is very good at what it does, but does not come close to replicating the enjoyment I get from a road bike. This gap will narrow in the future I feel and I welcome it. Until then I’ll be riding my road bike as much as I can!

One thing I know is that most cyclist have multiple bikes (I have had as many as 8) as there’s no one style to rule them all. I don’t see that changing any time soon!

Agreed, which brings me back to why I started this thread.

Why do I care about weight? Timpo just figures he could lose weight or add power, so what's the big deal? It's the handling of the bike and the ride quality. It's why a small light car like a Miata can be more fun to drive than a big pickup with a much better power to weight ratio. To each their own. Maybe a lightweight electric road bike isn't for you, well that's fine. But I started this thread to discuss them, not debate why they exist or if they should exist. If you don't like the idea of a lightweight road bike, then please leave this thread.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

Agreed, which brings me back to why I started this thread.

Why do I care about weight? Timpo just figures he could lose weight or add power, so what's the big deal? It's the handling of the bike and the ride quality. It's why a small light car like a Miata can be more fun to drive than a big pickup with a much better power to weight ratio. To each their own. Maybe a lightweight electric road bike isn't for you, well that's fine. But I started this thread to discuss them, not debate why they exist or if they should exist. If you don't like the idea of a lightweight road bike, then please leave this thread.

I agree.
While I appreciate the stability of bikes like Stromer, for true MTB'ing and city riding, a < 40lbs would be a true delight.

 

[Deacon Blues]

I really enjoy riding my Specialized Diverge, but at 66 years of age the hills aren't getting any easier.

For this reason I would seriously consider a Focus Y, or something similar, sometime in the near future. I would like a higher speed governor, though.

 

[Over50]

I'd be curious to hear opinions on FSA's entrance into e-bike electrical systems:
I noted in the video he mentioned "minimal drag" rather than no drag. Any drag present on a class 1 road bike would be a big negative I would think. Unless the rider is just using that assist for climbs:

 

[Captain Slow]

I wonder if the FSA ebike is just the ebike motion X35 system used on the Orbea Gain and many other manufacturers bikes.

 

[Deacon Blues]

The power control button on the top tube tells me it is the same system as the one found on the Gain.