Ok what's ya weight weenie e-bike hacks

Plummet

Plummet

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Before I rant on about weight weenie parts. I refuse to compromise performance.
As an example, If a heavier coil shock is what's required, that's what i'll use.

What I am interested in is all your weight weenie hacks that dont compromise performance... or increase performance.

So far my weight weenie hacks consist of the following
Light weight carbon frame with different battery options. That's probably the best hack.
PS I'm not interested in mid power bikes.

400wh battery, Saves 1kg from 600wh and 2kg from 800wh
Bontrager RSL one piece handle bar/stem Saves 200 grams from bar/stem combo's
Enve Foundation wheelset. Saves around 300 grams from a equivalent alloy wheel set. Plus these wheels are super freaken strong. They take a beating so its also a performance upgrade too.

That's about it for weight reductions bits, The rest is standard.
I'm about to dive into titanium bolts. Probably can save another 100 grams on bolts.
The front chainring is steel so i can save another 100grams there.
I need to start looking at seats too, maybe lighter pedals.
Then long term i plan on designing and 3d printing some TI cranks.

Current bike weight with 400wh inc pedals is 21.8kg.
I'd be delighted it i could get that around the 21kg mark

To answer the question that inevitably will be asked. "why bother reducing weight on an already heavy e-bike"
The answer is the lighter it is, the more playful it is and the more it feels like an mtb.


Bicycle tire Bicycle Bicycle frame Bicycle wheel Crankset
 
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Ditching the motor and battery altogether would help. ;)

Looks like you already dug into lightening the beast, perhaps carbon cranks would help. But for me, I would go with the lightest wheel/tire config as possible that would avail your riding style. Maybe some superlight XC rims (not sure if 27.5 is available) combined with Berds, and really light hubs like DT 180s. The theory is that most riders are over-biked and all that extra travel can absorb impulses that would crack super light carbon rims, but YMMV, especially in your case. Same strategy with tires: go to the lighter side of durability and tread depth that your terrain and suspension will allow. And all of this will reduce rotational weight to boot.
 
John_likes_bikes said:
A smaller battery would compromise range performance.
Click to expand...
It depends on what performance you want. Most of my rides are sub 2 hour, and or steep hike a bike style rides.
I used to regularly use less than 50% on my Pole with 750wh battery. I see little point dragging around extra weight on those style of rides. Light weight when hauling your bike up a hike a bike is king. Nothing worse than a heavy as shit bike.

So for me 400wh increases performance. I can actual milk out 3 hours on tour+ mode. 1.5 hours full turbo blast.
PS I also have 600wh battery too. So if I need to go further i slap the 600wh in. I've im out of town and want to do several rides i swap batteries for the second ride and have 1000wh capacity for the day.
 
slickrock said:
Ditching the motor and battery altogether would help. ;)

Looks like you already dug into lightening the beast, perhaps carbon cranks would help. But for me, I would go with the lightest wheel/tire config as possible that would avail your riding style. Maybe some superlight XC rims (not sure if 27.5 is available) combined with Berds, and really light hubs like DT 180s. The theory is that most riders are over-biked and all that extra travel can absorb impulses that would crack super light carbon rims, but YMMV, especially in your case. Same strategy with tires: go to the lighter side of durability and tread depth that your terrain and suspension will allow. And all of this will reduce rotational weight to boot.
Click to expand...
I ride hard (race dh) and use the e bike as dh practice. I destroy light wheels. The tire wheel combo I have is the lightest i want to get away with. I could easily go lighter but then id bust em... so no dice on reducing wheel/tire weight.

I'm going to bypass Carbon cranks and go straight to designing my own TI cranks. That's going to take a little while. But when its done i'll have a bespoke Plummet parts....


PS Yeah. I mtb options too.
 
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What options are there for a lighter cassette even if it means changing the number of gears?
Any lighter derailleurs and chains?
Lose the mudguard and change to foam grips?
CF saddle?
Shorter dropper post?
When I weight weenied a previous non-ebike you start checking everything 😁
 
Jackware said:
What options are there for a lighter cassette even if it means changing the number of gears?
Any lighter derailleurs and chains?
Lose the mudguard and change to foam grips?
CF saddle?
Shorter dropper post?
When I weight weenied a previous non-ebike you start checking everything 😁
Click to expand...
I'm running XT link glide. I could go to Sram transmission and save 300 grams. But i say no to $1000 derailleurs in my location. Too many vines and roots and stumps to tear off a derailleur. I've had the Crestline 2 months and already destroyed one derailleur. So the heavier by only $200 to replace derailleur is the way and the light for me. Plus it lasts longer than shitty sram gx.
 
What about the remote wireless EDS OX 1 derailleur ?

For Germany ot is around 300 bugs.
I love it.
 
Plummet said:
I'm running XT link glide.
Click to expand...
Linkglide is strong but heavy. What about the 9-45T XTR Wireless. The derailleur is much shorter, and much less prone to damage. And the derailleur moves when impacted, then moves back. Run a smaller alloy chainring.

Significant weight saving to be had.
 
Plummet said:
I ride hard (race dh) and use the e bike as dh practice. I destroy light wheels. The tire wheel combo I have is the lightest i want to get away with. I could easily go lighter but then id bust em... so no dice on reducing wheel/tire weight.

I'm going to bypass Carbon cranks and go straight to designing my own TI cranks. That's going to take a little while. But when its done i'll have a bespoke Plummet parts....


PS Yeah. I mtb options too.
Click to expand...
Berd spokes?
 
I reduced my bike from 21,400g to 19,500g with pedals and I still have an 800wh battery
 
Tilt said:
I replaced it with carbon wheels, tubeless assembly. Taipan gravity 29x2 40 tire, carbon saddle and carbon handlebar, Garbaruk cassette, and aluminum pedal. It's a trail bike
Click to expand...
How is the Garbaruk cassette handling the power? How many km do you have on it?
 
Astro66 said:
Linkglide is strong but heavy. What about the 9-45T XTR Wireless. The derailleur is much shorter, and much less prone to damage. And the derailleur moves when impacted, then moves back. Run a smaller alloy chainring.

Significant weight saving to be had.
Click to expand...

Any derailleur can be smashed torn up and spat out buy loose sticks. We burn through derailleurs on e bikes around here. So not, i won't be running any e derailleur.

Ps, I do a long of super steep climbing, I want 11-50 range. Yes, im looking at alloy chainrings as we speak.

I do like the idea of a Garbaruk cassette though.
 
I have 980km and garbaruk has no wear problems for the moment, however you have to stay on a 34 steel chainring
 
Tilt said:
Yes, Avinox is powerful, but for me it's mainly the finesse and how it delivers power without noise, which reduces wear on the components.
Click to expand...
How can "power without noise" significantly reduce wear on components other than the motor? :confused:
 
Plummet said:
How is the Garbaruk cassette handling the power? How many km do you have on it?
Click to expand...
I had a garbaruk cassette on my fuel exe, it lasted as well as an xt cassette, probably got 1500 miles out of by swapping chains when they hit 0.75 worn
 
I had a Garbaruk cassette on a full power Bosch gen 4. The 14t slipped after about 600 miles. Mostly because this is the gear I happen to use a lot to get in a few hard pedal strokes for jumps and stuff.

For me, I find as long as your running a 34-36t chainring, you will never drop a chain so I get rid of my chain guide.
I will swap out a heavy steel chainring for an alloy 1 piece 34-36t chainring to save weight.
I will NEVER run a 34.9mm dropper and instead run a 31.8mm and use a shim adapter
I run a SQ labs carbon rail saddle (150g) and have crashed many times without issue
I will run cheap derailleur (GX AXS) but will run a XX1 SL cassette or XTR as this reduces unsprung mass at all times.
I will run Freeza rotors in a 203mm size as they are the best at heat dissipation for the weight (~150g)
My Levo SL gen 2 has a coil rear shock long stroked to 170mm with a 170mm fox 36 with Albert radial trail tires and weighs 38.Xlbs

I agree it is a blast to ride compared to the heavy beasts I’ve owned (57lb Voima like you and current 54lb Rail)
 
MTB_MIKE said:
I had a Garbaruk cassette on a full power Bosch gen 4. The 14t slipped after about 600 miles. Mostly because this is the gear I happen to use a lot to get in a few hard pedal strokes for jumps and stuff.

For me, I find as long as your running a 34-36t chainring, you will never drop a chain so I get rid of my chain guide.
I will swap out a heavy steel chainring for an alloy 1 piece 34-36t chainring to save weight.
I will NEVER run a 34.9mm dropper and instead run a 31.8mm and use a shim adapter
I run a SQ labs carbon rail saddle (150g) and have crashed many times without issue
I will run cheap derailleur (GX AXS) but will run a XX1 SL cassette or XTR as this reduces unsprung mass at all times.
I will run Freeza rotors in a 203mm size as they are the best at heat dissipation for the weight (~150g)
My Levo SL gen 2 has a coil rear shock long stroked to 170mm with a 170mm fox 36 with Albert radial trail tires and weighs 38.Xlbs

I agree it is a blast to ride compared to the heavy beasts I’ve owned (57lb Voima like you and current 54lb Rail)
Click to expand...
That's an interesting hack i hadn't considered with the dropper post. I'll add that to the list of upgrade when the current dropper expires.

I need to dive into sq labs saddles idea again. I am curious about those too.
 
Plummet said:
I do a long of super steep climbing, I want 11-50 range.
Click to expand...
If you do the maths. The 9-45T cassette, gives you a 500% ratio range, whilst the 11-50 only gives you 450% ratio range. So you can set the 9-45T to give you more torque in the 45T sprocket, whilst still giving you more top end speed in the 9T sprocket, than the 11-50T. You just change your chainring.

I run 34T chainring on my Amflow, due to the 52T top sprocket. And 32T chainring on the Shimano 51T. I'd run an alloy 30T chainring on the 9-45T cassette. It's the smallest you can get in 104BCD.

Plummet said:
Any derailleur can be smashed torn up and spat out buy loose sticks.
Click to expand...
The 9-45T derailleur is much shorter and hangs down much less, and is far less likely to pick up a stick. I smashed two 10-51T mechanical derailleurs in the first 12 months of owning my bikes. I have not damaged a single electronic derailleur since switching about 18 months ago. I have Shimano electronic on my Meridas, and SRAM Transmission electronic on the Amflow.

I have bent hangers twice, and popped the shear pin twice, with the Shimano setup. The shear pin will just reset and pop back in, if you put the derailleur in gear 12, and put the chain on the smallest sprocket.

I got a stick caught in my SRAM Transmission. It just rotated the derailleur back. I just had to stop, remove the stick, and rotate it back to the alignment marks.

But even if you get a stick big enough to rip stuff off. The derailleur mechanism and mounting is so strong, it just twists and destroys the cage mechanism, which is replaceable cheaply. Infact many of the components are replaceable. Unlike the mechanical derailleurs.

Anyway. If you have your heart set on Linkglide. Then go with it. But it's an area you can save significant weight.
 
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Astro66 said:
If you do the maths. The 9-45T cassette, gives you a 500% ratio range, whilst the 11-50 only gives you 450% ratio range. So you can set the 9-45T to give you more torque in the 45T sprocket, whilst still giving you more top end speed in the 9T sprocket, than the 11-50T. You just change your chainring.

I run 34T chainring on my Amflow, due to the 52T top sprocket. And 32T chainring on the Shimano 51T. I'd run an alloy 30T chainring on the 9-45T cassette. It's the smallest you can get in 104BCD.


The 9-45T derailleur is much shorter and hangs down much less, and is far less likely to pick up a stick. I smashed two 10-51T mechanical derailleurs in the first 12 months of owning my bikes. I have not damaged a single electronic derailleur since switching about 18 months ago. I have Shimano electronic on my Meridas, and SRAM Transmission electronic on the Amflow.

I have bent hangers twice, and popped the shear pin twice, with the Shimano setup. The shear pin will just reset and pop back in, if you put the derailleur in gear 12, and put the chain on the smallest sprocket.

I got a stick caught in my SRAM Transmission. It just rotated the derailleur back. I just had to stop, remove the stick, and rotate it back to the alignment marks.

But even if you get a stick big enough to rip stuff off. The derailleur mechanism and mounting is so strong, it just twists and destroys the cage mechanism, which is replaceable cheaply. Infact many of the components are replaceable. Unlike the mechanical derailleurs.

Anyway. If you have your heart set on Linkglide. Then go with it. But it's an area you can save significant weight.
Click to expand...
9-45 would be nice. But I ride 6 months of the year in mud and 11 T gets clogged and 10 T down is absolutely useless. I have 12 speed xt on my claymore and might as well not have the 10T on there at all. Pack it up with mud and its skip city.
 
Plummet said:
Why?
Click to expand...
Second this. I'm thinking getting a woolf tooth alloy chain ring which is way lighter than stock steel ones but wondering if it will hold with Bosch gen5 after the 100 Nm upgrade. Smashing it on Rocks is not something to worry on Bosch ebikes due to clearance
 
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