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Does the Weight of an Electric Bike Matter?

One of the most important things people talk about when looking for an electric bike is its weight. With regular, non-electric cycles, weight doesn’t tend to matter as much, and usually, a lower weight suggests better performance overall. In contrast, the higher weight of an e-bike usually means stronger performance, due to the size of the battery and motor, etc. So, does the weight of an e-bike actually matter?

The weight of an E-Bike doesn’t affect ride quality that miuch because the extra power from the motor overrides the added weight. That said, the increased weight can make it hard to maneuver when the power is off, or when walking the bike around. Some E-Bikes have a “walk mode” to help with this.

You also need to know what makes these electric bikes weigh more and what a typical e-bike should weigh – in essence, understanding why and what makes the bike heavy will help inform your decision the next time you decide to purchase an e-bike.

How Does E-Bike Weight Effect Riding?

Electric bicycle on a skywalk with dramatic sky in the background

Even though e-bikes are considerably heavy, the weight won’t always affect your ride. The only time you might feel the effect of the bike’s weight is when you’re riding up a steep hill or mountain while pedaling manually. To avoid this, when you’re riding up hills, you can use pedal-assist to make things a little easier. 

You can also generally feel the weight of an electric bike more if the environment is windy. Then, in cases where the e-bike’s battery is dead, and you have to use the pedals to ride manually, you will definitely feel the impact of the weight. Generally, manual pedaling usually makes the weight of the bike prominent to riders.

However, if you’re riding on relatively smooth terrain and there’s no wind to be found, the e-bike’s weight shouldn’t affect your ride at all.

Thanks to the bike’s motor doing most of the job, you won’t have to put in much effort to get your bike moving. Still, the weight of it shouldn’t disturb the e-bike’s performance.

Handling

Since e-bikes are typically heavier than traditional bikes, mobility issues can sometimes occur, especially with riders who aren’t used to using them yet.

To get better handling on an e-bike, you should buy one with a weight and frame that’s comfortable for you. We recommend a step-through frame or sloping top tube.

Safety

E-bikes are usually easier to ride than standard bikes because the motor, battery, and sometimes pedal-assist are doing most of the work. As a result, riders might be tempted to ride faster than is safe. While the feeling of riding fast might be exhilarating, there are dangers involved with doing so.

To protect yourself from injuries, you need to get a helmet. The Schwinn Thrasher Bike Helmet (on Amazon) is a good example, as it’s lightweight. This helmet can be used by anyone over the age of 14. 

Mountain riders should also consider using elbow and knee pads, like the JBM Adult Knee and Elbow Pads (on Amazon) for sufficient protection.

What Do E-Bikes Typically Weigh?

There’s no standard weight for an electric bike. Weight differs depending on what type of bike it is and its function(s). Elements like the size of the motor and battery on individual bikes will also determine the weight.

Remember that while an e-bike’s weight may not matter to most riders, it can be a huge problem if you have to carry the bike somewhere at some point.

Here are examples of the different types of e-bikes on the market and their typical weights:

  • Mini-folding Electric Bikes: These e-bikes are considerably lighter than other types of e-bikes. A standard mini-folding e-bike weighs between 30 and 40 pounds. A typical example of this bike is the Ancheer Folding Electric Bike (on Amazon). This bike weighs just 33lbs and is considered one of the lightest e-bikes on the market. 
  • Electric Commuter Bikes: The primary purpose of this bike is to cover long distances. Hence, they need more battery and motor power to help them do that. So a standard commuter e-bike should weigh around 50 to 70 pounds, like the Gyroor C3 Electric Bike (on Amazon), which weighs 47.8lbs.
  • Electric Racing Bikes: These bikes are built for speed and therefore won’t be as heavy as other typical e-bikes. A standard racing e-bike should weigh around 40 pounds.
  • Electric Mountain Bikes: They can weigh anything between 40 and 70 pounds, but most will weigh close to 70 pounds.
  • Fat Tire Mountain Bikes: weigh between 50 and 70 pounds.

What E-Bike Component Impacts Weight the Most?

Although every part of an e-bike contributes to the overall weight, three parts play highly significant roles in the bike’s weight. They are the battery, motor, and tires. 

These three things typically contribute to most of the weight on an e-bike. This is why standard bikes will never weigh as much as e-bikes because they don’t have motors and batteries. 

Motor Weight

The motor is definitely the heaviest part of an e-bike, and its weight alone is enough to make any bike heavy. These motors usually weigh about 17 pounds. Yes, this is a lot, but anyone who knows the kind of power an e-bike motor offers will know that its weight is nothing to complain about.

As a quick summary, the motor converts electrical energy to mechanical energy to get the bike moving. There are two types of engines: 

  • Hub Motors: are usually located at the front or back of the wheel.
  • Mid-Drives: are usually found at the center of the e-bike, between the pedals. These motors are generally more efficient than the hubs.

However, as heavy as the motor is, you won’t feel the weight unless you manually pedal your bike instead of using the pedal assist.

Battery Weight

E-bike batteries usually weigh between 4.4 – 7.7 lbs. Those batteries store energy, which is then passed on to the motor. As you may guess, a bigger battery equals a larger power storage capacity.

So, a bigger or heavier battery will of course mean more added weight to the e-bike. But you shouldn’t worry too much if your battery is on the heavier side, as that’s a sign that it will last longer than lighter batteries.

When choosing a battery for your bike, or purchasing an e-bike, you should opt for a lithium-ion battery. They are stronger and will usually have a longer life than other batteries. If you can’t get lithium-ion, the next best option is a lead-acid battery.

Tire Weight

Since e-bikes are typically designed for traveling on different routes and terrains than standard bikes, e-bikes require wider tires. Riders can gain more traction with these wheels, which makes it easier and safer to navigate rough terrains. 

Since these tires are bigger, it only makes sense that they weigh more. As the wheels are also fatter, they can be more difficult to maneuver, but since the battery and motor on the bike will help power your machine more smoothly, this issue shouldn’t be too much of a problem.

What is E-Bike “Walk Mode?”

Young woman pushing her e-bike on pedestrian walkway

To help with walking with the weight of the e-bike, some have a “Walk Mode” feature. With this feature, riders can activate the electric pedal-assist motor as they walk alongside the bike and hold the handlebars with their hands.

The motor moves the bike at a moderate pace so that it is easy to keep up while walking alongside it.

Having the motor activated helps to maneuver the bike and offset the issue of the added weight. Because of this, the feature is especially helpful for seniors, older riders, and those in need of extra assistance and support.

Final Thoughts

Electric bikes will always be heavier than traditional bikes – there’s no way around it. The best thing to do when looking for a new e-bike is to find a weight you’re most comfortable with handling.

If you’ll be doing a lot of bike lifting, you should definitely consider getting a lighter model. But if that’s not the case, then you don’t have to worry too much about the bike’s weight.