May 28, 201114 yr Author As I was trying to compare models from Wisper against Kalkhoff's - Kalkhoff don't seem to want to quote the weight of their bikes. Can anyone enlighten me on this?
May 28, 201114 yr As I was trying to compare models from Wisper against Kalkhoff's - Kalkhoff don't seem to want to quote the weight of their bikes. Can anyone enlighten me on this? Been dying for a chance to use my spreadsheet! ... I have 23 kg for the Agattu. Perhaps members who have the other models can get their weighing scales! .. Kalkhoff Pro Connect Disc 2011 = Kalkhoff Pro Connect S = Kalkhoff Tasman =
May 28, 201114 yr Be carful when comparing weights, a powerful battery can add more than four kilos and there is no rule on whether a bike should be weighed with or without battery and accessories. A fully laden Wisper 905SEL 37V 11Ah is 25.4kg but a 37V 16Ah is 26.3kg. Without battery the same bikes weigh 22.2kg, if we remove the rack and other accessories the bike falls to about 20kg.
May 28, 201114 yr I seem recall my 2010 Proconnect S with 10Ah battery came in at 20.5Kg....one of the reasons I bought it.
May 28, 201114 yr My 2001 Giant Lafree Twist, fully equipped with mudguards, dynamo lighting, wheel lock, carrier and bungee set, weighed just 18 kilos without it's NiMh battery, the latter adding 4 kilos bringing it to just 22 kilos. With a modern lithium battery of the same 6.5 Ah capacity it would only have weighed about 19.5 kilos complete, beating by far the great majority of current e-bikes. So much for progress over a full decade! . Edited May 28, 201114 yr by flecc
May 28, 201114 yr My 2001 Giant Lafree Twist, fully equipped with mudguards, dynamo lighting, carrier and bungee set, weighed just 18 kilos without it's NiMh battery, the latter adding 4 kilos bringing it to just 22 kilos. With a modern lithium battery of the same 6.5 Ah capacity it would only have weighed about 19.5 kilos complete, beating by far the great majority of current e-bikes. So much for progress over a full decade! . Now that is certainly food for thought.... So what on earth has gone wrong in the last 10 years......what are manufacturers using now that is so much heavier than then ? I think weight is very important and I do think we should be progressing rather more quickly (if at all) than we are doing. After all there must be many many more e-bikes now than then....whats going on ?? Where is this extra weight all coming from and why ? Lynda
May 28, 201114 yr Does weight matter when most of the time you only sit on it? My bike approx is 21.5kg (19kg without battery+controller). I would liked it a bit lighter, as I have to carry it up and down 2 flights of stairs every day, but it's not too bad for a full size mountain bike. I don't think weight on the road matters too much really for most bikes when using under power..probably lighter helps a bit on the hills is all. If you have an unusually heavy bike you might notice it though when pedalling without power ;-)
May 28, 201114 yr Where is this extra weight all coming from and why ? Lynda It is a bit baffling Lynda. In fact I accidentally left out that there was a heavy AXA wheel lock as standard on that bike and have now edited that in as well. Of the three e-bikes I've owned and many others I've tried, it's still the easiest I've ever ridden without power, something I routinely did.
May 28, 201114 yr All very baffling! Do these light weight bikes have decent fork suspension? Even though our forks are cased in magnesium, they add a few kg especially when we add the suspension seat post. All the components on the latest Wisper bikes are aluminium with a few parts in stainless steel. Tyres are heavier than non puncture resistant and the disk brakes weigh almost a couple of kg, I suppose it all adds up. I have just checked, the 905eco weighs in at only 20.5kg 36V 9Ah, with no suspension or disc brakes. I suppose it all depends what people want from their bike. I have obviously mised a beat here we should have called the 905eco the 905lite! All the best David Edited May 28, 201114 yr by Wisper Bikes
May 28, 201114 yr Is that with or without battery David ? How much does the electric motor and all those necessary bits weigh ? I'm just asking because there seem to be a lot of non electric bikes around that are very light but I must admit I havent yet checked all the specs.... I do feel though that these days a sub 20kilo bike shouldnt be beyond the realms of possibility without, as a matter of course, being a lot more expensive. For a start obviously the range must surely increase substantially if you start off with less weight whether its the bike OR the rider Lynda PS... I am going to start a one woman campaign for lighter bikes that are PURPLE
May 28, 201114 yr My Tasman comes in at exactly 27kg with panniers, big Abus Granit lock, lights, wet weather gear,tools. Marathon Plus tyres et al. I find it no problem whatsoever to pedal it without power in normal going and the motor appears to cause no drag at all (one of the prime reasons I bought it). The weight makes it feel cumbersome but the low gearing make any normal hills perfectly possible. Speedy it is not! I ride it without power sometimes just for fitness purposes, where the weight is an advantage, of course. I expected the powered range to increase a little when I lost 8kg from my somewhat corpulent 81kg a year ago but I could detect no difference at all so maybe I should just put it on again...more London Pride please! One great thing about the Kalkhoff's 27kg it is that when I ride and carry my Brompton it feels like a kids toy.
May 28, 201114 yr Is that with or without battery David ? How much does the electric motor and all those necessary bits weigh ? Lynda PS... I am going to start a one woman campaign for lighter bikes that are PURPLE Hi Lynda, It's under 21kg with the battery. The full electronics kit with a 36v 9A battery weighs between 6 and 7kg. What shade of purple are you after?! :o All the best David
May 28, 201114 yr Thats good then David. Regarding purple.....think we have had this conversation before.....you keep teasing me but so far I have not seen one shred of evidence pointing to a beautiful wisper bike in purple...... FYI.......thats BRIGHT purple :) Lynda
May 28, 201114 yr Regarding purple.....think we have had this conversation before.....you keep teasing me but so far I have not seen one shred of evidence pointing to a beautiful wisper bike in purple...... FYI.......thats BRIGHT purple :) Lynda Just add the Wisper kit to this Lynda: http://www.bikebuyers.com/images/beach_cruiser_bike_tahiti_26_purple.JPG
May 28, 201114 yr All very baffling! Do these light weight bikes have decent fork suspension? David Just weighed my PCS, battery, front suspension, mud guards, lights, additional lights + battery, rack, pannier set, pump, mirror(!) etc...21.5Kg Thats darn good in my book
May 28, 201114 yr I was sent a link to this website where this bike is said to be 19.8 kg which I think for a crank drive is very lightweight. Whether this includes battery or not I obviously don't know. http://www.velo-oxygen.fr/img/produit/grande/Ebike_NocarH.jpg
May 28, 201114 yr Thats the same as a BH-Emotion Sport Max, its 19.8Kg with battery, no mudguards or rack etc though....
May 28, 201114 yr Does weight matter when most of the time you only sit on it? Kalkhoff Proconnect Disc 23 Kg, Trek Cytronex 19 Kg both with batteries, racks, mudguards etc - and I usually carry a 2.5 Kg lock as well. Weight doesn't matter on the move but reduces acceleration (F=ma), however if you have to carry it then the lighter the better. I got lost on a cross country route in Derbyshire recently and ended up carrying the Kalkhoff over styles - not recommended (except as weight training!).
May 28, 201114 yr Weight has an effect on 'fuel consumption' (Wh), riding without power or above the max assist speed extends range enormously. The lighter the bike the easier it is to achieve this, all manufacturers should be working to produce lighter bikes. It seems some are already working on reducing motor drag and IMHO weight should also be a high priority...sure there's going to be a practical limit to how far its possible to go balanced against cost and durability but manufacturers need to try harder IMHO...
May 28, 201114 yr Weight has an effect on 'fuel consumption' (Wh), riding without power or above the max assist speed extends range enormously. The lighter the bike the easier it is to achieve this, all manufacturers should be working to produce lighter bikes. It seems some are already working on reducing motor drag and IMHO weight should also be a high priority...sure there's going to be a practical limit to how far its possible to go balanced against cost and durability but manufacturers need to try harder IMHO... Yes i agree with that and with todays technology i really dont think its an issue for them. I think what is the issue is profit margins
May 29, 201114 yr Hi i own the beautiful Tonaro Bighit which weights in at 29kg heavy yes, but thats because it eats steep hills for its breakfast,best wishes Brian.
May 29, 201114 yr Hi i own the beautiful Tonaro Bighit which weights in at 29kg heavy yes, but thats because it eats steep hills for its breakfast,best wishes Brian. One could say a worthy successor to the old SLA batteried Powabykes, also very heavy but steamed up hills very competently.
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