Pop N Wood

I should really let this go but you are massively misstating the difference 10 or 20 pounds of ebike equipment. Weight really only matters when accelerating or going up hill. Cruising at a constant speed it doesn't matter. The heavier bikes ride fine, I typically get half way through my rides before I feel the need to turn on the assist. touring bikes can go as high as 80# with gear people ride those through flipping mountain ranges all the time.

Half of you guys are saying the same thing I am: only way to reduce weight is to reduce capacity. My point to the OP is you may THINK you want to prioritize weight over everything else, but my contribution to you is you may rethink that once you gain some experience on an ebike. The lighter weight bike really isn't going to ride that much better, but make too many compromises on battery size and you are going to be left with a bike that doesn't do anything well.

asalt

Thanks! Looking at those!

asalt

OMG, just saw the PE drives. Those are fantastic, and cheap! Literally almost exactly what I was looking for. I am in a rainy place (British Columbia) but not sure whether I'm staying here or going back to Italy where I've lived for the last 12 years so I'll consider that. The OneMotor looks like it would be ideal, and you pay for the perfection, but that is very tempting as a long term solution. Boy this stuff is just awesome, especially if you live in a hilly place and are getting older! Thanks so much again, I had no idea they existed. Happy holidays!

asalt

Man, that is SLICK!

asalt

So one question...does the OneMotor also reduce the tension when it is not activated, I mean when you want to just pedal without assist? Is there any noticeable resistance when the motor is installed but not running? Thanks!

linberl

I guess we're going to have to disagree. I have a 19 lb bike and a 4.5lb motorized system and a 130wh motor and I easily do rides of 20 miles and FOR MY NEEDS that's perfect. I don't want nor do I need a bigger battery with more range. And I am not the only one who desires a lightweight simple system. As a lightweight rider, 20 pounds makes a HUGE difference in my expended effort when I am not using the battery. I am not "crusing at a constant speed" like many riders who have their assist on the entire ride. I specifically do NOT want to do that, and it seems the OP does not either. Some of us want to ride our regular bikes just like regular bikes and only use the assist as an actual "assist" when we come to a hill. And weight matters then, too.
I find so many people who think because they are hooked on using juice the whole time they ride, and want more and faster power, that everyone else does. There is a subset of riders who are not looking for that. I have no problem with you doing that, if big batteries mean you can ride longer distances and you wouldn't choose to pedal those distances instead, it's all good. But you need to realize that's not everyone. And not all of us get sucked in by the ease of the motor and want more and more assist once we try it. In fact, I've gone the other direction - I use my assist less now that I initially did because over time I have gotten stronger by riding routes I wouldn't normally have taken without the confidence of the motorized assist.
There's no one-size-fits-all with e bikes. We all use them in different ways and for different purposes. And all the various uses are good =).

linberl

The way I use my OneMotor is I turn the main battery button on at the start of the ride, then I use the button on the handlebar controller to "pause" the system. When I do that, nothing is touching the tire and there is absolutely zero drag or effect from OM. I purchased the PAS wireless controller as well (brilliant) and if I reach a point on my ride where I need/want some assist, a single button push on the handlebar controller reactivates the system and it engages the wheel. It then runs at the selected PAS level (there are 9 levels) until I push the button again to deactivate the assist. It is seamless, not jerky at all, and works perfectly for my uses. OM has two different size batteries available and I chose the smallest one and typically can do a 20 mile ride with intermittent assist.
I sold my car and I use my bike(s) to go everywhere. For example, I ride to my doctor appointments. On the way there, I'm more interested in speed to reduce my transit time and not arrive sweating grossly, so I use the assist on level 1 almost the whole way there. On the way back I use it just on the hilly parts. Total trip is 16 miles and I usually end up at home with around 25% battery left. Hopefully that give some idea of
how it works.
The other thing I love about it is that sending it back for software updates (or repairs in the future) is easy as you are not sending a wheel. It goes USPS priority mail medium box, $17 (not sending the battery of course).

But maybe you don't need all the fancy stuff and software. As I said, having two bikes (one pulls my trailer for shopping) makes the OM cost very reasonable, but for a single bike maybe not. If it's your first time trying an e-bike, maybe a cheap PEdrive might be a good start. They are so inexpensive they are almost disposable, lol. A good way to test it out. You might decide you want a more permanent dedicated system (hub or mid-drive) after using it.....or not.

Pop N Wood

The only thing we really disagree on is that 20 pounds makes a HUGE difference when riding a bike, any bike. The difference becomes even less important when one adds a motor. Unless, of course, the battery is at a low state of charge so you don't want to turn it on.

A BBS02 kit weighs 10 pounds, a Luna wolf 900 watt-hour battery is 9 pounds (there are lighter options), throw in a few extra pounds for incidentals.

Just be honest with people and tell them what they are trading with the less capable system and what it is like to ride a heavier bike.

By the way, you have to mail that system in for software updates? Odd.

linberl

My system is 4.5lbs inclusive of everything. so Yes, it's a big difference. And my max speed is 28mph (not that I'd do that) and it has plenty of torque to fly up steep S.F. graded hills. Ymmv, but I would much rather ride my 19lb bike with 4.5lb system in manual mode rather than a 40-50-60lb ebike in manual mode. If you're riding motorized all the time, the weight doesn't matter (except if you have to carry up stairs like I do) but riding without the motor powered up - yes, weight matters. What you are suggesting totally flies in the face of everything cyclists have done over the years specifically to reduce weight. Even if you aren't racing. It takes more effort to push off a heavier bike from a stop than a lighter one. Lighter bikes are more responsive. Lighter bikes are easier to take up stairs and mount on car racks. Weight matters.

Regarding mailing in my controller, the developer is constantly improving functionality. Eventually he hopes to offer OTA updates where the device doesn't need to be sent in, but for now, if one wants the latest and newest functions, it has to get to NY. He designed the system to allow him to continue to develop it and add value, lots of "headroom" for invention, which I think is pretty cool.

Pop N Wood

You have a 130 wh battery or motor? I assume you mean battery since motors are not rated in terms of energy.

So help me understand. Most on line guides say to estimate a minimum 20 wh per mile. A 130 wh battery means you get maybe 80-90 wh from a full charge to battery cut off, less with an older battery, even less in cold weather. If you are truly getting 20 miles "range" you must not be turning the thing on. Either that or it is an extremely low power motor.

Am I missing something?

So is this the system you have?

https://onemotor.co/InDepth/

Why don't they list the power rating of the motor on the web site? Or battery voltage? Is that a USB cable from the battery to the motor? Did you really pay $1200 for that?

Man, now that I look at what you have I understand everything you are saying.

Enjoy your system.

linberl

First of all, you ARE missing something. Reading skills. Go back and read what i wrote. You will see how I use my motor and get 20 miles off it. Yes, that was a battery wh; hadn't enough coffee when i posted.
As to OM, friction drives are different from the other drives you are used to seeing. And since you probably read their information the same way you read what I've written, you missed a lot of data. I'm not going to try to justify my purchase to you, I will just reiterate that I can easily go 28 mph, have climbed the steepest San Francisco hills with my OM, and never had any issue with it. Furthermore, it pops from one of my bikes onto my second bike in 30 seconds, and I can use it on rentals when I travel. It also comes completely off when I lock up my bike and I can easily carry it with the built in handle or put in my bag and it's less than 5 lbs. If someone steals my bike, I know they won't get my e-assist. E-bikes, commercial units, get stolen here all the time, and the owner is out bike as well as electronics.
It's an incredibly well designed and produced product which meets MY NEEDS but is not for power hungry people who don't want to pedal their bikes and always want to use assist. I have the funds to buy any ebike I want and I wouldn't take one of those 40+ lb units for free. That's not what I want or need. As I said, ymmv, but since this thread was about what the OP wanted, my suggestions fit his desires way more than yours.

Pop N Wood

By the way, are you a troll?

googled onemotor review. Got half a dozen reviews on different sites. They all use the same vernacular you do, same long wordy posts, most posted by a "new member" with other new members coming on to thank the OP, 90% of the posts belong to the OP.

I'm seeing a definite pattern.

Absolutely zero third party reviews, just tag teams of new member posters with absolutely zero bad to say.

You have zero credibility.

BTW I can do 28 mph on my human powered road bike and I've ridden loaded touring bikes over mountains. Post something that doesn't read like an infomercial.

asalt

Ahaha speaking of friction...people can get testy on here.

Look I thank both of you for all the information. To me it's not a matter of objectively comparing systems and judging which is superior and inferior. Like you say, it depends on the needs of the individual user. I owned a couple of ebikes years ago for commuting and man they were useless without power of course and I sold them both and have been addicted to steel frame road bikes since then. I like them as light as they come (which isn't THAT light, I mean they aren't carbon that you can lift with one finger like real cyclists show me) and I swore never to use a motor again. I just bought another one of these bikes online, I've spent loads on them over the years and gone on long rides and even trips with no problem. But I've been doing this for 20 years and now I'm on a very hilly island and not only can I not hack it, though I could five years ago, I actually have a specific medical reason that I can't do the steep hills anymore, the heart doc actually said "NO steep hills, ride all you want but no hills."

So to me the OneMotor sounds just spectacular and I'd be willing to spend the money when I get around to it, though it's more tempting to get one of those little PE drives ASAP for fun.

I fully admit I'm not an ebike enthusiast and wouldn't use one if I didn't need to. But I also understand how great they can be.

My friend here, who is very athletic and in his 70s now, and who did his first round trip of this very hilly island on his 65th birthday on his vintage De Rosa, recently came by on his massively heavy e-bike with those huge tires. I took a look and said "That's not a bike, it's an electric motorcycle!!" He said "It is, and I love it!". He went on to tell me how, with it's great range and power, and no limitations where you can go, it has opened up a whole new world of mountain trails and wilderness backroads that he couldn't access on a bike or motorbike. Plus he uses it for transportation near and far. It cost him about $5000 and the maintenance and parts aren't cheap but it's far less than owning and operating a motorcycle (which we both have done). I think that's just great also and I might get something like that instead of a motorbike at some point.

I apologize for not being clear about my needs in the first post, actually a removable, lightweight add-on is far more interesting to me than a lightweight purpose built e-bike.

Anyway, the knowledge of people on here, and their willingness to share it is just wonderful. Of course people get passionate about their opinions too.

linberl

I've been on this forum a long time, since 2014, unlike you who have been here a minute. You've no business talking about anyone else's credibility. Btw, had you done further research you would have learned that OneMotor was a Kickstarter project named Shareroller (which was reviewed in an earlier iteration). Reviews by EBR and other sources require payment or provision of free products to test; OM is not able to do that as they are still fulfilling backers. Reviews by owners are available here and on EBR. However, I don't understand why you seem to be making this about OM. It's about the OP and his needs which he is quite clear about. I made several suggestions in line with his original post, you went off on a completely different tangent not responsive to his post about how weight was irrelevant.

asalt

I am,the only newbie here, and I had never heard of the OneMotor or anything else that was posted in response to my question. I wasn't even looking for something like that initially. But now it makes a lot of sense and sounds great to me, as do the cheaper PE drives. Whats up with the animosity? Just Christmas blues I guess.

Pop N Wood

Sorry if I took your thread off the rails. Just trying to understand, questions come out harsh on the net, I seem to be particularly bad about that.

But what the onemotor guy is saying just isn't making sense, The math doesn't add up. What is particularly worrisome is most of these system have a lot of info on the web. Onemotor is quite the exception, zero negative reviews yet half a dozen threads on different sites with tag teams of fan boys. See my early comments, pretty glaring.

Small and light, I get it, but at some point it becomes so small and light one has to question how useful it is.

2old

For my part I've been enjoying Linberl's reports since the beginning. The comments have always seemed well reasoned to me, although as an off road enthusiast (don't want to be a hood ornament which is a good possibility in socal), the product is of limited interest now. Some individuals don't seem (to me) to add to the congeniality of the forum, so they're on "ignore".

linberl

In the spirit of Christmas, let me try to explain it to you without telling the whole 6 year saga. Shareroller was the 1st version. Reviewed independently. Then the developer came back to create a second version, as an engineer he got super caught up in his ideas and spent 4 years on the project (much to the complete dismay of his backers!). He has now managed to ship a limited number of units to backers but still owes units to other backers, even after all this time. Covid was a financial disaster for him personally, he had to close the factory rental he had just opened, and move out of NY and reset everything. Those folks who have units have been reviewing them and giving him feedback (no, they are not all positive comments, but it doesn't have glaring faults, just things he can improve and is). He isn't spending $ on sending units out to reviewers until he has completed his commitment to his backers. His business process/decisions haven't been the best, obviously, but he's honest and cares about his product. It's not for everyone, just for those who value light, want to retain their own bikes to ride normally, and also those who have multiple bikes. It's definitely not for those who want to ride at full power assisted all the time, although there is a larger battery available. Now if you had gone back and read through all the reviews from start to finish that you found, you would have learned all this and perhaps not been so quick to call names. You could also google Helix bikes, you'd find pretty much the same story. A multi-year Kickstarter and bikes still being delivered, no 3d party reviews to speak of, but lots of happy reviews from backers.
To your very last sentence, it is useful to those of us who want something entirely different from an e-bike than you do. Go google friction drives on Endless Sphere - there's a rather large group of folks over there who build their own. Small, light, and they are very happy with them.
There isn't just one type of e-bike user and so there shouldn't be just one type of system =). I hope you enjoy what you have and ride lots of places and are filled with joy. Happy New Year.

asalt

Oh I certainly appreciate all the information from everyone and I neither had a very clear idea nor expressed exactly what I wanted at the beginning. I'm happy to learn from all of you and thank you for sharing your knowledge.

I also definitely see your point and I'd really have to try out some models to even understand what would be best for me.

asalt

I am extremely interested in the friction drives, thanks for opening up this possibility for me.

veganbikes

I would look at the Specialized Vado SL or Creo SL. Not cheap bikes but also of quality that you can get good support for and is going to be nice and light.

edwong3

You're looking for a "stealth" e-bike. This one (Ride1Uo Roadster V2) is under $1,000 and weighs about 32 lbs. if I recall correctly and uses a belt drive.
https://ride1up.com/product/roadster-v2/

walterpeter946

I would suggest Aventon Pace 350. It is available in $1,000. It is a great bike and is lightweight.

Hericann

i am getting ideas in this thread, thanks!

any recommendation for an affordable bike but of good quality?

tdonline

Checked the website and the Step-thru version is 46 pounds. Maybe a little lighter relative to other ebikes but 46 pounds is pretty hefty to carry up stairs.