I would say this bike is all about reliability and low-maintenance, not speed or performance. A dyanmo hub in front and a heavy internal gear hub in the rear pretty much tells you what this bike is and what it isn't. I found that the NuVinci hub felt strange, maybe a little "mushy" until I got used to it. Now, I think I shift more efficiently than I do on my derailleur bikes. It's my first Nuvinci, my first dynamo hub and my first belt drive. That's too many new factors to compare it to my other usual bikes (an older Specialized hybrid and a Brompton foldy)
I do have some long gradual inclines and one or two fairly steep hills that I hit on my usual commute. The continuum does feel a little heavy to me, but my bike is usually fully loaded with two bucket panniers, a heavy front basket and a heavy Abus u-lock. I take the attitude that if I'll just get stronger and in better shape to make the hill easier, as opposed to getting a lightweight bike.
My DIY panniers are light but add wind-resistance:
https://www.bikeforums.net/commuting...-panniers.html
And my DIY front rack is a bit heavier than the usual rack....a sacrifice made for art.:
https://www.bikeforums.net/general-c...sket-rack.html
Before I added all this, I lifted it and didn't find it felt particularly heavy.