Choosing an ebike that I have to lift to store

[Airlane1979]

I have never ridden an ebike. I ride a manual bike that is fairly heavy at 19kg. To store it in the small shed adjacent to my flat I have to lift it off the ground and place it on its rear wheel against a corner. I feel this now - I am 60. My desire to have an ebike which would take much of the effort out of my rides, give me more options as to destinations, and help as I get older (I have no car) is in conflict with their substantially greater weight, particularly mid-drive bikes.

The terrain in my town and countryside is moderately hilly. From research I see that mid-drive bikes are better for hills but they are heavier. For example, the Trek District+ 2 Belt bike is 26kg; others are heavier. Would a lighter, rear hub driven bike be adequate for hill climbs? I'm happy to pedal harder. For example, the Tenways CGO800S is 23kg. I don't need high acceleration, just assistance. There's also the weight of a higher capacity battery, too. I won't consider chain bikes for various reasons; I dearly love the belt drive on my current bike.

Please advise if you can!

[enkei]

Hi @Airlane1979 and welcome to the forums!

You could look at something like the Specialized Turbo Como IGH. It is belt-drive, and the battery can be removed to make it easier to move around, store, and charge.

[Airlane1979]

(01-05-2026, 09:14 AM)enkei Wrote:  Hi @Airlane1979 and welcome to the forums!

You could look at something like the Specialized Turbo Como IGH. It is belt-drive, and the battery can be removed to make it easier to move around, store, and charge.

Thanks for the suggestion. I'll check it out.

[Jesper]

@enkei I believe the bike you referenced would still be heavier than what @Airlane1979 has even with the battery removed.

Lightweight ebikes (good ones) are quite expensive even for an ebike.

My advice would be a foldable ebike which are optimized for weight due to car transport, etc. The main problem is that there are some really cheesy ones of low quality and/or they have a more limited range (smaller motor, battery); and less features.

Over 40 lbs for a regular bike is pretty heavy; my 1970 Sports is over 45 lbs, but everything is steel and the Brooks saddle alone is about 2.5 lbs.

Even at 60, if you can still ride a regular bike there plenty of low priced options that are 10 to 15 lbs lighter in weight than what the OP is presently using.

[Airlane1979]

(01-06-2026, 08:14 PM)Jesper Wrote:  @enkei I believe the bike you referenced would still be heavier than what @Airlane1979 has even with the battery removed.

Lightweight ebikes (good ones) are quite expensive even for an ebike.

My advice would be a foldable ebike which are optimized for weight due to car transport, etc. The main problem is that there are some really cheesy ones of low quality and/or they have a more limited range (smaller motor, battery); and less features.

Over 40 lbs for a regular bike is pretty heavy; my 1970 Sports is over 45 lbs, but everything is steel and the Brooks saddle alone is about 2.5 lbs.

Even at 60, if you can still ride a regular bike there plenty of low priced options that are 10 to 15 lbs lighter in weight than what the OP is presently using.

Thank you. Plenty for me to consider there.

[JJMarsh]

(01-04-2026, 12:00 PM)Airlane1979 Wrote:  I have never ridden an ebike. I ride a manual bike that is fairly heavy at 19kg. To store it in the small shed adjacent to my flat I have to lift it off the ground and place it on its rear wheel against a corner. I feel this now - I am 60. My desire to have an ebike which would take much of the effort out of my rides, give me more options as to destinations, and help as I get older (I have no car) is in conflict with their substantially greater weight, particularly mid-drive bikes.

The terrain in my town and countryside is moderately hilly. From research I see that mid-drive bikes are better for hills but they are heavier. For example, the Trek District+ 2 Belt bike is 26kg; others are heavier. Would a lighter, rear hub driven bike be adequate for hill climbs? I'm happy to pedal harder. For example, the Tenways CGO800S is 23kg. I don't need high acceleration, just assistance. There's also the weight of a higher capacity battery, too. I won't consider chain bikes for various reasons; I dearly love the belt drive on my current bike.

Please advise if you can!

A lightweight rear-hub ebike with a removable battery is your best bet. It will handle moderate hills with your pedal help, and you can store the lighter frame easily by taking the battery out first. The daily lifting difference is crucial.

[enkei]

(01-06-2026, 08:14 PM)Jesper Wrote:  @enkei I believe the bike you referenced would still be heavier than what

Great point, @Jesper

An electric Brompton, in original format or G Line (bigger, 20" tires), would be relatively light, especially with the battery removed, but they ain't cheap!