What you need to know about Light E-MTBs

History of development

In recent years, most manufacturers in the bike industry focused on the development of eMTBs with the highest possible battery capacity and particularly powerful motors. These bikes were mainly used for long bike tours or maximum support on technical climbs. Mountain bikers who predominantly drive extensive tours with many altitude meters appreciate these features.

The downside: Large batteries and powerful motors drive the total weight of the bike upwards. Under it an agile Bikehandling suffers, as one is used to it from conventional Mountainbikes. And this is exactly where the concept of the Light eMTB comes in. By using smaller batteries and lighter motors, the handling characteristics of modern light eMTBs are increasingly approaching those of conventional trail and downhill bikes.

What is the Light eMTB in the foreground

In general, the following applies to the light eMTB segment: Efficiency, riding dynamics and performance are more important than battery capacity and range. Part of this development at ROTWILD are all eMountain bikes of the R.375 series, such as the R.X375 All Mountain Bike. Here, the focus is not only on the lower overall weight due to lighter and smaller batteries, a full carbon frame and lighter components such as conventional MTB wheels. The entire kinematics of these Light eMTBs is more playful and tighter, closer to conventional mountain bikes and thus invites active biking. This is supported by a geometry with a relatively steep seat angle and a low standover height. The former makes pedaling easier and the latter allows the use of seatposts with a lot of extension. A low saddle ensures plenty of freedom of movement on the descent. This allows the low weight to be used playfully on the trail, much like you'd expect from a mountain bike without a motor. In combination with the powerful Shimano EP8 engine, these bikes are ideal for thoroughbred mountain bikers.

The new ROTWILD Light eMTB concept thus clearly stands out from other eMountaibikes of this genre. The essential differences have been very aptly described by Mountainbike magazine in its test: "The R.E375 newly introduced by Rotwild, like the also new R.X375, is difficult to press into a category. With a total weight of only 19.5 kilos, it nevertheless offers the new, 85 Nm strong Shimano EP8 motor. Which sets it far apart from other lightweight E-MTBs in terms of power. Here are otherwise currently torques of 60 Nm (Fazua motor) or only 35 Nm on the Specialized Turbo Levo SL. For a classic E-MTB, the battery is too small, because it offers just 375 watt hours."

ROTWILD rider and community member AndyRW is the proud owner of an R.X750 and an R.X375. He has experienced the differences between an endurance big mountain bike and an agile light eMTB himself and explained it very aptly in our forum: "The difference between the models is pretty big. The 750 with the Brose motor is the iron which makes the trail flat, the motto is 'just hold it and good. With the 375 you ride the 'fine blade, it's playful and light on its feet and always encourages you to pull off on every little hill." (Go to the full thread here)

The most important differences of the three ROTWILD Light eMTBs

ROTWILD offers three different models with small 375Wh strong battery for trail, enduro and downhill use. As a motor serves in all bikes the Shimano EP8 drive which was configured with two different Light E-MTB driving profiles. The High Power profile for maximum power and the Minimal Assist profile with throttled power and lower energy consumption. These are the main differences and areas of use at a glance:

The R.X375

The R.E375 

• A bike for solidly trained enduro bikers with good riding technique skills who want to go relaxed uphill and full throttle downhill. Area of use: challenging trails, paragraphs and root fields, jumps and downhills. 
• 3 special characteristics: Flat steering angle for high smoothness, even when it gets rough. Sovereign handling even at the limit, steep seat angle for relaxed uphills. 
• Key technical data (size L): suspension travel: 170 mm (fork), 160 mm (shock) / steering angle: 63.5 ° / Reach: 485 mm / Stack: 636 / seat angle: 77 ° / wheel diameter: 29 inches / battery capacity: 375 Wh "In the Enduro segment, the Light concept makes sense, because bikes in this category are optimized for fast and violent downhill. Climbs are more a means to an end." EMTB Test (June 2021)

The R.G375

• Target group: Gravity bikers with very good driving skills who need a lot of reserves for the really rough trails and jumps and therefore rely on smooth running and safety at high speeds.
• Area of use: downhill and bike park
• 3 special characteristics: great smoothness, enormous travel, first-class downhill performance.
• "The R.G375 is a specialist among specialists. The Light approach predestines it for all those who place sporty handling above range and comfort. The extreme geometry further narrows the range of use. Anyone who is not aiming for high-speed downhills and big jumps is wrong here. Those who intend to do just that are spot on." EMTB test (December 2021)

Light eMTB range

The different battery capacities of Big Mountain eMTBs and Light eMTBs automatically result in different ranges or altitudes (= how many meters of altitude can I manage with one battery charge?). Various parameters such as support level, switching behavior, motor type, rider weight, ground conditions, steepness and much more have an influence on the energy consumption of the battery. Also the body weight is a determining factor, it an enormous difference, whether a 60 kg light Bikerin or a over 90 kg heavy Biker sits in the saddle. Therefore, it is impossible to quantify the exact range of a light eMTB based on its battery capacity.

The ROTWILD bikes of the R.375 series were deliberately developed for mountain bikers for whom the range is not an all-determining issue. A Light eMTB rider is well aware that the range is not only determined by the battery, but also by their own legs. Anyone who buys an R.375 bike, for example, has no problem coming home with an empty battery or riding the battery empty on the last climb. Downhill and home is then with pure leg power.

Experiences from the ROTWILD Community

In our community there is also a lively exchange of experience about the range of the 375 Wh battery. These practical experiences provide a good orientation of what you can expect from a modern light E-MTB from our Aggressive series in terms of range. As an example, we publish three postings of the two users "EsZet" and "zeitvier". They have given their personal parameters from various tours in the thread on battery consumption. This information provides a useful orientation to answer the question: "How far can I get with a 375 Wh Light E-MTB battery?

EsZet: "I deliberately chose a 375 battery because I simply wanted to have a lightweight e-bike and still be sporty myself. I usually ride in a mixed bike group (organic/e-bikers), so the Eco mode in profile 2 is sufficient as a support level. However, I also often ride without a motor. How much battery I need depends of course on the route profile, but have a rule of thumb: about 20% battery at 400 meters altitude. My last tour here in the Odenwald: 77.12 km, 1,428 Hm, 16.4 Km/h average speed, consumption approx. 75% battery."

zeitvier: "Once again a tour with my R.X375: Waldecker Upland, route: 40 km, 95% field and forest roads, 928 hm, average speed 16.5 km/h. Support: Profile 2 (factory), mainly ECO mode, only a few hundred meters with TRAIL mode. Features: quite a few paths blocked by trees fallen by the storm. Partially I could lift the bike over, but we also had to turn back a few times. Battery: arrival with 2 bars. Intermediate conclusion: consumption with my driving style and condition around the 1 to maximum 1.5% battery charge per kilometer. With that one can calculate in any case. The buddies riding with me all have larger batteries (up to 650 Wh) and achieve fairly constant around 1% consumption per km." 

Conclusion