The weight of the cyclist, the invisible limit of e-MTBs

Just because it has a motor doesn't mean it can handle anything, and of course, it can't handle excess weight either. An e-MTB is just another bike, with certain particularities, so the weight of the rider is another factor among many that must be considered when using an electric mountain bike. Is there a weight limit?

Maximum weight for using an e-MTB

First of all, it should be noted that there is no general protocol or agreement on the maximum weight that a bicycle can support, whether it is an e-MTB or not. Each brand proposes approximate figures, and in fact, these figures are not public either. Therefore, we start from a handicap: the maximum weight that an e-MTB can support is difficult to find, and often it is necessary to consult the manufacturers, who will provide different values.

More or less, there is a generalized agreement, but it has been created based on experts and studies on the subject. To help you orient yourself based on this more verified information, note this fact: a bicycle, based on the law of loads and vehicles, must weigh less than 120 kg. It is true that e-MTBs are being sold with values, often higher, that range around 130 kilos but can sometimes even reach 150 kilos.

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On paper, it may seem like a large figure. But if you take out of the equation the 20-25 kilos that an e-MTB can weigh, you are already working with a more limited figure: about 100 kilos to be distributed among the rider, equipment, and luggage.

But, is the maximum weight that my e-MTB can support really that important?

Some may find it a trivial debate, but we are evaluating the maximum weights of vehicles, electric mountain bikes, which have only been on the market for about a decade and which, as we know them, are mostly redesigned and manufactured models from the last five years. This argument reinforces the idea that they are still bikes in the process of improvement and optimization, also in their supports and weight distribution.

Thus, exceeding the weight can have consequences that surely have not yet been tested. Yes, you might be thinking that manufacturers surely test their e-MTBs with values much more exaggerated than those they will actually experience in the real world. And you are not wrong: the law requires them to provide large safety margins to ensure that the e-MTB is very safe.

But it is also true that even today, many components of e-MTBs are identical to those of a regular mountain bike. Even some classified as specific do not differ much from traditional MTB elements. And here comes the nuance: all of this will have been tested at larger margins, but precisely what we are often doing is reducing that margin by increasing a weight that perhaps was not contemplated in its design and testing.

Hence, even warranties refer to issues such as the weight of e-MTBs and the maximum weight they can support. If they did not, they would first be violating legislation, and second, they would be allowing uses that could pose risks.

That is why the weight that your e-MTB can support is important. You can also find out this weight, if you are knowledgeable about figures and legislation, by looking for the standard of your e-MTB.

If it has an ISO 4210, it will support a maximum weight of 100 kilos, and no more. If it has an EN15194, this figure goes up to 120 kilos. Its ASTM category can also provide you with information: it distinguishes between 1 and 5, depending on the toughness it will be subjected to (from a simple XCO to a more powerful Enduro or downhill).