There’s a lot of noise right now about e-bike power. Some people want tighter regulations, others want standardization, and plenty are nervous that more watts or NM’s automatically mean more problems. I think the conversation deserves a bit more perspective.
Here in the U.S., Class 1 e-bikes are already capped at 20mph with pedal assist. Doesn’t matter if you’re on a 100W motor or a 1000W motor—you’re still topping out at the same 20mph. On flat ground, a low-power bike can hang in there, but point it uphill and it falls apart—especially with a heavier rider when you factor in power-to-weight ratio.
For comparison, road bikes in the Tour de France cruise at 25–30mph on flats and hit 60mph+ on descents.
Here’s where it gets personal. At 6’4” and 100kg, I’ve always been the rider glued to Turbo mode. Until recently, that was my only option if I wanted to keep pace with my 75kg friends. But now, with the right system, I finally have a bike that lets me actually use all the modes—Eco, Trail, Turbo, and Boost. This spreads the load, reduces overall wear on the motor, and finally gives bigger riders the same versatility lighter riders have enjoyed for years.
That’s why I think we should start considering power-to-weight ratio more seriously. Imagine if assistance automatically scaled to rider weight so everyone had the same unified ride feel, no matter their size. That would be a meaningful industry standard and give all riders the same experience.
The tech is already showing what’s possible. Systems like
@avinoxebike have the smoothest delivery I’ve ever ridden—deeply tunable, smart torque management, and even drivetrain protection built in. Torque is what really stresses components, not power, and at ~100Nm these motors are no harsher than anything else on the market. They’re just more refined.
For me, more power doesn’t mean recklessness—it means efficiency. More laps = more riding. More riding = more smiles. That’s the heart of it.
Instead of brands fearing and trying to stifle innovation, we should embrace it and i encourage the bike industry to focus our energy on smarter regulations so we can ride legally and sustainably in the places we love.
—Troydon
