Oof. You definitely were taking a risk with that drive train. I'm glad the worst of it is a few broken spokes.
That's clearly have a working bike, not some sort of weekend roadie show piece. Put a dork disk on there! There isn't any shame in favoring function over form.
Awesome call-out on zip ties. They're the duct tape of the bike world.
One small thing I noticed is how your fender and rack are mounted. It's fine to share a single eyelet to mount both, but it's best to mount in the order of frame, rack, fender, washer, and bolt. That ordering shortens the cantilever of the rack load, a much higher load than a fender, on the bolt.
Shooting up or down is hard and takes extra work to understand the ballistics of such a shot.
If you're really curious, check out Ted's HoldOver video on the topic. He shows both the theory and practice it takes to shoot upwards.
Hah! I said "thanks for helping me solve my N+1 problem" to the sales guy at my LBS after walking out the door with the folder. More bikes is always the right answer! 🤣
Yeah, I can see you're trying to thread the needle here. It's going to be tough. Opening up your parameters is at least a decent start towards filling a spreadsheet of potential bikes.
95lbs is quite a bit of weight! I totally understand the desire to get something lighter and easier to deal with. It's one reason why I recently got an acoustic folder.
A significant amount of weight comes from the battery and motor. Reducing weight to <50lbs means going for a smaller battery and likely a smaller motor.
In other words, consider going to class 1 or 2. There are more road and commuter bikes in that class which meet that weight target. For example, Trek's FX+ 2 at just over 40lbs. Smaller batteries also mean less expense, so perhaps you'll keep your existing bike instead of selling it. Then you'll be able to choose the right bike for the day's plan. :)
I'll take note of that, especially for my throw around bikes. Platform pedals are my thing.
I don't get hot-foot like you and others, but I certainly do like mid foot riding. I'm just happy with big platform pedals, and I'm glad to support the niche industry for people who do suffer.
You'll definitely like the catalysts. Even the bearings in them are top notch.
I've got those same pedals on my trike recumbent. They feel great and incredibly grippy, which is important for avoiding "leg suck."
Don't wait on installing them! I'm sure you'll enjoy them.
Single-track capable and a bike that easily breaks down, let alone an e-bike version, is a tall order. Very few bikes fit your needs. Absolutely reconsider 2" receiver adapters for your car and an appropriate hitch-mounted bike rack.
That said, I would consider Bike Friday's All-Packa. It's designed for bike packing and has an option for a 36v front-hub motor. Their assist setup is not the most powerful system but that All-Packa will absolutely shred trails.
Note that Bike Friday builds bikes to each customer's specification. It can be a little daunting to spec on of their bikes online, so you may want to email or call them. The good news is that means you can spec all the details out, down to the color of the cable housing!
Also try looking for a local bike mechanic. There are mobile mechanics (think guy with a van full of bike tools) and folks who work out of their home garage. Look and ask around for a mechanic who can help you spec, put the bike together, and make repairs for you.
Expect to drop a few hundred more dollars into bike tools if you cannot find a mechanic. Not to mention a lot of time to learn how to tune up and fix issues as they appear. I do my own repairs because it's fun; not because it saves me money.
For sure. These fuses have been a scourge.
Here's a video by a radio fan who's circuit is designed to blow fuses just didn't.
Not a problem. In that case you'd also have theft charges and would be liable for the car's value in civil court (or whatever the Danish equivalent is).