THE "POWERPLANT" CONSTRAINTS ON A COMMUTER BIKE ARE A PEDAL CADENCE OF 60 RPM,
A TOP OUTPUT OF 100 WATTS,
A MINIMUM STABLE SPEED OF 4 MPH,
A MAXIMUM SPEED PRIOR TO SIGNIFICANT AERO LOSSES OF 12 MPH.

IF THAT SOUNDS VERY WIMPY THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S INTENDED FOR UNTRAINED COMMUTERS, WOMEN, CHILDREN, ELDERLY

TOP OUTPUT ESPECIALLY
ANYONE CAN PUT OUT ABOUT 100 WATT INDEFINITELY, IT'S BASICALLY FREE POWER, BUT ANY INCREASE (GOING UPHILL ETC) SHITTERS STAMINA EXPONENTIALLY
NAVIGATING AROUND THAT, AND REGEN BRAKING -- ARE THE REAL EBIKE WINS

FOR WEIGHT CONSTRAINTS WE HAVE THE "INDUSTRY STANDARD" OF ANYTHING OVER 50LB BEJNG A "TEAM LIFT ITEM"
THESE REGULATIONS ARE MADE FOR WOMEN AND THE ELDERLY AND ARE A GOOD BALLPARK
50LB IS OUR UPPER LIMIT WEIGHT CONSTRAINT FOR A FULLY ASSEMBLED BIKE, AND FEW BIKES ON THE MARKET EVEN APPROACH THAT

SIZE CONSTRAINTS ARE ALSO WITHIN REASON
THERE ARE GENUINELY GOOD NON-RIDE-QUALITY-RELATED REASONS TO OPTIMIZE FOR SIZE AND WEIGHT
AKA PORTABILITY
STAIRS, CARS, BRINGING THE BIKE INDOORS, STORING THE BIKE IN A COMICALLY SIZED FRENCH APARTMENT, ETC ETC

IS IT WORTHWHILE TO OPTIMIZE FOR PORTABILITY?
AS IN, PUSH FOR IT AS A DESIGN GOAL? FOR SOME MARKETS, YES. THAT'S WHY THE FOLDING BIKE NICHE EXISTS. BUT THAT'S A BIT TOO MUCH OF A COMPROMISE ON EVERYTHING ELSE, AND I THINK THE COZY COMMUTER IS NOT A FOLDING BIKE, AT LEAST NOT TO EXCLUSION OF OTHER QUALITIES

IS IT DETRIMENTAL TO IGNORE OPTIMIZING FOR PORTABILITY?
I DON'T THINK SO.
ALL HUMAN POWERED VEHICLES ARE INHERENTLY HUMAN-SCALE AND MANAGEABLE
SMALLER AND LIGHTER IS MORE CONVENIENT, SURE, BUT IT'S DIFFICULT TO MAKE A BIKE THAT WILL BE SIMULTANEOUSLY A GOOD BIKE, AND BE UNMANAGEABLE AT HUMAN SCALE IN TERMS OF PORTABILITY

OTHER THINGS THAT AREN'T REALLY WORTH OPTIMIZING FOR IN THE COMMUTER DESIGN NICHE
1. SPEED. THAT WAY LAY LYCRA CLOTHES.
2. SUSPENSION TRAVEL AND OTHER STRICTLY MOUNTAIN BIKE CONCERNS. PEOPLE WILL COMMUTE OVER GRAVEL AND DIRT ROADS, BUT THEY WILL AVOID ROUGH MOUNTAIN TRAILS, IF THEY'RE SANE.

THINGS THAT ARE WORTH OPTIMIZING FOR
1. RIDE COMFORT
2. ACCESSIBILITY,
VIS A VIS HAVING AN EASY WAY TO GET ON AND OFF,
BEING HARD TO FALL OFF OF,
HAVING A LOW POWER REQUIREMENT TO GO PLACES, WHETHER THROUGH ASSIST OR A WIDE-LOW GEARING,
BEING SIMPLE TO LEARN. NONE OF THAT BULLSHIT WITH WIRELESS SHIFTING WITH AN APP ON YOUR PHONE OR WHATEVER
3. PRICE
4. LOW MAINTENANCE. AND THAT'S A MAJOR COMPONENT OF THE PREVIOUS POINT VIS A VIS PRICE.

SO IMMEDIATELY YOU'RE THINKING "OKAY, JUST HAVE A PLANETARY GEAR WITH COASTER BRAKE. EVERYTHING IS SEALED UP, LOW MAINTENANCE, SHIT EFFICIENCY DOESN'T MATTER"