German brand Lemmo has designed a unique e-bike drive system that can disengage completely, offering a completely hybrid experience between electric and unassisted riding. The 2023 Red Dot winner (of ‘best of the best’), the Lemmo One aims to remove any resistance left behind by a motor when riding with it switched off.
It’s an old pet peeve among e-bike users that sometimes you want to conserve battery or just ride without the motor, but additional resistance makes the bike harder to pedal. The One uses a clutch system, where you twist a knob on the rear hub motor to switch between E (electric) and M (manual) modes, which either engages or disengages the motor.
Additionally, the 540Wh battery, motor controller and other electronics are all housed inside what Lemmo calls a ‘Smartpac’. This small box is secured to the frame between the top and down tubes, and is removable so that when you ride in manual mode, you don’t have to carry the extra weight of a battery.
Furthermore, as it’s a modular system, it means replacing parts doesn’t require disassembly of the frame as it would with more integrated drive system designs. The brand has also said that any future technology updates should be backwards compatible so you won’t need to buy an entirely new bike to fit them. It estimates the Smartpac should last between 3-5 years, and a bike, more than 10.
Lemmo currently offers the One in cross bar or step-through frames, and they start from €1,990 for the base e-bike variation. You can also buy them as unassisted bikes, as well as either chain or belt driven.
So far it's a unique solution, and while it might be quite a niche market that finds it worthwhile, if you’ve ever ridden a heavy e-bike with no battery left, you’ll likely see the appeal.
It’s currently only available in Germany, France and the Netherlands, but the company is looking to expand their reach into North America and further into Europe. Hopefully, this will include the UK.
