Now on test: Lemmo One E+ - the chic on-off e-bike for the city & style-conscious commuting

Two years ago, the Berlin start-up Lemo presented its first bike that could do it all. Now the company has got another M and is called Lemmo (which stands for Light Electric Micro Mobility) and today presents the new version of the Lemmo One E+ bike.

Lemmo says that the new version is an upgrade from the original e-bike model and will replace it completely. But: If you are already driving the first Lemmo One from 2022, you can also upgrade it with an upgrade kit.

Lemmo One E+: e-bike with on/off character

The basic idea behind the Lemmo One is that it can be ridden both electrically and as a non-motorised urban bike. The most important electrical components are separated from the frame and installed in the so-called Smartpac - i.e. the battery and control unit. This should make the e-bike easier to maintain. And as you can see with the predecessors, the service life is extended because as soon as there is a technology upgrade, the entire bike does not have to be rebuilt.

Two basic values of every bike have now also changed: the price has now risen from 1990 euros to around 2400 euros. The weight of the bike and battery, on the other hand, has dropped from 19.0 to 18 kilograms according to the manufacturer. It is not yet possible to say exactly where weight has been saved, but the Smartpack should still weigh around three kilos.

Organic bike and e-bike in one - (how) is that possible?

The main selling point - apart from style - of the Lemmo City Bike is the patented dual-mode hub, which switches the bike from electric to muscle-powered mode with a simple twist lock. Sounds simple - but even the Launch 2022 had the disadvantage that you can leave the battery pack at home, but the motor hub/hub motor remains in the frame, adds weight and shifts the bike's centre of gravity to the rear.

The most important new features of the Lemmo One E+

• A Torque sensor on the hub motor According to Lemmo, the motor should react to the natural pedalling movement and switch on the motor to create a riding experience that is similar to traditional cycling. With 40 Newton metres or 250 watts, the assistance is comparatively modest. The advantage of a hub motor is that it pushes more discreetly than a mid-motor.
• Security with Apple Find MyIn addition to the GPS integrated in the Smartpac, the new Lemmo e-bike offers a GPS integrated in the frame. Apple Airtag with Find My function. This means that the bike and Smartpac can be located at any time.
• James Bond Feature: Stem with integrated smartphone holder - handlebars and stem are specially designed to use the universal Lemmo smartphone holder (optionally available).

As an additional accessory, there will be a suspension seat post. Hidden suspension should provide more comfort and at the same time not disturb the clean design of the bike.

The Lemmo One not only epitomises the future of micro-mobility, but also our ongoing commitment to creating sustainable and high-quality products. We are proud to bring this new E+ bike to the world and look forward to seeing how it redefines the urban mobility concept. - Toni Pavić, Creative Director & Partner at Lemmo

The Lemmo One E+ city bike in detail

The triangular Smartpac contains most of the bike's electronic components and also offers USB charging ports. This means that, according to Lemmo, the Smartpac can also power laptops and other mobile devices with an output of 65 watts. Although other e-bikes can also do this, you can take the battery of the Lemmo One with you to the office or café.

The bike light also fulfils a dual function. The front light can be removed with a key and used as a torch! Wow. And another practical feature: the innovative wheel hub contains an electronic lock that locks the rear wheel when parked. This does not protect the bike from being carried away, but then the GPS tracker comes into play.

When fully charged, the battery of the Lemmo One Urban Bike is said to offer a range of 100 kilometres - with a charge of 540 watt hours and a charging time of 3.5 hours. The cables are routed internally in the aluminium frame for a clean and sleek look. The e-bike's display provides all the important information such as speed, power, support level, range and Bluetooth connection. The Lemmo app helps with configuration, locking and unlocking, tracking and many other functions.

The total price of the new Lemmo One is 2389 euros with a belt drive and 2289 euros with derailleur gears. For people between 1.60 and 1.85 metres tall, the ST size is available with a lowered top tube - which looks very stylish - and 27.5-inch tyres.

Sizes L and XL, on the other hand, have a classic diamond-shaped frame. In L, the Lemmo One E+ still rolls on 27.5 inch tyres, XL then comes in 29 inch. You can also choose between a 10-speed derailleur drive (Shimano Deore with 11-42 teeth and a 38 mm chainring) or a 1-speed drive (single speed) with a Gates belt.

How the Lemmo One E+ urban e-bike rides in practice

The Lemmo One E+ initially looks chic and somehow unusual. People at the café or outside the shop take a closer look at the bike. In the rural area where I live, the electro-mechanical immobiliser is almost enough security - in the city, you still need a lock to prevent the e-bike from being carried away. The alarm that the Lemmo emits when it is locked is less of a deterrent than a signal to me that something is going on. Unfortunately, the sound is not loud enough to be heard from the street into the house, for example.

E-bike motor and battery

But let's move on to the important features of this city bike. The basic principle is that the 540 Wh battery is removable and, above all, the motor can be switched to organic mode, i.e. decoupled. You don't actually feel the motor in the drive unit - but you do feel the weight of the bike. With the battery, it weighs 19.6 kg on our scales - without 16.4 kg, which is good. In my slightly hilly everyday life, however, I would actually only bring the battery into the house to charge it, because I buy an e-bike because it compensates for these hills.

The small rear hub motor from our own company does this quite well to a certain extent. Of course, with 250 W and 40 Nm, it's no powerhouse, but the range of around 100 kilometres is about right. Using mainly the first two support levels and the third on short but steep climbs, I managed to cover over 90 kilometres several times and still had a small reserve in the "tank".

Handling in everyday life

So I always rode with a battery pack (Smartpack), on flat terrain without motor power, which changes the weight distribution in the bike. You sit relatively upright - unusual as an XC and gravel biker - which is pleasantly relaxed. Only on steep climbs did I feel like I was sitting behind the bike, the front wheel also rises quickly and you have to force yourself to lean forwards a little to control corners on gravel, even on flat terrain. On the other hand, the Lemmo e-bike has a steering angle of 72° and a seat angle of 73° (manufacturer's specifications, size L), which makes it feel neutral and agile.

The equipment with lights, pannier rack and mudguards is as practical as it should be. Nothing rattles, and the hub motor in particular can only be heard whirring quietly when pedalling hard. Nothing rattles on gravel either, which is something that mid-drive motors often do very audibly. The motor power is not programmable for end customers and riders. According to the manufacturer, the power is controlled by a torque sensor. In practice, it has been shown that a mixture of pedal power and revolutions influence the motor power differently.

Specifically: If I pedal in a heavy gear (high torque) on the same incline, I don't use the full power as I would if I pedalled two gears lighter (higher cadence, less torque). If I shift into a very light gear (high cadence, even less Nm), I obviously deliver too little power and do the work alone. The boost (press the right button for longer) is clearly noticeable in gears 1 and 2 - in gear 3, the maximum seems to have been reached and the boost is not noticeable.

But you get used to your own logic. The almost invisible push buttons in the clamp for the brake levers react reliably, albeit with a slight delay, and do not make a very high-quality impression. The bell is pressed on the left, the gearshift on the right, and both together lock the bike.

Lemmo app - the central control of the city bike

The (required) registration with the Lemmo app worked without any problems. It is not possible to ride the new Lemmo without the app, as it is used to control the Smartpack and the bike itself - for example, to lock it and switch on the lights. Speaking of lights: they are always switched on when you unlock the bike - daytime running lights, so to speak. I liked this because of the safety on busy (country) roads, but it might cost one or two per cent of the battery.

The smartphone almost always finds the bike straight away, although sometimes you have to unlock it twice before it responds. The display of the speedometer functions (distance travelled, range etc.) and various settings are also self-explanatory. The integrated mobile phone holder in the stem (! see above), which keeps the device very stable, is also practical. This allows you to use either the Lemmo app or Outdooractive, Komoot and other apps.

The failure of the motion alarm could be rectified with a system restart initiated via the app.

Features of the Lemmo One E+ test bike

The standard bike with derailleur gears makes a very robust impression. The aluminium frame (made from recycled metal) is so well welded that there are no ugly weld scales. Everything really does look as if it has been moulded and designed in one piece. However, the rather favourable price of the Lemmo One E+ is obviously reflected in the components used. The Shimano Deore drivetrain is the only recognisable part with a brand name. Rims, brakes, tyres, saddle - none of them can be directly assigned to a manufacturer. The rims are stable, but also a little heavy, the tyres are made of rubber with little grip - here Lemmo offers an Explorer version with Continental Terra Trail tyres, which is clearly the better choice, or simply Schwalbes G-One Allroad.

The brakes are the least convincing: they scratch metallically and have little bite, which is not insignificant with a 20 kg bike plus payload downhill. I haven't tried out to what extent this can be helped, at least with new brake pads. The brake levers are not very ergonomic and are not designed for two fingers. What bothered me most, however, was that they couldn't be aligned with the handlebars - probably because of the integrated electronics.

The fact that the saddle was very uncomfortable for me is more of an individual problem. But it is quite soft and narrow. Only the front light promised by Lemmo as a removable torch should stay where it is. It is unlocked with a plastic spanner and hangs on a cable that has to be rooted back into the steering head. Better leave it! But it does a good job on the bike.

Conclusion on the practical test of the Lemmo One E+

After a few trips to the village, 30 kilometres to the office and back and weekend rides with light luggage, the Lemmo One E+ has proven to be a robust and stylish companion. The battery is large enough for a week of short trips, for example to the shops or an ice cream parlour. The motor pushes very unobtrusively and - typical of rear hub motors - without affecting the natural pedalling. You can tell that the small drive unit has to work hard on steep climbs or with a lot of luggage, but it remains quiet.

For the price of 2400 euros, there may still be some budget left in the till to upgrade to better tyres and a more suitable saddle after a season. The brakes bring the bike safely to a halt - no question - whether other pads reduce the required hand force remains to be seen. In conclusion: The Lemmo is wonderfully "ready-to-use" for everyday use and in my case has replaced the car to a large extent (shopping with 2 large saddlebags). The name LEMMO stands for exactly that - light electric micro mobility. Thanks to its good range, it's always ready for longer trips and it's also a relaxed way to ride off into the sunset by the lake.