There was a trend a few years ago where electric bikes had to have all the bells and whistles, sometimes literally. Manufacturers were just piling on the add-ons, making their bikes super interesting, but also super heavy at times.
Lately, however, we’ve seen a bit of a “less-is-more” approach in electric bike design. Sleeker body styles and more built-in features like an internal battery or mid-drive motors rather than a rear hub motor option. But, what’s the lightest electric bike on the market today? And does your electric bicycle’s weight really affect its performance?
Well, if you’re asking those questions you’re definitely in the right corner of the internet. At Go Ride Bikes, we’re passionate about all things e-bike, including lightweight options. Our electric bike aficionados (or nerds, however you want to say it) spend hours going over specs to curate our “Best of” lists, but we also want to give you the “why” as well as the “what”.
So, without further stalling, here’s our best choices for the lightest electric bike in 2024!
1. HPS Domestique
Weight: 18.73 lb/8.5 kg
Motor: Hidden 200W mid-drive motor
Battery: 193 Wh Domestique custom battery
Suspension: Hand-built carbon fiber frame
Max Speed: 15.5 MPH (25 km/h)
Price: $15,000
The HPS Domestique tops our list for one simple reason: it’s the lightest electric bike in the world today. Weighing in at just under 19 pounds (8.5 kg to be precise), this lightweight ebike is as beautiful as it is expertly designed. The people at HPS spared no expense, enlisting the top minds in Formula 1 racing to help design this sleek, efficient, and ingenious electric bicycle. Even to an experienced eye, it’s difficult to pick out the HPS Domestique as an ebike. That’s because the 200W mid-drive electric motor seamlessly blends in with the hand-built carbon fiber frame, and the usually-chunky battery is actually hidden in plain sight as a “water bottle” under the seat. It’s not just a light
2. Ares Super Leggera
Weight: 19.8 lb/9 kg
Motor: Hidden 200W mid-drive motor
Battery: 193 Wh custom battery
Suspension: Hand-built carbon fiber frame
Max Speed: 15.5 MPH (25 km/h)
Price: $22,000
Coming in a very close second is the ARES Super Leggera, a beautiful partnership between the Italian automobile designer and HPS, who of course now graces our list twice. The Super Leggera is the culmination of two years of testing – in-lab, on-road, and off-road – with professional cyclists weighing in on the fine tuning of this absolute triumph of an electric bicycle. It also comes in at 9 kg, making it easily one of the lightest e-bike options available. It’s probably the priciest e-bike on our list today, but if you’re looking for the top of the line the ARES Super Leggera is your best choice.
3. Vello Bike+ Titanium
Weight: 21 lb/9.9 kg
Motor: Zehus Drivetrain – Power: 250 W/ max. 40 Nm
Battery: Integrated battery pack with smart BMS, 173 Wh
Suspension: Chromoly fork/shock absorbent with elastomer-magnet folding
Max Speed: 15.5 MPH (25 km/h)
Price: $5,000
We’ve officially got our first electric folding bike on the list! Weighing in at just under 10 kg, or 21 pounds, the Vello Bike+ Titanium is one of the lightest electric folding bikes on the market, if not THE lightest electric folding bike. This electric bike isn’t just foldable and lightweight, however. It’s also got an innovative and powerful motor for its class and is capable of up to 75 miles of travel distance on a single battery charge. It’s also equipped with an intelligent motor control system, which means it doesn’t gear shift at speeds lower than 15 MPH, tackling slopes of even 8% without a problem!
4. Hummingbird Electric
Weight: 22.7 lb/10.3 kg
Motor: 250 W rear hub motor
Battery: Integrated battery pack, 158 Wh
Suspension: Adjustable suspension fork
Max Speed: 15.5 MPH (25 km/h)
Price: $5,000
That’s right, back-to-back electric folding bikes! It’s actually common for folding e-bikes to be pretty light, their whole deal is portability. The Hummingbird Electric is no exception, in fact it might be one of the most unique lightweight electric bikes we have on the list. The motor and battery back are one seamless, all-in-one system that powers the ride with a 250 W rear hub motor. It can go nearly 40 miles on a single battery charge, and it takes just 5 seconds to fold or assemble your light electric bike when needed.
5. Ribble Endurance SL e - Hero
Weight: 23 lb/10.49 kg
Motor: MAHLE SmartBike Systems X35+ M1, 250W.
Battery: Panasonic I250 36V/250Wh, 18650GA-10S/2P.
Suspension: Endurance SL e Full Carbon , Tapered Steerer.
Max Speed: 15.5 MPH (25 km/h)
Price: $7,000
Not gonna lie, I’m an absolute sucker for certain bike part brands, and I’m a big fan of Shimano’s products. So, it’s no surprise that the Ribble Endurance SL e -Hero makes this list. Not only is it a super lightweight electric road bike, coming in at just over 23 pounds, it’s decked OUT in the great Shimano Dura-Ace R9200 Speed Hydraulic Disk groupset. This Hero edition of the Ribble Endurace SL e was made to go further and faster, including LEVEL Superlight EBM carbon wheels and a premium finishing kit that includes aero-enhancing properties. If your regular bike just ain’t cutting it, this is the Hero you’re looking for.
6. Cannondale Topstone Neo
Weight: 32 lb/13.91 kg
Motor: Bosch Performance Line Speed 250W (28mph)
Battery: Bosch PowerTube, 500Wh
Suspension: Topstone Neo Carbon, 1-1/8″ to 1.5″ steerer, 55mm OutFront offset, flat mount disc, internal routing, 12×110 thru axle
Max Speed: 28 MPH (45 km/h)
Price: $5,550
We’ve taken a bit of an uptick in weight, but we’ve also added a LOT of power with this next electric bike. The Cannondale Topstone Neo, like pretty much all Cannondale bikes, is a high class and well built machine. It’s got all the speed you could ask for, topping out at 28 MPH on the road, but you can feel free to take this baby out on the gravel and off road. The Topstone Neo features a lightweight SmartForm C1 Alloy Frame and full carbon fork, as well as a powerful motor from the Bosch Performance Line and a Shimano drivetrain and hydraulic disc brakes (did I mention I LOVE Shimano?)
7. LeMond Prolog
Weight: 26 lb/11.8 kg
Motor: Mahle M1; Rear hub; 250W Max. Torque: 40Nm
Battery: Panasonic 250W 36V Embedded battery
Suspension: Custom carbon fiber fork
Max Speed: 20 MPH (32 km/h)
Price: $5,500
LeMond advertises their Prolog electric bike as “performance meets accessibility”, and that’s a pretty accurate tagline. The LeMond Prolog is a bike that matches comfort, style, and versatility, all while coming in right at a tidy 26 pounds. This is an electric bike made to be used every day, custom designed by Tour de France winner Greg LeMond for ergonomics and with a finely tuned geometry for the easiest handling and maneuverability on the market. The 250 W rear hub motor has plenty of power to push up to 20 MPH unassisted, and the integrated downtube battery from Panasonic can get you up to 70 miles on one charge.
8. Wilier Cento1 Hybrid
Weight: 26.23 lb/11.9 kg
Motor: Mahle X35+ 250 W rear hub
Battery: 250Wh ANT+ Connectivity
Suspension: Carbon Monocoque 46TON
Max Speed: 15.5 MPH (25 km/h)
Price: $5,260
Sometimes when deciding on an electric road bike, you have to decide which of those adjectives you care more about; “Electric” or “Road.” With the Wilier Cento1 Hybrid, there is no compromise. This bike has all the performance you need in a high-quality road bike, all while delivering the electric assistance capabilities you desire in a lightweight electric bicycle. The Cento1 Hybrid pushes the limits of racing bike performance by coming in at just under 12 kg, a record in the electric racing bike category. That’s thanks in part to the incredibly lightweight Mahle servo-assistance system, which has a total weight (motor, battery, and controls) of just 3.7 kg.
9. Specialized S-Works Turbo Creo SL
Weight: 27 lb/12.28 kg
Motor: Specialized SL 1.1, custom lightweight motor
Battery: Specialized SL1-320, fully integrated, 320Wh
Suspension: Future Shock 2.0 w/ Smooth Boot, Boost™ 12x110mm thru-axle, flat-mount disc
Max Speed: 20 MPH (32 km/h)
Price: $13,500
No list of lightweight, high-end electric bikes would be complete without a mention from Specialized. The S-Works Turbo Creo SL has all the custom bells and whistles you come to expect from one of the top e-bike manufacturers in the world. Truly every component on this bike is custom to Specialized, including the innovative lightweight motor with 35 NM of torque powered by a fully integrated 320 Wh battery.
10. Alchemy eRonin
Weight: 29 lb/12.7 kg
Motor: Fazua Evation
Battery: 250 Wh
Suspension: Zipp SL Speed Carbon 80/90mm
Max Speed: 20 MPH (32 km/h)
Price: $4,500
While it’s difficult to classify any of these lightweight electric bike options as an electric mountain bike, the Alchemy eRonin is as close as it gets. Designated a “gravel bike”, these versatile bikes can handle almost any path you put them on. Based in the shadow of the Rocky Mountains in Denver, Colorado, the guys at Alchemy understand what they were building for a versatile bike that can essentially go anywhere. And if you need something a little more tailored, they can custom build a bike to your exact needs!
Why weight matters
If you’ve made it this far, chances are you’ve got a pretty strong interest in electric bikes. Hey, us too!
Now, why would you want a lightweight bike? Well just like in competitive road cycling, every ounce matters and can affect your times. For people who are into serious, competitive racing, shaving off ounces or even pounds is the difference between wins and losses.
But what if you’re not a competitive racer, but you do want to commute to and from work on an electric bike? Do you want to lug something up and down stairs if you live in an apartment? That’s where a lightweight folding electric bicycle comes in super handy. Convenient and easy to carry.
When you want heft
So all bikes should be lightweight, right? Well it ain’t that simple.
Say you need a lot of power, if you want to tow things or you’re a hunter and you need a bike that can make it through rugged terrain. You might need an e-bike that’s got a larger motor, therefore one with more weight.
Psst, you should also check out our hunt for the Most Powerful Electric Bike
Fortunately for electric bikes, the motor and pedal assist makes the weight difference less noticeable.
Go Ride Bikes
When performance is the top priority, you need a sleek and smooth bike that can stand up to the road tests you put it through. Every ounce matters, so only the lightest electric bike will do. But for the less competitive, a lightweight e-bike has tons of other advantages and should definitely be explored. You may want to check out our eBike Range Calculator to see what kind of battery you need.
Go Ride Bikes is our name, but it’s also our philosophy. We want to encourage everyone to get out and, well, go ride bikes. Explore the Go Ride Bikes electric bike reviews, read more of our informative blogs, and keep up with curated lists of the best ebike advancements from our experts.
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