All-carbon LeMond Prolog urban e-bike goes into production

Greg LeMond’s relaunched bike brand has circulated the first photos of its new premium e-bike called the Prolog, which not only has a carbon monocoque frame and fork but also has a carbon-fibre integrated flat bar and stem, a carbon seatpost and an optional custom carbon rear rack and front basket. A carbon-braided wheelset with German Tune hubs, developed with Munich Composites, will be offered as an upgrade.

The Prolog weighs 11.8kg, which is pretty impressive considering it also features integrated front and rear lights.

According to LeMond, the brand is “reshaping the future of e-bikes by expanding their accessibility to all riders. This can only be accomplished by ensuring the entire build is lightweight.”

However, a price starting at £4,350 or $4,500 for the US market may mean it's not as accessible as LeMond would like.

LeMond has used the Mahle X35+ Smart Ebike System for the electric assist, a unit that the brand says provides all the features and characteristics required for a quick, lightweight and elegantly designed e-bike. Powered by a 250watt, 36v motor in the rear hub, this is one of the lighter systems on the market with a claimed weight of 7.7lb.

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LeMond quotes a range of 45 miles on average with the range extended by 70 per cent with a separately sold external battery.

The gearing is supplied by a Shimano GRX 11-speed groupset with a Di2 upgrade available.

The 700C LeMond LC30 tubeless carbon rims have an internal rim width of 21mm and an outer of 28mm and come with Panaracer Gravelking Slick+ 38mm tyres. These add £1,650 to the price over the standard aluminium wheels.

The carbon rack and basket are also offered as upgrades, adding £170 each to the price, while the Di2 upgrade adds £750 and the ranger-extender external battery £650. With all the upgrades the price totals £7,740 or $8,170 in the USA.

The LeMond Prolog comes in Blanc, Noir and Rosa colour ways and ships from February 2021.

Three-time Tour winner LeMond, who was the first to win on a carbon frame in 1986, relaunched his bike brand last year after creating a new company, LeMond Carbon, which has developed “disruptive carbon-fibre technology.” LeMond now holds the patents to two new patented technologies that his website says “will disrupt the industry.”

The Prolog and the Dutch, both carbon-fibre e-bikes, are LeMond’s first two models, with the Road to be launched this year.

Aside from a brief collaboration with Time in 2013, LeMond’s name hasn’t been seen on the down tube of a bike since 2008.

Geoffrey LeMond, the brand's chief strategy officer, said: “The bikes are just the starting line. For the past five years we have been driving toward developing a vertically integrated carbon-fibre platform. From this position, a whole ecosystem of products under the LeMond bike brand will be developed. For now, we will be rolling out e-bikes followed by new models as well as other peripheral product lines inspired by the era of racing when my dad was winning his tours and world championships.”