LITESPEED ELECTRIC BIKES ARE BUILT FOR GROUP RIDING
My wife likes to ride bikes with me. She wants to come with me on adventures that go deep into the wilderness or high into the mountains. But this has gotten more difficult as work, family life, and other hobbies compete for her time. As a result, our long weekend rides as a couple have become less frequent, and I fear it is causing us to grow apart…
But I might have the perfect solution: Litespeed’s new line-up of high-performance titanium electric bikes. They could save my marriage by allowing my wife to not only join me on epic weekend long rides, but she could even throw me in the hurt locker from time to time!
These are very different from your average E-bike. They’re lighter, sleeker, and they feel much more like a “regular” bike. They’re a perfect tool for any rider who just needs a bit of extra boost, whether they want to go farther and explore more, or stick with faster riders.
What Makes Electric Litespeeds Different?
When most people picture an E-bike, they picture something heavy, bulky, and inelegant. We wanted none of that. At their core, Electric Litespeeds are something we’ve spent decades mastering: the world’s lightest, most advanced titanium frames. The only thing different is a little extra boost.
That boost comes from the MAHLE X20 system, the lightest E-bike drive system on the market. It uses a compact rear hub motor with 250 watts of power and 65 Nm of torque. We custom-formed all-new titanium tubesets to conceal the slim 250 Wh battery in the downtube. The entire system, battery included, only adds 3.2 kg (7.05 lbs). That means complete bikes weigh under 30 lbs!
Add what is needed, when it is needed
If you’re familiar with modern E-bikes, a motor and battery this small might come as a surprise. But these aren’t bikes made to do the work for you. They’re made to enhance the riding experience and feel as much like a regular Litespeed as possible. The Mahle X20 system was chosen specifically to preserve the ethos of these bikes and the legendary ride quality of Litespeed titanium.
Our engineering team went through great pains developing the new Pure eLW and Superform eSL6/4 titanium tubesets to ensure these new electric bikes have the same lively spring under power, the same corner-hugging confidence, and the same weightless feel on climbs that have made Litespeed legendary.
The electric assist system is only there to add what is needed, when it is needed. Otherwise, the aim is to keep it as discreet as possible. The pedaling feel is the most natural of an E-bike. There’s no drag to affect the feeling of coasting. Above 20 mph (the top speed for pedal assistance), or with the system switched off, the motor adds no resistance. At all times, these electric titanium bikes ride like a Litespeed.
Electric Litespeeds Let You Ride With Anyone & Everyone
You can use the boost strategically
The whole idea for these bikes started when Anne Hed, CEO and co-founder of HED, asked Litespeed for a custom E-gravel bike. After two years of development, the first electric Litespeed came to life, and Anne became the first in the world to own one. On her first ride, she hit a steep hill and zoomed straight up it. At the top, she turned around to find Litespeed’s lead engineer, Brad DeVaney, right behind her. That’s the magic of a lightweight E-bike. It doesn’t just help you survive a ride with faster friends. It lets you actually ride with them.
Here’s the part most people miss. Because an Electric Litespeed rides like a regular titanium bike with the motor off, you don’t need to run the assist all day. You can use the boost strategically. Pedal under your own power on the flats and downhills, then tap the button for a boost whenever you need it. That might be on a long or steep climb, in a stiff headwind, or to close a gap after a stoplight.
It’s quick and easy to cycle through assist levels (Off, Level 1, Level 2, and Level 3) with a single button. You can also fine-tune each mode, or use Smart Assist, through the MAHLE app. Used this way, the 250 Wh battery stretches across a much longer ride than its rated range might suggest. The motor doesn’t need to work the whole time, and when it’s off, you don’t even notice it’s there.
This Could Be the Future of Training
Here’s where things get interesting for me. My wife isn’t just able to come along on my long training rides now. She can actually make me faster.
Think about it. Her electric Litespeed can let her hold a higher pace up the climbs, and since climbs are my biggest weakness, it’s exactly where I need to suffer. With Level 2 or 3 engaged, she can ride up a climb at a tempo that has me on the rivet trying to hold her wheel. On the flats, she can sit on the front and set a hard pace that will force me to focus to stay on. Those are the kinds of efforts I’d normally have to do alone while she does her own rides at her pace. But now she can join me. And it’s always a lot more motivating when there’s someone to chase.
This is my dream right now, and I hope it won’t take much convincing to get her on board. Not only will we be able to spend more time together, but we’ll be able to conquer all the big climbs I frequent and she avoids. She’ll get to see landscapes she’s only seen in my Strava photos. That prospect has me super excited. An electric bike can cover both a casual weekend adventure and a ride where she’s the one doing the dropping.
Best of all, because the bike rides like a regular bike, the experience of pushing on the pedals, sweating, and getting fitter remains the same. For couples, friends, or training partners whose fitness level doesn’t match, a bike like this can change the equation completely. The gap between us is no longer a reason to ride apart. It can become the ultimate training tool.
Which Electric Litespeed Will I Choose?
My wife currently rides a Litespeed Flint, Litespeed’s titanium gravel bike built for epic adventures. The Distortion is basically its electric sibling. It’s the most capable electric titanium gravel bike, and it’s built for the same kind of long, rough, unpaved days we love.
That weight is what really gets me. Her Flint weighs just over 21 pounds. Even with a motor and battery, the Distortion adds only about eight pounds. I test-rode the Distortion last month, and it feels a lot like a Flint with a secret weapon hidden inside it.
Same soul, new sound. And maybe, just maybe, a few more epic weekend rides together.
