Litespeed has launched four titanium electric bikes – two gravel and two road – the brand’s first foray into the ebike market.
According to Litspeed CEO, Chris Pascarella: “I initially resisted the concept of a Litespeed E-bike. I had bought into the stigma that riding an E-bike was a sign of surrender.
"As it turns out, the reality is that we can take exceptionally high-performance bicycles and amplify the experience.”
All four Litespeed ebikes are powered by the flagship Mahle X20 rear hub motor system, which is a popular motor on lighter electric bikes and fitted by a number of other brands.
Litespeed points to the small motor and low-profile battery as major advantages of the X20 system, which weighs a claimed 3.2kg. It delivers 275W of peak power and 65Nm peak torque and, in Litespeed’s ebikes, is paired with a 250Wh battery. You can add a range extender too.
Litespeed has worked with HED to lace the hub motor into HED’s road and gravel wheelsets, offering both carbon and alloy rim options.
Litespeed Overdrive and Distortion gravel ebikes
The Overdrive is Litespeed’s top electric gravel bike offering, and has 50mm tyre clearance and a geometry that Litespeed describes as ‘race-inspired’. Fitted with a Shimano GRX Di2 827 1x groupset and carbon HED wheels, prices start at £9,541 / $12,495.
The Distortion is more adventure-oriented and pushes the tyre clearance up to 54mm, with a more relaxed geometry that Litespeed says is aimed at rougher gravel terrain. Fitted with SRAM Rival XPLR AXS and HED carbon wheels, it’s priced from £7,572 / $9,995.
Litespeed Sustain and Harmonizer road ebikes
The road-going Sustain is based around a frame with racing geometry, but still offers 35mm tyre clearance. Prices start at £9,541 / $12,495 equipped with Shimano Ultegra and HED V45 carbon wheels.
The Harmonizer ebike, meanwhile, is endurance-focused and offers 35mm tyre clearance. It’s priced from £7,572 / $9,995 equipped with Shimano 105 Di2 and the same HED V45 carbon wheels.
All Litespeed’s ebikes are built to order in Chattanooga, Tennessee and it quotes a two- to four-week lead time. It claims complete bike weights from around 12kg, depending on model and spec.
