Lightest is the most advanced and light ebike kit to give superpowers to your bike, quickly.
It's designed for high performance and for longevity. The system can be installed on any bike adding approx. 4 Kg - 8 lbs ( including the battery) .
Since our last crowdfunding campaign in 2017, we've delivered the BEST ebike kit to thousands backers, which greatly appreciated our systems for their staggering torque and impressive power.
We were also frequently asked for a lighter and low cost kit. Since we don't like compromises, we accepted the challenge of designing a high performance and light ebike drive, which is super affordable. And, of course, we wanted to manufacture it in Italy.
The result is a state-of-the-art ebike drive system, smart, with industrial design, giving you high performance and a perfect integration with your bike.
We're super excited to announce that we're ready to bring this high-tech beauty out to you.
Bikee Bike's team is well known for high-end and high-performance ebike motors. The first product is called BEST and it's recognized for its high torque and power. We worked to deliver the highest quality components combined with the latest IoT technologies. During the years, we've been able to develop a reliable electronics which connects our system with your phone, so that you can adjust the system parameters and eventually lock the system as antitheft prevention.
Since 2017, Bikee Bike has manufactured thousands of ebike kits and now has developed a cutting edge product to revolutionize the ebike market.
Matteo, the founder, has been a former engineer in a US corporation, which was specialized in designing and manufacturing custom electric motors. During his 6 years of activity there, he managed more than 80 projects of different electric motors, from customer specifications to mass production, for a wide variety of applications. In the last years, he decided to focus on electric mobility since there was a market gap for a rising sector: in those years he developed with his team, among the other projects, a 60kW drivetrain for electric vans, and a 4kW drivetrain for electric mopeds . That's when he left the company to start his own engineering consultancy firm. That was dedicated to support the entrepreneurs who wanted to develop their own electric vehicles.
In those years, one of his friends in the ebike sector challenged him to design an ebike drivetrain with superior torque: that's when the BEST ebike kit was initially conceived. After the first publications of the project, some investors contacted Matteo for financially supporting the development of the BEST kit. It was the 2014: that's when Bikee Bike was born,
In 2016 Bikee Bike got recognition from FORD Motor Company, getting a prize of 50'000 USD as best automotive startup in a worldwide challenge. In the below video, the CEO of FORD, Mark Fields, chats with Matteo at CES 2016, announcing the award. That's what really kicked off the journey of Bikee Bike.
Mark Fields, CEO of Ford Motor Company, announcing the award to Bikee Bike for the BEST ebike system in 2016 at the Consumer Electronic Show of Las Vegas.
Bikee Bike drive systems are proudly designed, developed and manufactured in Mantua, Italy.
Light... well the Lightest
The Drive Unit only weights 1.6Kg (3.5 lbs). It's the lightest electric bicycle mid drive motor on the market. That's the weight of a bottle of water. That's awesome because you keep your bike agile in the trails, you can carry your bike with less effort on the stairs. or while loading it on your car... Or simply when you decide you want to pedal without assistance for a bit!
High Performing
Don't trade off performance for lightness: you can have them all. Power up to 1000W, equivalent torque* in excess of 90Nm (66 ft/lb). Result: a 1.6Kg motor can tow a van ( see the following video).
Mid Drive Motor
Mid drive motors are superiors comparing to hub motors because can take advantage of your bike shifter. That allows them to deliver more torque at the wheel (depending on the gear) and, for that reason, they're more efficient uphill. Just as you, pedaling with the right gear.
Silent
In this video you can appreciate the motor sound during operation. We left the raw footage so that you can compare the sound of the rope against the wheel with the motor sound.
Torque sensor for a natural feel
Direct torque sensing system gives you true feeling of the bike, making the ride a very natural experience.
Smartphone connected
You can connect your system with your smartphone with two different configurations: standard ( see display section) and Superhero ( see Superhero app section). The standard version allows you to visualize and control the assistance with your Heart Rate. The Superhero will unlock a world of possibilities.
Outstanding Ground Clearance
Improved capability of overcoming obstacles without damaging the motor.
Heart Sensor Assist
With the HRM feature, just set the BPM you'd like to keep and the assistance level will be adjusted automatically to keep that on track. See video in the display section.
And much more!
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Affordable The launch price is 499 Euro (549 USD) for the complete kit with the 250Wh battery. That is an amazing price for a real mid drive system which is Made in Italy. |
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Extremely Compact Overall dimensions are 85x90x128mm (3,3 x 3,5 x 5 inch); That allows a clean installation on your bike for a motor that fits in one hand. |
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Retrofit kit or OEM component You can install the Lightest e-bike Drive Unit on your existing bike to make it electric.
Otherwise, if you own a bike company, you can create a custom frame for seamless integration. We can provide adapting plates to match the motor with existing OEM frames made for the most common ebike motor brands.
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Durable In order to get such a weight reduction, we use premium components. Aluminum alloy shields with extra-large cooling fins for optimal heat dissipation, case hardened steel gears, premium silicone steel to name a few. |
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Quick Release
Take the motor off in just 5 minutes: only two bolts lock the motor in place. Use your motor when you feel it and take it down when you want to. With two sets of mounting plates you can power alternatively two bikes. If you use two chain quick links, you'll do it even better!
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Independent drive pinion Gives you the opportunity to have different transmission ratios between human power and motor power. In addition the inner freewheel will give you ZERO DRAG when OFF. |
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Perfect chainline Keep the same chainline as on your original bike. You won't have any problem with bad alignment or chain that falls off. |
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Easy and quick installation Converts your bike into a pedal-assisted bicycle in few minutes. |
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Wide Battery choice Pick the battery you deserve! They are ranging from 250Wh up to 840Wh, from 30 up to 180km (from 19 to 112 miles) and are made with premium Samsung cells.
You can choose between different configurations: bottle battery, rear rack or backpack!
See the dedicated section below for details. After selecting a perk, you can upgrade your battery in the checkout section.
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Anti-theft Lock (Superhero version only) You can lock your system with your smartphone so that it will be useless if stolen. Your unique PIN number will make you the only one to control it. |
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KERS - regen braking (on request) The system will be able to use the braking energy to charge the battery. This will be possible only with fixed gear on internally geared hubs. |
Included Components
Motor only perks:
- Lightest Motor with high efficiency sinewave controller;
- LCD Display;
- Crankarms and Chainring;
- Crankarms' locking screws;
- Motor mounting plates;
- Long screws and nuts;
- Spacers;
- Battery support locking screws;
- Wheel sensors and wheel magnet;
Complete kits include the above and:
10. Battery with genuine premium Samsung cells;
11. Battery mount with connector;
12. Gummy frame protection for the battery;
13. Battery locking keys
14. Battery Charger ( power depending on the battery size).
Tools not included into the perks, but necessary to perform the installation:
15. Allen Wrench
16. Allen Keys' Set
17. Bottom Bracket remover
18. Crank remover
Lightest system can be considered as universally compatible with four different installation options. It fits to road bikes, city bikes, MTBs , Fat bikes, cruisers and much more.
IMPORTANT: At the end of the campaign we'll send you a survey to ask your bike details so to send you the matching accessories . So you'll choose the adapter plates, spacers (for standard BB, 73mm, 83mm or Fat bike BB) as a second step. You'll be also able to select additional accessories ( for instance if you got a Couple kit Perk and you want the Superhero version on both, you'll be able to ask for the second one in that survey.
This configuration is perfect for most of bikes: city bikes, front MTBs, full suspension MTB with straight downtube, gravel bikes.
The drive unit is mounted below the downtube, the mounting plates integrate the chain guide. The torque-sensing feature is preserved and there will only be one chain on the bike.
You can download the drawing of this configuration: by printing the image in 1:1 scale ( please refer to the dimension indication on the drawing to verify the scale) you can check whether this configuration works with your bike. Download the drawing here.
This configuration is indicated when your frame doesn't allow you to use the Standard Mount or when you want to have a double chainring.
The drive unit is mounted below the downtube, the mounting plates are very short.
The torque-sensing feature is not active and there will be two chains on the bike: the first chain for transmitting the power from the motor to the crank, the second one for transmitting the power from the crank to the wheel. Because of that, you can mount three chainrings and dedicate two of them to the crank-to-wheel transmission.
You can download the drawing of this configuration: by printing the image in 1:1 scale ( please refer to the dimension indication on the drawing to verify the scale) you can check whether this configuration works with your bike. Download the drawing here.
This configuration is indicated on full suspension MTBs with curved downtube.
The drive unit is mounted below the downtube, the mounting plates are long to preserve the ground clearance, even in curved frames, and are integrating the chain guide. The torque sensing feature is preserved and there will only be one chain on the bike.
You can download the drawing of this configuration: by printing the image in 1:1 scale ( please refer to the dimension indication on the drawing to verify the scale) you can check whether this configuration works with your bike. Download the drawings here ( part 1) and here ( part 2).
When you have enough room in your frame and you want to take ground clearance and motor protection to the next level, then that configuration is perfect for you.
You can download the drawing of this configuration: by printing the image in 1:1 scale ( please refer to the dimension indication on the drawing to verify the scale) you can check whether this configuration works with your bike. Download the drawings here
Five configurations to get exactly what you need to give superpowers to your standard bike, whatever it is.
*Equivalent torque gives you the opportunity to compare the Lightest torque with conventional ebike motors, which have their output at the bike's bottom bracket. Equivalent torque is the torque that a conventional ebike motor should exert at the bottom bracket in order to get the same wheel torque as the Lightest system. Not enough clear? Check the further explanation.
*Average Battery Range is estimated on flat and paved ground, on a mountain bike with a 70kg (154lbs) rider and assistance from the motor around 200W.
*EARLY BIRD PRICES are limited to 50 units per each perk. After those 50 units will be purchased, please select the standard version.
Lightest complete kit also includes a Li-ion Battery with genuine Samsung cells. We coupled different batteries with the four power versions of the kit, but it's also possible to receive only the motor and its mounting accessories, without battery.
Here the standard combos:
• Lightest motor 250W + 250Wh (5.2Ah)
• Lightest motor 500W + 550Wh (11.6Ah)
• Lightest motor 750W + 670Wh (14Ah)
• Lightest motor 1000W + 840Wh (17.5Ah)
After the perk's selection, you will have the opportunity to ask for a battery upgrade. The price is in the below chart, right after the batteries' descriptions.
Four battery types for all requirements
None of the above batteries fits your bike? We have the Backpack option for you.
Don't worry we have the backpack option as well. You can select that in the accessory selection of the checkout page. Backpack option is a cable extender that can connect your Lightest Unit with one of the above battery packs. In the middle of it, there's a magnetic connector, which detaches when pulled more than 2 kg ( 4 lbs ). See in the Accessory section below.
Need a battery upgrade for Lightest complete kit?
Yes, of course!
The chart below shows the additional fee to upgrade your standard kit. In the vertical column you'll see the battery which comes as standard with your kit, in the horizontal lines you'll see the price for the upgrade, basing on the battery you want. See the Accessory section below.
One's not enough? Get a second battery pack
( available in the checkout section as add-on)
Full Battery Tech Specs
Typical e-bike motors exert the torque at the crankset. The motor torque follows the same path as the rider torque through the chain till the final sprocket at the wheel. If the chainring is larger than the sprocket, then the speed increases and the torque is proportionally reduced and vice-versa. If you're using a rear sprocket which is larger than the chainring then you're increasing the torque at the wheel by lowering its speed.
That's true also for bikes without a motor: the transmission works the same way.
When e-bike mid motors made their appearance, someone decided that the motor had to exert its power directly on the crank-set. That implied the need for a consistent reduction from the motor ( which usually spins at 2000/3000 rpm) to the crank-set, that typically spins around 60/90rpm. So the torque from the motor is greatly increased with a consistent reduction ( 20 or 30 to 1 ) by multiple gears and then, from the crank-set on the torque is decreased by the bike gears.
So if a top performing e-bike motor has 90Nm of torque at the crank, you'll feel only 30Nm (22 ft/lb) at the wheel if you're using a 36T chainring and a 12T sprocket.
It's the torque at the wheel that counts. You understand that when you face a steep ascent and you shift gear to increase the torque at the wheel. The torque your muscles can exert on the pedals stays the same, just by shifting the gears you increase the torque at the wheel.
Wouldn't be better to avoid that multiplication and then reduction of torque?
As you probably guessed, the answer is YES.
Some asks themselves: how possibly such a small motor can compete with motors which are double the weight? Well, the answer is that we are not messing around with useless multiplication and reductions.
That allows us to have the same torque at the wheel as a 90Nm motor, but we're getting that torque with a 30Nm motor.
So if you were skeptical about the torque of the Lightest Drive, you were right, the torque is limited to 30Nm (22 ft/lb). But those 30Nm (22 ft/lb) will produce a the same torque at the wheel than a 90Nm (66 ft/lb) motor.
Where's the catch?
There no catch. Just we're not multiplying and demultiplying torque in order to match the human rpm at the crank-set.
That's how we've been able to reduce weight to the astonishing record of 1.6Kg (3,5lbs) for the drive unit, while keeping at the same time the same effective torque as top performer ebike motors.
If you'd like to get more than one system, please select one in the campaign page, then in the checkout section you'll be able to add accessories and additional perks as add-ons.
Feel like a Supehero!
The Superhero pack is an optional electronic board which you can get on any Lightest motor: you'll find that option after you'll have selected you perk ( by clicking on the "GET THIS PERK" button), in the CHECKOUT section.
This electronic board will be attached to the controller and will communicate with your smartphone by Bluetooth, enabling you to get endless customization parameters..
Complete your Lightest kit with these useful accessories
After that you'll have selected your perk, in the checkout page you will find all the accessories to create your unique Lightest ebike kit.
Regen is available on SuperHero version only. The motor is capable of converting the motion into current feeding the battery, creating a braking force.
In order to achieve that, the chain needs to transmit power to the motor pinion. That is usually prevented by the freewheel on the rear wheel hub. In addition, when regenerating the chain will be tensioned on the lower part rather than the upper one as it usually happens.
That means that in order to achieve Regen you'll have to switch to an internally geared hub with the freewheel locked.
You'll take advantage of the freewheel inside the crankarm so that your pedals won't be dragged by the rear wheel. This will allow you to regenerate when pressing the brakes. Although the motor is capable of generate 10A of current ( 480W at 48V), the amount of energy you can regen depends on the battery you choose: all the batteries have a charging current limit. That's 2A for the 250Wh battery, 5A for the 550Wh and 670Wh batteries and 7A for the 840Wh battery.
In order to calculate how much energy you can regen, consider that 10 minutes of regen ( which can be achieved by going downhill) at 5A will give you 40Wh. That's a 7% recharge on a 550Wh battery.
In order to achieve REGEN, we locked the inner freewheel of the motor: for that reason, you'd feel a drag when pedaling with the motor turned off. Our suggestion to avoid that is to get a little bigger battery to make sure that we'll have a little of charge to get the motor spinning so that there won't be any drag.
We welcome Dealers worldwide to expand Bikee Bike service network. We already have a huge number of requests from people who would like to get their system installed by professionals in both USA, Canada and Europe.
For this purpose, when you're going to place your order for any perk, please drop us a note telling us that you're a dealer and you'd like to work with us. We'll keep that in great account when we'll assign the dealership in your area.
Supporting us at this stage is the first step to join our team,
If you have questions about the conditions, please contact us at info@lightest.bike
Creating a cutting edge technology always brings risks . We have been facing them for the past years but our expertise and strong team, made us overtook them.