LeMond’s Excellent Prolog Ebike Is Just What We Expect From The Cycling Legend

Greg LeMond is biking royalty, and if successful the Tour de France thrice – together with after being shot in a hunting accident – isn’t sufficient credibility, he’s additionally an entrepreneur and innovator in bike design, in addition to an early grasp of making carbon-fiber biking elements. So once I was contacted within the useless of an Oregon winter to assessment the brand new $4,795 LeMond Prolog ebike, I didn’t hesitate to say sure, however I did peek to see if it had fenders (it does!). Additionally, it weighs an astonishing 26 kilos – lighter than my non-electric mountain bike.

The Prolog arrived in hipster-color-of-the-moment matte black, with black wheels and spokes (and black all the things else), however it’s additionally out there in a really sharp white colour possibility, in addition to… pink (or “rosa” as they name it).

Prolog Tech and Design

The Prolog is a “flat bar” ebike with a using posture just like a mountain bike, and the development of the bike is extremely built-in, so don’t rely on swapping out lots of elements. However that’s simply superb, as a result of the included elements are wonderful performers and the development and design of the prolog is next-level stuff – it has an attention-grabbing look, particularly to different cyclists, and whereas the black colorway I had makes it mix into the background a bit, the Prolog impressed even non-enthusiasts with its ultra-clean design and elements integration execution that’s far nearer to an Apple product than to a typical mass-market ebike.

Shifter cables, brake traces and such are all in-frame, and with the usual 11-speed Shimano GRX derailleur as on my bike, there’s no LCD show atop the handlebars, only a easy, single button and LED on the highest body rail to toggle the bike on and off or change between help ranges. Considerate touches abound: The included fenders experience very near the tires but by no means contact or rattle, and even at full energy, solely a quiet whir offers away the very fact that is an ebike. That is undoubtedly an ebike Steve Jobs would have appreciated – and doubtless ridden.

A small and slim Mahle M1 250-watt, 36-volt motor with 40 newton-meters of torque hides within the rear hub and I do imply hides: with the slim 250Watt-hour battery hidden within the body tubes, it’s troublesome to inform the Prolog is an ebike in any respect. The multi-color LED ring across the lone button additionally tells riders battery standing, and those who need to fine-tune the motor’s output and different parameters can achieve this with a smartphone and Mahle’s app, which may even sync with Strava. The calipers for the Shimano RS405 hydraulic disc brakes entrance and rear appear to nearly mix into the body and fork and supply wonderful really feel and stopping energy. The Prolog is a real laborious tail and doesn’t have any suspension techniques.

The Selle Royal Elevate saddle was snug for me on lengthy rides and may simply be modified out for no matter your buns may want. A vivid 500-lumen LED headlight is constructed into the handlebar stem and supplies a broad, flat pool of sunshine forward of the bike, however doesn’t look fairly far sufficient down the highway for me. Out again, two massive LED tail lights frenched into the rear body give wonderful visibility to visitors however don’t perform as brake lights, and panniers will probably block them. Evenly treaded road tires developed for the Prolog by Panaracer give a quiet and easy experience with plentiful traction.

As an $800 possibility, consumers can get Shimano’s Di2 auto-shifting tech, which provides a contact of weight and a small LCD display to the handlebar. These trying to commute on the Prolog can even add a rear rack and entrance cargo basket for $185 every. Received a very lengthy commute? A second battery will slot in a customized water-bottle mount cage on the body for an additional $700. Need it lighter nonetheless? Carbon fiber wheels are an $1,800 possibility. My assessment bike had none of these choices, however did have fenders (a $0 possibility).

Driving Expertise

I’m not a small human and positively not a peloton alum though I did some mountain bike racing, principally for enjoyable, some years again. I requested LeMond for a Massive body (they provide Small and Medium as nicely) and the match was spot-on. I used mountain-bike model pedals as a substitute of clipless because the Prolog is clearly extra of an urban-focused bike than a race entrant.

I poked round within the Mahle app settings and such however for essentially the most half I simply pushed the lone button to show the bike on after which set it for modest help (Degree 3 of 4, usually). With “solely” a 250-Watt motor and no thumb throttle, the Prolog is a Class II ebike with pedal help that tops out at 20mph, a velocity simply reachable within the flat even with minimal e-assist due to the featherweight building. I additionally rode it with no help and it’s simply essentially the most “common bicycle” using ebike I’ve ever ridden.

Quick and sure-footed, the Prolog was a delight to experience round bike-loving Portland, with its intensive community of motorcycle lanes and byways. Heading for one among my hill exams, a 1.5-mile climb that good points about 700 toes, I popped the Prolog into most help and dropped the GRX derailleur to granny gear, however needed to go up a few cogs because the Prolog is a extremely succesful climber and once more, that low weight and flat-bar kind issue permit for unexpectedly speedy out-of-the-seat climbing, and the help was truly extra pronounced than I anticipated.

I used to be as much as the summit shortly after which pointed the Prolog down a winding highway again down the butte, the place GPS signifies I touched 41mph with the bike in high gear and a few beneficiant help – from gravity. At velocity, the brakes have stable energy and suggestions, and didn’t fade regardless of some heavy-handed use on some downhills. I’m a motorbike rider greater than bicyclist, so I are likely to take sweeping corners at pretty excessive speeds, and the Prolog felt planted and impartial heeled over via extensive turns I used to be hitting at near 30mph.

Rolling round city on principally flat streets and bike lanes, the Prolog’s help at most, sustaining 15 to 20mph speeds is simple and the Prolog handles fast course modifications confidently. I even had slightly enjoyable sending it off some curbs, down some park gravel trails and thru some tough patches and it was all the time settled, predictable and enjoyable to experience. At evening, the entrance headlight is vivid and the illumination sample could be very extensive (a great factor) however it didn’t peer down the highway fairly far sufficient for my tastes (and speeds). Total, each time I rode the Prolog, I felt like going quick, as befits a motorbike from a racer who additionally all the time looked for extra velocity from his bikes. Positive, you possibly can beach-bike it across the neighborhood simply superb, however that is clearly an ebike for these of us bothered with a specific amount of velocity habit.

As for vary, Lemond says the Prolog will give help for 45 miles in U.S. spec, however even after a full day of blended using, the battery was nonetheless displaying over 20% remaining, so except you propose on some epic adventures on the Prolog, it ought to energy your pedaling all day and be prepared for motion once more after an in a single day cost. In any other case, it appeared to take about three hours to totally refuel on electrons.

Conclusion

It’s nice to see extra “flat bar” model ebikes come to market after what looks like a interval of so many heavy, balloon-tire machines that, whereas definitely enjoyable to experience, don’t supply a efficiency edge for knowledgeable riders in search of much less “e” and extra “bike” of their ebike. The LeMond Prolog definitely suits that area of interest, and if you wish to commute on it, it may try this as nicely – shortly. I used to be massively impressed with the design, construct high quality and efficiency of the Prolog, and whereas $4,800 is a good bit to ask for a 250-Watt ebike, the design, match, end, elements and experience high quality make it value each nickel for my part. I used to be truly shocked it didn’t value extra. Optioning it up can definitely push the determine greater shortly, but when I had been to splash out for it, I believe I’d add the racks for commuting and name it good.

For those who’re a extra severe bicycle owner contemplating an ebike, the LeMond Prolog might be an important match in your model and desires. Riders in search of the last word combine of sunshine weight, very good design, simply sufficient help and nice highway manners want look no additional. Extremely really useful.

LeMond Bikes Prolog eBike: MSRP $4,795 and as tested