Three-time winner of the Tour de France, Greg LeMond, has relaunched his bike brand with two new electric city bikes. The Prolog is described as an “everyday carbon fibre city bike,” while the Dutch boasts the classic step-through design commonly seen around Europe.
The LeMond name hasn’t been attached to any bikes since a 13-year partnership with Trek came to an end in 2008.
However, our sister site road.cc reported earlier this year how LeMond had invested in a new carbon process that is claimed to dramatically lower the costs of production.
In July, he confirmed that there would indeed be new models after raising more than $2m in private investment.
The result, a touch surprisingly, is a pair of e-bikes: the Prolog and the Dutch.
“I’m at a different stage in my career and I want to expand beyond performance bikes,” he told Bicycle Retailer earlier this year. “E-bikes are going to expand the market in a dramatic way.”
Announcing the new bikes, he said: “A novelty just a few years back, today e-bikes are a rapidly growing market segment, changing how we live, commute, recreate, and enjoy our surroundings.
“The Prolog and Dutch are cutting edge in every way, from the integrated technology and modern design to being incredibly lightweight. Cycling has always been my passion and I’m excited to see more people out riding, and e-bikes are making that more accessible.”
The Dutch
Lemond says that the Dutch’s carbon fibre frame, fork, mudguards, seatpost, and monocoque handlebar/stem make it one of the lightest e-bikes on the market. The basket’s carbon fibre too.
The bike’s stated weight is 27 pounds – so just over 12kg.
The Dutch features a 250W 40Nm rear hub motor and an 11-speed Shimano GRX drivetrain. A single button activates the integrated front and rear lights and three levels of electric assist.
Prices start at £4,350, shipping from February 2021.
The Prolog
LeMond says the Prolog offers “relaxed racing geometry” and at 26 pounds (just under 12k) it’s even lighter than the Dutch.
The bike uses the Mahle X35+ Smart Ebike System with a 250W 40Nm rear hub motor and 11-speed Shimano GRX drivetrain. As with the Dutch, the battery is within the down tube.
An always-on 500 lumen headlight is integrated within the monocoque handlebar-stem and there’s rear lights too.
Shimano’s Di2 electronic shifting is available as an upgrade on both bikes.
Prices for the Prolog also start at £4,350, but shipping from January.
Lemond says road, gravel, mountain and adventure bikes are to follow.
