It’s been two years since we reviewed the very first bike from Berlin-based LEMMO. At the time, the aptly named ONE hybrid bike surprised us – in the best possible way. Its innovative concept, high fun factor, smart features and fair pricing won us over straight away.
And what comes after one? Two, surely? The Berlin brand’s second creation – after two successful years in business, “start-up” hardly feels appropriate anymore – is called ZERO. Nothing? Zero power? Does that mean even less bike for even less money?
Our review bike arrived at the office complete with the Smartpac Air battery, and a price tag of €2,490. If you can do without the extra assistance, or simply want to cruise the streets analogue-style at first, you save €500 and can get started for €1,990. The nice part: the smart “ebike brain” can be retrofitted at any time.
Look at the dimensions and the scales, and the name suddenly makes perfect sense. As an analogue carbon folding bike, the LEMMO ZERO weighs a lean 12.42 kg (though that’s almost 1.5 kg more than the manufacturer claims…) Want the full dose of electric tailwind? Clip on the Smartpac Air battery, which adds another roughly 2.3 kg. As a reminder, LEMMO already hit the mark with the ONE’s separable hybrid concept. Now, the ebike technology has shrunk to hand luggage proportions.
Everything about the LEMMO ZERO is at least one size smaller than on its bigger sibling. The miniaturised Smartpac Air houses a 159 Wh battery. It doesn’t just provide juice for trips around town: via USB, it can also supply up to 75 W to your laptop, tablet and gadgets. It’s probably the most stylish power bank for a coffee break at the co-working space, if by far the heaviest. Digital or analogue, every LEMMO ZERO comes with the brand’s own Dual-Mode Hub. One quick move lets you switch between the drag-free freehub of a conventional hub and the power of the ebike hub motor, delivering 30 Nm of torque and a maximum output of 200 W.
When it comes to fit, LEMMO go all-in on plug-and-play simplicity. The ZERO follows a unisize concept, and is designed to carry riders from 150 to 195 cm tall comfortably through the city – ideal for sharing with your partner or flatmates, too.
That’s enough theory: Time to unfold it, click in the Smartpac Air, and get moving. The city is waiting.
Small Package, Smart Thinking: The LEMMO ZERO in Detail
Good friends are never separated – only folded. The LEMMO ZERO wants to be a little like your best mate: loyal, uncomplicated and always ready to go, wherever the journey takes you. To make that happen, the Berlin manufacturer has put its first folding bike on a serious diet, complete with low weight and ultra-compact dimensions.
The numbers already make a statement. As mentioned, the carbon folding bike weighs 12.42 kg without the ebike package. Even more impressive than the weight, though, are its folded dimensions. At just 590 x 515 x 250 mm, the ZERO even fits inside a standard 100 litre suitcase. Holiday trip or business flight? The bike simply goes on the plane as regular luggage, and the Smartpac Air travels in your hand luggage.
LEMMO ZERO
€ 2,490
Specifications
Motor Hub motor 30 Nm
Battery Smartpac Air 159 Wh
Brakes Mech. disc brakes 140/120 mm
Drivetrain Derailleur 1x5
Wheelset Aluminium 16"
Tires 1.35"
Technical Data
Size One Size
Weight 12.42 kg
Max. payload (rider/equipment) 100-110 kg
Trailer approval No
Specific Features
Smartpac Air
The Smartpac Air acts as the electronic heart of the bike. Sitting on the stem, it transforms the analogue city runabout into a fully fledged urban ebike with one click. But this mini e-package does more than that: alongside power for the hub motor, it brings over-the-air updates, GPS tracking, and smart connectivity features.
The LEMMO ZERO rolls on the 16 inch wheels typical of folding bikes, fitted with 1.35″ wide urban tires. The upside of this standard size? If you want to swap to different rubber later, there’s plenty of choice on the market. Drive comes courtesy of a compact 5-speed derailleur drivetrain (49 tooth chainring with an 11–19 t cassette), providing a sensible range for everything from a relaxed 7 km/h roll to a brisk 30 km/h sprint through the concrete canyons.
When things get hectic, mechanical disc brakes bring you to a halt with a 140 mm rotor up front and 120 mm at the rear. There’s another neat feature hiding discreetly inside the frame: a power sensor integrated into the bottom bracket measures your own output and sends the riding data to your smartphone via Bluetooth. Thanks to the included universal handlebar mount, your phone becomes a smart cockpit display in seconds.
Two Colours, Few Options – The LEMMO ZERO Spec
If the Berlin brand’s carbon folding bike has caught your eye, you won’t have to spend long evenings clicking through an online configurator before ordering. The choice is refreshingly simple: pick either the purely analogue base version, or the ebike version including the smart Smartpac Air. If you want to start without the motor, all options remain open: the ZERO comes fully prepared for electric assistance straight from the factory. You can order the Smartpac Air separately at any time for €500.
Commuters who want to reach the office dry through grim April weather or rain showers can add the matching set of carbon mudguards to their basket for €99. That just leaves the look: choose between the elegant Silver of our review bike and the slightly darker Space Gray. And that’s the end of the decision-making. If only buying your next smartphone were this transparent!
LEMMO ZERO Review – It Doesn’t Click Straight Away
Before shrinking the LEMMO ZERO down to pocket size, you first remove the Smartpac Air from its mount. One quick move. That’s all it takes. An important note for everyday transport logistics: the power unit can’t remain attached to the frame while folded, so has to be carried separately – ideally put it straight in your backpack.
The folding process itself proved rather unintuitive, despite numbered orientation stickers at the key points. On our first attempt, not much happened without repeatedly and carefully studying the instructions. Anyone who spends a lot of time riding folding bikes will probably work it out a little faster, but newcomers will definitely need time to get used to it. Once the moves have found their way into muscle memory, though, the procedure becomes smooth.
Once folded, the bike is easy to carry by the saddle thanks to its low weight, and slips into a car boot with ease. Alternatively, you can pull the seatpost out slightly, and simply roll the whole package along on the small additional wheels at the rear. However, our review revealed a weak point here: the rubber covers repeatedly slipped off the plastic rollers, so LEMMO could still improve the manufacturing tolerances here.
The ZERO didn’t fully convince us with its lighting either. The two lights are integrated for a clean look, but they’re not actually connected to the Smartpac Air battery, which is a shame. It means you always have to keep an eye on their battery levels too, unless you fancy ending up in the dark. LEMMO might have considered a dynamo here, which would have kept the bike independent of a socket even in analogue mode.
Once unfolded, and with the Smartpac Air plugged back in, it’s time to head into the urban jungle. Practical height markings on the adjustable seatpost make it quick and easy to find your preferred riding position again. The compact front hub motor goes about its work calmly and reliably. You obviously can’t expect brutal acceleration from such a small power unit, but it makes smaller climbs noticeably easier.
There are a few compromises in terms of hardware ergonomics. The derailleur drivetrain felt slightly clunky and fairly stiff to operate during our review – smoother shifts would improve the experience. The mechanical disc brakes also require a firm grip, and noticeably more hand force than hydraulic systems. That said, they always brought us safely to a stop.
The LEMMO ZERO makes up for it with its ride feel. It rolls across tarmac with surprising stability, even when you pick up a bit more speed. The small 16-inch wheels inevitably make the folding bike highly agile, and it initially responds to steering inputs in a slightly unfamiliar, somewhat twitchy way. Even so, its handling is far more predictable and less nervous than that of many other folding bikes on the market.
Who is the LEMMO ZERO For?
First and foremost, the LEMMO ZERO is the perfect partner in crime for anyone who wants to rethink urban mobility, and combine different forms of transport flexibly. As a classic last-mile vehicle, it’s aimed squarely at commuters who switch between their own car and public transport depending on the weather and traffic – or simply throw the bike into the boot. The compact carbon bike will even travel inside a suitcase on a plane without complaint, giving you some extra freedom to explore once you reach your destination.
Anyone regularly planning epic day trips or devouring long, mountainous routes will probably be better served by a full-size ebike due to the battery capacity and limited gear range. For the everyday urban jungle and spontaneous trips, however, LEMMO have created a refreshingly well-considered, clever overall package with the ZERO – one that takes smart e-mobility to its logical conclusion.
Conclusions on the LEMMO ZERO Carbon Folding Bike
With the ZERO, Berlin-based LEMMO show what a consistent approach to everyday micromobility can look like. Just like the ONE, its folding sibling impresses with clever details and strong real-world usability. Small teething problems such as the initially awkward folding mechanism and loose rubber covers on the transport rollers cost it a few points, but they don’t spoil the overall package. For flexible commuters and globetrotters, the LEMMO ZERO is an extremely exciting piece of the puzzle for car-free freedom and leisure – both at home and on the road.
For more information, visit lemmofuture.com
Words: Patrick Gruber Photos: Jan Fock
