Lightest electric bicycle - prototype

The lightest electric bicycle prototype weighs 6.872 kg (15 lb 2.40 oz) and was achieved by Dennis Freiburg (Germany) in Dortmund, Germany, on 3 December 2019.

Dennis is a mechanical engineer and was, impressively, studying for his doctoral degree in Dortmund while undertaking this project. The construction of the bicycle started in October 2018, so taking just over a year to complete.

The test phase for the bike actually lasted for the entire duration of the project. Dennis explained that this is because he feels "there is always something that can be improved". He said there were no serious incidents while constructing the bike, but there were a lot of broken 3D printed pedals to get them as light and stable as possible. We can imagine, as this is no easy task!

However, one of the main challenges, according to Dennis, was the testing phase of the electrical components, such the battery and motor. He explained this was because there are only a few companies and institutes which can provide test methods for validation. Something to think about if you ever decide to break this record yourself!

Dennis has built things ever since he was a kid, starting off with LEGO® blocks and gradually moving on to more complex materials and mechanisms as he grew into his teens. He decided to build this bike because biking is his hobby, and in combination with his studies in mechanical engineering, it was the perfect match to build a super-light e-bike. He mentioned that, despite this, he had to learn a lot for himself in programming, for the layout of the electrical components.

Building a super-light e-bike however is not only a challenging feat, but also an expensive one. The project cost him roughly 10,000 Euro (that's around 9,035 GBP and 11,137 USD). If you think that's expensive, an additional cost for the parts skyrocketed the expense to a whopping 20,000 Euro altogether (which is around 18,062 GBP and 22,275 USD). Luckily Dennis had some help from his supporters from the TU Dortmund University, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Velotech and Merida Bikes, who provided the main base of the bike.

We asked Dennis how the public reacted to the bike. He said that "mostly the people cannot believe that it is an e-bike. They keep lifting it up and saying crazy how light it is". If you are familiar with e-bikes, you will know how heavy they can be. Living in a city, Dennis wanted a super light e-bike which enables him to commute to work, but is also light enough to carry to the second floor. Problem solved!

After all his hard work, Dennis mentioned that a Guinness World Records title would mean the world to him: "it would be finally the finish line for the project and the hard work over the last years".

Congratulations Dennis, this is an incredible achievement and it's outstanding that you managed to do it while studying for your doctoral degree. A true testament to the fact that anything is possible when you put your mind to it!