Flit's Folding M2 E-Bike May Be the Downfall of Brompton: Does It Have What It Takes?

Ladies and gents and lovers of all things with two wheels, lend me your eyes for just a few minutes so that you can better prepare yourself for the e-bike choices that lie ahead. One of those choices is soon to be the M2 from none other than the UK's own Flit, an e-bike manufacturer that's had experience with just one other previous model in the market.

However, the M2 takes all they learned over the years and crams it into a rather nimble, pocket-sized, and ready urban mobility machine, all of which costs £2,000 ($2,500 at current exchange rates) for the Early Bird special. Once those are gone, prices are to be bumped up to £2,500 ($3,150).

As for what's in store here, we're looking at an anodized aluminum frame that, once packed with all the electrical and mechanical goodies we need, weighs no more than 14 kg (32 lbs), battery included. So already, that's not pretty bad and a weight that Brompton hasn't touched yet; a Brompton e-bike is typically found at around 15.5 kg and up, and that whole battery is handing off the front; yuck! The M2 hides the battery pack neatly in the top tube.

But, the real trick here, as is with a Brompton, is the whole folding frame. I'm still trying to figure out how the whole mechanism works, but from what we can see, it's one very similar to that of Brompton's, hence why the whole "competition" idea.

By the looks of things, the rear construction, chainstay included, swings forward, while the front wheel heads toward the back; the steering column is doing its own thing and hangs off to the side like it's broken. Then there's the saddle, which you'll use to direct the M2 around town, an office building, or metro station.

The ability to move with you wherever you go is one reason why Brompton caused such a stir - aside from a design honed over decades - and why the M2 stands a solid chance to take over the folding e-bike market, at least, in the UK, for the time being.

Beyond all that, we arrive at the all-important electrical systems. The first, since I already mentioned it, is the battery pack, found neatly integrated into the frame. Here, we find 6.4 Ah of juice that'll feed a motor mounted to the rear hub. Best of all, the battery can be removed, so you don't even have to carry the M2 indoors if you don't want to; just be sure to have a proper lock.

All that juice is then fed to a motor mounted to the rear hub, which cranks out a nominal 250 W and a peak of 35 Nm (26 lb-ft) of torque. While it's not a whole lot, for the price we get it all at, it's not bad. The downside is that the whole thing is tuned to a one-speed drivetrain, so you'll only be relying on the motor's assistance levels and power to climb hills.

Together with the battery, the M2 can achieve a maximum range of up to 50 km, depending on assistance levels and a plethora of other aspects like the size of your lunch, tire pressure, and terrain, and once drained, it'll take up to 3 hours to recharge the battery. While that's not the most range in the world, the benefit is the recharge time, letting you tap into the grid while at work and be ready to go after your shift is over.

It's here that we see a bit of a gap between Brompton and Flit. In terms of range, a Brompton can squeeze out up to 45, but often, these babies are selling for £1,000 more than an M2, so, you know, weigh your options. Oh, and Brompton also offers some gearing, so you may have an easier time tackling hills, but until you take a test ride on either of the two bikes, it's difficult to say where you should put your money. I say this because I've been surprised by less-expensive and "less capable" e-bikes before, and the M2 does seem to have a certain something to give Brompton a run for their money.

The rest of this trinket is equipped with Tektro hydraulic disk brakes, 16-inch Schwalbe tires, integrated lighting, and the ability to also handle wet weather. After all, most of us are aware of the soggy stories that surround the British Islands. One downside of the M2 is that it is not currently available to US customers, but if we cause enough of a stir, maybe Flit will start shipping these hunks of aluminum overseas. Time will tell.