IN BRIEF
FLIT, a small manufacturer based in Cambridge, unveiled its M2i electric folding bike on 20 August, quoted at 13.3 kg with the battery included. The 230 Wh battery sits inside the 6061 aluminium frame and delivers 50 km of range, for three hours of charging. The bike is single-speed, driven by a 250 W, 35 Nm rear hub motor, and folds down to 797 × 600 × 305 mm. It is listed at £2,999 on the brand’s own shop, and road.cc reports that FLIT intends to deliver a limited run before the end of August.
| Price | 2 999 £ |
| Weight | 13.3 kg (battery included, without kickstand or mudguards) |
| Frame | Anodised 6061 aluminium, Slate grey colourway |
| Motor | Rear hub, 250 W, 35 Nm max, assistance up to 25 km/h |
| Sensor | Torque, dual-sided sensor at the bottom bracket |
| Battery | 230 Wh, 36 V, 6.4 Ah, LG cells, integrated into the frame and removable |
| Range | 50 km depending on assistance level and terrain |
| Drivetrain | Single-speed, 44 × 12 teeth (48 × 12 optional), KMC X9SL chain |
| Brakes | Hope XCR Pro X2 hydraulic disc, front and rear |
| Wheels | Goodyear Eagle F1 R tyres, 16 inches (30-349 ETRTO) |
| Folded dimensions | 797 × 600 × 305 mm |
| Maximum rider weight | 100 kg, luggage included |
The electric folding bike has a balance problem. Adding a motor, a battery and their electronics to a bike you have to carry up an underground staircase means weighing down an object whose entire point is to be lifted with one hand. FLIT, a manufacturer based in Cambridge, announced on 20 August an M2i at 13.3 kg with the battery included — a figure that places it at the top end of its category.
The FLIT M2i electric folding bike fits into 797 mm of length
The official spec sheet is precise on the point that matters: once folded, the M2i takes up 797 mm in length, 600 mm in height and 305 mm in width. It is that format which determines whether it fits a train aisle, a hallway cupboard or a car boot.
The frame is anodised 6061 aluminium, offered in a single colourway, a slate grey the brand calls Slate grey. According to road.cc and Electrek, the frame is assembled by structural bonding rather than welding. FLIT states that this bonding allowed it to build a lighter electric folding bike. According to the official spec sheet, the battery sits inside the frame and remains removable for charging. Its capacity, 230 Wh, is modest next to conventional urban e-bikes, but it is also what explains the quoted weight.
A 250 W motor and a single-speed drivetrain
On the motor side, FLIT stays restrained: a 250 W rear hub motor, a maximum torque of 35 Nm, assistance cut off at 25 km/h. According to the official spec sheet, it is managed by a dual-sided torque sensor placed at the bottom bracket: assistance is set by the rider’s effort.
The drivetrain is single-speed: 44 teeth at the front, 12 at the rear, with a 48 × 12 option for those who ride faster, and a KMC X9SL chain. On a small-wheeled assisted bike meant for urban use, the choice stands up: fewer parts, less maintenance, less weight. It becomes debatable as soon as the city is hilly and the battery is flat.
Claimed range is 50 km, with the usual caveat: it depends on the assistance level and the terrain. A full charge takes three hours. FLIT also states that the bike is hand-assembled in Cambridge, with components from Hope, Goodyear and fizik. Maximum permitted rider weight is 100 kg, luggage included.
How much the FLIT M2i costs
The product page, viewed from France on 20 August, listed a price of £2,999, in pounds sterling. The brand sells at home first, and a buyer on the continent has to reckon with the costs and taxes of a British import.
To place the bike, road.cc writes that the M2i “weighs less than a Brompton Electric T Line — and costs half as much”. The comparison is the British outlet’s, not ours; it does, however, give the scale on which FLIT is positioning itself, that of high-end electric folding bikes.
According to road.cc, FLIT plans to deliver “a limited run of M2i by the end of the month”, the following batches also being limited runs, released as production capacity allows.
