Fiido D11 Folding e-bike - A sort of review

[cyclebuddy]

I recently bought one of these Fiido D11 folders (my 3rd e-bike). It cost £800, including shipping and an 8% UK surcharge and currency fees, ordered direct from Fiido, delivered from within the UK.

Rather than just trundle out a personal and likely highly biased review, I thought it'd be better to post one of the most objective and helpful reviews I read before buying it. There are a wealth of other reviews by so-called "influencers" (who got them free), but who have neither an understanding of e-bikes nor any comparative experience (it seems), and most of the D11's they're reviewing are earlier production batches. Some things have changed since...

What I'll add below is simply to point out some observations/corrections since ebiketips published their own review.

Here's the original ebiketips review:
Fiido D11 | electric bike reviews, buying advice and news - ebiketips (road.cc)

Here's their video review:

1) ebiketips article link points to fiidoebike.com, who Fiido say have never been an approved Fiido reseller. Fiido.com is the official website for sales, buying parts and accessories, and requesting warranty/service.

2) Fiido opened their own UK sales and distribution centre in Bath, England in late April 2021. Bikes ordered from Fiido's own website are now despatched direct from within the UK avoiding all that Brexit delay/VAT/Import duty nonsense. There is also an authorised London based dealer for sales and service and on-line sales (Amazon and Ebay). Buying through an authorised channel is important if you want to be sure Fiido honour your warranty (they have a beef with unauthorised resellers - see their blogs)

3) ebiketips claim a carrying weight of 19kg. Mine weighs 17kg, including the battery at 3.5kg. A 2-speed Brompton electric weighs 16.6kg, a 6-speed 17.4kg. The 7-speed Fiido D11 is comparatively easy to chuck around (relative to other 20" folding e-bikes), on and off trains, and in and out of car boots - which is how I use mine.

4) The seat post clamp has been redesigned since ebiketips review - it now uses a 5mm allen key to adjust lock tension, and a larger more robust lever for the QR clamp. Both it and the seat mounting were weak/breaking points on early production bikes and have since been re-engineered.

5) The first batch of UK stock of this bike - of which mine is one - included mudguards and a Bluetooth enabled cable combination lock. Their website suggests mudguards and toolkit (6-piece Allen key set, open ended pedal/front-wheel spanner, blade/phillips screwdriver) is now included as standard. Everything on my bike was set-up perfectly straight out of the box (gear indexing, brakes, bolts tight etc).

6) My bike rides as if the controller uses current control aka "torque simulation" - and not speed capping as ebiketips review/sample suggested. I think that's been upgraded - it certainly feels that way, and for the better.

Critical comment from me after 80 miles:
A) As ebiketips say, handlebar grips are tough as rock. I WILL be changing these.
B) The "Sag-o-meter" aka battery level display. It sags badly. At least you know when the battery/motor are gulping juice and beginning to struggle/get hot. It's a small lightweight Xiongda motor that's keen enough, so I find it actually useful in knowing when to ease off the power a little when climbing those very steep hills.
C) The battery is 11.6Ah. Brilliant capacity for a small, lighter than most folder. But the cells aren't great - I doubt Samsung, LG or Panasonic. I get 40+ miles a charge.
D) The fold is quick and easy, but keeping the bike together once folded is a little awkward when "trolleying" along a station platform - even with a (not-supplied) strap! Fiido could put more thought into that aspect - perhaps as some other makers do with magnetic catches.
E) As a bigger/heavier sized fella, the riding position/reach is a little cramped (Fiido changed the stem angle/reduced the reach since their website images were done of the pre-production sample) and the stem is not adjustable for either height or reach.
F) Seat pitch fore and aft is crude - it doesn't have the microfine adjustment of my other two e-bikes. The saddle can be level (okay), or tilting forward by one notch gives a marked pitch angle which makes you lean into the handlebars. Needs work I think.
G) Display shows in KPH/Kilometres only. P2 changes wheel size from 200 to 124 to give MPH/Miles on the ODO and enables a top speed of 18mph (the throttle is illegal anyway). Fiido really should include a MPH setting as a default. This e-bike is Fiido's first worldwide release, selling throughout the EU, US and UK. Two of those markets use MPH!
H) The pedals aren't foldable - but I changed mine anyway to proper platform ones which suit my big feet better.
I) Supplied tyres (unbranded 20"x1.75", but I think I read CST) are perfectly fine for width and grip, but puncture resistant Schwalbe Marathons can be bought for £15 each, so why not?
J) Some reviews have mentioned the rear tail-light built into the seat-post/battery - that it duals as a brake light with increased intensity when you apply the brakes. Mine doesn't, if they ever did. If the bike is on, the rear light is on brightly too. Useful. Front "German Beam" light is switched.

On the positive side, and hardly mentioned in any review I've seen or read elsewhere is the 2A charger - it's beautifully compact by comparison to the two other ebikes' chargers I own. Useful if you need to carry it in your back-pack.

One guy on youtube found a rear rack that fits too. There are threaded bosses in the frame, so it might be something Fiido might officially add later as an option.

Overall, ebiketips assessment is pretty fair IMHO - and probably one of the most balanced: It's an okay bike for not-mad money, and for mixed-mode commuting/shorter trips/scoots around town it's brilliant. It's being lighter than most other 20" wheel folders, with that carrying weight split-able into 13.5kg frame and 3.5kg battery, that clinched it for me, and so far this D11 hasn't disappointed.

If anything breaks or otherwise craps out, I'll update.

 

[vfr400]

What about the drag from the motor? I can imagine that it would be a lot more noticeable with small wheels. How is yours when freewheeing on a flat road?

 

[cyclebuddy]

It certainly freewheels quite easily - nothing about the behaviour of the bike has struck me as odd or irksome. But I've not questioned drag specifically. And I've never tried riding without power for several reasons:

1) Until very recently I believed it was speed control - all the reviewers said so. As I ride this bike to get somewhere rather than leisure, it's just been in level 3 all the time, backed off to 2 when you hit a very steep bit and/if the battery (display) sags beyond comfort. The battery has never actually hit LVC though, even when low.
2) There is no level 0. It's just 1, 2, or 3. I've never thought of trying riding with the battery completely turned off.
3) I haven't much to compare to, bar my last hub-drive of 2016. Both my other e-bikes are mid-drive with no real noticeable mechanical drag, just weight.
4) The ebiketips video above says drag is quite bad, and you wouldn't want to cycle without power - maybe why there isn't a level "0"?

But good question. I will pay attention next week and post back. That you're asking suggests it might be a shocker!

 

[vfr400]

The first mini Xiongdas had noticeable drag when spinning the wheel by hand, but not so noticeable when riding on a bike with 700c wheels. The review in the video above made a point about the drag in that bike. IIRC, Xiongda did something to improve it on the second version, but, like the mk1 Bosch CX, the double axle arrangement is never going to be as efficient as a single one.

 

[cyclebuddy]

A quick spin out this morning on the D11 - honestly, no noticeable drag.

I upended the bike, put a coloured tape marker on both front and rear tyres and spun the wheels by hand with reasonable force - repeated a few times to get an average. The front free spinning wheel spun 25 times, the rear with motor 8. You can hear the gearing whir (if anything the gearing sounds a bit loose/plasticky), so there is some drag... but do you notice it riding? No, I don't.

Some background from what I've seen and read - not necessarily absolutely all factual - Fiido produced about 250 pre-production sample bikes to road test, iron out any ceases, and prove the concept - a couple of these bikes do appear in reviews. They then produced some 3000(?) to supply the indiegogo campaign supporters and provide initial stock - some of these also appear in reviews. There clearly have been other makings since: Each time a batch is produced, there are visible construction changes between each making. For example, the ebiketips review bike, besides having the old/weak seat-post clamp, has a poorly welded seam on the black ribbing/bracing supporting the seat post tube below the main frame. Earlier bikes had different but equally messy welding, and different paint detail too. The very first bike (used in some scenes in the indiegogo promotional video) has what looks like a one-piece cast aluminium rib instead. On later bikes, that whole fabrication method has been completely changed - there is no welded seam there at all anymore. It's perfectly smooth metal fabricated from one shaped sheet, and what minimal welding there is is very very smooth, almost invisible. You need to look hard to see all the production changes.

As with the controller, the stem angle, paint detailing, brake rotors, the saddle mounting, the seat-post clamp, and the welding, there are many detail refinements going on with each batch being produced. If the Xiongda motor has suffered criticism in the past for being "a bit draggy", maybe Xiongda too have been working to address the issues and refine it further? I don't know.

The motor I have here is not providing any resistance that's noticeable when riding. It is a bit noisy when freewheeling though (plastic/nylon gearing rattling/whirring), far less so when under power.

 

[cyclebuddy]

In the interests of full disclosure, I thought I'd update this thread as I've owned this Fiido D11 e-bike for a year now.

Mileage isn't particularly high given lockdowns and now rail strikes, but here's what I've found good and bad about the Fiido D11 in that first year. It's used for an 8-mile commute each way using trains, but only once or twice every week, and less so with Covid and now strikes, so I drive instead.

I changed:
Handlebars: The reach on what is a small frame is a bit short for me at 5'10", so I added 2" riser bars (£23) which (with rotation) can increase/shorten reach and/or add height.
Grips: Everyone says the rubber is as hard as nails. I changed mine for soft leatherette (£10)
Brakes: The no-brand mechanical disc-brakes squealed a bit; sintered pads on cheap rotors. In truth, they work very well as they are. I changed these to Zoom semi-hydraulic (£24) which improved things a fair bit, but ideally I'd change the rotors too.
Pedals: Just a personal choice - all my bikes now have the same Wellgo platform pedals.
Tyres: Changed to Marathon Green (£15 each) - no-one needs a puncture mid-commute
De-restriction: I did - to 18mph, which is all the tiny Xiongda motor can give. A bit naughty, but on a commute you're not riding for pleasure, you're riding to get there.

I added:
An aluminium rack (£15) and trunk bag (£15).
A stem/handlebar mounted Bluetooth speaker (£15) so I can listen to Radio 4 (how sad am I?).

What's gone wrong?
The headset bearings became a very little loose. Some commented about "no grease" and shouted loudly on Media about how "disgusting", "poor" and "unfit for purpose" this was. In my view it's routine maintenance. On disassembly, the bearings were in fact very well greased, and the issue was the locking hex bolt had loosened off very, very slightly. I packed in some more grease and added a drop of lock-nut to the bolt, and that cured that.
Wheel spokes: Again, lots of whinging on social media about how crap the wheels/spokes are with spokes constantly loosening/braking. To my mind this is again routine maintenance. If you're on the heavy side (as I am) and ride rougher ground (as I do), regular checking is sensible. Three loose spokes after the first month. Two more in month 3. All rear wheel. Nothing since. It's a cheap bike with cheap wheels. IMHO these things are likely to happen.
Battery: Fiido had a problem with a batch of seat-post batteries where the end-cap (onto which the saddle is mounted), would open up. That happened to me in Week 51 of the 52 week warranty where a very small opening became visible. Not knowing if this was or would become serious, and given the warranty was about to expire, I emailed Fiido in case such a fault became catastrophic. They sent me a new seat-post battery. The existing battery to me still seems fine, and I still ride with it. Fiido CS I found impressively good.

This isn't a bike for everyone. Price has risen from slightly over £700 pre-Brexit, to £800 post-Brexit, and now £900 in this post-covid world of high inflation.

It's a relatively cheap bike, but I think fair value. With very minor TLC, it's been a solid, reliable and dependable performer, at least thus far. And Fiido service has been exemplary.

So much for the "it's inferior Chinese rubbish" and "there's no back-up or support if you buy on-line" and "you'll never get spare parts for it" theorists. That hasn't been my own personal experience at all. Fiido's CS response is very good, warranty claims handled well, and all the spares you'll ever need are openly available to buy on their own web-site.

The only caveats I see in buying a Fiido of any description is that there are very few places in the UK you can see or try them before purchase, and I'd guess that's because there isn't any dealer profit to be made in selling them. So it does require a leap of faith. And there won't be a dealer around every corner who knows the brand or will willingly help you if you're not able to manage the maintenance yourself.

Otherwise I'd say the Fiido D11 is a solid buy: One year in and I have no regrets whatsoever.

 

[Nealh]

A good short write up as it gives potential buyers food for thought if wanting a budget bike, the key bit of info is one rates the CS as pretty good so that is a big plus. It's not different to any other bike regarding fettling and adding upgrades.

Look at SW's bosh bike, he has spent ££££'s on upgrades yet it was already a decent spec bike. Though admittedly he has a one off bespoke spec'd bike to his personal liking.

 

[Cliff-C]

Very helpful review. As you say, it's difficult in the UK to get a look at Fiido bikes before purchase.
I have been thinking about buying a couple of these but need to ensure they fit in the boot of my car. Some sources state the height folded is 59cm, others 74cm. Both seem to have been used on Fiido official sites. Is the smaller dimension with the seat post removed?

 

[cyclebuddy]

Yes, I'd say those measurements are right. There's some margin of flexibility in that you can save a couple more cm if you tilt the saddle back/level (with seat-post fitted), or lean the bike (with or without seat-post).

Things to consider: If stored upright the bike rests on the bottom of the lowered seat-post, but if removed the bike then rests on its chainwheel which isn't good. If stored flat on its right side, using detachable pedals can reduce width, but there's always risk of bending the derailleur/hanger.

I measured carefully to ensure the bike fitted my own boot before buying, but now I just use an old blanket and throw the bike on the back seat strapped in with the seatbelt(s). It saves a lot of faff removing bits to fit the boot and then securing it to prevent sliding and worrying about the paint being scuffed or scratched.

 

[Cliff-C]

Yes, I'd say those measurements are right. There's some margin of flexibility in that you can save a couple more cm if you tilt the saddle back/level (with seat-post fitted), or lean the bike (with or without seat-post).

Things to consider: If stored upright the bike rests on the bottom of the lowered seat-post, but if removed the bike then rests on its chainwheel which isn't good. If stored flat on its right side, using detachable pedals can reduce width, but there's always risk of bending the derailleur/hanger.

I measured carefully to ensure the bike fitted my own boot before buying, but now I just use an old blanket and throw the bike on the back seat strapped in with the seatbelt(s). It saves a lot of faff removing bits to fit the boot and then securing it to prevent sliding and worrying about the paint being scuffed or scratched.

Thanks that's very helpful.

 

[Du55fpl]

Really enjoyed reading this and looking through all your updates thanks for taking the time to put this together. Would love to see some information and pictures on how you install the rear rack!!

 

[cyclebuddy]

Would love to see some information and pictures on how you install the rear rack!!

This is a standard rack for a 20" wheeled bike. Decathlon sell one that's cheap and fits, but is steel and weighs 1kg. This is Aluminium Ali/Ebay/Amazon, weighs 500gms, and only costs a few pounds more. There are bosses in the frame which are threaded to accept the fixings supplied. The rack mountings were slightly modified to fit.

The Bungee cord in last photo isn't needed to hold the trunk bag on, but is used to strap the whole bike together tightly when folded and pushing the bike along.

 

[cyclebuddy]

 

[Du55fpl]

This is a standard rack for a 20" wheeled bike. Decathlon sell one that's cheap and fits, but is steel and weighs 1kg. This is Aluminium Ali/Ebay/Amazon, weighs 500gms, and only costs a few pounds more. There are bosses in the frame which are threaded to accept the fixings supplied. The rack mountings were slightly modified to fit.

The Bungee cord in last photo isn't needed to hold the trunk bag on, but is used to strap the whole bike together tightly when folded and pushing the bike along.

View attachment 48757

View attachment 48758

View attachment 48759

That is absolutely brilliant and adds so much practicality to it too! You would think Fiido would offer it as an option!

 

[guerney]

but keeping the bike together once folded is a little awkward when "trolleying" along a station platform - even with a (not-supplied) strap! Fiido could put more thought into that aspect - perhaps as some other makers do with magnetic catches.

My Dahon has those magnetic catches The kickstand is situated such that it's kicked away by the end of the left crank arm when you start pedalling, which is a nice design touch.

 

[cyclebuddy]

My Dahon has those magnetic catches...

I've since seen that magnetic frame catches only solve part of the problem: Yes, they hold the main part of the frame together, but the handlebar/stem is still left flapping in the wind. A single, simple bungee cord solves the whole problem, not just a part of it.

 

[guerney]

I've since seen that magnetic frame catches only solve part of the problem: Yes, they hold the main part of the frame together, but the handlebar/stem is still left flapping in the wind. A single, simple bungee cord solves the whole problem, not just a part of it.

People don't fold some Dahons properly - the handlepost on my particular Dahon is designed to fold into the middle (after loosening the clasp and slightly extending then rotating the handlebar a bit, which is the step many people miss out), which it did beautifully, until I covered the handlebar with all sorts of kipple (three lights, horn etc.) and fitted thicker tyres. While folded into the middle, the cables acted as padding of sorts, and the handlebar stem didn't move. It's because of my modifications that I have now to swing the wheel the other way and as you say, leave it flapping about... I keep a long piece of velcro on the frame to wrap around to secure it instead. Bungee hooks left marks and scratches. The seatpost is supposed to slide down, to fom a stable three pointed base with the wheels, which rolled well when folded (before I added a big 19.2ah battery to the rear rack. Now it's a little unbalanced).

The owner of this one forgot or doesn't know to rotate and slightly extend the handlebars. But it's an old bike, there are not many images of it folded properly on the internet. The carrying handle where it says "Helios", is handy. Mr Hon designed the earlier models well, I assume they're designed by some sort of committee now.

 

[guerney]

BTW my Dahon has 28h Tern wheels which accommodate thicker tyres up to 2.25", unlike the one pictured above. It's also missing a rear rack.

 

[guerney]

I've since seen that magnetic frame catches only solve part of the problem: Yes, they hold the main part of the frame together, but the handlebar/stem is still left flapping in the wind. A single, simple bungee cord solves the whole problem, not just a part of it.

The newer Dahon Speed P8 folds the same way, but doesn't have the rebar which splits to form a handy handle , when the bike is folded. Looks to me like they haven't folded this properly either - magnetic catches won't catch unless the wheels are closer together:

 

[Du55fpl]

I received my Fiido D11 yesterday finally!

I charged up the battery and started unboxing the rest!

It had the kickstand scratched already a little annoying I assume during shipping!

The chain had also not been installed on the big pedal cog I think the technical name is crank so had to do that.

Everything else was fine nice and tight so took it for a test ride once battery was fully charged.

Initial impressions:

What I like:

This is my first ebike so very happy with the pedal assist and different modes and the throttle tried and loved both and even unassisted the bike pedals great as a normal bike.

The build quality and materials are good overall it feels solid.

It's very lightweight overall. Even with the battery installed.

Dislike:

The seat hurts my butt maybe I need to buy a gel cover for it.

There is no suspension so it feels firm. (My last bike from years ago a normal mountain bike with dual suspension was very comfortable lol).
Perhaps the new seat or cover will also fix this.

The brakes are a bit squeeky.

The seat for me is at the lowest position I can get it and it's still a bit too tall I'm 5'7 so anyone shorter might struggle my wife 5'2 i don't think will be able to ride it.

7th gear makes rattle/clicky clackty noise when pedalling the other gears are fine however so not to sure what to do to to try and fix this have emailed Fiido!