Fiido D4S or Estarli E20

[Daddio70]

I am currently looking to apply for my first Ebike under the Cycle to work scheme. I am after a folding bike due to lack of space at home and ease of getting in the car. I am looking for a bike under £1000 and have narrowed my choices down to the Fiido D4S and the Estarli E20.
I have read online and watched videos of quite a few positive reviews for the Fiido. But the only reviews I have seen for the Estarli have been on Trustpilot.
I mainly require one for a 6 mile round trip to work and back, which is fine on a normal bike there as it's downhill half of the way . But on the way home that hill is a real struggle for me and I have to get off and walk the rest of the way home.
Any advice on the 2 bikes mentioned would be greatly appreciated. And maybe any others within that budget.

 

[cyclebuddy]

Your 6-mile ride isn't demanding for any ebike providing you're not excessively heavy and you put in at least some effort.

The D4S is a good, low-cost solid buy for around £600. It's been around for a couple of years and as the many reviews you've seen is fairly well liked. Unusually for many of these low-cost far-eastern made e-bikes, Fiido do have UK distribution and a couple of service centres in East London, email support, and all replacement parts are available. The compromise here is the frame battery isn't easily removed for charging if that matters to you.

The £1000 Estarli E20 I'd never heard of, so I had a look at their web-site. It seems to be an okay fairly standard (if nicely marketed) Chinese origin ebike, and although they claim it's assembled in the UK they don't seem to say where they are based? One thing I don't like is the under-the-bike umbilical cord from the seat-post battery to the controller - it's in a very vulnerable position, and the bike sits on it (appears to crush it) when folded.

The Fiido D11 also has a removable seatpost battery like the Estarli, a 11.6Ah battery (against 7Ah), includes mudguards (option on the Estarli), and a bit cheaper at £800.

There are plenty of other folders within your £1000 budget. Ebikesdirect offer several and Woosh do the £1000 Rambletta - this latter including 10.5Ah battery, mudguards and rack with excellent support (they contribute here on this forum).

Many lower-cost ebike brands appear and then disappear quite quickly: You need to consider whether parts will be available over the medium term to keep your bike running when - inevitably - it will need fixing.

Having recently researched and bought an up-to-£1000 folding ebike myself, I concluded that they're all compromised in some way: It's just a question of which compromises matter and which don't matter to you.

 

[shed]

Himo Z20 might be worth you having a look at as well. As I have posted on another thread my neighbours bought a couple earlier in the year and having had a look at them they seem pretty well specced for the money. They've been pleased and have no issues so far .

 

[Daddio70]

Your 6-mile ride isn't demanding for any ebike providing you're not excessively heavy and you put in at least some effort.

The D4S is a good, low-cost solid buy for around £600. It's been around for a couple of years and as the many reviews you've seen is fairly well liked. Unusually for many of these low-cost far-eastern made e-bikes, Fiido do have UK distribution and a couple of service centres in East London, email support, and all replacement parts are available. The compromise here is the frame battery isn't easily removed for charging if that matters to you.

The £1000 Estarli E20 I'd never heard of, so I had a look at their web-site. It seems to be an okay fairly standard (if nicely marketed) Chinese origin ebike, and although they claim it's assembled in the UK they don't seem to say where they are based? One thing I don't like is the under-the-bike umbilical cord from the seat-post battery to the controller - it's in a very vulnerable position, and the bike sits on it (appears to crush it) when folded.

The Fiido D11 also has a removable seatpost battery like the Estarli, a 11.6Ah battery (against 7Ah), includes mudguards (option on the Estarli), and a bit cheaper at £800.

There are plenty of other folders within your £1000 budget. Ebikesdirect offer several and Woosh do the £1000 Rambletta - this latter including 10.5Ah battery, mudguards and rack with excellent support (they contribute here on this forum).

Many lower-cost ebike brands appear and then disappear quite quickly: You need to consider whether parts will be available over the medium term to keep your bike running when - inevitably - it will need fixing.

Having recently researched and bought an up-to-£1000 folding ebike myself, I concluded that they're all compromised in some way: It's just a question of which compromises matter and which don't matter to you.

Thankyou for your feedback and advice. I have quite a tight monthly budget unfortunately so am having to keep to the lower price end unless I sacrifice another monthly outgoing. The feedback for the Fiido is swaying me towards it but the only put off is there seems to be an issue with spokes and also parts. Looks like parts can be ordered on AliExpress but we all know how long you have to wait for delivery. The other issue is that the nearest supplier to me is a 2 hour drive away from me in London, which would be a pain if I have any warranty issues.
Estarli only seem to have reviews on their website or Facebook page unfortunately.

 

[Daddio70]

Himo Z20 might be worth you having a look at as well. As I have posted on another thread my neighbours bought a couple earlier in the year and having had a look at them they seem pretty well specced for the money. They've been pleased and have no issues so far .

Thankyou for your advice. They do look like good bikes, I will have a look into them later and check out some reviews and also see if they are available on the cycle to work scheme.

 

[belfastbiker]

Haven't even heard of the second one, but the Fiddo is well-reviewed, and was on my 2-bike shortlist with an ADO A20, and I went with the ADO, and well-chuffed with the purchase,

 

[cyclebuddy]

Thankyou for your feedback and advice. I have quite a tight monthly budget unfortunately so am having to keep to the lower price end unless I sacrifice another monthly outgoing. The feedback for the Fiido is swaying me towards it but the only put off is there seems to be an issue with spokes and also parts. Looks like parts can be ordered on AliExpress but we all know how long you have to wait for delivery. The other issue is that the nearest supplier to me is a 2 hour drive away from me in London, which would be a pain if I have any warranty issues.

I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other, but if you're erring towards a Fiido D4S, this may prove helpful from my own findings before buying a Fiido myself:

The cheapest place to buy a Fiido D4S is (most often) direct from Fiido themselves; that way you're not adding a resellers mark-up. Fiido direct sales are organised in such a way that - unless you're really helpless - you really don't need a dealer. And you're not paying for one to hold your hand either.

Bikes and batteries are stocked and sent direct from Fiido's own base in Bath UK and delivered direct to you in a couple of days. You can spread payments with Paypal or a Credit Card, but not use a Cycle to Work scheme. That may be cheaper for you, maybe not. Buy D4S direct here

Spoke issues on any bike are caused most often through owners poor maintenance, neglect or abuse. A £3 spoke key and a 5-minute YouTube tutorial video on how to check and periodically adjust your own spokes is all you need. Neglecting spoke tension on any bike will cause issues, sometimes catastrophic. A Fiido e-bike is no different.

All Fiido original spare parts are available direct from Fiido's own website at good prices, with minimal postage (£4-£8) and 8-14 day delivery. Buy D4S parts here

Warranty is handled direct by Fiido: You email their support team directly - with description of problem and photos/short video. They will advise and diagnose the issue directly and will send you the parts you need FOC for you to fit yourself or use a local bike shop. They have/are beginning to add several simple instructional videos to show you how to repair many issues yourself. Fiido's maintenance channel

Alternatively, they'll email you a voucher so you can take the bike to be repaired at one of their own approved dealers. How the warranty works here

As I say, I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other. As many comment, many Chinese import bikes are here today and gone tomorrow - no parts, no support - you're on your own, especially once the warranty expires and sometimes even before the warranty expires. Fiido on the other hand do seem to be putting in place support measures to ensure their bikes are user servicable and repairable long-term (which is why I bought one) - even if occasionally you may need a local bike shop to help you.

 

[Daddio70]

I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other, but if you're erring towards a Fiido D4S, this may prove helpful from my own findings before buying a Fiido myself:

The cheapest place to buy a Fiido D4S is (most often) direct from Fiido themselves; that way you're not adding a resellers mark-up. Fiido direct sales are organised in such a way that - unless you're really helpless - you really don't need a dealer. And you're not paying for one to hold your hand either.

Bikes and batteries are stocked and sent direct from Fiido's own base in Bath UK and delivered direct to you in a couple of days. You can spread payments with Paypal or a Credit Card, but not use a Cycle to Work scheme. That may be cheaper for you, maybe not. Buy D4S direct here

Spoke issues on any bike are caused most often through owners poor maintenance, neglect or abuse. A £3 spoke key and a 5-minute YouTube tutorial video on how to check and periodically adjust your own spokes is all you need. Neglecting spoke tension on any bike will cause issues, sometimes catastrophic. A Fiido e-bike is no different.

All Fiido original spare parts are available direct from Fiido's own website at good prices, with minimal postage (£4-£8) and 8-14 day delivery. Buy D4S parts here

Warranty is handled direct by Fiido: You email their support team directly - with description of problem and photos/short video. They will advise and diagnose the issue directly and will send you the parts you need FOC for you to fit yourself or use a local bike shop. They have/are beginning to add several simple instructional videos to show you how to repair many issues yourself. Fiido's maintenance channel

Alternatively, they'll email you a voucher so you can take the bike to be repaired at one of their own approved dealers. How the warranty works here

As I say, I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other. As many comment, many Chinese import bikes are here today and gone tomorrow - no parts, no support - you're on your own, especially once the warranty expires and sometimes even before the warranty expires. Fiido on the other hand do seem to be putting in place support measures to ensure their bikes are user servicable and repairable long-term (which is why I bought one) - even if occasionally you may need a local bike shop to help you.

Thankyou for your advice. Unfortunately due to bad credit I'm unable to use credit at the moment so the cycle to work scheme is ideal for me. There is an official UK supplier based in London who I was looking to purchase one from using the scheme but it's looking like they don't use the same scheme my employer does. Just waiting to hear back from my employer HR dept to see if they will use another scheme.

 

[Daddio70]

I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other, but if you're erring towards a Fiido D4S, this may prove helpful from my own findings before buying a Fiido myself:

The cheapest place to buy a Fiido D4S is (most often) direct from Fiido themselves; that way you're not adding a resellers mark-up. Fiido direct sales are organised in such a way that - unless you're really helpless - you really don't need a dealer. And you're not paying for one to hold your hand either.

Bikes and batteries are stocked and sent direct from Fiido's own base in Bath UK and delivered direct to you in a couple of days. You can spread payments with Paypal or a Credit Card, but not use a Cycle to Work scheme. That may be cheaper for you, maybe not. Buy D4S direct here

Spoke issues on any bike are caused most often through owners poor maintenance, neglect or abuse. A £3 spoke key and a 5-minute YouTube tutorial video on how to check and periodically adjust your own spokes is all you need. Neglecting spoke tension on any bike will cause issues, sometimes catastrophic. A Fiido e-bike is no different.

All Fiido original spare parts are available direct from Fiido's own website at good prices, with minimal postage (£4-£8) and 8-14 day delivery. Buy D4S parts here

Warranty is handled direct by Fiido: You email their support team directly - with description of problem and photos/short video. They will advise and diagnose the issue directly and will send you the parts you need FOC for you to fit yourself or use a local bike shop. They have/are beginning to add several simple instructional videos to show you how to repair many issues yourself. Fiido's maintenance channel

Alternatively, they'll email you a voucher so you can take the bike to be repaired at one of their own approved dealers. How the warranty works here

As I say, I'm not trying to sway you one way or the other. As many comment, many Chinese import bikes are here today and gone tomorrow - no parts, no support - you're on your own, especially once the warranty expires and sometimes even before the warranty expires. Fiido on the other hand do seem to be putting in place support measures to ensure their bikes are user servicable and repairable long-term (which is why I bought one) - even if occasionally you may need a local bike shop to help you.

May I please ask how you find the bike is going over general UK badly maintained road surface. Also does it handle hills well, both uphill as well as downhill (is it fairly sturdy even with 20" wheels. And have you had to do any maintenance on it yourself since you've got it.

 

[cyclebuddy]

I bought the D11 instead of a D4S because it's a little bit lighter and I preferred the styling, but in all technical respects it's near identical to a D4S. IMHO the D4S is better value, and if money was an issue I'd happily own a D4S instead. I'd say the D4S is very sturdy and notably better build than some other equivalent 20" folding bikes. Other members here own other Fiido e-bikes including D4S and M1. There are 70 D4S user reviews on the Fiido page linked above.

Riding on UK roads: My typical ride is a 7-8 mile commute - main and back roads, cycle paths, pavements, across a park, on and off trains in between. 20" wheels are fine for that distance. I've chucked it in the car boot, driven to the outskirts of a town or city, parked easily at no cost, then cycled into the town: It's brilliant for that. And I did a 15 mile pub crawl/romp along the Grand Union Canal towpath too. I'd say there are better suited e-bikes (larger wheeled) for regularly doing longer distances/leisure riding though, which I'm lucky enough to own too.

I've only needed to do regular maintenance on my D11 - as I do on all my bikes. I wash them, check wheels/rims/spokes and tyres for cuts and damage every now and then, keep the tyres pumped up, and oil the chain. I've adjusted the rear brake once; D11 brakes are the same as D4S, and can squeal a bit until they're bedded in properly.

In terms of D4S rough road handling, hill climbing and descent, hard braking:

Hope that helps.

 

[Daddio70]

I bought the D11 instead of a D4S because it's a little bit lighter and I preferred the styling, but in all technical respects it's near identical to a D4S. IMHO the D4S is better value, and if money was an issue I'd happily own a D4S instead. I'd say the D4S is very sturdy and notably better build than some other equivalent 20" folding bikes. Other members here own other Fiido e-bikes including D4S and M1. There are 70 D4S user reviews on the Fiido page linked above.

Riding on UK roads: My typical ride is a 7-8 mile commute - main and back roads, cycle paths, pavements, across a park, on and off trains in between. 20" wheels are fine for that distance. I've chucked it in the car boot, driven to the outskirts of a town or city, parked easily at no cost, then cycled into the town: It's brilliant for that. And I did a 15 mile pub crawl/romp along the Grand Union Canal towpath too. I'd say there are better suited e-bikes (larger wheeled) for regularly doing longer distances/leisure riding though, which I'm lucky enough to own too.

I've only needed to do regular maintenance on my D11 - as I do on all my bikes. I wash them, check wheels/rims/spokes and tyres for cuts and damage every now and then, keep the tyres pumped up, and oil the chain. I've adjusted the rear brake once; D11 brakes are the same as D4S, and can squeal a bit until they're bedded in properly.

In terms of D4S rough road handling, hill climbing and descent, hard braking:

Hope that helps.

Thankyou so very much for answering my questions, you've been a great help. Luckily my employer offers free bike servicing onsite each month to encourage more staff to cycle. Just awaiting our HR department to see if they will use the other Cyclescheme so I can purchase the D4S as I've got my heart set on one now.

 

[izy]

Haven't even heard of the second one, but the Fiddo is well-reviewed, and was on my 2-bike shortlist with an ADO A20, and I went with the ADO, and well-chuffed with the purchase,

take it round the ulster grand prix i'll race ya xD
also just noticed thats a little weight for its size like 21kg