Folding Ebike for commuting in UK

[tbu987]

Got a job which would involve travelling to the train station, riding a train then travelling to the workplace. I can get to the station by car drop off and then travel to the workplace by bus however, im considering using a bike for these two distances which can take upto 20mins on bike and probably less with an ebike. This has led me to consider using a foldable ebike to help with the commute.
Through research in this sub im seeing the Fiido D4S is a pretty popular pick for both price and function and im considering the purchase myself. Id like to know from other people who are in a similar situation and are using the foldable ebike how is their experience? Whats it like carrying in the train, riding to work, keeping it safe, climbing hills and making sure its charged. Any input would be appreciated.

 

[cyclebuddy]

I have a Fiido D11 for my commute (not every day). I thought about the D4s instead, but cost wasn't an issue for me and the D11 is a little lighter for manhandling.

My commute is a mile and a bit to the station, train into London, mile and a bit to a different London station (could take a tube instead), train into Norfolk, then a 4-mile ride to my destination. 7-8 miles cycling each way.

Once you've done it a couple of times, it's second nature. I'd say try your commute on a Sunday first: Learn how to steer/trolley/push the folded bike and where the station/platform lifts are to avoid stairs which makes life much easier. Building confidence in traffic and learning the back-path/quieter road short-cuts took me a little time. Keeping dry on a wet day is probably the biggest challenge (D4S has mudguards which is a good start).

The bike itself is reliable and easy to maintain, climbs hills easily, no problems on the trains I use (they're frequent and never congested). The battery lasts a good 30+ miles, and I'm not sparing with it either. I don't use buses - and wouldn't with a 20" wheeled folder; it's just a bit too cumbersome to fling around without hitting/hurting other passengers IMHO. Finding somewhere to store securely at your work is something to consider - any e-bike is very nick-able.

My feeling is you won't know how easy it is until you've worked out your route and tried it a few times, and a dummy run on a quiet day is a good start.

 

[Woosh]

Take also a look at the Woosh Rambletta.

Help! - Not sure which folding bike to buy | Pedelecs - Electric Bike Community

 

[tbu987]

I have a Fiido D11 for my commute (not every day). I thought about the D4s instead, but cost wasn't an issue for me and the D11 is a little lighter for manhandling.

My commute is a mile and a bit to the station, train into London, mile and a bit to a different London station (could take a tube instead), train into Norfolk, then a 4-mile ride to my destination. 7-8 miles cycling each way.

Once you've done it a couple of times, it's second nature. I'd say try your commute on a Sunday first: Learn how to steer/trolley/push the folded bike and where the station/platform lifts are to avoid stairs which makes life much easier. Building confidence in traffic and learning the back-path/quieter road short-cuts took me a little time. Keeping dry on a wet day is probably the biggest challenge (D4S has mudguards which is a good start).

The bike itself is reliable and easy to maintain, climbs hills easily, no problems on the trains I use (they're frequent and never congested). The battery lasts a good 30+ miles, and I'm not sparing with it either. I don't use buses - and wouldn't with a 20" wheeled folder; it's just a bit too cumbersome to fling around without hitting/hurting other passengers IMHO.

My feeling is you won't know how easy it is until you've worked out your route and tried it a few times, and a dummy run on a quiet day is a good start.

Thanks for the reply I really appreciate the input. It's funny cuz after looking more I'm also leaning to the D11 because it's more compact and lighter. Only thing I'm worried about is people have mentioned it's not very comfortable on bumpy and uneven roads.

Also do you have like a special ebike bag to carry around the bike at work or keeping in the train?

And one last question have you considered any other affordable ebikes which suit your use case more?

 

[tbu987]

Take also a look at the Woosh Rambletta.

Help! - Not sure which folding bike to buy | Pedelecs - Electric Bike Community

That looks pretty nice but I'm struggling to find many reviews of it. What would be the pros and cons to this bike compared to the Fiido D11 and D4S. What makes it stand out from other ebikes you can get?

 

[cyclebuddy]

I'm also leaning to the D11 because it's more compact and lighter. Only thing I'm worried about is people have mentioned it's not very comfortable on bumpy and uneven roads.

I weighed mine at just over 17kg. That, the fact it could be pushed along in folded form, and that it has a larger than most 11.6Ah/417Wh battery were the key differences for me. A £3500 electric Brompton is 16.5Kg, most others I looked at weighed 20-26Kg. That's just too much of a handful IMHO.

I don't find it uncomfortable on potholed London roads or country gravel paths/tracks. Shock forks you find on folding bikes under £1000 add a lot of weight and IMHO are little more than bouncy pogo sticks (ADO, Engwe etc). You can use a higher padded saddle, gel cover, or use wider/larger volume tyres as some do. I find the bike fine as it is. No, I don't use a carry bag... how would you carry it whilst you're riding the bike? I think carry bags are useful if you're putting a mucky bike in the back of your clean car. You could leave one at work if you need to take a wet/mucky bike into an office environment.

I looked at quite a few alternatives. The Fiido was and still is my preferred choice for my use although I quite like the Mycle/Estarli (smaller battery with vulnerable battery cord, untidy wiring not internally routed as the D11). As said, it's low weight, large battery, compact/push-able folded size that swung it for me. Caveat is that the frame is a tad "short" for a taller rider (I added a 2" riser bar to extend reach). My views on the D11 are here on the forum written when I first bought it, with a recent update after my first years use.

 

[StuartsProjects]

I bought my Brompton specifically for a commute, 5km to the station, 35 mins on the train, 5km from station to work. On a good day, 1 hour door to door. Did that for 3 years.

No security or storage issues, I kept the bike under my desk in work.

Easy to roll at the station and easy to put on the bus too, which happened a few times because the trains were not running over the route.

Electric Bromptons start at circa £2650, a non-ebike Bromton at £1350 which you could convert for an extra £600.

 

[tbu987]

I weighed mine at just over 17kg. That, the fact it could be pushed along in folded form, and that it has a larger than most 11.6Ah/417Wh battery were the key differences for me. A £3500 electric Brompton is 16.5Kg, most others I looked at weighed 20-26Kg. That's just too much of a handful IMHO.

I don't find it uncomfortable on potholed London roads or country gravel paths/tracks. Shock forks you find on folding bikes under £1000 add a lot of weight and IMHO are little more than bouncy pogo sticks (ADO, Engwe etc). You can use a higher padded saddle, gel cover, or use wider/larger volume tyres as some do. I find the bike fine as it is. No, I don't use a carry bag... how would you carry it whilst you're riding the bike? I think carry bags are useful if you're putting a mucky bike in the back of your clean car. You could leave one at work if you need to take a wet/mucky bike into an office environment.

I looked at quite a few alternatives. The Fiido was and still is my preferred choice for my use although I quite like the Mycle/Estarli (smaller battery with vulnerable battery cord, untidy wiring not internally routed as the D11). As said, it's low weight, large battery, compact/push-able folded size that swung it for me. Caveat is that the frame is a tad "short" for a taller rider (I added a 2" riser bar to extend reach). My views on the D11 are here on the forum written when I first bought it, with a recent update after my first years use.

That's great I think I'm close to making up my mind now. Either the D11 or Rambletta just gonna study a few more reviews and then make my final decision to lighten my wallet.

 

[tbu987]

I bought my Brompton specifically for a commute, 5km to the station, 35 mins on the train, 5km from station to work. On a good day, 1 hour door to door. Did that for 3 years.

No security or storage issues, I kept the bike under my desk in work.

Easy to roll at the station and easy to put on the bus too, which happened a few times because the trains were not running over the route.

Electric Bromptons start at circa £2650, a non-ebike Bromton at £1350 which you could convert for an extra £600.

Thanks for the insight. I've checked out Bromptons a bit and while their ability to be compact is unrivalled it's just not a price or hassle I'm willing to go through right now. I would consider a conversion before buying the Electric line but even then it's too pricey. Maybe if I'm in a better situation financially in the future I'll consider it.

 

[Woosh]

What would be the pros and cons to this bike compared to the Fiido D11 and D4S. What makes it stand out from other ebikes you can get?

I did explain the difference between the Woosh Rambletta against many other folding bikes. They also apply to both the Fiido 11 and Fiido 4S: suspension*, gearing*, step through frame, propstand, lights, bell, mudguards, full sized chainguard etc. It weighs a bit more than the Fiido11 and Fiido4S because it has more equipment installed.

*gearing: the Rambletta has 44T chainring but 11T spocket at the cassette, the gearing ratio is thus 44:11=4. The Fiido has 50T chainring and 13T sprocket, 50:13=3.84

*suspension: the Woosh Rambletta has monoshock suspension plus suspension seat post. The Fiido 11 and Fiido 4S have neither.

Here is the text in the other post:
take a look at the £999 Woosh Rambletta. It's well equipped, lightweight, can take child seat, good range, good price and you can probably get it through your cycle to work scheme too.
Lots of folding bikes don't have low step. If you want to fit a child seat, you can't step through with the child in the seat.
Lots of folding bikes don't have high enough gearing, you would have to pedal like clappers to reach the speed limit. Not many folding bikes have a suspension seat post or an 8-speed cassette.
Lots of folding bikes don't come with a full sized chainguard, full sized mudguards, rack, lights, bell and propstand.
Lots of folding bikes don't have a carrying handle to let you lift the bike with one hand. 20kg is a a lot to lift but with a comfortable handle, you can do it.
The Rambletta have those nice little touches to make the bike performant, practical and a pleasure to ride.

https://wooshbikes.co.uk/?rambletta

 

[kwpe]

> And one last question have you considered any other affordable ebikes which suit your use case more?


Look at FLIT 16 - more affordable than Brompton electric, and well-reviewed.

FLIT - Lightweight Folding Ebikes

Unfold Your Next Adventure. Discover the compact folding electric bike purpose-built for commuters, urban explorers and weekend tourers.

flit.bike

 

[cyclebuddy]

Mr Woosh is working very hard for a sale this morning!

Just for the record, the Fiido D11 also has prop-stand, German beam front light and in-built rear light (both powered from the bike battery), electric horn rather than a bell, & mudguards as standard too. The 8-speed(?) Rambletta does have slightly wider range gearing than the 7-speed Tourney of the D11. But then the D11 is (can be) powered to 18mph if you choose to be a bit naughty! IMHO, the mono-shock suspension isn't all that - I have it fitted on one of my other e-bikes, and as I understand it, Woosh offer it as an option rather than standard? It's horses for courses - personal choice.

In all honesty, I do like the Rambletta too; it is great value.

 

[tbu987]

Mr Woosh is working very hard for a sale this morning!

I'll bite if I get a special discount

 

[guerney]

@Woosh - I don't think your webserver is coping, the Rambletta photo isn't fully loading - cuts off halfway. That .jpg doesn't have to be 1.43MB, optimising images using some image utility saves webserver load and also saves you bandwidth and therefore money (unless you've got "Unlimited" bandwidth, which really isn't).

> And one last question have you considered any other affordable ebikes which suit your use case more?


Look at FLIT 16 - more affordable than Brompton electric, and well-reviewed.

FLIT - Lightweight Folding Ebikes

Unfold Your Next Adventure. Discover the compact folding electric bike purpose-built for commuters, urban explorers and weekend tourers.

flit.bike

That looks overpriced, the battery is tiny, tyres are too thin, there's no way to fit a rear rack and the wheels are too small. I don't like it and would never buy one.

I considered the Dawes folding electric, but replacement batteries were too expensive - also the Rambletta looks the better buy

Buy a Dawes Curve 20" Electric Folder from E-Bikes Direct

Whether regularly on public transport, embark on daily lengthy commutes, or run the occasional errand - the Curve is a handy tool to have in the box!

www.e-bikesdirect.co.uk

I probably would have bought a Fiido, but they didn't sell from the UK at the time. Battery replacement looked a bit tricky.

In the end I just converted the folding bike I already had, and all parts are currently easy and relatively cheap to repair or replace. The conversion route isn't for everyone, but it's possible to convert a bike which ticks more boxes. And if you convert a secondhand bike, it works out cheaper. Plus it could have double the battery capacity or more.

 

[Woosh]

@Woosh - I don't think your webserver is coping, the Rambletta photo isn't fully loading - cuts off halfway. That .jpg doesn't have to be 1.43MB, optimising images using some image utility saves webserver load and also saves you bandwidth and therefore money (unless you've got "Unlimited" bandwidth, which really isn't).

I don't know what happened there. The connection to the server is not metered and I do keep several resolutions of the same photo on the server. The hires version gives good level of details when zoomed in. This one is medium res (1000 x 700 pixels).

 

[Woosh]

Mr Woosh is working very hard for a sale this morning!

Just for the record, the Fiido D11 also has prop-stand, German beam front light and in-built rear light (both powered from the bike battery), electric horn rather than a bell, & mudguards as standard too. The 8-speed(?) Rambletta does have slightly wider range gearing than the 7-speed Tourney of the D11. But then the D11 is (can be) powered to 18mph if you choose to be a bit naughty! IMHO, the mono-shock suspension isn't all that - I have it fitted on one of my other e-bikes, and as I understand it, Woosh offer it as an option rather than standard? It's horses for courses - personal choice.

In all honesty, I do like the Rambletta too; it is great value.

I usually do not comment on specific models. This time is an exception because the OP asked for a direct comparison. I took the Fiido D11's details on the current advertisement on ebay. Follow the link and you can see that it does not have any of the accessories you have on your bike.
I suppose Fiido may make diffrerent versions of the same bike.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/325064489537

Similarly, for the Fiido D4S:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/FIIDO-Electric-Mountain-Long-distance-Received/dp/B08PC2YKKZ/ref=sr_1_1_sspa

 

[Woosh]

I'll bite if I get a special discount

Have you seen how bad Sterling is doing at the moment?

That's 13% drop in the last 6 months against the US Dollar.

whichever bike you decide on, you should buy it soon.
Prices can only go up with rampant inflation.
I have no choice than increasing my prices too.
The Rambletta will go up by £70 from 01-October.

 

[Nealh]

If TBU is commuting in all weather then mudguards are a must.
Lights are easy they can be usb attached ones.

One Q I haven't seen asked or mentioned ?
Does the Rambletta roll well when folded or is it a carry job ?

 

[Woosh]

Woosh offer it as an option rather than standard?

they are two models, one with the zoom monoshock fork the other with aluminium rigid fork. The reason for a rigid fork is not so much to offer a cheaper option, it's just that the standard telescopic stem is a tad too tall for riders under 5ft2. Short riders if they sit too upright, they can't put enough weight on the front wheel (25%-30% of their weight should go to the front wheel) and can make the ride on gravel a bit skittish.

The suspension shock adds about $30 to the material cost of the bike, I chose it because of the lightweight. This is the monoshock suspension fork:

In all honesty, I do like the Rambletta too; it is great value.

thank you cyclebuddy.

 

[Woosh]

Does the Rambletta roll well when folded or is it a carry job ?

Avoid dragging if at all possible. You can just about roll it folded if you absolutely have to drag it up a few steps. I would not call it a roll though, certainly not like a Brompton. If you take a folding bike on a train, push it all the way inside the train and fold it when parked.
Most folding bikes with a mid frame fold can't keep the wheels parallel when folded so have the same difficulty.