The Fiido D11 Folding Electric Bike — CleanTechnica Review

Sign up for daily news updates from CleanTechnica on email. Or follow us on Google News!

The Fiido D11 is a hot little folding electric bike that brings a unique seatpost battery together with an innovative, modern frame design a nice compact package. It looks and rides a bit like a Brompton folding bike, but with a nice sprinkling of technology that sets it apart.

Fiido D11 Folding Electric Bike
Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

The D11 stood out to us because of its looks, and its technical specs are solid as well. It sports a 250 watt motor that’s commonly used on compact bikes like this paired with an oversized 11.6 Ah battery. That might not sound impressive compared to the batteries common in full-sized electric bikes, but for a small 39-pound folding bike with a 250 watt Xiongda rear hub motor, Fiido estimates the battery will power a rider about 50-62 miles without any pedaling. They call it Moped Mode, and after mopeding around town on the D11, I’m officially a fan.

As a general rule, I prefer to pedal my bikes, and the D11’s 7 mechanical gears at least provide a bit of flexibility in that department. The rear cassette boasts a range of 14-28 teeth, providing a decent range of gears for day to day riding, but they aren’t going to help you conquer steep hills without dumping a bit of sweat equity into the deal.

Fiido D11 Folding Electric Bike
Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

The extended-length seatpost provides a generous range of height adjustment to make it easy for riders of all sizes to hop on. It would be nice to have an adjustable height handlebar to go with it, but its fixed height is serviceable. My older son (4’8″) is able to ride the bike with the seat down all the way, and at 6’2″, I’m at the upper end of the height range for the bike. That’s a massive range for a single bike and definitely one of the strengths of the D11.

As a compact folding e-bike, the D11 showed up mostly assembled. We simply unfolded the bike, attached the fenders and, after a few quick adjustments, we had it on the charger getting ready for its first ride. The ability to fold down without having to be disassembled is sure to be a benefit for those looking for a bike that’s right-sized for apartments, city living, recreational vehicles, and boats, to name a few use cases.

Fiido D11 Folding Electric Bike
Low…ri…der… Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

Riding the D11 starts with ensuring the seatpost battery is plugged in. A coiled cable extends to the top of the seatpost, allowing for a wide range of adjustment on the seat. After it is plugged in, a quick tap of the power button turns the battery on as well as the integrated rear tail light. Finally, hold down the power button on the handlebar-mounted display to power the bike on. It’s easier than it sounds and before you know it, you’re off to the races.

The handlebar-mounted display shows the current speed, pedal assist level from one to three, and the state of charge of the battery. It’s nothing fancy, but it gets the job done.

Fiido D11 Folding Electric Bike
Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

Heading out onto the open road, the D11 is light on its feet. The narrow 20″ x 1.75″ tires make it nimble and sprightly on the bike path regardless of how much pedal assist is being laid down. Using the throttle, the 250-watt motor adds an impressive boost of power on flat terrain and adds a slight tailwind worth of assistance when heading uphill. It’s a ton of fun to ride, and on our test route, it held true to the stated range, though we were pedaling for most of it rather than using Moped Mode.

The integrated lights and fenders add a nice bit of functionality that goes above and beyond what many e-bikes come with. I especially love that the rear light is embedded in the seatpost battery.

Fiido D11 Folding Electric Bike
Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

Speaking of that battery, it’s a brilliant solution to a couple of different problems. First off, it makes it easy to remove the battery to bring it in to work, to the house, or your apartment to charge the bike. The seatpost is a convenient form factor that’s easy to pull out without having to pull out a key or anything obnoxious like that. Second, putting the battery in the seatpost encourages owners to take their seat with them, which is often something urban bike riders already do to prevent theft, thereby killing two birds with one stone.

Fiido D11 Folding Electric Bike
Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

Overall, the Fiido D11 is a nice entrant into the compact folding e-bike category. It is beautifully designed and includes some well thought out features like the battery in the seatpost and the beautiful, functional folding frame design that really set it apart. It offers an impressive amount of range per charge compared to every single competitor in this class that we’ve seen, boasting more range in Moped Mode than most e-bikes do with a full complement of pedaling.

At the current sale price of $999 (regularly $1,299), it is priced right in the middle of the compact folding e-bike segment. The price is a premium compared to other bikes of a similar quality, though the larger battery, longer range, removable seatpost battery, and beautiful design do elevate the value provided by the D11.

Fiido D11 Folding Electric Bike
Image credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

Head over to Fiido’s website for the full set of specs and other details, or to purchase a new D11 for yourself.

Disclaimer: This review was sponsored by Fiido.

Specs

  • Motor: 250 watt
  • Battery: 11.6 Ah
  • Charging time: 7 hours
  • Moped mode range: 50-62 mi (80-100 km) per charge
  • Max speed: 25 km/h
  • Frame material: Aluminum alloy
  • Color: Sky blue
  • Weight capacity: 265 lb (120 kg)
  • Net weight (with battery): 39 lb (17.5 kg)
  • Tire size: 20″ x 1.75″
  • Price: On sale for $999 (regularly $1,299)

Have a tip for CleanTechnica? Want to advertise? Want to suggest a guest for our CleanTech Talk podcast? Contact us here.

Latest CleanTechnica TV Video


Advertisement
 
CleanTechnica uses affiliate links. See our policy here.

Kyle Field

I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. As an activist investor, Kyle owns long term holdings in Tesla, Lightning eMotors, Arcimoto, and SolarEdge.

Kyle Field has 1653 posts and counting. See all posts by Kyle Field