It is small, foldable, electrically assisted and ultra handy: it is the Fiido D4s, the new bike from the Chinese brand of the same name, specializing in urban mobility. Building on the success of the D3s, Fiido launches its D4s, a bike that uses the same concept, but which has unstoppable arguments given its price. This is what we thought!
Foreword
An electrically assisted bicycle has many regulatory criteria before it can be cataloged as such: its motor must not exceed the power of 250W, the electric assistance must be carried out only when pedaling and cut off when it is stopped, and finally this assistance must not exceed 25 km / h. Here we have a bicycle which, at first sight, fulfills all these criteria. But on closer inspection, the Fiido D4s has an acceleration handle for “scooter mode”: this means that the electric assistance works without the pedaling action. In talking with associations in the sector, it should therefore be said that the D4s is not an electrically assisted bicycle but a vehicle with obligations (registration, use only on the road) which could raise risks in the event of accident, especially with insurance companies. If you want to get it, be careful not to ride on cycle paths with scooter mode activated and be extra vigilant!
Presentation and characteristics of the Fiido D4s
Fiido has definitely chosen its moment to launch the new version of its electrically assisted bicycle, while the practice of cycling is definitely starting to take root in France since confinement. Above all, with the D4s, the firm returns strongly by erasing the vast majority of the defects of its predecessor, the Fix the D3s. The bike has two 20-inch wheels, larger than those of its predecessor. In fact, this will allow the D4s to offer a pleasant feeling of stability while driving. There are 6 speeds, accessible via a trigger at the edge of the right handle, and a small box allowing to turn on the machine, activate the headlight and the Horn at the edge of the left handle, which also displays the speed and remaining autonomy. Finally, there is the famous handle to activate the scooter mode on the right, and, therefore, the brakes are reversed compared to a conventional bike: rear brake on the left and front brake on the right.
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We end up with a small bike which is this time completely foldable, unlike the D3s which was only semi-foldable. Here you can fold the handlebars as well as the saddle, and fold the frame in half to obtain an ultra compact machine that can very well accompany you in an apartment that easily stow in the trunk of a car, or even accompany you in public transport (but precisely, the goal here is to avoid them). In addition, even if we are far from the weight of a traditional foldable bike, in particular because of the on-board electronics, the Fiido D4s proves to be rather light, with 18.8 kg on the scale. For this type of product, it is not much, but it remains a rather heavy weight: plan to take the elevator if you take it to a floor beyond the third.
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The Fiido D4s is available from our partner Banggood for 549 euros with the code D4SBG619JDG !
Electric assistance
However, if the on-board electric adds weight to the whole, the electric assistance of the bike proves devilishly effective. Note that it does not activate until the fifth pedal turn, which makes starting a bit abrupt given the weight of the whole (this is where the scooter mode is very effective, in order to give a boost at startup). Once activated, the electric assistance offers a really pleasant comfort, adjustable in 3 different positions: low, mid and high. Note that this assistance is felt very quickly, so that even in low mode (about 12 km / h), it will be necessary to play the brake while passing in a narrow and / or crowded alley. The manufacturer announces nearly 80 kilometers of autonomy with its 250W motor, and a full charge time taking 5 to 7 hours.
Mode “scooter”
Finally, let’s talk about the famous « mode scooter ». This is activated via a small handle located on the inside edge of the right handlebar. As its name suggests, the D4s thus becomes a real small scooter: no need to pedal, the accelerator propels you quickly at a speed of 25 km / h. Be careful, however, since this mode uses the battery much faster than simple electric assistance, and it is, as we said at the beginning of this article, at the limit of legality. However, during use, it is very pleasant to have access to this little « boost » to speed up starts at a red light, or just support you in the odds.
Where to buy it?
The Fiido D4s is available from our partner Banggood for 549 euros with the code D4SBG619JDG !
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