Fiido Air Carbon Fiber Electric Bike Review: Light, Quiet Ebike

It’s quick to power up, and the acceleration, especially in Sport mode, is quick when it’s time to pass. I’m happy with how smooth the whole process is, and how good the torque starts. What’s more, moving it around, driving it around the house, mounting it on bike racks, and doing important things like closing it, is easy in every way. The car is silent too. Although not silent, it is not disturbing.

Interestingly, too, the Air can also climb easily without electrical assistance. A 30-pound bike isn’t going to set any records, but if the power fails you—or maybe, you misjudged the battery level and forgot to charge it overnight like I did—it’s not much of a workout to get home.

But please don’t confuse this commuter electric bike with a powerful mid-range electric bike. With a slow motor and only one gear (and a very low one at that) it doesn’t like hills. The regular trails are easy, but there is one short, sharp hill near my office that requires me to stand and stomp hard to get to the top. I wasn’t as agile as I would have been without the help of a car, but I wasn’t flying hard up hills.

I’ve also turned into a professional cyclist. They require little maintenance, last a long time, and prevent black spots on the legs. Fiido uses a Gates belt here, one of the best machines available, and perfect for urban riding.

Competition and Judgment

WIRED’s favorite ebike, the Aventon Soltera 3 (8/10), weighs 37 pounds and costs about $500 less than the Air. It is the best combination of motorcycle wear with light power and high power output, high speed, and low price, it is a must hit. But there is no denying Fiido Air’s request. It’s a beautiful bike to ride, with great looks, fast acceleration, and a great push. At 30 pounds, it’s impressively light, and easy to handle.

Lighter electric bikes are starting to appear but the competition remains slim. Ribble’s new aluminum Allgrit E AL Sportfit Apex it weighs 30.4 pounds and has 12 speed SRAM Apex XPLR AXS gearing. It costs twice as much, though. Carbon options are limited to a few twists for now, including the $2,420, 35-pound. ADO Air Carbonand $1,599 Urtopia Carbon Fold Over Section which weighs only 31 pounds.

So the Fiido Air ticks a lot of boxes, and if you’re looking for a cool low-speed electric bike, I highly recommend it. But if there are mountains in your life, and you want both hands on the handlebars at all times, the Fiido Air may not be the bike for you.