GoKawiilAs well as the frame, the front fork, handlebars, stem, and aero style seatpost are all carbon. It’s an impressive amount of carbon fiber for the cost, and shows how hard it is to keep the weight of electric bikes down. Being single speed, and ditching the display, also reduces weight.
It is available in medium, large and XL, catering to everyone from 5’5” to 6’9”. The large fit my 5’9” frame well.
Carbon components aside, the Fiido Air features a 250-watt rear motor with 35 Nm (Newton meters) peak torque, paired with a Mivice torque sensor that adjusts assistance based on rider input. The integrated battery is 208.8 Wh, charged via a 36 volt charger, and the brand has calculated a range of up to 37.5 miles in Normal mode, dropping to 32.3 miles in Sport mode. Top speed for assisted pedaling is just 15.5 mph, which might not suit everyone, but it’s more than acceptable for short urban commutes.
The headline stats are a little underwhelming, but this isn’t a bike designed for long distances, flat out speed, or tough conditions. It’s a lightweight urban commuter, and for my circumstances—living in a major city with a short daily ride and not many hills—it’s a practical one at that.
The bike has two standard speed assist modes, Normal and Sport, or you can choose to use just pedal power. It comes with Shimano BR-MT410 hydraulic disc brakes, nice and chunky Kenda 700×40C tires, and a surprisingly good saddle. It has a maximum payload of 264 pounds, and the single speed drivetrain uses a Gates Carbon Drive CDN belt system with a 60-tooth crankset and 22-tooth rear cog.
The Air’s 208.8-Wh battery is small by electric bike standards, but helps to keep the weight down. Integrated neatly into the carbon downtube, it maintains the bike’s clean lines, but has the downside of being non-removable, so you’ll need to bring the whole bike to a charger.
A quick release front thru-axel means assembly is wonderfully simple, but in truth, a bike aimed at urban commuters, with quick release anything, is asking for trouble. There’s also a “secret” Allen key mounted on the underneath of the frame for on the fly adjustments. Neat idea, I’m just praying London bike thieves don’t read WIRED.
Connectivity and Control
Photograph: Chris Haslam
The Fiido Air does not have a traditional handlebar-mounted display. Instead, ride data and controls are handled either via the fingerprint scanner mounted in the top bar, the basic but serviceable smartphone app, or the Fiido Mate smartwatch.