Ridden: Fiido X, the Very Elegant and Zappy City e-Bike

Fiido first made international headlines in the summer of 2020, with the D11, which they launched through a crowdfunding campaign as the “nearly perfect” folding e-bike. You gotta hand it to them for keeping it real, and also side-eye them for not carrying the comparison further, when they could have: the Fiido X is is the perfect folding e-bike (*some caveats apply, and we’ll get into those later).

The Fiido X is the Fiido D11 grown up into the perfect city machine, after the China-based company acquired more experience, went through delays brought on by the international health crisis, and weathered a wide recall prompted by a severe issue with the first version, where the folding mechanism was liable of snapping the frame in two. The Fiido X currently on the market is version two, launched in September 2022 on the international market directly to the consumer.

The Fiido X is offered in two versions, with a 350 W or a 250 W motor, depending on the country of destination. Most countries in the European Union will get the 250 W version, but in situations like the one happening as of the moment of press – when it’s sold out – you can also get the higher-specced version, but limited electronically to 25 kph (15.5 mph) power assist.

Whichever option you choose, you will get the same bike, with only a slight difference in estimated range: 110 km and 130 km (68 and 81 miles), respectively. The X is a bike that delivers plenty of fun, serves as a very competent daily commuter, and will help you get a good workout, if that’s your thing. So, let’s jump into more details.

In the box

Here’s to hoping you’re not the kind who gets hung up on details like the color of your bike, because this one is either turquoise or nothing. The X, regardless of which country it’s shipped to or the motor in the rear hub, only comes in a very nice shade of turquoise, which gives it a very elegant and stylish vibe.

It’s not just the color that does that, to be fair. The bike has almost all cables hidden inside the frame, with the exception of the handlebars. The frame, though a folding one, is very sleek, minimalist, almost futuristic; this is an e-bike that looks very good and will attract a lot of attention, whether you want to or not.

As Fiido puts it, the bike ships “Ready to Ride with a No-brainer Setup.” No sense in getting offended by that: assembly is a 15-minute job, and that includes the time you’re spending admiring the superb quality of the one-piece magnesium alloy frame.

The bike comes wrapped in plastics and cardboard, and fully assembled, with the handlebar folded down and twisted for transport, and the battery seat-post removed. The only real assembly you have to do is to mount the fenders, which is a more delicate job for delicate fingers, requiring some finger acrobatics that might test your patience.

A toolkit is included, as is a very summary user’s manual. Fiido is a bit more thorough online, offering video tutorials for easy assembly and tips to remember ahead of the first ride. The battery comes half-charged, but you should give it a full 7-hour charge before heading out.

Fiido says that there’s a companion app, but it’s so rudimentary as to be unusable. The plan is to develop the app and help build a network of X riders, who can share stuff among themselves. There is no tracking for each bike, from my understanding.

Perhaps the most surprisingly challenging part of the assembly, and which I encountered some issues with, is the mounting of the 417.6 Wh battery. It includes power rails that connect to the electronics inside, but said connection is dependent on you locking the clamp in the right position. In other words, if you don’t hear the click of the clamp (and there is no visual difference between right and wrong), you won’t get power to the electronics, and the bike won’t turn on.

There’s yet another step to go through for that to happen. With the clamp seat locked into position, turn on the power button on the battery and then the power button of the electronic lock, followed by the default combination (it’s in the user’s manual). You will hear a long beep and the display will turn on. You’re good to go.

The most stylish and zappy ride

The Fiido X isn’t just a pretty e-bike; it’s also a very nice, fun, and zappy machine, just perfect for the daily commute. Even though it’s a folding bike, it feels very sturdy and rigid, and it rides like a regular frame bike. The downside to this sturdiness, as well as the lack of any kind of suspension, is that you’re going to feel any bump in the road, whether it’s a small crack in the pavement or a recessed manhole, and especially if it’s a curb or a pothole.

But on the cycle path and on the street, the X flies. One of the innovations it brings to the table is torque sensing, which makes motor assistance more intuitive and natural than a cadence sensor. The bike has three levels of pedal assistance (PAS) and 7 speeds on the Shimano shifter, and no torque, but it has no issue with riding up hills or getting a good start at the lights.

The motor is also incredibly quiet and smooth-running. Unlike with other e-bikes, you won’t feel a sudden kick and you won’t hear it buzzing as it picks up speed. Think of the X as a “Red Bull gives you wings” kind of machine: you start pedaling harder and the motor ups the assistance accordingly. The three levels of assistance help when tackling different situations, though I do have to say this: a different button to toggle them would come in handy. For example, if you’re in PAS 2 and you wish to go down one level, you first have to go through PAS 3 and PAS 0 (no motor assistance) to get to PAS 1. Mid-ride, this feels unnecessary and annoying.

That said, riding on 20-inch, narrow tires, the X is nimble and fast. You can easily ride it without motor assistance, even on inclines and especially if you’re also looking for a workout. At speeds above motor assistance (like 30+ kph on the EU-specced version I had), it starts to feel a bit too rigid, but then again, this isn’t a bike designed for high speeds. This is a city bike, a daily commuter designed for riders who want to get to where they have to be in style and with minimal effort.

A very compact bike

If you’re a cyclist and live in the city in an apartment, you probably know already that the market isn’t exactly lacking options when it comes to folding bikes. The Fiido X has the advantage of being very compact, both in its full-size mode and when folded down, but the folding mechanism is particularly notable for its smoothness.

In three simple steps and under a minute, you get the most compact bike to stow away, either in the trunk of your car, a corner of the hallway or balcony, or whatever space you have available for it. The handlebar folds down, the frame folds in half, and the pedals also fold up. There’s also a strong magnet that brings the wheels together and keeps them there, which makes for easy handling when climbing up the stairs or on public transport. At 19.8 kg (43 pounds), the X is not the lightest e-bike out there, but it’s not impossible to carry around.

When folded down, the X sits on the lower part of the battery, which Fiido says has been housed in strong metal to avoid damage to the cells. It’s a good thing they thought of it because, as you can see in the photos in the gallery, the battery is exposed on the lower part when riding, as well.

Things to consider

The Fiido X is a city e-bike and it’s perfect as one. The biggest caveat with that is that the city has to have a more than decent bike infrastructure, or road infrastructure in general, or your butt will regret you chose it. It’s either that or you learn to get up from the saddle more often.

Like with every (reasonable) purchase you make, consider what you need the e-bike for and choose one that suits your needs. The X is designed as a personal mobility device with first- and last-mile functionality, in the city, on the daily commute. If you plan on taking it out on the trails or riding it rough, maybe your money is better spent elsewhere.

The anti-theft feature in the electronic lock located under the taillight will not substitute for the regular lock. The idea behind is sound: not knowing the right combination of numbers won’t turn on the battery nor allow for the battery and seat-post to be removed. In reality, the thief will ride off with the bike before they realize that, and the X can be easily used without motor assistance, so they won’t be entirely disappointed. It’s best to invest in a solid bike lock just to be on the safe side.

The X is suitable for riders between 5.0’ (155 cm) to 6.5’ (200 cm), no heavier than 120 kg (264.8 pounds). At 5.7’ (170 cm), I found it very comfortable to ride, thanks to the adjusting seat-post, but taller riders might have an issue with the fact that the handlebar is not adjustable.

The bike is IP54 dust- and water-resistant, but I didn’t feel comfortable riding it in the pouring rain. Another thing I wasn’t comfortable with was when riding in colder weather (5°C / 41°F or less) because, the moment I took it inside, the large metal frame would be instantly covered in condensation, making it more slippery as I was carrying it into storage.

Final word

The Fiido X is the perfect e-bike for the city-dweller who commutes to work daily, is looking for a greener (turquoise, I should say) means of transportation, and happens to live in a city where the bike infrastructure is good. Priced at $1,799 ($1,599 right now, with a discount code), which includes the fenders, lights, kickstand, and even the bell, it’s an affordable solution to an old but still very pressing problem, while also delivering the fun. To boot, it’s so, so pretty!