What are electric bikes like? | Fiido D4S review | Mark Ellis Reviews

I’ve been riding the Fiido D4S electric folding bike for a couple of weeks now. For a traditional bike guy, it has been a bit of a revelation. Find out what I make of the Fido D4S and electric bikes in general in my full review!

CHAPTERS
00:00 - Intro
00:35 - Price and specs
01:43 - Design
02:36 - What’s it like to ride?
04:28 - Performance
08:01 - Who is it for?
09:30 - Wrap up

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WHAT IS THIS CHANNEL ALL ABOUT?
I have zero interest in deep spec dives or long-winded comparisons. I review laptops, smartphones, tablets, headphones and the latest tech based on real experience. I'll tell you how it'll make you feel, whether or not it's worth your time (and money) and help you find the tech you need to get stuff done.

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I'm a UK-based freelance marketer and broke free of a regular job many years ago. Watch my videos to find the tech you need, without the jargon.

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[simonmcglary]

I have a 12 mile round trip to my work. I use an ebike for that. It improved my fitness to a level I can use my regular bike for the same journey, the assistance is a bit like the front chain rings on the regular bike. It’s also as quick, sometimes quicker, than taking the bus and also saves on bus fares as a result. It’s also helped get me fit, lose weight and bring diabetes under better control and all without a change in diet! At weekends I have a volunteer job in Edinburgh, so train to Edinburgh and cycle to my volunteer job. Most of the route is bus lane and Edinburgh’s public transport professionals really look out for you, because in the city you easily keep up or pass them. The biggest thing, though, is the fun! Even in a heavy downpour, soaked to the skin, whizzing past traffic puts such a big smile on your face, while you pass all those miserable faces in their warm dry cars! Those “feel good” chemicals really do come out when active! One more thing, I have never said hello to so many strangers since cycling to work instead of the bus! It can be an incredibly social experience! The ebike helps open up cycling to those who haven’t done it for some time. You do want an ebike, you just have to work out which is the right type of ebike for you!

[NewBeganningsAgain]

I have a Jaison EB7. Gets about 30-50 miles on a full charge depending on how Pedal and throttle it. I don’t have a car due to a 2nd DUI a couple years ago. But the Jaison gets the job done and gets from one side of town to the next in no time. Plus it’s an off road beast. Recently Purchased the Fiido D11 due to the light weight and the 60 mile total it can produce. I have 3 flights of stairs to climb up and down Morning and night. So with Jaison weighing 60 lbs and being a Big Beast of Metal. It gets Heavy as Fuuuu I tend to drop it a lot going down stairs lol. Anyways this is a great video. Now Subscribed. Lastly about the 2nd DUI and no car. I recently celebrated 25 months sober. Love the Ebike class and so fun to ride and can really faster than traffic at times. Have a blessed day brotha

[adrianlw]

I have pedal-power bikes only at the moment. However, I fully see the case for electric assist, as an enabler. Just getting a job done/no sweat, or as you say, fun and nipping around. Or living in a small apartment where storage space is at a premium, and a car is not really an option, but ease of use is important. I can understand your enthusiasm for the Fiido D4s.

The favourite bike in my garage is a folding bike, a standard Brompton. I am a convert to folding bikes, I rode 5, 000 miles on my Brommy in 2020, way beyond just nipping around! The electric Brompton is currently above my price point, although when I rode a demo eBrompton I enjoyed it and particularly the additional confidence it gave me in traffic, pulling away, and maintaining speed up inclines. Like you I am a car driver and cyclist, and there can be frustrations where the two have to mix. I certainly felt “happier” on the eBrompton when mixing it with the cars.

And finally… I don’t see eBikes as cheating. Horses for courses I say. Pick the right bike for what you want and never mind what others might think. I see older folk out on eBikes who quite possibly would not take to two wheels without the assistance, and I think that is great to see. They love to chat about the things they now do/places they go with e-power! That in itself is good for health🙂

[stephenowens]

Great review Mark, my main issue is trying to find a bike that I can get in a Toyota Aygo boot which is tiny, but also what has me on the fence is the cost just 7 months on is now 660 GB pounds. I am also hearing a few little niggles about spokes and would love a bit of suspension. All these points now have me still on the hunt and undecided.

[rjnakamura]

speaks very clearly
and very straight forward

thanks for the review mate

[daysheelyn]

Thank you for your review. It was very helpful. I hope you make a blog after a few months of use so we can see its durability

[TheBotticelliProject]

Great review - always find your stuff very watchable and informative.
I think you’ll find that for the UK only the pedal mode is ‘road legal’ - otherwise it’s classified as motorbike and needs a licence (plus also for any boost over 15mph). Appreciate much of your audience may be outside the UK!

[vladimirl]

Great review, Mark! Everything to the point! Very fair review, enjoyed watching! Merry Christmas!

[pavan]

Nice one mate. And absolutely unrelated to this video- That Wharf Center tells me where your studio is. Shame that I am in India now. Would have definitely met you for a selfie. Keep these amazing videos coming. Cheers.

[brandonlanois]

Hey, I have the same bike. I changed the tires to Schwalbe Big Ben Plus and the suspension is much better now.

[DemetriPanici]

I've never used an Ebike but they look so cool

[rodmorrison]

I've had my D4S for about six months now and its one major flaw is the quality of the spokes. I've been through a lot, I'm not particularly heavy, I don't take it off road and my commute is about 14 miles there and back. Fiido will replace them, but with the same spokes. I've found a couple of companies in the UK that make custom spokes and one of them will be my next port of call when the time comes. I have found, though, that using the bike with the limiter engaged and no higher than pedal assist 2 I'm not breaking as many, so that could be the way to go if you don't need the full heft of the motor, which I don't, really. With better quality spokes I could see this bike leading the market.

[jpedrom]

Excellent video. I have a D4s (September 2019) and I love it.
I decided on Fiido because I wanted to avoid the car or public transport to go to work, but I didn't want to arrive sweaty. With the accelerator system, I can go without even pedaling (I make two trips of 5 km each (+- 3 miles). It already has 700 km (434.96 miles).

Problems: the rear wheel spokes!!! They broke easily. I had to replace them with stronger spokes.
Another problem, it was created by me. Because the spoke was broken, I stop cycling and took a long time to fix them. Many months. Because that I ruined the battery (doesn't charge to 100% and doesn't have the same strength), so i need to buy a new battery. Was my fault, and the bike worth it.

One final note: The version I have (first ones) has an odometer, and, according to reports I've read, it no longer has the odometer (which is useful, to know how far I've walked since the beginning).

[MarkEllisReviews]

So… do you fancy getting yourself an eBike? P.s. If you’re in the UK, I’d advise against unlocking the speed because I think that has license implications!

[doopclann]

Would you recommend it for long commutes?

[richardbarrett]

Mark, where did you buy from please? That price is very good for such a bike.

[glenn]

Brompton c line electric bike is £2, 995 and weighs 17.4 kg and is only pedal assist maximum 15mph . The Fiido D4S is £600 approximately 18.5kg has a full electric mode and can be unlocked to go about 20mph . Not saying the Fiido is better as I haven't ridden a Brompton or Fiido but on specs the Fiido sounds good weighing in only 1.1 kg heavier but for that you get a higher speed and full electric. I'd like to know how good the Fiido D4S is am tempted to buy one

[RadAlzyoud]

A good review. Thanks.
I live in Manhattan and I see e-bikes all the time. They’re becoming the delivery standard.
I think they should be a little bit regulated, at least in Manhattan, as some of those are really fast and some riders use them on the sidewalks 🤷‍♂️😳

[bucketheadothers]

I own this bike and agree with you, it’s advertised as ‘lightweight’ on the fiido website, but it’s really heavy! Other than that, the brakes are not the best and rub a bit (even after adjustment) but for the price it’s not bad.

[teggsy]

So it has a throttle twist grip and is illegal on UK roads, a Moped?