The world of Ebikes is evolving in various ways, including on the sporting front. This time, we hit the road with the lightweight C21 Egravel Bike from Fiido. Equipped with a flat handlebar.
We can immediately judge the lightness of it. Now, the C21 is obviously too big for our old reliable kitchen scale, so we grab the hanging scale. It stops at 18 kg (including fenders and pedals). This is indeed a lightweight in the Ebike class. Of course, this also has to do with the small internal battery of 208 Wh, which saves a lot of weight.
But before we continue, let's introduce the Fiido C21 first. As mentioned, the Fiido C21 is a lightweight Ebike designed for gravel paths and feels particularly comfortable on cycling trips with a mix of asphalt and off-road. Taking occasional dry stretches of singletrack is always possible, but with the lack of front suspension, you might get shaken up quite a bit. For the masochists among us, this is no problem, and the bike's short geometry allows it to be actively maneuvered over the trails.
Unpacking and Assembly:
Before we can hit the road with the bike, we need to assemble it first. This isn't too much work. You assemble the handlebars, front wheel, and saddle, and you're almost ready to go. The most work we had was with mounting the fenders. There wasn't a good explanation included, so we had to peek at the photos on the Fiido website. After mounting the pedals, lights, and display, we were ready to go. All in all, it took less than three-quarters of an hour.
At first glance, the bike looks neat. Nice weld seams, internal cable routing, sleek design, and clean finish. The display built into the stem makes it a bit different than what we're used to. The bike comes complete with fenders and front & rear lights. We pump up the tires, put a drop of oil on the chain, and we're ready for the first test ride.
As soon as we roll off the driveway, it's noticeable how smoothly the bike rides, but a picture is worth a thousand words, so check out the YouTube video below for a test ride impression of the C21.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roizBUCiJ7k&t=58s
First Impression:
For our first test ride, we decide to do a range test against the wind. We'll ride against a wind force of 4 until the internal battery is empty. Then, we'll switch to the external battery and cycle back home.
We roll off the driveway, and the first thing that stands out about the bike is how it responds lightly and accelerates quickly. The torque sensor immediately kicks in with pedal movement and performs well. Actually, much better than we expected, and in this price segment, it's one of the best torque sensors we've ridden with. The pedaling and riding feel, in Eco mode, are very natural, and as the name suggests, the bike has a sporty character.
Because the bike (without the Range Extender but including pedals and fenders) weighs only 18 kilograms, you can easily roll away with it. The geometry is classic, giving the bike an active character. Not only is the geometry classic, but so is the appearance. The Mivici M070 hub motor is somewhat hidden behind the 11-32 cassette. So at first glance, the bike hardly looks like an Ebike. The cables run through the frame, and the weld seams are smoothly finished for the looks.
We pedal on, and the Mivici hub motor quietly does its job. There isn't much noise coming from the motor, and with no more than a soft hum, we continue our journey. The motor has more than enough power for us, and in the Eco mode, it could afford to deliver slightly less power. We haven't felt the need to use more than the Eco mode on the somewhat flat terrain. Even on some 20% inclines, we still roll fairly easily uphill in Eco mode. Tuning the motor via the Fiido App could provide a solution in this regard. Tuning it to suit personal preferences and creating a true Eco mode to save battery. With the bike rolling on its 40mm CST Gravel tires so lightly, there's potential to squeeze out many more kilometers from the 208 Wh battery with some tuning.
After riding 45 kilometers against the wind (at least wind force 4), the internal battery is indeed empty. The large 52-tooth chainring doesn't help conserve energy and is too big for this type of bike. A 44-tooth chainring would be more suitable, especially if you're testing the bike in South Limburg or around De Meinweg, just like us. Since we're quite pleased with the bike and expect to put in quite a few kilometers, we've already ordered a 44T chainring. It will be installed next week and will only improve the bike.
On the way back and parts:
We turn the bike with the wind and switch to the Range Extender. The bike's finish is fine. A 9-speed rear derailleur with an 11-32 cassette handles the shifting. We've never heard of the brand, L-Twoo, of the shifter and derailleur, but shifting happens with a clear click and feels good. The fork is equipped with a thru-axle, and the bike rolls on 29er wheels with 40mm wide CST Gravel tires with classic brown sidewalls. A set of plastic fenders keep you clean during rainy and muddy rides. Additionally, the bike has a kickstand, bell, and a sporty saddle that isn't even that bad to sit on.
The stem is quite a piece of work and contains a built-in display that also works with a remote control. It's a nice integration with just a single drawback, and that is that you can't replace the stem with a different size. In our case, it's not a big issue because the bike fits us well, and during our 90 km long Maiden Voyage, the posture was just right, and we didn't experience any discomfort. If needed, you can always mount a riser bar for a slightly different posture.
The brakes on the Fiido are from Tektro, and with the 160 mm discs, they offer quite a bit of stopping power. The rear tire tends to skid a bit earlier during braking on gravel paths. So, they provide a firm grip, which also performs well downhill.
Light off-road trails:
The Fiido C21 is designed for light off-road use, such as standard Dutch dirt roads or Belgian cobblestone streets. You can somewhat compensate for the lack of suspension by adjusting the tire pressure, but generally, it handles off-road conditions well. The CST tires provide a good balance between grip and speed, but don't push too hard through sharp turns off-road, as the tires might lose grip. Especially because the bike encourages a nice speed on the trails. At higher speeds (with a tailwind of force 5 along the canal towpaths), everything feels stable and secure. Even at speeds of around 40 km/h (downhill), stability is maintained.
Accessories: As expected, the bikes can be expanded with various accessories such as racks, bags, and the Range Extender we mentioned. We upgraded our C21 with a small rear rack for longer bike rides. The black rear rack is easy to install and has a load capacity of 25 kg. It's enough for a couple of hefty bags during a weekend of bikepacking or a trip to the supermarket.
https://ca.fiido.com/products/fiido-e-gravel-rear-rack?_pos=4&_sid=08b517cfd&_ss=r
Of course, it's also handy to cover your rear rack when bikepacking. For this purpose, a set of bike bags was included, each with a capacity of XXX liters. The bags provide ample space for your belongings and are securely clamped to the rear rack with Velcro. This keeps everything neatly in place and prevents anything from moving around. If you're looking for something smaller, you can also opt for a Rear Rack Bag from Fiido, which has a capacity of 10 liters.
https://ca.fiido.com/products/bike-rack-pannier-bag?_pos=5&_sid=72c05f3d2&_ss=r
Range Extender:
One of the accessories you can order with the bike is the Range Extender. This is an external battery of 210 Wh that doubles the bike's battery capacity. As mentioned, the range of the internal battery, at about 45 km, is on the tight side, so it's definitely advisable to order this as well.
Installing the Extender is not too difficult and is clearly explained through a YouTube video. You unscrew the bottom of the bike, remove the controller, and connect it to the Extender's controller. Then you push everything back into the frame, screw it back together, and mount the Extender on the screws of the bottle cage. Finally, you plug the Range Extender's cable into the charging port of the internal battery, and you're ready to go. One downside of the Range Extender is that you have to sacrifice the bottle cage for it. If you want to bring it along, you would have to put it in your frame bag or attach it to the frame with a strap.
On the road, the Range Extender works as follows: First, you turn on the internal battery using the power button and leave the Extender off. When your internal battery is depleted, you turn off the bike and the internal battery. Then you turn on the external battery, and you'll see a green light indicating it's active. You've now switched to your external battery and can continue your journey. The range of the external battery is almost the same as the internal one, about 50 km on the eco mode. So, the total range comes out to about 100 km. In summertime conditions, this could increase slightly, but that remains to be tested.
Conclusion:
After our test ride, we've covered 90 km, 45 of which were with the internal battery and the rest with the external one. We even still have a few bars of power left on the display, so reaching 100 km should be feasible. Some changes we'd like to see are: replacing the 52-tooth chainring with a 44-tooth one, adding a second bottle cage mount or a slightly larger internal battery of approximately 450 Wh. Ordering the Range Extender is a must.
Furthermore, the bike features one of the better torque sensors in this segment, feels smooth and responsive, instills confidence, and rides nicely.
It's suitable for devouring kilometers of asphalt, riding on rough roads, and tackling light off-road trails. The brakes and shifting are solid, and with its looks and finish, the whole package looks sleek. We haven't been able to test the durability of the electronics yet, but so far, the bike has endured more than many other cyclists' bikes.
The retail price of the Fiido C21 Egravel bike is €1799,- but is currently available for €1199,-. It's available in 2 sizes (M and L) and also available as the C22 in the Step Through variant.
For more information, click here:
https://ca.fiido.com/products/fiido-c21-lightweight-step-over-urban-gravel-ebikes
