Riding the Fiido C21 Egravel Bike
The world of e-bikes is evolving on many fronts, including sports. This time, we took out the lightweight C21 Egravel Bike from Fiido, equipped with a flat handlebar.
We can immediately give a solid judgment about its lightness. The C21 is too big for our old kitchen scale, so we used a weighing hook, which registered at 18 kg (including fenders and pedals). This is indeed a lightweight in the e-bike class. This lightness is partly due to the small internal 208 Wh battery, which saves a significant amount of weight.
But before we go further, let's first introduce the Fiido C21.
The Fiido C21, as mentioned, is a lightweight e-bike designed for gravel paths and primarily feels at home on a mix of asphalt and off-road adventures. Occasionally tackling a dry piece of singletrack is always possible, but with the lack of front suspension, you might get quite shaken up. For the masochists among us, this is no problem, and due to its short geometry, the bike also allows for lively maneuvering on the trails.
Unpacking and Assembly:
Before we can hit the road with the bike, we first need to assemble it. This isn't much work. You install the handlebar, front wheel, and seat, and you're almost ready to go. The most time-consuming task was mounting the fenders, as there were no good instructions included, so we had to peek at the photos on the Fiido website. After mounting the pedals, lights, and display, we were ready to roll. All in all, it took less than forty-five minutes.
At first glance, the bike looks neat. Fine welds, internal cable routing, a quick design, and a sleek finish. The display integrated into the stem makes it a bit different from what we're used to. The bike is delivered complete with fenders and lights at both the front and rear. We pump up the tires, put a drop of oil on the chain, and are ready for the first test ride.
As soon as we drive off the driveway, it's noticeable how smoothly the bike rides, but a picture speaks a thousand words, so check out the YouTube video below for a ride impression of the C21.
First Impression:
For our first test ride, we decide to do a range test against wind force 4. We'll ride against the wind until the internal battery is drained. Then we switch to the external battery and ride back home.
We ride off the driveway, and the first thing noticeable about the bike is that it responds lightly and accelerates quickly. The torque sensor kicks in immediately upon pedaling and performs admirably. Actually, it's much better than we expected, and in this price range, it's one of the best torque sensors we've ridden with. The pedaling and riding feel, in the Eco mode, is very natural, and the bike has, as the name implies, a sporty character.
Since the bike (without Range Extender but including pedals and fenders) weighs only 18 kilos, you can easily roll away with it. The geometry is classic, giving the bike an active feel. Not only is the geometry classic, but so is the appearance. The Mivici M070 hub motor is somewhat hidden behind the 11-32 cassette. At first glance, the bike hardly looks like an e-bike. The cables run through the frame, and the welds are smoothly finished for looks.
We pedal on, and the Mivici hub motor quietly does its job. There isn't much noise from the motor, and with just a soft hum, we continue our journey. The motor has more than enough power for us, and on Eco mode, it could even deliver a bit less power. We saw no need to use more than the Eco mode on the relatively flat terrain. On some 20% inclines, we still roll up quite easily in Eco mode. Tuning the motor via the Fiido App could provide a solution here. Tuning for personal use and a true Eco mode to save battery life. The bike rolls so lightly on its 40 mm CST Gravel tires that with some tuning, a lot more kilometers could be extracted from the 208 Wh battery.
After 45 kilometers of riding against the wind (at least force 4), the internal battery is also empty. The large 52-tooth chainring also doesn't help to save consumption and is too large for this type of bike. A 44-tooth chainring would be more suitable. Especially if you want to test the bike, like us, in South Limburg or around De Meinweg. Since the bike suits us well and we expect to make quite a few kilometers with it, we have already ordered a 44T. This will be installed next week and will only benefit the bike.
The Return Trip and Components:
We turn the bike with the wind and switch to the Range Extender. The finish of the bike is fine. A 9-speed rear derailleur with an 11-32 cassette handles the shifting. The brand, L-Twoo, of the shifter and derailleur we've never heard of, but the shifting happens with a clear click and feels fine. The fork is equipped with a thru-axle, and the bike rides on 29'er wheels with 40 mm wide CST Gravel tires with classic brown sidewalls. A set of plastic fenders ensures you stay clean while biking in the rain and mud. The bike also has a stand, a bell, and a sporty saddle that isn't even so bad to sit on.
The stem is a piece of work in itself and contains a built-in display that also works with a remote control. A nice ensemble with only one drawback, and that is that you can't replace the stem with another size. In our case, not a problem because the bike fits us fine, and on our 90 km long Maiden Voyage, the posture was great, and we had no complaints. If necessary, you can still 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 slip a bit earlier when braking on gravel paths. A feisty little brake that also does well downhill.
Light Off-Road Trails:
The Fiido C21 is made for light off-road use, like standard Dutch sand paths or Belgian cobblestone sections. The lack of suspension can be somewhat compensated by adjusting the tire pressure, but overall, off-roading is manageable. The CST tires provide a good mix between grip and speed, but don't go too sharp and hard through tight corners while off-roading. The tires might lose grip, especially because the bike invites a nice speed on the paths. At higher speeds (tailwind force 5 along the towpaths by the canal), everything feels stable and familiar. Even at speeds of about 40 km/h (downhill), everything remains stable.
Accessories:
As expected, the bikes can be expanded with various accessories such as racks, bags, and the Range Extender we've discussed. We've upgraded our C21 with a small rear rack for longer bike trips. The black rear rack is easy to install and has a load capacity of 25 kg. Enough for a few hefty bags during a weekend of bike packing or a trip to and from the supermarket.
https://eu.fiido.com/products/rear-rack-c21-c22
Of course, it's also handy to cover your rear rack when you're bikepacking. For this, a set of panniers was sent along, with XXX liters per side. The bags offer plenty of space for your stuff and are well-clamped to the rear rack by Velcro. Everything stays neatly in place and doesn't go anywhere. 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://eu.fiido.com/products/bike-rack-pannier-bag
Range Extender:
One of the accessories that can be ordered with the bike is the Range Extender. This is an external 210 Wh battery that doubles the battery capacity of the bike. As mentioned, the range of the internal battery, at +/- 45 km, is on the tight side but it is definitely advisable to order this.
Installing the Extender is not very difficult and is clearly explained through a YouTube video. You unscrew the bottom of the bike open. Remove the controller and connect it to the controller of the Extender. Then you push everything back into the frame. Screw it shut and mount the extender on the screws of the bottle holder. Finally, you plug the cable of the Range Extender into the charging port of the internal battery and you're ready to go. A disadvantage of the Range Extender is that you have to sacrifice the bottle holder for it. If you want to take this with you, it would have to be in your frame bag or strapped to the frame.
On the road, the Range Extender works as follows. First, you turn on the internal battery by pressing the button and leave the Extender off. When your internal battery is empty, you turn the bike off and turn off the internal battery. Then you turn on the external battery and see a green light on it. You have now switched to your external battery and can continue your journey. The range of the external battery is, almost like the internal, a small 50 km on the eco mode. The total range thus comes out to about 100 km. In summer conditions, this could be a bit more, but we will have to try that in due time.
Conclusion:
After our test ride, we've covered 90 km, 45 with the internal battery and the rest with the external. We even still have a few bars of power on the display, so we should reach 100 km. A few points we'd like to see changed are: Replacing the 52-tooth chainring with a 44. A second bottle holder point or a slightly larger internal battery of +/- 450 Wh. Ordering the Range Extender is also a must.
Furthermore, the bike has one of the better torque sensors in this segment, feels smooth and tight, inspires a lot of confidence, and rides nicely.
Suitable for devouring miles of asphalt, riding rough roads, and tackling light off-road trails. The brakes and gear system are solid, and with the looks and finish, the whole thing looks sleek. The reliability of the electronics has not yet been tested, but so far, the bike has had to endure more than many another cyclist.
The recommended retail price of the Fiido C21 Egravel bike is €1799,- but is now available for €1199,-. Available in two sizes (M and L) and also as the C22 available in the Step Through variant.
For more information, click on:
https://eu.fiido.com/products/fiido-c21-lightweight-step-over-urban-gravel-ebikes
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