For the ADO Air ultra-light folding e-bike, an Indiegogo crowdsourcing campaign will shortly go live. The bicycle weighs only 16 kg (35.2 lbs) and can be folded in half. A 37 Nm motor and a 36 V battery give the bike a range of up to 100 km (62 miles) on a single charge. The Air also has an app for remote controls and an embedded IPS display.
The ADO Air entices riders on a tight budget who yearn for an exciting e-bike ride without the expensive price tag.
Within the cycling industry, folding electric bikes are a burgeoning specialty. E-bikes are now regarded as instruments that are primarily used by older riders. Riders from all walks of life can now be seen riding their battery-powered bicycle for various modes of transportation. On the weekends, recreational e-bike users swarm the bike lanes in an effort to take advantage of the sunshine. Daily commuters, fueled by caffeine and battery life, speed across the busy metropolitan streets.
ADO, a manufacturer of electric bikes, will now be able to cater to a larger range of customers, including those who are more cost-conscious. The business’s brand-new ADO Air electric bike fills that need. This sub-$1000 e-bike claims to provide an e-bike experience that is actually thrilling at a more affordable cost. But how excellent is it?
| Design: | Folding E-Bike |
| Waterproof: | IPX7 |
| Belt: | Carbon Belt |
| Weight: | 16KG |
| Sensor: | Smart Torque Sensor |
| Range: | 100KM RANGE |
| Battery: | Samsung Battery |
| App: | APP with navigation |
ADO Air: Design and Build Quality
For the ADO Air, a quick search for “best foldable electric bike” yields few results. This is due to the fact that buyers could only previously purchase ADO bikes in China. But since 2017, ADO has started producing electric bicycles. The brand-new ADO Air recently went on sale in both Europe and North America. On its website, ADO is currently accepting preorders for this bike for $999.
An Indiegogo campaign for the ADO Air folding e-bike will soon launch. With an aluminum frame, the ultra-light electric bike has a weight of about 16 kg (35.2 lbs) and can be folded in half for storage or transportation. The bicycle has a carbon belt, which ought to be more effective and need less upkeep than a chain substitute.
You must connect the bike’s battery to the provided AC adapter in order to recharge it. The unit takes roughly seven hours to fully charge, and ADO states that the device’s maximum range in moped mode is between 80 and 100 kilometres. The device’s top speed is 25 kph (15.5 mph).
The bike also has an electronic horn, a rear taillight, and a front headlight. The controls for these components, in addition to the LED display and the rear brake lever, are located on the left side of the non-adjustable front handlebar. On the right side, you’ll discover the front brake lever, the thumb pad for the throttle, and an SRide DSL-D200 in-line gear indicator.
Carbon belt drives with an exposed derailleur are also included with the ADO Air. The bike’s wheels measure 20 inches in diameter, and two 20 x 1.75 all-season tires cover the unit’s wheels. The ADO Air’s front and rear mechanical single-piston disc brake calipers are attached to corresponding 160mm cross-drilled brake rotors to provide stopping power.
ADO ultimately decided to route the wires through the bike’s frame, with the exception of the front cables, which are connected together neatly. When you fold the head tube down, you must be cautious since these exposed cables could snag on the frame.
ADO Air: Motor and Driving
There will be a number of ADO Air models available, including one with a throttle for the US market but none with EU compliance. In addition, a clever torque sensor that monitors your pedal force and modifies the 37 Nm motor’s assistance as necessary. Up to 100 km (62 miles) of range can be obtained from a 36 V 10 Ah Samsung battery, which can be fully recharged in four to six hours. Your speed is displayed on a built-in color IPS display, which can also be utilized to operate other elements like the headlights. The bicycle comes with a smartphone app that you may use to check trip details like the distance traveled or the battery charge level, navigate, and remotely lock the bike.
The ADO Air is enjoyable to ride, and that is an understatement. The motor provides a palpable pull when you tickle the throttle, in addition to making the device seem light and maneuverable. It is more sensitive than it is rigid. The sensation of flying through traffic at peak speed makes you feel like you’re driving a quick mini-moped, and I got giddy just thinking about it.
The ADO Air features three pedal-assist settings. With the exception of wriggling your thumb, riding was effortless in full assist mode, which increases the amount of work the motor does. At full assist, you can feel the motor quickly taking control even during initial launches. The cruise control kicks in once you’ve reached your top speed using the throttle, allowing you to travel without using your feet.
You may spend a lot of time riding a bike because there are so many of them in Massachusetts. These lengthy rides are a great way to evaluate a bicycle’s comfort, and the ADO Air did not dissapoint. The lack of suspension on the bike didn’t bother me at all for an hour’s cycling.
I would say that during this ride, I pedaled for around 30% of the time, with the ADO Air’s motor handling the most of the work. I never got tired and didn’t have to work too hard to climb hills because of this. However, it wasn’t anticipated that the motor needed to be pushed up steeper inclines.
The brakes were this initial trip’s lone source of trouble. Every time I pulled both levers, there was a loud screech that caught my attention. Hopefully, the new pads are only breaking in and causing this issue. Having said that, I have used the ADO Air virtually daily since it was arrived and have had positive initial impressions.
Separately, throughout my study, I came across a number of reviewers who stated that this bike was inadequate for shorter riders. The main problem that other people raised was that, if you’re under six feet tall, the battery extends just a little bit lower than the crankset.
I’m certainly shorter than most of these other cyclists, at barely 5’4″. Having said that, after I had the bike set up properly for my height, I had no issues with the battery making touch with any surfaces as I darted through the deserted streets of Boston. In light of my experience, I believe shorter riders would be just OK using ADO Air, provided they were aware of the battery’s limitations while curb-hopping.
In addition, some reviewers criticized the fact that the ADO Air battery could not be locked to the bike. I must disagree. The accompanying ADO lock had enough area to attach the bike to a stationary object and slid effortlessly between the saddle supports and under the back of the seat, in my experience.
ADO Air: Battery and Range
According to the LED display, my longest ride with the ADO Air was 100 km or 62 miles, and I discovered that the battery had only lost one out of four bars. Based on the fact that I completed my ride with level-three full assist and covered a distance of 80 km, I would predict that if you simply use the throttle, your battery will last for about 100 km.
That allows for a respectably long ride or a number of shorter journeys before the battery needs to be recharged. Is the range true to ADO’s claim of 100 km? It’s difficult to say, although testing would seem to indicate that there is a considerable degree of variety.
Of course, using the engine less and pedaling more would prolong the battery’s life. Conversely, more motors require more power, but the ADO Air does seem to sip battery life rather than consume it.
The ADO Air has a battery meter that gives false readings when the bike is under severe load, like many cheap bikes in this class. For instance, the LED display indicated that the battery life was around one segment lower while rising than it had indicated on the flats. Although this error in reading wasn’t a major problem, it’s something to keep in mind if you’re thinking about purchasing this item.
Here, the ADO Air’s long battery life and small form factor are noteworthy advantages. These qualities demonstrate that ADO created this e-bike with the commuter or urban rider in mind when it was designing it. The bike is very simple to fold and portable to the majority of locations. Even better, put it in the trunk of your car for weekend road trips. As soon as you get at your destination, it is also simple to unfold.
ADO Air: Conclusions
It’s crucial to highlight that while testing the ADO Air, we did discover a few problems. The absence of foldable pedals would be the first. Foldable pedals look like they should be normal on a device like this. Unfortunately, it wasn’t the case with the demo. Even though this feature is not essential, it would still be good to have.
Second, there was a minor problem with the seat adjustment bolts during testing. It felt as though the seat adjustment bolts’ soft metal may strip when using the hex-head keys that came with the ADO Air. These bolts could certainly be replaced with a more durable pair, but if they break while you’re adjusting the seat, you’re going to have trouble.
The lack of suspension in this case is the last problem. When riding down rocky roads, the ADO Air isn’t the most comfortable bike. You can detect every dip and divot in the road surface because to the rigid frame.
You won’t find a marshmallow-soft ride here if that’s what you’re looking for. That might literally as well as figuratively irritate certain people. However, that might not be a problem for someone like myself who had previous experience riding a fixed-gear about Boston.
After riding it for about 100 miles (61 km), I can firmly assert that it is worth the $999 asking price. For an e-bike, the price is reasonable, and the important features are well-designed. It will be difficult to find an e-bike at this price point that performs better than the ADO Air, if you must have one.
The ADO Air has excellent specs overall. One of its major assets is that it is practical. It doesn’t claim to be a Van Moof or a Brompton, but it is neither. Instead, the ADO Air appeals to riders on a tighter budget who yearn for an enjoyable e-bike ride without the hefty price. The ADO Air definitely lives up to its promise.
