Folding electric bikes combine a traditional bicycle’s convenience with an electric motor’s power and efficiency.
This lightweight and compact electric bicycle is ideal for urban commuters, travelers, and anyone seeking a flexible transportation solution. With the ability to effortlessly fold and unfold, they can be easily stored in small spaces, taken on public transportation, or even brought indoors.
Choosing the right folding electric bike, however, can be a daunting task, given the multitude of options available. To simplify your decision-making process, we’ll compare the best electric bike for commuting: the Leoguar Flippo Pro and the Dahon Unio E20.
Let’s dive into a detailed comparison to help you determine which bike best suits your needs and preferences.
An Exciting Journey Into Folding Electric Bikes
Folding electric bikes are just like regular electric bikes but with the added benefit of being able to fold up into a compact size. This makes them easy to store and transport, making them a great option for people living in apartments or with limited storage space.
Selecting the perfect folding electric bike is crucial for ensuring a comfortable and efficient ride. Factors such as motor power, battery life, portability, and safety features all play a significant role in determining which bike will best meet your needs.
- Motor power: It determines the bike’s ability to handle various terrains and your specific riding needs. Thus, it’s important to choose a bike with sufficient power to ensure a smooth and enjoyable ride.
- Battery capacity: The capacity of a battery determines how far you can travel on a single charge. Depending on your typical riding distance, select a bike with adequate battery life, so that you can avoid frequent recharging.
- Weight: The weight of the bike is also significant, especially if you plan to carry it for an extended period of time. In that case, a lightweight model will be easier to transport, making your commute or travel more convenient.
- Portability: Portability is closely related to the bike’s weight and design. You’ll want to consider how easy it is to fold and unfold the bike, particularly if you need to store it in a compact space or take it on public transportation.
- Price: Folding electric bikes can range in price from a few hundred dollars to several thousand dollars. So it’s essential to set a budget that aligns with your financial situation before you begin shopping.
Head-To-Head Comparison Of Folding Electric Bikes
The Leoguar Flippo Pro and the Dahon Unio E20 are two of the most popular folding electric bikes on the market. They are both well-made bikes with a lot to offer riders. However, they also have some key differences.
Design And Build Quality: Aesthetic And Durability
- Leoguar Flippo Pro: This urban folding electric bike boasts a sleek, modern design with a foldable 6061 aluminum alloy frame, offering both durability and a stylish appearance. Its wide 20*2.15″ tires provide greater stability. Available in four colors—lemon yellow, dark gray, burgundy, and marine blue; it caters to various aesthetic preferences.
- Dahon Unio E20: It has a sleek, minimalist design with a lightweight alloy aluminum sonus tubeset frame, providing a robust yet lightweight structure. It is available in 2 different colors, such as red and black, appealing to those who prefer a simpler, more understated look.
Motor Power: Strength And Efficiency
- Leoguar Flippo Pro: Featuring a 350W motor with 45Nm torque, the Flippo Pro provides ample power for urban commuting and light off-road adventures, ensuring a natural and responsive ride.
- Dahon Unio E20: In contrast, the Dahon Unio E20 is equipped with a 250W mid-drive motor. Mid-drive motors are located in the center of the bike, which provides a more balanced ride and efficient power transfer.
Battery Capacity & Battery Cells: Longevity And Quality
Leoguar Flippo Pro commuter e-bike comes with a 480Wh battery that provides up to 1.53 times more range than the Dahon Unio E20, which has a 313Wh battery, making it an ideal choice for longer commutes and extended rides.
Torque & Cadence Sensor: Precision And Control
- Leoguar Flippo: The Leoguar Flippo Pro is equipped with a torque sensor, which provides a smoother and more responsive ride by adjusting motor assistance based on your pedaling force. This ensures a natural riding experience and enhances control, especially on varied terrains. On the other hand, the Leoguar Flippo Basic version comes with a cadence sensor. This sensor delivers consistent motor assistance based on your pedaling speed, making it a great choice for those who prefer a steady and reliable boost without the need for nuanced control.
Choosing between these two configurations depends on your riding style and preferences: opt for the torque sensor if you value precision and responsiveness, or the cadence sensor for straightforward, consistent support. With only a $100 price difference between the two, you can select the model that best suits your needs without breaking the bank.
- Dahon Unio E20: The Dahon Unio E20 features a mid-drive motor that typically comes with a built-in torque sensor. This means, like the Leoguar Flippo Pro, this e-bike also designed to provide responsive and efficient power delivery.
Charging Time: Speed And Convenience
- Leoguar Flippo Pro: This folding electric bike is equipped with a 3A charger for its 480Wh battery, allowing it to fully recharge in just 3-3.3 hours. This quick charging time ensures that you’re always ready to ride without worrying about running out of power.
- Dahon Unio E20: The Dahon Unio E20’s 300Wh battery requires a longer charging time of 4-6 hours due to its standard 2A charger. While it might take a bit longer to fully charge, it still provides sufficient power for daily commutes or leisurely rides.
Pedal Assist Levels: Customizable Support
Both the Leoguar Flippo Pro and the Dahon Unio E20 offer 5 pedal assist levels, allowing you to customize the level of motor assistance based on your riding conditions and preferences. This feature is particularly useful for managing battery life and ensuring a comfortable ride across different terrains.
Speed: Performance And Limits
The Leoguar Flippo Pro and the Dahon Unio E20 both provide a top speed of 20 mph. This makes it suitable for city commuting and quick errands, ensuring a swift and efficient ride.
Shifters: Effortless Riding
- Leoguar Flippo Pro: Equipped with a Shimano 7-speed gear shift system, this bike allows you to customize your ride for a consistently exhilarating experience. With smooth and seamless gear transitions, you can enjoy a flawless ride every time, making it perfect for both hill climbs and descents. This gear system enhances your overall riding experience by ensuring that every journey is smooth, controlled, and enjoyable.
- Dahon Unio E20: The Dahon Unio E20 features a DAHON Custom 9-speed trigger shifter, offering a broader range of gears compared to the Flippo Pro. This 9-speed system allows for more precise control over your ride, particularly in varied or hilly terrains. The trigger shifter design provides quick and easy access to gears, making it ideal for riders who require smooth and rapid transitions between different gear settings.
Weight And Portability: Easy To Carry And Store
- Leoguar Flippo Pro: Weighing 55 lbs including the battery, the Leoguar Flippo Pro’s foldable design makes it easy to carry and store. Its lightweight frame further enhances portability, and it compacts to just 25.4″ x 19″ x 30″—roughly the size of a small suitcase. This makes it perfect for RV travelers and city commuters alike.
- Dahon Unio E20: The Dahon Unio E20 compact electric bicycle weighs just 36 lbs and folds down to dimensions of 33″ x 15″ x 27″, standing out as one of the lightest models in its category. This makes it incredibly easy to handle and store in compact spaces.
Price And Value For Money: Getting The Best Deal
- Leoguar Flippo Pro: Priced at $1,499, the Leoguar Flippo Pro offers a comprehensive set of features at a competitive price point, providing excellent value for its performance and design.
- Dahon Unio E20: The Dahon Unio E20 is priced at $2,699, which might be higher for those looking for a more budget-friendly option.
Why Leoguar Flippo Pro Stands Out As A Folding Electric Bike
While both bikes offer competitive features, the Leoguar Flippo Pro distinguishes itself with several key advantages:
Superior Motor Power and Battery
This lightweight electric bike shines with its 350W motor, delivering robust power for various riding conditions, ensuring you can tackle inclines and maintain speed effortlessly. Its torque sensor enhances the riding experience by providing smooth and responsive motor assistance. Additionally, the higher battery capacity of 480WH ensures you can cover up to 45 miles on a single charge, making it ideal for longer journeys.
Innovative Design Features
The Flippo Pro is available in four color options, which allows you to choose a bike that matches your style. Plus, its frame design accommodates riders ranging from 5’3″ to 6’5″, ensuring a comfortable fit for a wide range of users.
Enhanced Portability
The saddle tube battery design of the Flippo Pro is a standout feature, offering ease of removal and portability. Combined with its foldable 6061 aluminum alloy frame, this urban commuter e-bike is exceptionally easy to carry and store.
Advanced Safety
- Seat post clamp lock: This simple yet effective mechanism secures the seat post using a clamp lock and helps prevent theft. It ensures that the seat post remains firmly attached, deterring would-be thieves from easily stealing parts of the bike.
- Startup password: By implementing a password protection, the Leoguar e-bike significantly reduces the risk of unauthorized use, giving riders peace of mind when leaving their bike unattended.
- Integrated bell with the left brake lever: For added convenience and safety, the Leoguar e-bike also features an integrated bell that is conveniently placed next to the left brake lever. This thoughtful design allows riders to quickly and easily access the bell without removing their hand from the brake, ensuring they can alert others in their path while maintaining full control of the bike.
User-Friendly Features
- USB-C port: It’s 5V USB port allows riders to charge their devices on the go. Whether it’s a smartphone, GPS, or other electronic gadgets, the USB-C port ensures that riders stay connected and powered throughout their journey.
- Canbus protocol: The e-bike’s Canbus protocol is another key feature that ensures smooth communication between the various components of the e-bike. This advanced system integration technology enhances the bike’s performance by allowing all parts to work together seamlessly, resulting in a more efficient and reliable ride.
- Color display with 5-speed levels: The display offers clear and easy-to-read information. With five different speed levels, you can easily control your pace and monitor the ride’s status. This display provides real-time data, helping riders make informed decisions while on the road.
- Integrated LED lights: For increased visibility and safety, the e-bike is equipped with integrated LED lights, including a tail light with a brake light function. These lights significantly enhance the rider’s visibility, especially in low-light conditions, ensuring a safer riding experience.
What Makes Dahon Unio E20 A Great Folding Electric Bike
- Mid-Drive Motor: Mid-drive motors are renowned for their efficient power transfer and balanced performance. This motor type is ideal for those seeking a smooth and powerful riding experience
- Lightweight Design: Weighing only 36 lbs, the Dahon Unio E20 is one of the lightweight electric bike available. Its compact fold size of 33x15x27 inches makes it easy to store and transport, perfect for urban commuters.
- Durable Build: The Dahon Unio E20’s lightweight alloy aluminum sonus tubeset frame ensures durability without adding unnecessary weight. Its 20”*1.75” tires provide stability and comfort, making it a reliable choice for various riding conditions.
Your Folding E-Bike Should Match Your Needs
The Benefits of Folding E-Bikes
- Space-Saving Design:
Traditional bicycles, while efficient, often require substantial storage space, which can be challenging for urban dwellers living in apartments or houses with limited room. Folding electric bikes for adults address this issue by offering a compact, foldable frame that significantly reduces the bike’s size when not in use. This feature allows riders to store their bikes in closets, under desks, or even in the trunk of a car without taking up much space.
- Suitability For Commuting:
The electric assistance provided by these bikes helps riders cover longer distances with less effort, making daily commutes less strenuous and more enjoyable.
Additionally, the ability to fold the bike means that commuters can easily combine cycling with other forms of transportation, such as trains or buses, and bring their bike into the workplace. This versatility allows riders to navigate through city traffic efficiently, avoid crowded public transport, and arrive at their destination quickly and comfortably.
- Portability:
The compact, foldable nature of these bikes allows for easy transportation, whether you’re taking a road trip, traveling by plane, or simply moving the bike around your local area. Unlike traditional bikes that require bike racks or special accommodations for transport, a folding e-bike can be conveniently carried in a car or stored in a luggage compartment.
How We Picked the Best Folding E-Bikes:
Evaluate the bike’s features and performance in relation to its price. This involved comparing the cost with the quality of materials, technology, and design to ensure that you receive the best possible bike within your budget.
Assess the quality of the motor, battery, brakes, and other components to determine the e-bike’s reliability and efficiency. Bikes with high-quality components not only perform better but also last longer, offering a more dependable riding experience.
Look for innovative features that set the bike apart from the competition. Whether it’s advanced safety technology, cutting-edge design elements, or unique functionality, these standout qualities contribute to a bike’s appeal and practicality.
Consider factors like comfort, handling, and overall riding experience to ensure that each bike provided a smooth and enjoyable ride. A good folding e-bike should feel stable and responsive, with comfortable ergonomics that make long rides more pleasant.
Conclusion
Both the Leoguar Flippo Pro and the Dahon Unio E20 are excellent folding electric bikes with their own strengths.
The Leoguar Flippo Pro stands out with its powerful motor, long-range battery, and innovative design features, while the Dahon Unio E20 impresses with its lightweight design, efficient mid-drive motor, and durable build.
Ultimately, the choice of the best e-bike for commuting depends on your specific needs and preferences.
Consider your priorities, whether it’s power, portability, or design, and you’ll find the perfect folding electric bike to enhance your riding experience.
