Electric folding bikes have always been a balancing act. On the one hand, you want enough battery power in there to make it viable for daily commutes and short trips around the city. On the other, you want to keep it as light as possible, lest defeat the purpose of being very portable when collapsed. The Wildeway FW11 foregoes that balance entirely, opting to fit as big a battery as you can reasonably cram into a folding bicycle.
That’s right, this collapsible ebike ditches the portable aspirations of similar folding rides, sporting a battery module that’s over twice the size of what you’ll normally find in electric bikes. Sure, it can still fold as small as most folding bicycles, albeit with a much heftier 77-pound weight that makes it rather impractical to carry in one hand like you normally would.
The Wildeway FW11 is equipped with a 1,536 Wh battery, which is far larger than the 500 to 700 Wh modules you typically find in most ebikes. According to the outfit, it holds enough charge to get you well over 100 miles of range on pedal assist, as well as around 60 miles on pure throttle alone if you’re not feeling up to working out your legs. Because it’s so big, the battery itself weighs a whopping 20 pounds on its own, which is why the whole thing weighs a rather uncomfortable 77 pounds. Basically, you’ll want to pull this behind you when collapsed instead of carrying it by hand like other folding bikes.
That battery is paired to a 750W rear hub motor that produces 59 pound-feet of torque, giving it enough power to climb gradients of up to 30 percent while hitting top speeds of up to 30 mph. That’s right, this little thing can go fast. Oh yeah, the battery is removable, in case you want to park the bike somewhere, although we can’t imagine anyone excited at the prospect of lugging a 20-pound battery module around.
The Wildeway FW11 has a Shimano seven-speed gearing system that gives you plenty of control on the road, while a front suspension fork, saddle shock suspension system, and chunky 4-inch thick tires allow you to ride smoothly even through weathered roads. It has an LCD color display out front for keeping an eye on your bike and riding stats, with physical buttons right by the grip allowing you to manage the different electronic parts of the system. Other notable elements include hydraulic disc brakes front and rear to give it plenty of stopping power, LED headlight and taillight, and a maximum load of 330 pounds.
It actually has a second seat in the back, allowing you to take a passenger along. Do note, the rear seat is only rated to support loads of up to 110 pounds, so you’ll likely only be able to fit kids and smaller adults in there. On the positive side, it will probably come in handy for carrying gear, so this feels like having a mini cargo ebike.
The Wildeway FW11 is available now, priced at $1,399.
