The ADO A20 is an electric folding bike that we had the opportunity to test. This is a novelty from the ADO (A Dece Oasis) brand. It offers a 350 W motor, good range and a maximum speed of 35 km / h.
We have tested it in detail in the editorial office and we have been using it for several weeks now. We will share our experience during its use, you will find out what the real range is and what its advantages are, but also its disadvantages.
Where to buy ADO A20?
The ADO A20 Electric Folding Bike is currently available from one of our most popular international retailers, Banggood. Availability in Czech warehouse, from where it will be delivered to you within 2-7 working days of dispatch. The package will be brought to you by a courier without any customs duties or VAT.
ADO A20 +
Contents of the package
The ADO A20 bicycle is delivered in a cardboard box with a basic description of its properties and parameters. Unfortunately, this box is not protected by any other box or foil, so in our case it was slightly deformed in several places. However, the bicycle is well protected inside, so it has not been damaged in any way during transport.
The box is quite large and weighs almost 26 kg. The bicycle is folded inside and a clear instruction manual with illustrations is provided when assembling it. The whole frame is protected by foam reinforcement, which is attached in several places with plastic, cable ties.
No metal parts rub against each other, which does not scratch the frame. The package consists of several components that need to be assembled together. Here you will find the main frame of the bicycle with wheels, folded in half, handlebars, pedals, seat and stand. As for accessories, we got a small pump, a stand for a smartphone and the necessary screws and wrenches in separate boxes or foils.
The package thus contains everything we need for assembly.
First impression, quality of workmanship and folding of the bike
At first glance, the bike looks very high quality and solid. We also evaluate the design positively, everything is elegant black. Immediately after unpacking, we started with the assembly, which was helped by the enclosed instructions. It also contains illustrations, so the whole process seems simple.
In the first step, we connected the frame in the joint, where the battery is connected to the connectors. There was a slight disappointment here, as the individual pins do not fit exactly into each other, so we had to gently lift the battery by pushing it from below at the place where the key is inserted into the battery. Subsequently, the connection is secured with a fuse in the form of a small lever.
The next step was to attach the handlebars. That was easy. It was enough to put the steering rod in place on the basis of the marks marked on the individual parts and connect them with the enclosed screw. The inclination of the handlebars can be adjusted to your own preferences. Just unlock the lever in the middle of the handlebars and adjust the inclination of the handlebars accordingly. There is also a handlebar height adjustment.
The seat is inserted and fastened in the same way as we are used to from ordinary bicycles. One of the last steps is to attach the folding pedals, which are screwed in the appropriate direction - the left pedal counterclockwise and the right pedal clockwise.
The last step was to fasten the stand to the back with a pair of screws. There was a problem here, as the threads on the frame are slightly larger than the screws, so it is necessary to fasten the screws from the opposite side with nuts, which we did not find in the package. We had to buy additional nuts.
We managed the whole assembly process very quickly and without the mentioned shortcomings, everything would be perfectly simple and even faster. The bicycle was ready to ride immediately after folding and the battery was approximately 70% charged. The smartphone holder is plastic, but with the included rubber band it will hold the smartphone. Personally, however, we prefer metal holders that have a better grip.
Wheels, brakes and other components
Since it is a folding bike, its dimensions are adapted to it. The wheels measure 20 x 1.95” and the tires are reinforced, which should make them more durable. The pattern is also sufficient for easier terrain and the bike belongs to the cross-country category. There are also front and rear mudguards, but they need to be slightly tightened after a few rides.
ADO A20 is equipped with classic disc brakes with a cable, they are not hydraulic, but their control is easy and accurate. The discs have a diameter of 160 mm. The engine is located in the rear wheel and the maximum load capacity of the bike is 120 kg.
In the middle part there is only one gear without a derailleur, but in the rear we have a derailleur with 7 speeds. It works smoothly, is operated by a lever and a button on the handlebars and is from the Shimano brand.
The bicycle is sprung. At the front is a classic fork, which has a relatively low stroke, so with larger curbs or holes may not be enough and sometimes there is a click when the fork hits its limits. The positive is the seat suspension, which is very simple but effective. It works on a similar principle as the front fork.
At the front we can also find active LED lighting, which is switched on by a button on the handlebars, but at the rear there is only a red reflector. It is a pity that the manufacturer did not place standard LED lighting in the rear part.
Control and LED display
The electric bicycle is switched on by a button next to the LED display, which is located on the handlebars. To switch on, it is necessary to have the key inserted in the lower part of the battery, turned by 45 °. If you want to park your bike somewhere, simply turn the key back and remove it, which will lock the battery.
The display has a diagonal of approximately 2.4 ″ and is backlit. Its visibility even in direct sunlight is sufficient. The dominant feature of the display is the display of the current speed in km / h. In addition to speed, it also displays other useful data, such as the distance traveled since the last switch-on, the total approach, the current driving time, the battery status and the current mode. The battery status is only displayed by an indicator with five divisions, but we would rather welcome the percentage display.
There are 4 modes marked numerically (0 - 3), which can be switched between with the + and - buttons. The first mode is without electric drive, the second only slightly helps the engine during pedaling. Throttle is added by the rotary selector on the right side, which is part of the grip for the right hand. Interesting are the higher modes - 2 and 3 where the bike goes on electricity even without the help of pedals. Just run slightly at the beginning, and then just add gas. Mode 2 allows you to reach a maximum speed of around 20 km / h and the last mode is set to 25 km / h.
However, the maximum speed can be increased up to 35 km / h in a special mode, which you can access by simultaneously pressing the + and - buttons for a few seconds. Then press the power button to switch to P08 mode, in which the maximum speed is set. We increased it to 35 km / h with the + button. This is not an adjustment that would void the warranty, as this increase in speed is presented by the manufacturer himself.
In addition to the display, there is also a headlight and horn control. Next to it is a USB port, thanks to which you can charge your smartphone while riding a bicycle. This is an interesting gadget, but we recommend buying a better holder for a smartphone than the one in the package.
Driving comfort and our observations
Riding an ADO A20 electric bicycle is quite pleasant and comfortable. The suspension is sufficient for driving in the city or even in light terrain. Both seat and handlebar height adjustment are also sufficient. It's a bit worse at a speed of 35 km / h, where the ride is no longer very comfortable, if you often go through various bumps on broken sidewalks. Therefore, we rode the best on ordinary roads and bike paths.
As mentioned above, the front fork lift is not the best, so in difficult terrain the front wheel often hits its limits and touches the fender when pushed to the maximum, causing unpleasant noises and vibrations leading to the handlebars. However, the bicycle is not designed for heavier terrain.
Another disadvantage that can be felt by people with larger hands is the placement of the plastic part with buttons for controlling the LED light and the horn. It is located right next to the left grip, so it sometimes happened that we bumped into the part of the left hand with the thumb of the left hand, when we came to smaller abrasions.
The horn is loud enough and we recommend using it with caution and consideration, especially towards pedestrians. If you go from someone's back and use this horn in close proximity to people, you can easily scare them, because they are really loud.
Decent range on a single charge
As far as the range is concerned, the manufacturer states a maximum range of 80 km. However, it does not state under what conditions this range was measured. We tested the bike with a rider with a height of 185 cm and a weight of 78 kg. We first tested the range at a maximum speed of 25 km / h, as this speed is also sufficient for many. We rode a bike around the city, most of the time on the plain or only in gentle hills.
We used only electric drive, without additional pedal assistance and we reached a total range of 36.2 km. During this measurement, we also turned on the monitoring of activity in a smartphone, which measured the length of travel 34.4 km. Since the bike's display does not show the percentage of the battery, we rode until it was completely discharged, when all the parts in the battery symbol disappeared.
We performed the second test of the maximum range per charge after unlocking the maximum speed at 35 km / h. Again, we turned on activity monitoring on the smartphone and we drove only on electric power. After discharging, the bicycle display showed us 31.1 km. The application in the smartphone measured 29.61 km.
In both tests, we followed almost the same route and the maximum range was reduced by only 35 km at 5 km / h. The range of 80 km stated by the manufacturer is, of course, unattainable without pedal assistance, but this was to be expected.
Charging the battery
The ADO A20 has a 36V 10.4 Ah battery, which is located in the frame of the bicycle. The battery is removable and you can charge it in a bicycle or separately, after removal. The charging connector is located in the frame on the opposite side of the safety lever, which unlocks the tilting mechanism. We missed the charging port cover here, so dirt could easily get into it.
As the bike is IPX5 certified, it should be splashproof. That's why we expected the charging port to be sealed. The supplied charger has an output of 84W, a voltage of 42V and a charging current of 2 A. Charging from full discharge to full takes almost 6 hours.
ADO A20: Final evaluation
ADO A20 is a very interesting folding, electric bike. We rode with him pleasantly and comfortably. The seat suspension is a great positive that adds to the comfort of driving. The bicycle is an ideal companion for moving around the city, but it can also handle easier terrain in the form of forest and field roads.
We appreciate the possibility of increasing the maximum speed to 35 km / h and a good range on a single charge. A minor negative is the not entirely perfect folding system and poor quality mounting of the fenders.
ADO A20 +
If you are interested in anything else that we did not mention in the review, do not hesitate to contact us via the comments below the article or via social networks.