20" Lightweight Alloy Folding City Bicycle Bike, 12kg, Made with 7 SP SHIMANO Gears, Small fold up size - 20AF09

I have been feeling lousy with a cold since this arrived and haven't ridden it yet so this review is based on a first few (reasonably well-informed) impressions. You may be like me, a cheapskate looking for a folder for occasional use and with no desire to spend too much. You are on the horns of a dilemma: looking at the folding bike market you know that £200 is a very, very competitive price for bike with this spec, but it is also too much to throw away on a complete dog. Who the hell are Ecosmo, we ask ourselves and why is a bike with an aluminium frame and fork and a competent parts list going for a song? Anything in the £200 price range from anyone else is a hi-ten steel lump, weighing upwards of 15 kg. You may also, like me, go onto Ecosmo's website and see a whole range of far less impressive looking bikes for sale and then fear that your prospective purchase is simply a well camouflaged heap of junk. The website is an above average Chinese-inspired affair with just enough information and even photos of their factory (and we'll take them at their word that it is theirs) to inspire confidence. They can't spell 'Kenda' (as in the natty black and red tyres with which this bike comes shod) and, as websites go, it's a bit clunky but at least they've got one. Maybe you've even done some further digging to see who these mysterious Ecosmo guys are and found out that many are referring to them as a Dahon sub division, a part of Dahon's brand engineering project to keep itself at the top of the folding bike tree globally. In order to corner the growing Chinese market and to fight off outfits like Tern in the West (an industrial family feud worthy of a soap opera, it seems) founder David Hon has licensed the company's technology to allow companies like Ecosmo to sell what are essentially re-badged Dahons at a lower price point that the parent company could allow itself to do. I was curious and so contacted Ecosmo directly. Were they a Dahon sub brand and was that a 33.9mm seat post, were my questions. The response came very quickly (and on a Sunday!) that in the UK they are their own brand, which I took to be a rather cryptic evasion of the point. And yes, it is a 33.9mm seat post. Impressed by their pre-purchase service and reasonably convinced that they are essentially a Dahon in Ecosmo's clothing I hit the 'Buy Now' button and crossed my fingers. Exciting isn't it? It arrived the next working day and so with trembling fingers I opened the sturdy box. It was well packaged with all the standard expanded foam wraps on the frame and fork and the hub nuts covered in black plastic discs and so on. It required putting together with tools and was ready to fly in a couple of minutes. First impressions: high quality welds and general build, good paint (pearlescent white in my case) and good finishing kit (generally). The seat post and saddle are not to my taste- I don't like sofas masquerading as saddles but it does have a cut out to relieve pressure in the right areas. The mudguards and rack are well attached and aligned with Allen bolts, not crappy screws or bolts. The hubs are 'Shun Feng' branded (I know, they're my fave brand too) and are nutted rather than QR. At least that makes them more tamper-proof when locked up outdoors (you get a dinky wee spanner for them) and despite the non-brand brand they look serviceable enough. The brakes are quite impressive and are, I suspect, Avid FR 5 clones, both levers and brakes. There is nothing cheap and flimsy about these and they remind me of some of the better quality units I've had on mountain bikes back in the day. I don't love Shimano grip shifters as they are bulky in the hand and can require awkward wrist contortions at times, but they are certainly livable and can be replaced with trigger shifters for very little cash whenever I can be bothered. So, in summary, for £200 (+ £20 p&p- the honesty of the separate costing of which I appreciate; i.e. you're not charged £225 with 'free postage') you get a very, very good deal. The machining under the folded stem might be slightly slicker on a Dahon (might, I don't know) and the clasp holding the bike together might be a little higher quality (again, I'm going on my first impression with no reference point) on a Dahon but beyond that it is a very convincing bike overall and not a cheap ill thought out 'bike shaped object' built down to a price, piled high and then sold cheap. If you want a folder that'll be fit for purpose even for regular use, aren't a label snob and love a bargain then look no further.

I bought this bicycle because i wanted to have the flexible possibility of a bicycle to reach the bus stops in London and Oxford but at the same time take the bicycle with me in the bus each time. One factor for the purchase was also that the bike had a lightweight frame and 12 kg is quite okay to lift it into the bus trunk and take it out from there on a regular basis. The extra delivery costs is about 10% of the overall price, which is quite high and I almost did not buy it because of this. Anyway, there was no better option given and finally I took it. The delivery by Parcelforce was in principle very fast and I was even contacted by SMS to let me know the arrival time (which turned out to be 2 hours earlier than the realistic arrival time). So unfortunately, I was at work and not any more present at the first delivery and after a phonecall, an informal letter and another total of 3 days of waiting time, the delivery was finally successful. Parcelforce refused to leave the package in front of the house (a London residential street, okay I get the point), or my suggested alternative to give it to a neighbour because my chosen option obviously did not reach the driver, or the driver refused to do it because the given address did not specify a person's name. Anyway, finally I decided to stay at home and wait for the delivery again (note: my boss did not really like that part...). So overall, delivery was a bit of a hassle for me, but finally I got it. So the bike arrived and enthusiastically I started unpacking it. Everything was easy and straightforward, no instructions required really. The bike looks wonderful! It is easy to fold and unfold. The mudguards are made of plastic, which makes them at least low-weight. The bike comes even including a stand. I then got stuck at the saddle quick lock screw, where I noted that the screw thread was broken and I was not able to tigthen the screw really. So I contacted the seller and he was very friendly, very responsive and after some exchange of details, I got a spare quick lock screw the next day! Wow! This was the most positive experience! Great seller and very good and fast service in case of a problem. Big plus here and this is why I give the 5 stars! So the saddle is firm and yesterday I made my first test ride. Everything fine! I really like how easy the bike rides, no problems at all. The gears switching is fine (there could be 1 or 2 higher gears when going up to speed, though, but I think these bikes are just not made for speed), breaks are very good. I think this is exactly the right thing for having a quite economical solution for commuters or people living in large cities.

I bought this for a friend & she is delighted with it. Being of petite build, she was especially impressed with its lightness & ease of folding. I tried it out & found it very free running & easy to pedal. Whilst I would see this as a city bike, my friend used it on a cyling holiday in the Lake District, finding it fast & easy to pedal, taking the hills well. She also found the brakes secure & positive going downhill. So why not 5 stars? On arrival I found the brakes connected in the reverse of the usual way. If this was intentional, it should have been stated in the instructions. If it was a manufacturing error, then it is a serious quality control issue. Either way the brakes would not perform as expected. A relative of mine had an accident on a hired bike, being unaware that the brakes were connected in this manner. I also think the locking device on the folding mechanism would be safer if self locking & made of metal rather than plastic.. Incidentally, it was an easy matter to re-connect the brakes according to usual convention.

​I was initially a bit skeptical about ordering a bike online, but this product arrived extremely well-packaged and protected. The packaging was sturdy, ensuring the bike arrived in flawless condition. ​The moment of truth came when I unfolded it. This bike truly transforms! It opened up effortlessly into a full-size, robust bicycle with absolutely no hassle. The mechanism is smooth and secure—no wobble or flimsy feel whatsoever. ​ I immediately took it out for a quick two-mile test ride, and honestly, it completely blew past my expectations. The ride quality felt solid and comfortable. The brakes are responsive and brought me to a stop smoothly, and the gears shifted cleanly and efficiently throughout my journey. Everything worked to a very good, reliable standard right out of the box. ​If you are looking for a compact bike that doesn't compromise on the quality of a full-size ride, I highly recommend this model. A fantastic purchase! ​Pros: ​Excellent, protective packaging. ​Easy, seamless transformation into a full-size bike. ​Reliable brakes and smooth-shifting gears. ​Great value and better-than-expected performance.

Some of the external reviews seemed good and the black paint work made the bike look very appealing. Cons: 1) The saddle is very hard indeed. I have had to buy a gel saddle cover plus I need to wear two padded cycling shorts in addition to full cycling leggings and I still get twinges. I think I am going to have to replace the saddle. 2) The handlebar stem is very odd since it is bolt upright at 90 degrees. This means I have to stretch my arms fully in order to hold the handlebars and also sit on the Iron maiden saddle. All other normal folding bikes have the handlebar stem at a 85 degree angle towards the rider so that it is less of a stretch to hold the handlebars. 3) when the bike folded up it takes up a lot of space because the handlebars fold within the two wheels rather than folding to the outside thus making the folded bike more compact and easier to handle. This ain’t no Brompton and because of the bulky nature of the bike only a brave person would try to take this onto any crowded bus or train. There does not seem to be any way to wheel the bike when folded. Thus following London Underground instructions of folding bikes must be kept folded in the station would mean that it would be impossible to carry in some of the interchanges such as northern line switch to central line at Bank station where the walking is about 1/4 mile. 4) The manual is ridiculous. They have copied out the US Highway Code and repeated it twice for good measure - to fill up the pages. The drawings of the bike and the gears is so minute and small you would think they were trying to perfect a micro filming operation. Compare this to the French Oxelo scooter instruction sheet which is very clear and easy to see. There is not a word on how to tighten the brakes or other key notes on maintaining the bike or sourcing spare parts or even giving the diameter of the handlebars. Really basic information is missing. 5) The handlebar grips are hopeless. Very uncomfortable to hold for an hours ride. 6) Only 7 gears feels like a limitation. 7) Pros 1) The Black model looks very cool 2) Even with only 7 gears I found I was able to speed away from full size bikes 3) Rear rack for panniers 4) The bike feels solid 5) The bike was fully assembled when it was received Update 27 Nov 17 - fitted a new saddle from Bikeroo and that means the bike is finally manageable. The new saddle is wide and has a twin suspension which means it is very comfortable. The bike is now ok.

You will find lots of bike manufacturers producing bikes based on this light alloy frame set and Ecosmo is probably one of the better ones. The Bike turned up 97% ready, just needed to put seat stem to right height, unfold the bike, adjust handle bar and stem position (45 seconds) and unfold the pedals. I did check the tightness of the allen bolts and nuts but all were absolutely bang on for torque torsion. Plenty of air in the tyres meant the longest bit was taking off all the packaging tape and bubble wrap. I should also mention the delivery was by Ecosmo direct and not Amazon but was just as quick and easy. I think they are in Birmingham so not far but easy as pie. Good light bike at about 11kg. I am 6' 4" and 115kg and have had no problems riding. The bike is set up in the UK style so brakes are as you'd expect, Right for front brake, left for rear. Gearing wise Ecosmo has added a 7 gear cassette to the rear instead of the usual 6 with a 52 T crank on the front. This makes for an easier ride on the flat although don't expect too much speed but perfectly adequate for a commute and daily lockdown exercise ride. I expected this foldie to last for the lock down and then some but have managed about 110 miles a week so far without a single issue which is brilliant. I've had lots of good comments from friends and other riders about the look of the bike, mine is gloss white with mat black stems and rims. I've changed the tyres (which although Kenda, are really just delivery tyres) for some Conti Ride Tour's which add some width but are far more suitable to both road and gravel trail use. I have also replaced the folding pedals which were great but unsuitable for my ride for some Shimano SPD clip in pedals. I've previously owned a Trek Cross-rip Ltd which I paid 5 x the price of this, Different bike admittedly but it gave me masses of problems. This little beauty has just let me ride straight out of the box. Brilliant. I cannot praise this bike enough, folds easily into my car so I can mix up my work commute with a bit in the car and then finish with a short 7.5KM ride in to work and back to the car after I finish. Nothing better after a bad day at work than time on a bike! I haven't had to contact Ecosmo customer services but got this bike on recommendation and have been told it is top draw. Very happy customer.

This bike is the 6th folding bike I have purchased for work and without doubt THE WORST. Where to start? It was sent via parcel force who delivered it across the road but didn't leave me a card or text and the recipient kept quiet hoping to score a free bike. Retrieved it 1 1/2 weeks later when I was tracked down. Ignore the manual it's crap go with what you know when putting it together believe me it's safer It came out of the box with the chain off. It scratches easily on folding and unfolding It is very stiff to put up and down and I have injured my hand - bearing in mind that I have been using folders since 2005 to get to work and usually I take 15 seconds to fold and unfurl a bike, this one takes a good minute of straining. After 2 weeks use it is obvious that my seat is going to rip through wear and tear from catching the frame as I fold it and it is already worn at the tip of the seat It Is very slow to ride and the highest gear feels like 3rd to me It won't go into 7th gear properly and the chain slipped off and jammed between the frame and the gears on my way to work - had to get a bike shop to undo the back wheel to free it. Had the gears adjusted but 7th still refuses to cooperate fully it either goes in or it doesn't. The bike shop says a different ratio of gears can be fitted to the bike for more speed it's on order now. The chain came off when I was on my way to work today my foot slipped off the pedal and I ruined my shoes on the road because my foot dragged along under the pedal and I bruised my right knee. So to cap Hard to fold/unfold Scratches with every fold operation Pitifully slow to ride Gears are pants Cost to me after 2 weeks riding it :cut left hand strained right hand bruised knee ruined shoes repair bill from the bike shop and about £45 for new gear socket to make it quicker. As a 12 year veteran of using folding bikes on a daily basis my advice to you is Avoid this bike if you want reliability. ADDENDUM : AFTER 4 WEEKS OF USE THE CHEAP BRITTLE PEDALS HAVE SNAPPED AND I NEARLY HAD A CRASH ON A ROUNDABOUT WHEN THE LEFT ONE BROKE OFF - THIS BIKE IS DANGEROUS.

I was incredibly sceptical that this "budget" priced bike could be any good but while the steering column maybe a light off centre and the brakes quite old school, caliper style technology, the bottom line, is that it does exactly what I need. It's dead easy to collapse and reassemble and nice and light to haul onto a train etc.. and rides very well with the gearing using the large drive cog, working well

Sorgfältige Verarbeitung, sehr gute Verpackung und schnelle Lieferung. Alle Verschlüsse sind leicht gänging und sehr gut in der Handhabung. Das Rad hat sich im Urlaub bestens bewährt und passte prima in den Kofferraum des Scenic Megane. Absolut klasse lackiert, Bremsen voreingestellt gute Eigenschaften bei auf und Abbau des Rades. Die Räder haben 20 Zoll Bereifung und rollen sehr gut auf Asphalt und normalen festen Wegen. Klasse Fahreigenschaften bei geringem Eigengewicht, sicheres Fahrgefühl. Klare Kaufempfehlung! Gute Gesamt Ergonomie...

Tres bon velo, il est tres confortable. Les vitesses marche bien, il n'est pas lourd de tout, c'est facile à plier et deplier. Je suis content!

Ein tolles Rad. Lässt sich ganz einfach zusammenklappen und ist mit wenigen Handgriffen einsatzfähig. Zudem ist es außerordentlich stabil. Ich gehöre nicht zu den zierlichsten Mitmenschen, habe aber schon problemlos etliche Kilometer mit dem Rad zurückgelegt. Selbst steiniger, unebener Waldboden bereitet keinerlei Probleme. Wer also auch einen Fahrrad-Junkie als Hund hat, dem kann ich das Rad nur wärmstens empfehlen. Seit es in meinem Auto liegt, sind auch umliegende Waldgebiete nicht mehr vor uns sicher. Die Reklamationsbearbeitung des britischen Verkäufers war übrigens vorbildlich (die Klingel war gebrochen)!

Bon rapport qualité prix mais dès le debut difficultes à passer la 7eme...

Alles wie beschrieben, kam schnell und gut verpackt an, macht einen recht soliden Eindruck und hinterließ ihn auch nach nun einigen kleinen Touren. Bremsen und Schaltung waren bei mir "nicht" verstellt. Das Wichtigste der Rahmen, macht einen sehr qualitativen Eindruck und gibt auch damit die guten Fahreigenschaften wieder. Ich denke die Vergleiche mit anderen Produkten haben sich gelohnt und der Kauf war eine gute Wahl. Gutes Faltrad zu einem guten Preis.