Have you been a cycling enthusiast for a long time? Do you travel on two wheels on a daily basis? Lately, the choice of users varies between the use of electric bikes and electric scooters. The main goal is to avoid the use of a personal thermal vehicle or public transport. In this article, a member of the OnMyBike team gives you his opinion on the Xiaomi Himo C20.
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The context
After testing the Xiaomi M365 Pro electric scooter for a while is one of the best on the market. We strongly recommend it, it has quickly replaced public transport.
Nowadays, electric bikes and scooters are an excellent alternative to public transportation and polluting vehicles on short trips. Economical, silent and very practical.
Every day, we travel about 15 kilometers to and from the office, and we wanted to switch to a safer and more comfortable means of transportation. We wanted to test one of these new means of transportation. The Xiaomi Himo c20.
Presentation of the Xiaomi Himo C20
Already delighted with the Xiaomi M365 Pro electric scooter, we immediately thought of getting a bike from the same brand as this one. Taking into account the technical specifications, the OnMyBike team decided to order the Xiaomi Himo C20.
When it comes out of its packaging, we are quickly satisfied by the general quality of the Xiaomi Himo C20. For such a price, we can say that this folding electric bike is really good!
Of course it’s important to keep in mind that this is a Chinese branded bike, and the price is in line with its origin. We will come back to the quality of the product in the following article.
An aluminum frame
The frame is made of a durable aluminum alloy and supports a maximum load of 100 kg. The seat tube can be extended and fixed at different heights, the handlebars are not height adjustable. I am 1.75m tall and find the seating position very comfortable, not having extracted the seat tube to the maximum.
The seat is also comfortable for long rides. The Xiaomi Himo C20 is indeed a foldable bike, but it will not be the most compact once folded. Unlike other folding electric bikes available on the market such as the Tilt 500e from Decathlon.
The plus of the Xiami Himo C20 bike: in the seat tube is an air pump that allows you to inflate your tires when you are on the road.
The motor and the battery
It is in the rear wheel of the Xiaomi Himo C20 that the engine is located the 250W brushless motor. It allows you to accelerate up to 24 km/h in all-electric mode (moped mode) and should allow you to travel 80 km in assisted mode, against 50 km in all-electric mode.
The advantage over an electric scooter is that the motor does not limit the top speed. The advantage over an electric scooter is that the motor does not limit the top speed, whereas the electric scooter’s motor slows you down before you exceed the top speed.
This is not the case with the Xiaomi Himo c20. You can go faster by pushing the pedals or going downhill. As for the 10 Ah battery (18650 lithium-ion battery), it has a power port and an LED indicator integrated into the frame. The energy consumption is indicated with 0.72 kw/h per 100 km. With a key, you can remove the battery to easily take it with you for charging.
Everything has been thought to know at any time the remaining capacity in the battery, in fact an indicator light is present on the battery itself accompanied by a button, a simple pressure on the latter can inform on the status of the battery:
A full charge takes about 6 hours. A battery management system is listed to provide protection against overcurrent, overcharge, short circuit and temperature. The Xiaomi Himo C20 turns on without a button on the battery or key, but with a button on the screen.
Transmission
This folding electric bike is equipped with a transmission system from Shimano. It includes 6 gears with 6 sprockets on the rear wheel and a chainring on the front. The front chainring is covered to protect your pants from a possible tear or splash. The gearshift is located on the handlebars, next to the bell, with a button to go up and a lever to go down.
Lighting
The Xiaomi Himo C20 is equipped with a white LED light at the front that is connected to the bike’s battery. To activate it, you just have to select the on/off button on the control screen. However, there is a small problem with the rear light.
It is not connected to the battery and is therefore powered by two AA batteries. The ignition is done from the button installed on the light directly. Indeed, it is not connected to the battery because the tube of the seat is removed to access the integrated air pump.
Control and operation
The display is easy to read even in bright sunlight. It contains the engine start/stop button and a second button for changing the operating mode. The display also shows the speed, the mileage and the remaining range.
A brief press on the mode selection button allows you to switch from the Eco mode, to the Mid and High modes. These two modes are fully electric (moped mode).
This is a feature that not all electrically assisted bikes offer. In fact, in most cases, an electric-assist bike provides pedal assist. This means that you would still have to exert physical effort to move the bike forward.
With the Xiaomi Himo C20 this is not the case. The user will be able to choose a partial or complete electric drive like a scooter for example. You will be able to ride your way without making any effort.
The 3 modes of use are as follows :
Moreover, a long pressure on these same buttons activates the “Parking” mode. In this case, the electric assistance is completely deactivated and you will be able to drive thanks to your simple physical effort.
This bike is fun to ride once the assistance is activated. If you want to do without electric assistance frequently, then the Xiaomi Himo C20 is not recommended. The bike is far too heavy and requires much more effort than a traditional bike without assistance.
Tire and brake system
The 20′ tires on the Himo C20 are labeled BMX Race all season. These are 20 x 2.125 tube tires that require 2.8-4.5 bar pressure as marked on the tires.
The Xiaomi Himco C20 is equipped with disc brakes on the front and rear wheels. They were set very low out of the box, so it is recommended to adjust the steel cable before your first ride.
The negative points of Xiaomi Himo C20
There are a few negative points to consider if you want to go for the Xiaomi Himo c20. This leads us to advise you to discover what the Decathlon group offers and its Tilt 500e which will be of better quality.
First negative point. For legal reasons, the Chinese electric bikes must emit, according to the standards, a frequent sound signal to signal you to other users. In 100% electric mode, the Xiaomi Himo C20 emits a sound signal every 5 seconds, which can be very annoying in everyday life.
Be careful, this sound signal can be interpreted as a danger warning (horn) for other pedestrians and cyclists. You can solve this problem by disconnecting the speaker wires that are in the black box. This solution can be complex if you are not a handyman.
Second negative point. The Xiaomi Himo C20 is a “Made in China” bike, we notice some quality and reliability problems. When using it, the pedals seem a bit fragile.
As for the brakes, they are a bit difficult to use. You have to pull the brake lever to the maximum to brake. If it is set a little too high, it squeaks. If you are a bit picky, it is important to take all these little details into account.
The positive points of Xiaomi Himo C20
Having used the M365 Pro electric scooter for an entire summer, we can definitely give you a constructive review and comparison of the Xiaomi Himo C20 folding electric bike.
Acceleration is of course faster with the Xiaomi Himo C20 bike than with a scooter in electric assist mode. When the traffic lights turn green, you will pass all other cyclists and scooters. The comfort of a saddle with the Xiaomi Himo C20 is not negligible.
The 100% electric mode of the folding bike is also a plus. This very practical mode requires no effort from the user. Thanks to this assistance, you won’t arrive at work sweating because you hardly touch the pedals. However, keep in mind that this mode consumes much more battery than a traditional electric assistance.
In terms of space, there is almost no need to fold the electric bike. The only place where it is advisable to do it is in the subway or the bus. And that without much difficulty. Since I got this Xiamo Himo C20 folding electric bike, I have hardly used my electric scooter anymore.
Indeed, the electric bike allows today to move with a more appreciable comfort. The bike’s autonomy is much greater than that of a scooter.
Competition of Xiaomi Himo C20
The Xiaomi Himo C20, like all the electric bikes on the market, is facing a tough competition. The market of the folding electric bike is also in full progress and many references bloom. We have made a selection of the best references at attractive prices.
This sorting allowed us to make the following selection of the best folding electric bikes on the market. The Xiaomi is not included in this selection but is still a good electric bike.
As for each electric bike test, we will discuss the state aids put in place to push users to ride green. These aids are still very interesting because when combined (state aid + local authority aid) they allow a reduction of the total price of the purchase up to 500 euros.
Of course this amount varies according to your locality and also the total price of the electric bike purchased. To benefit from this aid, the buyer must provide proof of purchase, identity and residence to the services concerned. No aid is granted before purchase, this is to counter plausible scams of any kind.
To conclude
The Xiaomo Himo C20 folding electric bike meets all the expectations of everyday life. Practical, versatile, and with a good autonomy, it allows you to move almost everywhere you want. However, it is important to take into account its “made in China” origin and that some points may leave something to be desired.
The Xiaomo Himo C20 folding electric bike meets all the expectations of everyday life. Practical, versatile, and with a good autonomy, it allows you to move almost everywhere you want. However, it is important to take into account its “made in China” origin and that some points may leave something to be desired.