Mando is a global automotive parts manufacturer in South Korea which has been making ABS, ESP, ECS and EPS since 1962… I’m not sure what all of those acronyms mean, besides “anti lock braking system” but that’s besides the point here. These guys have experience and are large enough to experiment and enter new fields. It’s great to see them stepping into the electric bicycle space and the Footloose is their first offering available in the USA. Please note that the unit I reviewed is a bit older, from ~2013 so don’t mix it up with newer “IM” models that feature a removable battery, integrated LED lights and improved performance. I was intrigued with the idea of a series electric bicycle (where rider pedaling charges a battery instead of moving the bike) but there were some real limitations with this design. The vision is that riders won’t have to think about shifting gears or working harder to scale hills, fight wind etc. What I experienced however was a loud, uncomfortable, very expensive folding bike that functions on easy terrain but isn’t especially satisfying. I’m optimistic that they can get this thing working better through iteration and appreciate the four color choices and quality extras like mechanical disc brakes and a color backlit LCD display. The kickstand was also a unique design but ultimately felt like more work and lower performance than traditional offerings.
Driving the Mando Footloose electric bike is a 250 watt dual winding motor. I believe the purpose of dual winding is to operate at two different speeds more optimally, the first being low speed high torque and the second being higher speed but without as much torque. This bike is designed to “switch gears” dynamically based on the terrain you encounter and I believe this motor is what’s being referred to – not actual gears. While 250 watts is the standard for electric bikes in Europe (based on laws governing power and speed), in the US this motor would be considered small. During my ride test it produced a fair amount of noise but did a solid job zipping me up to ~15 mph on flats which is the maximum advertised speed. Unlike direct-pedal electric bikes, on the Footloose you cannot pedal beyond the top drive speed because you’re really just charging the battery. The same limitation exists when climbing and I experienced this while attempting to scale a larger hill, the bike simply gave up about half way through as my momentum dissipated. I’m sure any 250 watt hub motor powered electric bike would have struggled here so that shouldn’t be the focus, what it really had me wondering is whether the motor could overheat more easily given the sealed metal casing. I couldn’t tell whether this was a second cover or the actual outside of the motor itself.
The battery powering the Mando Footloose offers 36 volts of power with 8.2 amp hours of capacity. I’d call this slightly below average for the US market but given the 250 watt motor, it’s actually a step up and should provide more power for starting and climbing. The pack uses Lithium ion batteries which cost more but deliver long lasting performance and weigh less than alternatives while avoiding “memory” from deep discharges. I’d recommend keeping the battery between 20% and 80% charged whenever possible to really maximize its life. Since it’s not removable, you’ll have to bring the Mando Footloose inside and situate it near a charging outlet on a regular basis and at ~48 pounds that could be difficult in some situations. The best storage conditions for any Lithium-ion battery is a cool and dry climate, avoid extreme heat and cold. The charging socket is located just under the folding lever near the seat tube on the right side. It’s fairly well hidden which contributes to the clean aesthetic of the bike but can be difficult to reach and plug into when the bike is not folded… Once you do scissor the frame upwards however, it becomes much more accessible. I believe the battery is built into the rear leg of the bike and this positions more weight towards the back where the hub motor is located. It’s not as rear-heavy as some ebikes I’ve tested (and the weight is low on the frame) but it’s not perfectly balanced either.
Operating this ebike is super simple at a base level but offers more drive modes than other products I’ve tested, allowing experienced users to dig in and optimize the ride. Once the battery is charged you simply press the rubberized on/off button on the LCD display which is mounted near the left grip. It’s barely reachable while still keeping your grip but not something you should need to adjust regularly while riding. Once activated, the screen comes to life and shows readouts in vivid color that are backlit for use day or night. You can see your speed, battery level, riding mode and how many calories have been burned. At any time you can activate the trigger throttle on the right bar for instant power but the real focus is pedal assist which allows you to charge the battery and have the bike respond naturally as if you were truly pedaling a bicycle. The three mode settings include motor output, energy use and pedal resistance. Here’s a quick overview of the default settings: Automatic motor output – the bike senses the terrain you’re on and provides more or less boost to keep the ride speed consistent, Eco energy use – the bike conserves energy to maximize range, Normal riding mode – pedaling offers a workout and charges the battery efficiently. I found myself immediately dropping the ride mode to easy because the pedal cadence did not feel natural at first. Downward strokes felt alright but getting past the top and bottom of each rotation arc was a struggle and had my leg strokes were surging from fast to slow, fast, slow, fast slow… once I adopted a slower overall cadence the surge decreased and I felt more comfortable. As a traditional cyclist, the slower cadence felt uncomfortable to me at first (I prefer to spin at 70+ rpm to reduce strain on my knees) but slowing down provided the added benefit of reducing noise. I kept reminding myself that the pressure required to pedal was not going to change with terrain and that helped to reduce concerns about straining my body.
With the unnatural feel and noise of an outdated piece of exercise machinery, the limited power and speed of a European specced ebike and a price tag befitting a cheap used car the Mando Footloose is a curiosity. I really appreciate the time and energy that Mando has put into producing something truly unique, people at Interbike couldn’t stop talking about the Footloose, but not everything they had to say was positive and I agree that this first iteration definitely has room for improvement. I love that the vertical folding design allows the bike to roll at all times, the mechanical disc brakes are nice and the rigid wheelset is virtually maintenance free, the carbon fiber fork improves ride quality, the clean integrated fenders add utility and the removable LCD display and security locking feature are convenient. I’m not a fan of the weight, extra steps required to change flat tires, limited suspension, non removable battery and noisy operation. Given the average consumer’s limited budget, there are many other folding ebikes which offer more utility, weigh significantly less and are more enjoyable to pedal for less money. If you do go for one of these, I’d steer clear of steep terrain and situations where you’ll be required to lift it up.
A compact, artistically designed electric bike that uses a hybrid series drive system where you pedal to charge the battery and the battery moves the bike (no chains or belts). Available in multiple color options, comes stock with front and rear fenders and a sharp…...
Dave
10 years agoThe cantilevered axles (attached on one side) allow tire change without removing the wheel. Tire changing is therefore easier than on a bike with the axle attached on both sides.
ReplyCourt Rye
10 years agoThat’s an excellent point Dave, it was brought up on the video review and just ended up being something I completely missed. I appreciate you speaking up and I’ve updated the text here and made a comment in the video.
ReplyBruce Wayne
10 years agoThat’s a pretty decent review Court. I have last year’s foldable version (I believe they also now offer a non-foldable version) in black. My Mando compliments my Stealth Bomber (which now has a rear 18 inch MX wheel with an SR241 Shinko tire i.e. Bomber is more of a beast and heavier). At first I had a hard time getting used to the pedaling and just used the throttle only. But after a few months, I grew to understand when the pedaling could really work well when negotiating rough terrain, or going up hill so that the motor doesn’t get too stressed (resulting in the control console to reset). I also rode it all winter in Canada, so pedaling allowed me to feed the battery a little bit of juice so as to not experience too much voltage sag. It is truly an amazing ebike to combine with urban subways and busses. I haven’t had one bus driver deny me entry on my longer commutes that are over 60 km. I found that the Mando was really great for the 15 km I have to ride to the Airport to transfer to a longer haul bus but is still 7 km away from my final destination (my mom’s house on the other side of the city). I would say that I would moderately pedal but 22 km with my 200 lb build and a 40 lb back pack would pretty much use up the entire battery. Of course If I switched it to Eco and pedalled at high effort setting, then yes…I could go maybe 35 km total distance. For my longer rides o 60 km, I’ll take my Stealth but then I wish I had my Mando at the other end of my destination so I could do more errands while my Stealth was charging. Often times I have this kind of set up, but If I take the Mando home, then my entire flow is messed up in combination with my Stealth usage. This week there has been a lot of ice so I stuck with my Mando exclusively. It’s been really great with the only exception that I can’t really mess on my phone on the bus or subway as I’m spending all my time paying attention to not dropping my Mando, or have anyone walk into it on the tight aisles on a bus or in a crowded subway. The Mando does surprisingly well in the snow although in really slushy snow, I got the motor and HAL connector wet, in which case I had to dry it all out and reseal everything with electrical tape. Overall build quality is excellent but the cover for the motor isn’t entirely waterproof which is a shame.
ReplyCourt Rye
10 years agoHi Bruce! Thanks for the complete overview, it’s great to hear a first hand experience with the Mondo along with some comparison to how you use the Stealth Bomber. They are very different bikes! It’s great that you appreciate them both and I agree that the Mondo does something unique and seems to be a quality build. I’m excited to see how future versions of the bike turn out :)
ReplyUDHAM SINGH SOLANKI
9 years agoI want purchase footloose cycle, but where;s shops, pls contact me.
ReplyCourt Rye
9 years agoHi UDHAM, I tested the Mondo Footloose at a shop called Motostrano which is located in Redwood City, California. They might be able to ship you one depending on where you live :)
ReplyThonginh
3 years agoHi my name is Thonginh, and I’m looking to buy mondo footloose 2013. Do you have any idea of where they have this and I live Stockton California. Do you have any idea of where it is in Stockton? thank you
ReplyCourt
3 years agoHi Thonginh, I’m not sure this company is still in business. I just tried to visit their official website, and it’s not loading. In terms of local shops, you could visit the ebike shop directory here, type Stockton California, and perhaps call them to ask about availability :)
ReplyThonginh
3 years agoI appreciate your reply, and do you have their number or website I can try? Thanks again
ReplyCourt
3 years agoSure, this is the site I had listed on the review. I believe it worked when I covered the bike in 2013 mandofootloose.com and this is a manual that I downloaded and am hosting… but it doesn’t have a phone number listed.
Now this is another website that I found by searching Google, and it appears to be the same company. It had a Korean phone number listed as 02) 6244-2114 and a link to yet another website that is in Korean :)
ReplyScott Campbell
2 years agoI have a Mando footloose Foldable Ebike. It wasn’t used for over 3 years and the bike is dead. Where can I purchase a new battery from? I am In Australia, ACT scott
ReplyCourt
2 years agoHi Scott! That’s too bad, I’ve heard the best thing to do with any lithium-ion battery is to maintain at least 50% charge and store in a cool dry environment. Maybe yours went to zero for too long and the chemistry got degraded. In any case, perhaps you can find a battery repacking service. In California USA there’s a company called FTH Power that will do it, as long as the battery is reachable and not protected by software that will shut out third party cells. I don’t know about Australia, but perhaps this info gives you a path to start exploring! I’d love to hear how it goes for you.
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