DYU D3F review: $469 MINI E-BIKE you can pack ANYWHERE!
Today we are looking at the dyud3f, this is one of those e-bikes that when it comes our way for review rest assured we are going to have a lot of fun with it and that's really what the d3f means to us it's just fun it's super compact and despite its pint-size. this tiny tike packs a ton of value especially given that it has a starting price of just 479 dollars USD now. That's what we're talking about even though the d3f has such an affordable price tag.
Learn more about DYU D3F
DYU pulled out the stops when it comes to warranty and returns the d3f comes with a 12-month comprehensive warranty and a 14-day return policy.
Shipping, on the other hand, isn't free like so many e-bikes nowadays but it does cost forty dollars for addresses within the contiguous united states it's not a deal-breaker by any means but that is something worth mentioning right.
Let's break down the specs, the d3f, as we have established, is small compact and lightweight so it makes sense that DYU paired it with an efficient 240 nominal watt rear hub motor that can propel this ride up to a top speed of 15.5 miles per hour which is pretty much as fast as I'd feel comfortable going even at this relatively low top speed the d3f feels squirrely. the wheelbase is only 44.6 inches which is great for storage but we found during testing that the narrow wheelbase does occasionally translate into some wonky. wobbliness if you know what I'm talking about and look let's not forget about.
The absolutely adorable 14-inch wheels, these smaller diameter wheels give the motor a mechanical advantage but it also increases the angle of attack.
So it's good for going up hills but it's not so good for tackling obstacles pebbles can feel like boulders one of my absolute favorite things about the d3f is and maybe this is obvious by now but it's the size it's not just small and compact but it's also lightweight at just 38 pounds and this is really important because one of the biggest selling points on the d3f is its ability to pack up and go pretty much anywhere.
And when you're bending over at funky angles trying to load up this folding bike into the trunk of your car or under your desk or wherever you plan on stowing it you really want it to be as light as possible so you're not straining your back.
It's worth noting here that the handlebars and the pedals do fold down to minimize its footprint even further, which is pretty cool. Now despite its low curb weight the d3f still has an admirable max load capacity of 265 pounds which is not bad.
The d3f also has a recess in the top of the battery compartment so you can easily carry it by the top tube this is great for storage or just picking it up.
And moving it around when you need to the 36-volt battery for the d3f is housed inside a plastic case sandwiched between the curved top tube and down tube and this battery offers 10 amp hours of electric juice for a max estimated range of around 37 miles of course heavy use of the full grip. twist throttle we'll cut that range by around half but if you plan on primarily, using the cadence sensing pedal assist you'll definitely squeeze more miles out of the battery. it's a lot like miles per gallon with a car right range goes down in the city and it goes up on the highway as the usual disclaimer goes actual mileage may vary depending on use the d3f is a single speed which means there's no derailleur and no way to switch gears with the efficient watt motor in mind; it's pretty clear that this e-bike is really best used on flat-ish roads it can handle small hills especially if you pedal but it's not overly powerful.
I love that DYU added mechanical disc brakes instead of rim brakes and I love that they have motor inhibitors built in this means whenever you depress the brake levers the motor automatically shuts off to ensure the shortest possible stopping distance this is a great safety feature there is a headlight on the d3f and while it's fairly bright you're probably gonna want to pick up an aftermarket light with around 2000 lumens for any serious night writing there's also a tail light which is pretty awesome and together these lights make for a safer ride by increasing visibility it just it makes it easier for cars and pedestrians to notice you when it comes to the display the d3f is keeping it clean and simple there's a button on the left to turn the d3f on and a button on the right to toggle the cadence sensor on and off.
If you want to activate the lights by the way just hold the button on the right side of the handlebars for about 4 seconds overall the d3f truly is a fun ride despite or maybe partly because of its squirrely nature i love how light this thing is and i love the price point.
it's so accessible it's just really rare to find a sub 500 e-bike that performs as well as the d3f does alright awesome peace that is it for the review of the DYU d3f now let's take it out for a ride.