We don’t know if you’re keeping track of this, but ADO have launched yet another version of their urban folding e-bike. The big change with the ADO Air 20 Ultra is an automatic three-speed motor that brings with it a refreshingly moderate increase in price.

When I tested the original ADO Air 20 in 2023, I found it to be a nice, low-faff, single-speed folder. It wasn’t the best uphill, but it had a belt drive and didn’t cost a lot.

ADO subsequently released a lighter carbon version, which Stu had a go on, and then the Air 20 Pro. Significantly, the latter gained Bafang’s H700 dual-speed hub motor, which automatically adjusts the gearbox ratio by detecting the speed of the bike. (We’ve previously tested it on the Eovolt Afternoon Pro.)

ADO Air 20 Ultra drivetrain
ADO Air 20 Ultra drivetrain (Image Credit: Ado)

This latest version, the Air 20 Ultra brings another motor upgrade, this time to the Bafang H730. This works much the same as the H700, only it’s a triple-speed. ADO says it offers 24 per cent more torque at low speeds.

As for when the gears shift, it’s apparently been set to keep the rider’s pedalling cadence at around 60 RPM. This sounds on the slower side to us, but they don’t actually state the thresholds at which it changes up and down, so it may very well not feel like that. We’ve had no real issues with how the H700 functions.

Other than that, the Air 20 Ultra largely sticks to the brand’s established template. It has a belt drive and a torque sensor and while it’s a kilogram heavier than the Pro, it still comes in under 20kg at a claimed 19kg.

ADO Air 20 Ultra folded.jpg
ADO Air 20 Ultra folded (Image Credit: Ado)

One other change is that the Air 20 Ultra also gains a magnetic latch to secure the bike when folded – a small upgrade, but potentially a very useful one as it should make carrying the folded bike a good deal easier.

Price-wise, it’s still very affordable, at £1,799. (For context, the bog standard Air 20, without mudguards or fancy automatic gears, is down to £1,099 these days.)

The website says it’s due to be available in mid-May.

adoebike.co.uk