We are very excited to have Meego enter the U.S. marketplace with the Slinker Sidewinder folding electronic bike. While Meego tried entering the electronic bike market with the brand name Lemeego a while back they ran into a few tradename issues resulting in a rebranding of their folding electronic bikes to what is now Slinker.
While the name Slinker does not have an exact definition it is coupled with a snake design in the logo and snake named electronic bikes. Upon speaking with the owner about the new name of his company he stated,
Since biking is a “social linker” between people and the outdoors we felt this new name is the perfect combination of those two words.
Owner- Jamil Liu
Regardless of the company name, Jamil is very passionate about micro-mobility and using this platform for the emerging future of the folding electronic bike category.
Slinker Sidewinder Upgraded Specs
To start, the Slinker Sidewinder folding e-bike has all the upgraded specs we desire for our Qualisports Dolphin features. The Slinker e-bikes are produced by the same manufacturer of Qualisports and share the same easy-to-fold aluminum alloy frame. While we have seen the same model offered in Canada by another company and a different brand name unfortunately they have chosen to not ship to the U.S.A.
The Slinker Sidewinder comes right out of the box with more power. The Sidewinder is equipped with a 500W MXUS rear hub motor with 900W of peak output and coupled with a larger 48V 15Ah seat post battery. While the Qualisports Dolphin has a 350W and a 36V seat post battery it tends to struggle to get past 19.3 m.ph. and heading up certain inclines. The Slinker Sidewinder is not only capable of hitting 20 m.p.h. without issue, has more torque for climbing but can also be unlocked* to easily reach speeds of 25 m.p.h.
The Sidewinder houses the rear hub motor in sporty black mag rims with 20″ x 2.4″ tires. While there is some additional weight added with the use of mag wheels versus spoked rims it is a nice, maintenance-free feature.
While the larger seat post battery provides more electrical power one feature that we really like is the double seat post clamp with a lock. The greatest expense for most electronic bikes are the batteries and given that this seat post serves a dual purpose it is critical to keep this seat post safe from theft. While we cannot say the second seat post clamp with a lock (locking clamp shown towards the end of the video below) will fully protect it, the key locking clamp does serve as a theft deterrent. Maybe a future model will include a seat post locking mechanism similar to the Fiido X.
To handle the additional speed Sidewinder has upgraded from mechanical disk brakes to NUTT hydraulic disc brakes with 160mm disc rotors. At first, you might be thinking hey aren’t NUTT brakes mostly used on e-scooters? While you would be mostly correct, the Taiwan-based NUTT hydraulic brakes are being used by some well-known e-bike brands such as the RadRover.
The Slinker Sidewinder is equipped with a thicker, longer handlebar more suited for off-road riding which this e-bike is very capable of. To add to the off-road capabilities is a suspension front fork. While this is not an air suspension with lockout it is a spring suspension front fork that will easily ease the bumps of any trail or long ride.
Gearing is important with electronic bikes because if not set up correctly the lower gears can be worthless and the higher gears ineffective when getting above the 3rd level of pedal assist. The Slinker Sidewinder made a good decision in going with a 52T front sprocket and a 14-28T rear freewheel. This gearing configuration not only allows you to ride easily without the motor in low gears but you still have something left to pedal in 7th gear and PAS 5. I still would like to see this go one more size up to a 56T front sprocket which is a similar recommendation for the Qualisports Dolphin. The 7-speed gearing is operated by a rapid-fire Shimano trigger shifter and Tourney derailleur system.
The Sidewinder uses a KT LCD-7U control panel with a USB port to display all necessary information including 5 levels of pedal assist, miles-per-hour, and battery levels, etc as well as activating cruise control and the front headlight. To the left of the display sits the thumb throttle.
Slinker Sidewinder vs Qualisports Dolphin Comparison Chart
| Model/Specs | Slinker Sidewinder | Qualisports Dolphin |
| Motor | 500W Torque 75Nm | 350W Torque 40Nm |
| Battery | 48V 15Ah | 36V 14Ah |
| Rims | Mag | Spoke |
| Brakes | Hydraulic | Mechanical |
| Fork | Spring Suspension | Rigid |
| Seat Post Lock | Yes | No |
| Weight | 59 lbs | 45 lbs |
Slinker Sidewinder Conclusion
Overall, the Slinker Sidewinder has done all the right upgrades to the Qualisports Dolphin. While these spec upgrades add to the overall weight and price of the Sidewinder vs Dolphin it is worth it. Even if we were not comparing the two electronic bikes we would still recommend the Slinker Sidewinder. If you are in the market for a high-performing e-bike that looks more like a non-motorized folding bike with a quick folding frame then visit Slinker Bikes.
Slinker Sidewinder Pricing and Specs
The Slinker Sidewinder folding e-bike is currently priced at just $1,999 USD and includes free shipping. The Sidewinder comes mostly assembled (except for the fenders and pedals), which is a bonus for buyers not looking to become bike mechanics. Please note the video below shows the assembly of the Lemeego S which is now the Slinker Sidewinder. Meego offers for all their e-bikes a 1-year warranty on the frame and components. The main features are as follows:
MOTOR MXUS Brushless geared DC Motor, 500W Hub Motor w/ KT-V12 Double Hall Speed Sensor
BATTERY 48V15AH / 720WH LG 21700 CELLS (Battery cycle lifetime is between 600 – 800 cycles)
RANGE Up to 60 Miles on Pedal-Assist or 30 Miles on Electric-Only
PEDAL ASSIST 5 levels of PAS, Walk Assist and Cruise control
LCD KT LCD-7U, with USB port
THROTTLE Yes, Thumb
GEARS Shimano RD-TY300 . Tourney 7 Speed Chainwheel – Prowheel 52T, Freewheel – Shimano 14-28T
FRAME 6061 Al-Alloy Folding Frame
FORK WB325/20″ Spring Suspension
SEAT CLAMP Double CLAMP, One With Lock
HANDLEBARS 22.2″*31.8*640mmL, 3.0mm, 6″
STEM Adjustable Height
MAX SPEED 25 mph
RIMS 20-inch Aluminum Alloy integrated wheel
TIRES CST CC-21 20×2.4/60TPI Puncture Proof
PEDALS Folding pedals
LIGHTS Fully Integrated Front Lighting, Rear Light Battery Operated
BRAKES Nutt Hydraulic Disc Brake, 160mm F/R
WEIGHT 59 lbs
FOLDING SIZE 32.6″ x 20.1″ x 27.5″
* Unlocking e-bike does void manufacturer warranty
Photos Courtesy Slinker Bikes
