Heybike has been around the block several times in the past few years, releasing a series of progressively more refined electric bike models. The companyโs latest e-bike, the Heybike Horizon, has nailed the comfortable step-through fat tire design with a combination of performance and price that we rarely see.
Oh, and it looks pretty darn awesome too!
But of course thereโs more here than just a beautiful sunset-colored paint job. To see what I mean, check out my video review below. Then keep scrolling for all of my detailed thoughts on this awesome e-bike.
Heybike Horizon Video Review
Heybike Horizon tech specs
- Motor:ย 750W (1,200W peak-rated) rear hub motor
- Top speed:ย 32 mph (51 km/h)
- Range:ย Up to 55 miles (88 km)
- Battery:ย 48V 14.4Ah (692 Wh)
- Weight: 79.4 lb (36 kg)
- Load capacity:ย 330 lb (150 kg)
- Frame:ย 6061 aluminum alloy
- Brakes:ย Dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes
- Extras:ย LCD display, front and rear LED lights, included rear rack and full fenders, front and rear suspension, folding frame, kickstand
More than meets the eye
The Heybike Horizon is more than just a pretty paint job, though thatโs a good place to start. Just look at this thing, itโs beautiful! That red, orange, and yellow color scheme looks like a sunset melting its way across the sky. In a world of black and something-on-black bikes, this stands out in all the best ways.
But thereโs more going on here under the paint. Yes, itโs a variation of a folding fat tire e-bike, of which weโve seen countless others. But itโs also got a lot of other great features.
For example, this is an affordable full-suspension design that actually feels like decent suspension. Obviously itโs not high-end suspension, considering this is a fairly budget-oriented $1,499 electric bike. But it still feels quite good for general trail riding and off-road paths. Iโve tested other full-suspension fat tire electric bikes that were much stiffer and didnโt feel nearly as comfortable, so the Heybike Horizon definitely managed to stick the landing with decent suspension that doesnโt feel like itโs merely checking the โsuspensionโ box.
If you want something that will absorb some real bumps for everyday riding, this will do it. If youโre looking for a downhill mountain bike or hitting sweet jumps, this ainโt it.
And of course thereโs that folding feature, though I rarely find myself folding such large fat tire e-bikes. This is a nearly 80 lb bike, so even folded, itโs still a big boy.
That said, the handlebar folding mechanism is particularly useful for simply making the bike shorter. Loading it into the back of a van or SUV is easy with the bars folded down, even if you donโt fold the center mechanism โ and perhaps is even better without folding the center since you can still roll the bike around like a normal bike with the center remaining unfolded.
Iโd say that I do the handlebar fold way more often than the full fold.
I was also impressed with the disc brakes, which were actually quite grippy. Lately Iโve been noticing that some hydraulic disc brakes on budget e-bikes just arenโt as strong as they seem like they should be, perhaps due to cheaping-out on the brake compound in the brake pads. But the Heybike Horizon has crisp brakes that actually stop you quickly, so the bike gets full marks there.
And of course thereโs the performance. The 1,200W peak rated motor is no slouch, offering plenty of power and up to 80Nm of torque for hill climbing. Hitting 28 mph (45 km/h) is definitely doable.
The advertised range of 55 miles (88 km), on the other hand, is not that easily reached โ at least not by me. I tend to get a range of closer to half of that figure while Iโm heavy on the throttle. Using pedal assist would of course lengthen that figure, but the pedal assist lag on this model is quite noticeable thanks to the cadence sensor. At $1,499 though, I just donโt expect Heybike to come out of the gate swinging with a torque sensor, as thatโs a piece of kit usually found on more expensive e-bikes.
And while Iโm complaining, Iโll also say that saddle wound up irritating me more than I expected. It just started to feel weirdly hard much earlier in rides than Iโm used to. Iโve sat on just about every e-bike seat out there, and Iโve got what I can only describe as an agreeable butt โ Iโll sit on anything and not complain.
And yet here I am saying that with a good amount of pedaling, the Heybike Horizon started to feel less and less comfortable on my tush over time. Of course a simple saddle swap is just about the easiest modification someone could do โ and in fact is often the first customization many new e-bike owners make. So thatโs an easy swap, if you find the saddle not to fit your tastes on longer rides.
But the rest of the components all feel appropriate for this level of bike. The included fenders and rear rack are always great to see, and the Heybike Horizon even spoils us with fancier than usual LED lighting complete with turn signals. As usual though, Iโm not a huge fan of turn signals on bikes since they just arenโt spaced very far apart and thus can be hard to interpret, but I think theyโre better than nothing and can work in a pinch when you canโt afford to take a hand off the bars to signal with your arms.
In conclusion
Letโs sum it all up here: the Heybike Horizon is what Iโd call a great value offering in the folding full-suspension fat tire e-bike space. The 24โณ fat tires combined with the full suspension design make for a very comfortable ride over uneven terrain โ even if the saddle did tire me out on longer rides.
The power is plenty and the battery capacity is decent, matching industry standards in this category. At $1,499, Iโd call this a great deal. And when you add in that awesome color scheme, Iโm even more sold!
