Heybike Electric Bike for Adults, 750W Peak Brushless Motor, up to 40Miles, 22mph Max Speed Electric Mountain Bike, 480WH Removable Battery Ebike, 27.5'' Tires, 7-Speed and Front Suspension

I'm going to list the Cons before the Pros, just because this is going to be a long review and I want to make sure people are aware of any potential problems, but I want to point out that despite the Cons, this bike is still worth a 5/5 from me, with the primary reason being the price: I spent literally dozens of hours searching and this was the only bike with a motor and battery this good for this price, from a proper Brand that can be contacted reliably for support.Issue:The most common issue, which based on reviews here and elsewhere seems to be happening to 1 in 20 people lately, is the packing plastic spacer on the left side of the front wheel breaking, leaving plastic wedged into the axle without anything protruding to grab the plastic by to pull it out, preventing you from putting the quick release rod through the axle in order to put the wheel on the bike. If this happens to you, heybike will send you a video instructing you to simply ram the quick release rod through the axle to push out the piece of plastic. Based on other people's comments on videos, that seemed to work for most people. But if you happen to be very unfortunate, like me, and the plastic is wedged in there so bad that you actually bend the quick release rod in the process of ramming it for hours, then fear not. When I had that problem, I contacted support and they send me a new quick release rod, which took a week to arrive. This inconvenience cost me an opportunity, but I'll cut them some slack because it's still a great bike.Shipping CostAnother con is that the company does not cover the return shipping cost if you end up having to send the whole bike back. According to their policy in the book that came with the bike, you will be responsible for paying the shipping cost on returns. However, you do not have to pay the shipping cost on replacement parts if something arrives faulty. Most of the time if there's a problem on arrival, it's just a part, not the bike frame, so that should be fine.DisplayAnd, as usual, the built-in speedometer says you're going a little faster than you really are. Apparently it's typical for manufacturers' displays to present a speed that is 10-20% faster than reality in order to upsell their bikes, so I wasn't too upset to see that this bike was showing speeds around 5-10% faster than my phone GPS was giving me. Other than that, the display looks good, it's bright and can be adjusted for visibility at day and night, and it's easy to use. More expensive bikes will come with more customization options on their displays, but bikes in this price range tend to have basic displays, and this one is still better than average.BatteryThe battery life is great. Most e-bikes only get about half of the range they say they do, but this bike can actually get a little MORE than what they say it gets. They state 30-40 miles to a charge. The parts I needed only just arrived, so I haven't gotten a chance to deplete the battery yet, but at 10 miles of riding in pedal assist 3 mode with my speed generally between 12-20 mph, I only took the battery down to 80%, so that might mean 45-50 miles to a charge. And I weigh 215 pounds, so if I can get that kind of range, you'll probably have no problem. Expect 25-30 miles of range on throttle, 40-60 with pedaling.The battery's charge indicator leaves some to be desired, as when it is fully charged it will have 2 red lights and 3 green lights. At first glance one might think that means 60% charge, but it does in fact mean full charge. The battery can be locked to the frame with a key, which is important to prevent people from stealing the battery off of the bike, though you will still need a bike lock to protect the bike so they don't just steal the whole entire thing. Get a U-lock to go around the frame, not a cord lock which can be cut. There's a reason U-locks come with theft protection and cord locks don't.MotorThe 500W motor, as used by this bike, should be the new standard for e-bikes. In Europe the limit is 350W, so I understand why people make them, but if you live in the US like me, then you can use a 750W in most places, and 500W pretty much anywhere. I weigh 215 pounds, and the motor was enough to bring me up to 19.8 mph in a few seconds, and a few more seconds of rigorous pedaling got it up to 23 mph, which felt faster than I was expecting it to. Most places limit e-bikes to 20 mph, and this will get you to that.ComfortThe handlebar grips are a nice touch, the front suspension is better than nothing, and the seat is a little wider than a typical bike seat, but still pretty basic. These were nice touches that you wouldn't normally see on a bike this price, and it shows that they wanted this to be a finished product, not just the bare minimum that they could get out the door. If you weigh 200+ pounds and plan on riding dozens of miles, hopping curbs, and riding on the undermaintenanced roads and sidewalks that a lot of us are subjected to, then you might still want to buy a more comfortable bike seat and upgrade your suspension, but if you're just an average 140-pounds, it will probably be good for you.SizeThis is a big bike; bigger than I was expecting. The 5'4-6'4 height range sounds accurate. If you're shorter than 5'4, then when the bike isn't moving, you'll have to lean over on one foot because you're not touching the ground with both feet at the same time. At 5'9 the bike feels great, and it still has a lot of room to raise the seat more.BrakesThe brakes are plenty strong enough to stop the bike fast.Night VisibilityThe stock headlight is good enough for city riding. If you were going somewhere with no lighting at all, you'd probably want a stronger headlight to feel safe going full speed knowing what lies ahead. The tail light is bright and adjustable, so drivers know you're there. As standard, it's got reflectors on the wheels so people on the side can see you at night too.LooksThe bike looks great. If you want your bike to look like a bike, this bike is for you.WeightIt's heavy, like all e-bikes. For a bike this big, with this powerful of a motor and this big of a battery, it's actually lighter than average, but if you're a smaller person then you might want to just go ahead and buy a smaller and lighter bike, because I imagine this would be difficult for a smaller person to pick up and carry.SupportTheir phone support answers fast, but it is a bit limited and feels like it's only there to receive calls, not resolve them; after you tell them what your problem is they'll redirect you to their e-mail support which will take longer to respond (12-48 hours), but they were helpful and they answered my questions and helped solve my problem.Lately, this bike has been going on sale for $500-800. If you can get this bike for $700 or less, get it. The only bikes with comparable specs for cheaper than $600, are from companies that don't even exist or drop-shippers that can't provide proper support if anything goes wrong. And most reputable sellers with bikes this good are charging a lot more for them. Based on their website, it looks like they're moving on to more expensive bikes with fancier designs, so this might be your last chance to get something standard and classic like this from Heybike.__________Update:I've got 320 miles on the bike so far, and it's running great. I've gone over some sketchy stretches of road and I was really worried about the tires when I heard the sounds of metal and glass pieces flying out from under them, but there are no punctures and everything's still fine. I've heard that stock tires on bikes tend to be cheap, but these seem like some good tires and I'm happy with them so far. The traction is great, and when I apply the brakes fully from full speed, the only thing that slips is my own body as I brace for the deceleration. And speaking of the brakes, they work great, and they were silent at first, but I've gotten them pretty dirty from doing deliveries in the rain, and they're starting to squeal; I'll need to get some brake cleaner and scrub off the brake pads, but other than that the brakes are good. The waterproofing on the motor and battery seems to work well enough; I've ridden in the rain for hours and I've gone through lots of sitting water at 20 mph, and it hasn't gotten into anything. Just remember to keep those rubber covers squeezed tight into the ports on your battery and you'll be fine in the rain. I bought a more comfortable seat with suspension, and that combined with the front suspension is working great to cushion me on long rides on choppy roads. I adjusted the front suspension to a level that works good for me, and I really appreciate that that's an option. Also, it took me a few weeks to get my legs back in shape, but now that I'm used to it, this bike actually works great for regular pedaling as well. A common problem with most heavy fat tire ebikes is that their weight and resistance makes them difficult to pedal without motor assistance. But I've done a lot of riding with the motor turned off, and I can maintain 17 mph without the motor when I'm on good roads, though it definitely helps to use the motor to get up to 20, then turn the assist down to 0 and use my legs to maintain speed and save the battery, since I sometimes do deliveries for 4-6 hours before taking a break to recharge the battery.I've also gotten a lot of compliments from strangers about the bike, and that's fun.

**EDIT UPDATE** from 3 to 5 stars807 Miles Driven (Delivered & Assembled 9/28/2024)Repairs & Costs:Repairs so far: 2 new tires, tubes, liners, brake adjustments, derailleur adjustmentsTotal repair cost: $260+My Riding Experience:My main goal in purchasing the Heybike Race Max was to have an e-bike that could truly be ridden as a regular bike. I joke that I wanted a "heavy bike with a free Uber ride home"—something that I could pedal without motor assistance and still rely on the motor when crossing intersections, dealing with traffic, or when I was too tired or injured to keep going.After 807 miles, despite the need for some repairs, this bike has proven itself capable of meeting that goal. It functions well as a traditional bike without the motor, and having the motor for backup has been incredibly useful on longer rides.Performance Overview:Max motor-only speed: 26.5 mph on flat, straight surfacesBattery range (12.5 AH):Motor-only (mostly flat city terrain): ~24 milesPedal Assist (PAS): 66.9 miles with 2 bars remaining (1 yellow, 1 red)Total weight of everything including bike, gear, and rider: 252-256 lbsTop downhill speed: 35 mphCustomization & Features:Settings: Easily customizable to unlock certain restrictions or adjust tire sizes.Best upgrade: Switching from 3 to 5 PAS levels. It doesn’t increase speed but offers more flexibility in setting "cruise control" speeds.Customer Service:Response time: Quick, but follow-through is lacking. I reported a front wheel issue and rubbing brakes, and after sending videos and photos, they promised to send a replacement wheel. However, they haven’t followed up yet. I’ll update this review if they deliver on that or help improve upon the quality issues I've experienced because they really are what are driving down the stars.***Edit 10/25 they pulled thru and made the situation right. I still wish a few things were built / setup better but overall for the price point and for a first time e-bike rider looking for something specific i described above this met all the goals. Today I rode over 70 miles without turning the motor on once, so I could have gone another 25-50 miles if I had wanted to utilizing the motor.***Spare Parts:Spare parts issue: Ordering replacement parts like batteries isn’t straightforward. I was told to add random items to my cart until I hit $150, which doesn’t seem like a secure or reliable process.Cons:Brakes: Despite adjustments, the brakes still rub, and neither wheel is true. The stopping power isn’t great, and once you’ve experienced hydraulic brakes on an e-bike, it’s hard to go back. On steep hills, the bike gained speed quickly, and the brakes became less effective, especially the front.Miscellaneous noises: There’s occasional rattling, particularly from the battery. It doesn’t feel securely mounted, so I’ve had to use bungee cords and my bike lock to keep it from shaking.Suspension: The front suspension is poor, even on flat terrain. My old Walmart bike had better suspension, and when I test-drove a $1,500 e-bike with the suspension off, it still felt smoother than this bike with the suspension on.Build quality: The overall build quality is lacking, and there are no fenders. I wouldn’t recommend riding in the rain or in wet environments.Shifter/Gears: More gears would have been helpful. At speeds over 20 mph, the drivetrain doesn’t offer much benefit.Tires & Tubes: Stock items were very poor quality. I replaced the rear tire around the 280 mile mark when both the tubes had repeatedly gone flat and could no longer be patched. Others indicated in the reviews they were given replacements I was not as fortunate.Pros:Speed & Range: For the price, the bike delivers decent speed and range, which suits my long-distance riding goals.LCD Screen: The screen is simple but bright enough for daylight use.Speedometer Accuracy: The speedometer has been accurate in my tests using GPS and radar. For example, the bike’s speedometer showed 20 mph when I passed a traffic radar detector, and my GPS read around 20.8 mph.Shifter: When properly adjusted, the shifter works well. With practice, it shifts smoothly.Pedal-Only Riding: The bike rides like a regular bike without motor assistance, which is exactly what I wanted—perfect for when I want a workout or need to conserve battery.Easy to Customize: Adding accessories, rear racks, or mounts is simple, thanks to the pre-drilled holes. Standard bike accessories fit easily.Final Thoughts:The core e-bike components—battery, motor, controller, and screen—work well for the price. The bike’s ability to function as a traditional bike without motor assistance has met my primary goal. However, the build quality of the frame and components could be better. If this kit had been paired with a slightly better-quality bike, it would be a no-regrets purchase.For those with some mechanical knowledge and patience, you might be better off purchasing a high-quality bike and adding an e-bike kit. But for those looking for decent speed, range, and affordability, this bike can still be a good fit.I’ve ridden thousands of miles on my HeyBike Race Max, and it’s proven to be a durable bike as long as you take care of it. Maintenance is fairly easy, and when I can’t handle something myself, my local shop fixes it for a reasonable price. The power is still just as strong as when I first bought it, which is great. I’ve also interacted with HeyBike’s support recently, and they were responsive and helpful. I’ve recommended this bike to others and seen them around.