The Himiway Cruiser Rolls Onto The Scene With Massive Power & Range For Just $1,599

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The Himiway Cruiser raises the bar for fat tire electric mountain bikes, with massive amounts of range, a high torque motor, and lots of included accessories. At just $1,599, the Himiway Cruiser comes in at a budget price compared to many other bikes on the market, but it manages to pack an impressive amount of functionality and range into a value-priced e-bike.

Disclaimer: Himiway supplied the Cruiser free of charge to the author for the purposes of this review.

The Bike

The Cruiser enters the popular fat tire electric mountain bike segment with its aggressive stance and massive battery that promises even more range per charge. In testing the bike, we found the larger than average battery (48V/ 17.5Ah/ 840Wh) and the high-torque 750-watt motor to be a delightful combination. Our typical test routes punish e-bikes, with my 200 pound mass taking the bikes up and down hills across 16 miles with a significant amount of elevation gain, culminating in a 600 foot climb in the last mile.

Our test route puts most e-bikes to the limit, with the heavier than average rider weight and abusive terrain translating to a significant amount of pedal assist and throttle being used. The Himiway Cruiser laughs in the general direction of our test route, begging us for more abuse, more use of the throttle, and more range. I naturally obliged and found the Himiway Cruiser to not only handle many additional levels of review hell, but to do so without flinching. I rode the standard 16 mile review route several times without the battery capacity dropping a single bar of capacity. That’s impressive!

Many fat tire e-bikes come with puncture-resistant tires, and while the Himiway Cruiser does come with a set of quality Kenda tires, they are not puncture resistant. With any fat-tire bike, you have a significantly larger contact patch with the ground. That’s fantastic for stability, and the increased volume of air in the tube makes for a more comfortable ride, but it also increases the risk of punctures significantly. Just last week, I managed to catch a massive shard of glass in the rear tire on another of my fat tire bikes (even with slime in the tube), so this is a very real issue. Yes, our roads suck here. Your mileage may vary.

On the flipside, the massive Kenda tires on the Cruiser have a much meatier tread pattern than the typical Kenda Juggernauts that seem to wear out after just a few hundred miles. I’m happy about that, but I would plan to drop some tire liners in as a minimal layer of protection on the Cruiser.

The Components

The Himiway Cruiser comes to the market at a budget price with a very average suite of components that are common across e-bikes in the $1,000–2,000 price range. A 7-speed 14–28 tooth Shimano Altus gear set and derailleur provides a nice degree of flexibility on the mechanical side of things — though, I would personally prefer a slightly larger climbing gear for those rare occasions when the hills are too steep for the motor and the standard gears to overcome.

A set of Tektro Aries mechanical disc brakes with 180mm calipers is ready to step in when the time comes to slow down and felt snappy and responsive on even the most abusive engagements. Brakes are far more important on e-bikes, as they often travel farther and faster than traditional bikes.

The suspension fork up front adds an optional bit of cushion on top of the already cushy ride, thanks to the massive fat tires on the Himiway Cruiser. As a larger rider, I found myself leaving the suspension fork locked most of the time out, as it was a bit too bouncy for me, and frankly, the ride was already very comfortable.

On that note, the seat on the Cruiser is fantastic for this price point. In fact, it’s fantastic at any price point. Budget seats typically aren’t very comfortable to ride on, but the Velo soft saddle on the Cruiser is one of the most comfortable seats I’ve tested. It’s not a massive cruiser seat that feels like you’re riding down the street on a recliner, instead striking the perfect balance between comfort, ride quality, and price.

Accessories

The Cruiser comes with a robust metal and bamboo rear rack that makes it easy and affordable to add on a wide range of accessories to the bike. Himway makes a range of accessories that fit the style of their bikes, and many accessories from the broader industry can be bolted, clipped, and zipped on as well.

Himiway sells the Rock Bros Trunk Bag that clips right on to the rear rack and provides a nice bit of storage for the essentials. The Trunk Bag is well sized to fit a tool kit, tire pump, and all the essentials for most journeys. For more space, the side flaps zip open to reveal a pair of massive panniers that fold out of the otherwise unassuming flaps. The extensibility of the bag is impressive and is a great way to carry the essentials up top with the option for adding more storage if the situation calls for it.

Summary

Overall, the Himiway Cruiser is an extremely impressive offering in the affordable fat tire e-bike segment, and that’s not even taking the price into account. Assembly of the Himiway Cruiser was a bit more work than required with most e-bikes and requires a few more tools than are included in the box. The Cruiser comes with a nice folding toolset that is a great addition to a tool kit for the road, but some steps required two tools at the same time. It wasn’t a deal breaker, but I would recommend less experienced buyers seek assembly assistance from a local bike shop.

The massive torque from the Lüanxing 750 watt motor makes for a spirited ride that is unparalleled in both power and longevity, thanks to the massive 840Wh Samsung lithium battery. The Himiway Cruiser would be competitive at $1,700 or even $1,800, but the fact that it is available for just $1,599 and includes a sturdy rack makes this one of my top choices for affordable fat tire e-bikes right now.

Specs

  • Battery: 48V, 17.5Ah, 840Wh Samsung lithium battery pack
  • Range: 35-60 Miles
  • Motor: Lüanxing 750W brushless geared hub motor
  • Total Payload Capacity: 350 lbs
  • Recommended Rider Height: 5’3″ ~ 6’4″
  • Charger: 2.0 amp smart charger
  • Controller: 48V / 25A
  • Display: LCD display with USB charging
  • Weight: 72lbs
  • Pedal Assist: Intelligent 0~5 level pedal assist
  • Price: $1,599

All images credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica


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Kyle Field

I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. As an activist investor, Kyle owns long term holdings in Tesla, Lightning eMotors, Arcimoto, and SolarEdge.

Kyle Field has 1654 posts and counting. See all posts by Kyle Field