Here is how it happened. With the Heybike Explore, you get the best of both worlds.
The Heybikes Explore is a tough little folding e-bike with thick tires, a strong motor, and a reliable battery. We weren’t sure what to think when we initially agreed to test it out. Was it intended for cities or trails? We made the decision to simply utilize it for everything and see what transpired.
The Explore is a class 2 e-bike that, at its highest pedal-assist setting, can travel at about 28 mph. It includes a 48V 20Ah battery that charges in around six to seven hours and a 750-watt brushless rear motor.
| Frame Material | ‎Aluminum |
| Gears | 7-Speed Shimano |
| Motor | 750W |
| Tire | 26" x 4" Fat Tire |
| Suspension | Front & Seat |
| Recommended Heightd Use | 5'9"-6'6" |
| Frame Types | Step-thru Frame |
| Battery | 48V 20AH |
| Speed | 28 mph |
| Estimated Max Range | 55miles(Throttle)/70miles(PAS) |
Heybike Explore: Design and Build Quality
The bike is easy to use out of the box. With a straightforward lever on the top tube, it folds in half and snaps together quickly and securely. The seat is movable and can be set up to accommodate the majority of riders. The bike’s entire package size may be reduced to 37 by 15 inches by removing the seat and easily adjustable handlebars, making it easier to travel.
Additionally, it includes a variety of add-ons, including a sturdy rear rack. The maximum weight on the entire rack is 330 pounds, while the maximum load on the rear rack is 100 pounds.
The Explore’s backlit multifunction display is prominently located on the handlebars and shows the battery level, speed, pedal assist level, odometer, wattmeter, and an on/off light indicator. Additionally, you can adjust a number of options here to suit your riding preferences. I’ve got it set up for nine various levels of pedal assistance, as you can see from the display up there, which makes for a pretty enjoyable riding experience. You can look at the handbook here if you want to learn more about all the options. Choosing a white background with a black background makes the display much easier to read, especially in bright sunshine.
We took Explore to the beach for the initial test. There are many different types of surfaces, such as sand, asphalt, wooden planks, dirt, etc. Additionally, there are a lot of people that we must duck under to check the steering, which is pretty nimble. It rode smoothly on sand and all other surfaces.
The four-inch wide, puncture-resistant 26-inch fat tires are a good size for absorbing anything from potholes and tree roots. There is front suspension as well as seat suspension to reduce further reverberations. The suspension also results in a lockout for city use.
The Explore’s front fork includes integrated suspension that enhances shock absorption and provides a smooth ride. Depending on your option, the suspension fork can be locked out as a rigid fork, which results in higher pedaling efficiency. The suspension fork offers 80mm of travel to help cushion bumps during the ride. To completely lock out the suspension fork’s travel, turn the lockout lever counterclockwise until it stops, which is positioned on top of the right side of the suspension fork. Turn the knob clockwise until it stops to unlock the lockout lever.
Shimano’s seven-speed drivetrain features a straightforward but efficient thumb shifter.
Explore has a lot to offer if you’re searching for an e-bike that may offer a variety of riding chances that lean more toward the recreational end of the spectrum.
Here is what I mean when I say the best of both worlds. I rode the Explore to work one exceptionally beautiful spring day; it’s a pretty long 10-mile trip via a variety of large metropolitan streets and separated bike lanes. The Explore could handle the job. With a visible indication of speed, help level, and speed, the pedal assistance was simple to change on the go. The disc brakes worked effectively. I also liked how loud the horn was. There is also built-in illumination for the front and back. So on days with favorable weather, this can serve as a commuter. And riding it is enjoyable.
The bicycle may easily fit inside a relatively small vehicle.
I collapsed the Explore and placed it in the trunk of my small automobile after work. I had to travel by car to the countryside, so I rode my bike on some doubletrack trails in a nearby park while I waited to get home. I did attempt to use it on some more difficult singletrack, but the number of tree roots made it uncomfortable. However, traveling on the doubletrack was a delight; climbing and descending the hills was simple.
Heybike Explore: Motor and Battery
The 750 watt brushless motor in the Heybike Explore delivers a tremendous amount of torque and power. The bike almost did a wheelie because the pedal assist’s factory settings were far too aggressive for such a powerful power plant. However, once the settings are perfected, the motor provides steady, powerful, and quick power both on and off road.
Looking for a bike with a fun emphasis that can do a little bit of everything? Explore might be that choice. I rode the Explore bike to a few ultimate frisbee matches, commuted to work several times, and ran errands in the area during the testing period. In addition, I really liked taking it on weekend adventures on the trails outside the city, along the cottage road, and into town. It offers a great deal. It’s also a great deal of fun as a really practical and simple leisure choice.
E-bikes encourage individuals to spend more time outside exercising instead of sitting in cars or at home. And in that regard, Explore is amazing. It is only constrained by the weather, but if your lifestyle matches that description, Explore is incomparable – especially when cost is an issue.
Right now, this strong folding e-bike with a Shimano transmission, big tires, and more costs just over $1,500. That is amazingly inexpensive for this combo. So perhaps it makes sense to buy a Explore and keep it around for running errands on a daily basis, the occasional commute to work, having fun on the trails, and going up to the cottage on the weekends.
It should be taken into account that the bike itself weighs 66 pounds, making it difficult to pull into and out of a car trunk. If weight is a concern, the ideal user should have a ground-level outdoor storage space, such as a shed.
The 48V 20AH detachable battery that powers the Heybike Explore allows riders to cover distances of up to 55 miles when using only the throttle and up to 70 miles when employing pedal assistance. Although these figures are estimations, testing showed that they are quite close. Of course, there are many variables that affect range, including rider and cargo weight, tire pressure, terrain, wind, and temperature. Heybike’s decision to include a larger-than-normal battery offers the bike greater power and increases its potential to outdistance many other eBikes now on the market.
The Explore bike’s battery life ranges from 50 to 68 miles, which is good but not ideal in this day and age when batteries are lasting longer and longer, especially for people like myself who rely heavily on their motor after a long day at the office. However, as it has an external battery, charging can be done inside the office while the bike is secured outside.
Under the seat, in a bracket, is an external battery. It is simple to remove and charge and operates using a key. I advise generating a second copy just to be safe since it comes with two keys. A wonderful little feature on the battery is a USB charging connector.
The intended market for this bike is not commuters who use their bikes in all weather and seasons because the bike is not waterproof.
The ride was fast, steady, and smooth while cruising. On flat straightaways, I could reach speeds of 26 mph using only the throttle; with the addition of pedal force, I could reach speeds of about 28 mph; however, maintaining that pace for any length of time required a lot of effort. The Heybike Explore’s huge capacity battery is one of its better features; it easily handled a 45-mile ride with plenty of power to spare. The fact that you don’t have to worry about whether you’ll have enough battery to go to your destination and back home again makes this eBike a pleasure to ride around on.
Heybike Explore: Conclusions
In the end, I was pleased with the Explore model from Heybike’s versatility. Riders can get a lot in a bundle that is quite reasonably priced.
I like being able to fold the bike and store it in the trunk for weekend trips so I can use it for all the fun moments, some commuting, and running errands around the neighborhood. Even two could fit for a romantic getaway.
We’re not familiar with Heybike, but I’m delighted to inform you that it arrives swiftly, has a support staff, and comes with a two-year warranty.
Even though I feel that Heybike’s brakes should have been better, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend the Explore. The Heybike Explore is a lot of fun to ride because to its strong motor, quick speeds, large capacity battery, and comfortable ride. It would make a great daily ride, fantastic commuter, and even a worthy bike packing eBike.
