Heybike is well-known as an entry-level electrical bike model, so what is that this firm doing constructing a mid-drive e-bike that’s leaps and bounds above something they’ve produced earlier than? That’s precisely what I wished to seek out out – and why I made a decision to turn out to be the primary to experience this newly launched e-bike.
The ALPHA was unveiled right now on the Client Electronics Present (CES), however I acquired a sneak peek on the bike final month, the place I had the prospect to spend just a few hours driving it in each metropolis and off-road environments.
However let’s begin with a spec overview, which you’ll discover just under the video of my experience under.
Heybike ALPHA Testing Video
Heybike ALPHA Tech Specs
- Motor: 500W mid-drive Galaxy motor (MiVice X700)
- Prime pace: 28 mph (45 km/h) on pedal help or 20 mph (32 km/h) on throttle
- Vary: As much as 60 miles (96 km)
- Battery: 680 Wh frame-integrated and detachable battery
- Weight: 32 kg (71 lb)
- Body: 6061 aluminum alloy
- Tires: 26x.4.0″ fats tires
- Brakes: Twin-piston hydraulic disc brakes
- Extras: Shimano Altus 8-speed shifter, torque sensor in mid-drive motor, included fenders, included rear rack, LCD show, entrance and rear LED lights, obtainable in white or black colorways
Heybike ALPHA first experience
Getting the prospect to check this e-bike out a month earlier than its launch meant that not each determination had been finalized. The throttle appears to be completely different (now it’s a half-twist), the precise brakes look barely completely different, however the main design selections are all there.
Which means it’s nonetheless acquired the primary mid-drive in Heybike’s new line of Galaxy motors, together with that torque sensor for pedal help. It’s additionally nonetheless acquired the opposite main gamers, just like the included rear rack and fenders, the sunshine bundle with flip alerts, the great colour show, the choice of a step-over and step-thru body, and so forth.
Principally, the bones are there, and so off I went to check this factor out on a mixture of off-road adventuring and metropolis cruising. The previous is what the bike is supposed for, whereas the latter is what most individuals will truly use it for.
The very first thing I seen on the ALPHA was that regardless of a 500W sticker on that motor, it’s surprisingly highly effective. The 105 Nm of torque tells a fuller image, and I used to be capable of simply climb steep hills, even ranging from relaxation.
You possibly can see within the video above how properly it climbs in a variety of conditions, together with proper up a set of stairs.
After all, one of many main advantages of a mid-drive motor is which you can downshift for additional torquey begins and hill climbs, then upshift for extra pace on the prime finish. And with the included torque sensor, the pedaling feels fairly good. There’s none of that ‘throw you again within the saddle’ feeling such as you get from a less expensive cadence sensor that triggers the entire energy supply directly. The torque sensor within the motor gives a a lot smoother and extra pure feeling expertise.
This Galaxy motor is the primary in Heybike’s upcoming line of motors that every one bear the Galaxy title. The precise producer of the motor is MiVice, which is an e-bike part maker whose manufacturing unit I’ve visited and whose high quality and precision I’ve witnessed firsthand. I’m glad to see Heybike went with such motormaker, versus one of many lesser-known manufacturers on the market.
The MiVice X700 here’s a reliable, torquey motor that places out extra energy than you’d anticipate after studying its spec sheet.
I don’t personally know the way lengthy that 680 Wh battery can final as I didn’t get the prospect to completely deplete it alone take a look at driving expertise, however I’m going to name bull hooey on the 60 miles (96 km) declare for real-world driving. Sure, I’m certain if you happen to put it within the lowest pedal help mode and pedal your coronary heart out, you could possibly get someplace close to there. However only a few individuals will experience a motorbike like this within the lowest energy mode, so the real-world vary seemingly gained’t be near 60 miles.
In reality, the inclusion of a throttle does imply many individuals (if not most) will seemingly spend chunk of their saddle time not pedaling, and as a substitute cruising round that 20 mph (32 km/h) throttle-enabled prime pace. To go quicker, as much as 28 mph (45 km/h), pedaling shall be required, however 20 mph continues to be going to really feel quick on any fats tire e-bike.
If you’re going throttle-only, you’re lacking out on the fantastic thing about that torque sensor that permits such good pedal help response, and also you’re additionally going to need a crash course in how you can experience a mid-drive e-bike. Extra particularly, you’ll need to educate your self on how you can shift a mid-drive e-bike. I made a complete video on the topic that I’d suggest. However the abstract is to let off energy briefly whereas shifting and don’t spend the whole time in your smallest (quickest) gear.
In contrast to some nicer e-bikes, the Heybike ALPHA doesn’t have a sensor to chop energy routinely when it feels you shifting gears. Which means you’ve acquired to watch out shifting underneath energy as a result of the bike shall be derailing its chain whereas the motor nonetheless pulls it throughout the sprockets. At low energy, that’s not horrible. However if you happen to’re pedaling (or throttling) tougher, the motor shall be yanking that chain prefer it’s beginning a mower. You’ll know you tousled since you’ll hear horrible chain-grinding noises because the sprocket tooth protest. So be sure to loosen up on the throttle or pedaling energy for a break up second earlier than you provoke a shift.
In reality, due to how torquey the motor is, Heybike has programmed the motor to disallow throttle begins from relaxation. There’s simply a lot torque that it will put a variety of stress on the drivetrain – particularly from the riders who ignore correct practices and depart their bike in prime gear on a regular basis. So that you’ll have to show the pedal 1 / 4 or half a rotation earlier than that throttle kicks in. That’s the draw back of a strong and high-torque mid-drive motor, particularly at a time when bicycle drivetrain parts like chains and sprockets are nonetheless catching as much as the quantity of energy that motor makers are actually placing in e-bikes.
It’s honest to say that mid-drives aren’t for many who need the only and best driving expertise – that’s the place hub motors shine. However mid-drives have many different bigger advantages that make them precious. They provide higher torque for hill climbing in low gear, they make the bike higher balanced for driving and carrying, greater effectivity driving, simpler tire adjustments, and often simply really feel extra pure.
So if it seems like I’m speaking down mid-drives, please know that that’s not the case. In reality, I want them more often than not. It’s simply that you must experience a mid-drive e-bike a bit in another way – you’ll be able to’t try utterly.
A extra luxurious driving expertise
Heybike is pushing the concept the ALPHA provides a extra luxurious driving expertise over their hub motor e-bikes, and I’m inclined to agree. This isn’t a luxurious e-bike, nevertheless it feels a lot nicer to pedal and experience like a typical bike, even if you happen to’re counting on a higher-power mode to do a lot of the laborious be just right for you.
The torque sensor nonetheless makes you are feeling such as you’re answerable for the bike whereas pedaling, and that it’s not only a motorbike beneath you.
On the similar time, you’ll be able to completely go locations you wouldn’t be capable of experience a fats tire e-bike on pedal energy alone. That torquey motor makes fast work of hills and the entrance suspension mixed with the fats tires assist the bike traverse terrain that many individuals would keep away from on their typical hybrid or commuter e-bike.
This isn’t a extremely optimized mountain bike, so don’t assume you’re going to hit the native downhill trails, nevertheless it’s nonetheless going to take most riders to some attention-grabbing locations they may not have thought of earlier than. That’s, in the event that they select to experience it off-road. Like we’ve seen previously, many “journey” bikes like these in the end turn out to be pavement prowlers, spending most of their lives within the bike lanes or cruising the native suburban streets.
And that’s effective! A significant benefit of a fats tire e-bike is that it’s merely extra comfy to experience over any terrain, whether or not that’s roots in your native nature path or potholes in your native espresso store commute.
How a lot does it value?
Right here’s the kicker – we simply don’t know but. Heybike has mentioned the ALPHA shall be “competitively priced”, and Heybike is understood for aggressively reasonably priced pricing, having produced many e-bikes within the $1,000 to $1,400 vary. Clearly, this one goes to want to value much more as a result of nicer powertrain, however Heybike has at all times finished job of protecting costs reasonably priced for the widest variety of riders.
Optimistically, we’ll hear pricing data from Heybike quickly so we are able to see the place the ALPHA suits into the market.
Till then, I can solely let you know that I used to be impressed with the experience. It labored nice for each rolling via grass and dirt-filled trails, in addition to for cruising across the metropolis on streets and bike lanes.
However sufficient of my ideas, now let’s hear what you consider the just-announced Heybike ALPHA. Hold forth within the remark part under!
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