Disclaimer: HeyBike sent this product to us for free for a review. That does not affect our opinion about the product. In this article, we list both what we like and dislike. Read more about this here.
Is There a Full-Suspension Folding E-Bike?
Folding electric bikes have been around for a while, but they’re usually small, low range, and don’t have a lot of extra features.
Full suspension on a bicycle means both the front and rear tires use shocks or some sort of suspension system.
It’s a great thing to have on dirt roads and trails, but there aren’t very many affordable full suspension fat tire e-bikes available right now.
The HeyBike Horizon is a full suspension folding electric bicycle. There are hydraulic shocks in the front, and a Horst-link style suspension system on the back.
To answer the question. Yes, there is a full suspension folding e-bike, it’s the HeyBike Horizon.
It’s a fantastic option for e-bike riders who need a bike that folds downs to a small size for storage and transportation, but don’t want to sacrifice extra features.
See Also: Best Hitch Mount RV Bike Rack (Travel Trailer & Camper)
First Impressions
Summary
- Easy Setup
- Limited User Manual
- Shipping Damage
- Quick Battery Charging
- Powerful Motor
- Smooth Ride
The first thing you have to do with any E-bike ordered online is set it up.
Setting up the HeyBike Horizon was easy. It was already mostly put together.
It came in a giant box that weighed 95 lbs. I needed some help to move it initially, but once I got all the parts out, everything was fairly straightforward.
The HeyBike Horizon user manual has a lot of good information for putting the parts together, but there’s not much else in it.
I’m a big fan of user manuals, so I was disappointed by the lack of information for basic things like how to fold the e-bike and more detailed information on each feature.
When I took out the battery, I noticed that the part that holds it in place with the key was broken.
HeyBike quickly sent a replacement part, but for my first day of testing, I had to glue it back together.
See Also: 16 Best Portable Exercise Equipment For Travel
There were also some deep scratches in the paint on the frame, under where the battery goes.
If I had purchased the e-bike, HeyBike would’ve had me send the bike back and then sent me a new one. Since I was sent the Horizon to test and review, I decided I could live with the scratches.
Damage during shipping is very common for pretty much anything you might order.
To me, the most important thing is how easy the company is to contact and how quickly they will fix the problem.
It took HeyBike a few days to respond, but I got the help I needed in the end.
The battery is large but can still charge in just 3 hours. I took the Horizon out for a spin not long after putting it together.
I really enjoyed my first ride on the HeyBike Horizon. The motor provides a lot of power, it can go really fast, and the full suspension system works really well.
Putting aside the user manual issue and the slight damages, the HeyBike Horizon gave me a good first impression after my first day of testing.
See Also: Best Portable Power Station/Solar Generator For Camping
Features
On top of being a full suspension folding e-bike, the HeyBike Horizon has a lot of features that make it fantastic for city streets and dirt trails.
Main Features
- 1,200 watt Rear Hub Motor
- 80Nm of Torque
- 28 MPH Top Speed
- Bluetooth Connected App
- Full Suspension
- 24 inch Fat Tires
- 3 Hour Fast Charge
- Up to 55 Mile Range
- 692Wh Removable Battery
- Hydraulic Brakes
- Headlight, Brake Light & Blinkers
- Throttle
- Horn
- Automatic Lights
- LCD Display
- Rear Cargo Rack Included
- 7 Speed Shimano Gears
- Adjustable Seat & Handlebars
A Closer Look
There are a lot of outstanding features on the HeyBike Horizon. In this section, I’m going to go more into detail about some of my favorites.
Folding
Long range fat tire e-bikes are very large, which is fine for people with lots of storage space and big vehicles, but not so great for those of us with regular cars or limited storage.
That’s where the folding feature comes in handy.
Folding electric bicycles aren’t a new thing, but in the past they’ve been small and low range. The HeyBike Horizon is different.
This e-bike is large, has a huge battery, and can fold down to a small size that’s easy to throw in the trunk of an SUV or fold up and tuck away in a safe place.
We could even fit it inside a Subaru Outback when folded and laid it on its side.
See Also: Best Portable Solar Panel Charger For RV Camper/Boondocking
Both folding and unfolding the Horizon is simple. The main issue is just the size and weight.
It can feel a little bulky, but most people should be able to do it on their own.
One thing to note is the pedals fold in to get them out of the way. It didn’t say that anywhere on HeyBike’s website or manual. If you get one, remember you can fold in the pedals by pushing them in and lifting them up.
When it’s put together and locked into place, the frame feels as solid as a regular bike. HeyBike did a fantastic job with the locking mechanism.
Motor & Power
The motor is fairly standard for this range and size of e-bike. It has a lot of power and can get up to speed quickly.
It’s fantastic on hills, but if you’re a larger person, you might have trouble starting on steep hills. Otherwise, it’s been great for every hill I’ve tested.
Pedal Assist & App
In the HeyBike app, you can change the speed for each pedal assist level. You can also change the number of levels if you want something simpler.
You can also change the throttle settings. It can either go full speed whenever you use it, or follow the pedal assist level restrictions.
The app is available in the Apple and Google app stores. It’s easy to find, connect to your e-bike, and use.
The Pedal Assist sensor is they kind that senses when you are pedaling to turn on the motor, but it doesn’t test the speed or pressure.
That means the bike is going to follow the set speed for each pedal assist level. It won’t follow your pedaling speed.
If the bike is going faster than you can pedal, you can slowly pedal and the bike will keep the set speed.
See Also: Flextail Tiny Pump 2X Review – How Powerful Is It Really?
Full Suspension
Few electric bicycles have full suspension, especially not at this price point. Usually you get just the front fork suspension, or no suspension at all.
That’s what makes the Horizon different from all the other e-bikes made by HeyBike and other companies. It uses a Horst Link style suspension system to create a free floating rear tire.
Full suspension absorbs small bumps for a smoother ride and even makes braking safer.
It’s not something you usually see on standard fat tire e-bikes, and you never see a full suspension system on a folding electric bicycle.
LCD Display
Compared to other e-bikes the display on the Horizon is simple.
It shows all the basic information like battery charge levels, current speed, distance traveled, trip time, and more things like that, but you won’t be able to adjust any settings without using the App.
It’s very easy to see in any kind of light and it’s visible through polarized sunglasses (not every electric bike display can be seen through sunglasses).
You can even turn on a back light via the app to make it easier to see in sunlight.
Range & Battery
Using a large 692 watt hour lithium-ion battery, the Horizon has an advertised max range of 55 miles.
The range will vary depending on different factors like rider size, weather, pedal assist levels, terrain, and how much you pedal.
If you only use the throttle and set the bike to the max 28 miles per hour, the range is going to be a lot less.
But no matter what, the HeyBike Horizon is going to travel further than a standard small folding e-bike.
See Also: Jackery Explorer 1000 Power Station Review (For RV/Camping)
The battery is removable. Using an included key you release the battery so you can take it with you to charge.
You can also charge the battery while it’s still connected to the bike via a small port on the side of the frame.
The battery is pretty heavy. If you need to lift the HeyBike into a vehicle, you can make it easier by taking out the battery first.
It’s advertised to fast charge from 0 to 100% in just 3 hours.
Limited Edition
HeyBike is only going to make 500 Horizon e-bikes. That means if you want the full suspension and the cool paint job, you need to get one soon.
There is another similar option made by HeyBike called the Ranger S (click to view on HeyBike.com).
It’s basically the same electric bicycle but there’s no full suspension or gradient paint job.
Real Wold Testing
I can talk all day about the unique features and details HeyBike has added to the Horizon, but none of that stuff matters if it’s not a good e-bike.
I reviewed this bike during the winter. I could ride it in freezing conditions and even test it out on some snow. Then I headed south to try it out in warmer weather on dirt trails and paved bike paths.
The range seems to be accurate, the Horizon can go really far. Freezing temperatures seemed to affect it a little, but I was never able to fully drain the battery, even after long 30-40 mile bike rides.
It had no problem tackling hills and bumpy roads. I found a very steep mountain road that gave it a little trouble, but it could handle it will some pedal help from me.
Snow was actually not an issue for it either, I took it out for a spin after some fresh snowfall and it did surprisingly well. Add some winter tires to this electric bike and you’ll have a 4 season e-bike.
See Also: 16 Best Portable Exercise Equipment For Travel
The full suspension makes a huge difference. I’ve tested other fat tire e-bikes, and while the large tires help reduce road vibrations and bumps, the full suspension takes it to another level.
At one point, I hit a decent sized rock on an asphalt road. On any other bike I would’ve been knocked around pretty good, but the suspension system and fat tires just absorbed the whole rock, making it feel like just a slight bump in the road.
On dirt bike trails, the full suspension was really noticeable. It’s not an ultra smooth riding experience, but it works and makes a difference.
I think for heavier people, the Horst lever system will work even better than it does for me.
The motor is powerful and while it makes a little more noise when it’s working hard, it hasn’t given out on me yet.
Now for the main issue I found with this electric bicycle. The pedal assist sensor isn’t the best.
Like any e-bike at this price range, it always takes a few pedals to get the motor to engage. You can override this by using the throttle to get the bike going, then start pedaling while it’s in motion.
This is really common, but the issue the Horizon has is a long delay any time the throttle is released or you stop pedaling.
For example, when I’m riding around town, and I need to slow down for a road crossing, I always release the throttle or stop pedaling.
Once I know the coast is clear, I start to pedal again or use the throttle to get back up to speed.
Usually the pedal assist will kick in right away and the motor start, but if I’m going faster than 10 mph, there is always an exact 5 second delay before anything happens again.
This is especially annoying if you are using the throttle and pedaling together. Normally I can use the throttle to get to speed quickly, then flawlessly transition to pedaling.
Because of the 5 second delay, any time I release the throttle, the motor will stop for 5 seconds even if I’m already pedaling.
See Also: Best Rechargeable Headlamps Reviews (Running & Outdoor)
Sometimes, the delay is beneficial. If there’s a sharp turn, it’s nice to have the motor stopped so I can take the turn in a controlled way while pedaling the bike.
But sometimes it’s really annoying, especially if I’m riding in traffic and need to get up to speed as quickly as possible.
You can adjust the pedal sensitive levels in the phone app, and I tried every single level to fix this issue, but it never made a difference.
HeyBike sells a replacement pedal assist sensor on its website, and I might try to replace it to see if that helps, but for now I just have to live with it.
Now that I’ve gotten used to the delay, it doesn’t feel like that much of an issue, and I don’t consider it to be a deal breaker, especially because you are getting a full suspension system and folding at a really affordable price.
One thing to note is the delay is only at higher speeds. If you’re starting from a full stop the throttle will get the bike going right away, which is important for assistance to start pedaling.
The delay gets worst the faster you go, so if you like to ride at a slower speeds there won’t be hardly any delay.
But if that kind of thing will bug you, this isn’t the e-bike for you.
HeyBike Horizon Final Thoughts
Overall I think the HeyBike Horizon is one of the best deals out there at this price range.
It’s super versatile with the fat tires and full suspension system. The motor is powerful and just as good as all the other electric bicycles I’ve tried.
I was a little skeptical about the folding feature because I’ve always seen folding ebikes as better options for travelers and not every day use.
But the Horizon has proven me wrong. It folds, but there have been no sacrifices made in features and overall quality.
It feels solid, even on bumpy roads. You’d never know that there was a hinge in the frame just from riding it around.
It’s really heavy but it doesn’t feel heavy when you’re riding it. Even at high speeds it’s stable and feels safe.
The seat and handlebars are adjustable for different rider heights and there are a ton of awesome features.
I wish the pedal assist sensor was better, but it’s common for this price range to have this type of sensor.
Pros
- Full Suspension System
- Folds
- Powerful Motor
- Large Battery Capacity
- Fast Charging
- Adjustable Seat & Handlebars
- App
- Easy to Customize
- Included Rear Rack
- Replacement Parts Available Online
- Fat Tires
- Affordable
- Front & Rear Lights
Cons
- Delay in Pedal Assistance
- Very Heavy
- Must use app to customize.
Have questions about the HeyBike Horizon? Leave a comment below.
