HITWAY Folding Electric Bike Review For BK6S & BK6M Models

Disclaimer: Hitway 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 An Affordable Folding E-Bike Worth It?

Electric bicycles are amazing. They get us outside and moving; they offer fast transportation, and they’re really cool.

Like with most things, there are different price ranges depending on brand, features, quality, design and more.

Of course, the most expensive e-bike is going to be incredible, we all know that. But what about the other e-bikes out there, the ones that more of us can wrap our heads around purchasing?

Affordable e-bikes like the Hitway folding electric bike are fantastic options for people looking for electric bicycles they can cruise around on or commute to work with.

You don’t need all the bells and whistles to have a fantastic time riding an electric bike, and the Hitway is absolutely worth it if you want something that’s small, easy to transport, and has the best basic features.

In this review, I’ll go over the basic features of this great folding fat tire electric bike. I’ll talk about my experience riding it around and update this review to let you know how it’s holding up.

Hopefully, this will help you get a good idea of what an affordable e-bike is like so you can decide and choose the best option for your needs.

First Impressions

Summary

• Easy Setup
• Quick Start & User Manuals
• Good Battery Charge

First off, the Hitway folding e-bike was packed really well and came in a box that should be able to fit inside most cars.

I could carry it myself. Which is a nice change from the giant e-bikes I’ve reviewed previously that come in giant boxes that take at least two people to move.

There’s a ton of thick zip ties holding parts together and foam, so make sure you have some good wire cutters with you.

Since the tires are small, the Hitway comes with them already attached. All I had to do is put on the bike seat and put the handlebar together.

As for small parts, the pedals needed to be screwed on and there are 4 tire reflectors that need to be installed with bolts and nuts.

The reflectors took the longest amount of time to install, but after it was all said and done, the Hitway BK6S was ready to go in about 20 minutes.

There are two manuals included, a quick start that shows you how to put the bike together, and a more in-depth manual that explains how the different functions work.

I appreciate getting two manuals and they’re both very informative.

The battery had about 80% charge in it, so I could take it for a spin right away. This might not be the case for you, depending on where you get your e-bike from.

3rd party sellers may store the bike for longer, which means the battery might not be as charged when you get it. For me, it was charged enough to ride, which I appreciated.

HITWAY Folding Electric Bike EU vs USA Models

Europe has different rules regarding electric bikes than the United States. To follow the rules of each area, Hitway sells two versions of each e-bike.

We are currently in Sweden, which means we were sent the EU version.

To make this review relevant for people living in the US as well, I’m going to list the main features for both versions.

You’ll automatically get the correct option according to your location, so you don’t need to worry about accidentally getting the wrong one.

Specs EU & USA version

Measurements

Both the EU and USA Hitway folding electric bikes use the same frame and have the same overall measurements.

• Length – 66.14 in (168 cm)
• Handlebar Height – 37.8 – 42.5 in (115 – 128 cm)
• Stand Over Height – 32.3 – 40.2 in (83 – 106 cm)
• Rider Height – 65 – 77 in (165 – 195 cm)
  • Note the rider height isn’t exact. I’m 64 inches tall and the bike works great for me. It’s a fairly standard sized bike that’s perfect for shorter riders.
• Folded Size LxWxH – 37.8 x 19.7 x 29.5 in (96 x 50 x 75 cm)

Shared Basic Features

Here are some of the main things included on the Hitway folding electric bike. All these features are found in both the EU and USA models.

• Ultra Comfy Bike Seat – The bike seat is one of my favorite parts on the Hitway. It’s large, padded, has a ventilation/comfort hole in the middle, is height and angle adjustable, and it has a spring/hinge mechanism that flips it forward so you can remove or install the battery.
• Disc Brakes – Uses standard disc brakes for both the rear and front braking systems.
• Suspension System – For a smoother ride, the front tire forks have shocks. There’s also a small suspension system in the seat and the fat tires absorb most of the smaller road bumps and vibrations.
• Shimano 7-Speed Gear System – The motor in an electric bike helps a lot, but sometimes you’ll need to change gears to make starting, hills, and turns easier. Shimano makes most of the gear system on bikes like this. It’s one of the cheaper parts on the bike, but it’s something that can easily be replaced for an upgrade.
• IP54 Waterproof – You can’t ride the Hitway underwater, but it’s rated to take splashes of water and rain. I’d still be cautious when riding through deep puddles, but it’s rated to handle most weather conditions.
• LCD Display – Simple but effective. The Hitway e-bike has a small display on the left handlebar. It’s simple, has a back light, and is easy to see in sunlight and with sunglasses on. There aren’t a ton of adjustments you can make, but it has all the basics like pedal assist levels, battery level, speed, trip distance, battery voltage, odometer, and various warnings.
• Lights – You get both a headlight and a brake light and various reflectors on the sides, front, and back.
• Hub Motor – The motors are of different sizes depending on where you are, but they are both hub motors, which is very common for this range of electric bicycle.
• Cushioned Rear Seat/Rack – Included with purchase is a rear rack with a little twist. Hitway attached a little seat cushion to it. It’s removable but also very comfy to sit on if you’re taking a break and need a nice place to sit.
• Fat Tires – They’re small, only 20 inches in diameter, but the Hitway BK6M/BK6S comes with fat tires that are 3 inches wide. They absorb small bumps, rocks, and road vibrations. The smaller tire size takes some getting used to when maneuvering, but they’re really nice when it’s time to fold it up and put it away.
• Mudguards – It’s rated to handle rain and puddles, so you’ll need some protection. Front and rear tire fenders are included with purchase, and they come mostly installed.

HITWAY BK6S/BK6M Review

After some initial testing and taking the Hitway folding e-bike on some rides, I’m happy with the performance of this affordable basic electric bike.

There are a few features that make it a budget friendly option. I’ll go over those things first.

Budget Parts

You will not save money without sacrificing a few things. Hitway has done a good job making a great e-bike but expect some parts to be made of plastic instead of metal.

For instance, the tire spokes and pedals are plastic. It seems like they’ll hold up over time, but it’s something I noticed right away.

The Shimano 7-speed gear shifter is very simple, but I actually like it since it’s really easy to use and understand. It shifts up smoothly, but shifting down into lower gears is a little clunky, especially if you’re going up a hill.

You shouldn’t need to shift very often since the motor does all the work. It’s also an easy fix if you want to swap it out for something better.

The disc brakes are a must have for the high speeds this bike is capable of. The first few times I rode it, they were a little uneven and would catch a little, especially the front brake. It stops, but not smoothly. This issue seems to be getting better though.

I tightened the brake cables a little and they’re wearing down more evenly. It definitely breaks smoother now than when I first got the bike.

LCD Display & Settings

This is the 4th and most budget friendly e-bike I’ve tested so far, and one of the main differences between this bike and the others is the display and setting adjustments.

Most of the higher priced electric bikes come with a larger display, more buttons, and an app so you can connect it to your phone.

The Hitway has none of these things, but what it has is the necessities, and it’s really all you need.

Assist Levels

You get 3 buttons: power, +, and -. Press the power to turn the bike on, press the + or – to adjust the motor assist levels.

Level 0 is no assist, 1 is 15 km/h, 2 is 20 km/h and 3 is 25 km/h.

For the USA, version level 0 is no assist, 1 is 10 mph, 2 is 15 mph, 3 is 20 mph. You can also use the throttle and use the bike with no pedaling at all. I wish the EU version had this as well, but currently it’s not allowed here.

If you hold down the – button on either version of the Hitway folding electric bike, it will go into an assisted walk mode. The motor takes the bike to waking speed so you can walk with the bike and not have to push it.

Speed Display

When I first started riding the Hitway, I noticed that once the bike reached the max speed of the assist level I was on, it wouldn’t show anything past that.

For instance, when I was riding down hills I knew the bike was going way faster than 25 km/h, but the speedometer still showed 25.

There are 3 speed display options; average speed (AVG), max speed (MAX), and current speed (SPEED).

You can change the setting by pressing the power and + buttons at the same time.

I’ve tried to fix the speedometer reading cap by changing the settings, but so far it really won’t show the speed past the speed for the pedal assist level you’re on.

It will show speeds below that, but not above.

This isn’t necessarily a deal breaker for me, since you won’t be taking past level 3 speeds very often anyway.

You can barely pedal in the highest gear going 25 km/h (20 mph). It’s only really noticeable down hills.

Trip/Mileage Display

On the bottom of the LCD screen there’s the classic total mileage (ODO), trip mileage (TRIP), time since powered on (TIME) and current battery voltage (VOL).

I usually opt for the ODO or TRIP display. You can easily switch between settings by pressing the power button.

Headlight & Bike Status Display

Finally, there’s the headlight which can be turned on or off by long pressing the + button.

There are also some symbols that will appear when the headlight is on, brake is being pressed, or the motor has failed.

Thoughts On HITWAY Display

Sure, it’s nice to adjust the motor assist speeds and pedal sensitivity sometimes, but most people don’t usually take advantage of those options and the super advanced technology seems to be a lot for a bicycle.

If you’re someone who likes to adjust every little thing, this isn’t the e-bike for you. If you’re someone who just wants something that will work right away and do the job, the Hitway is a fantastic choice.

It’s simple, all the instructions you need can be found above or in the manual, and it’s really easy to see at night, in sunlight, and with sunglasses on.

I once tested a bike with a display that couldn’t be seen through polarized glasses. Being able to see the display easily at all times is a key element to a good electric bike.

Folding & Portability

The Hitway BK6S and BK6M e-bikes are made specifically for portability and storage. It’s got smaller tires and a smaller motor for that reason, so it should be lightweight, and it is.

The bike on its own weighs only 25.3 kg (55.8 lbs). It’s still heavy when compared to a traditional bike, but I’ve tested e-bikes that were in the +80 lbs range, and that extra 25 lbs makes a huge difference.

First off, the folding part is really simple. Just fold down the handlebar, tuck in the pedals, and fold the bike together.

There’s a metal bar at the base of the frame that helps keep the bike standing when it’s folded. It also protects the wires down there.

It easily fit in the back of our small Toyota Yaris. Which is a huge plus for us since e-bikes usually require a heavy duty specialized bike rack, which we don’t have.

Battery

All the e-bikes I’ve tested and reviewed have used frame mounted batteries, but the Hitway has the battery mounted vertically on the bike seat tube.

The bike seat gets in the way when you try to pull out the battery, so Hitway has added a small lever to the seat you pull up on to fold the bike seat away from the battery.

It’s a neat innovation, and it works great. The only downside is if you get a different bike seat, the battery won’t be as easy to remove.

But you don’t have to remove the battery to charge it, so you may never end up doing it anyway.

There’s a key slot on the battery. You use the key to turn on the battery. So if you get your new Hitway folding e-bike and it doesn’t turn on when you hold down the power button on the display, don’t be alarmed, the key just needs to be turned to the “on” position.

This means the key needs to be in the battery to operate the bike motor.

To remove the battery, you push in the key and turn it to the unlock position. You can then pull out the battery.

To install the battery, make sure you line it up with the rail system and push until it clicks into place.

Pedal Assist Sensitivity

I’d like to mention the pedal sensitivity on the Hitway folding e-bike. Some of the previous electric bikes I tested had issues with this.

A good e-bike will engage the motor before you’ve completed an entire pedal rotation. The Hitway does this flawlessly. We’ll see how well the sensors hold up after more milage and testing, but initially it’s really great.

Better than some of the more expensive bikes I’ve tried.

I haven’t tested the throttle version, but I’m guessing it’s pretty responsive as well since it uses the same system to tell the motor when to engage.

Range

Last but not least, how far can the Hitway go before the battery dies? I weigh around 125 lbs and it could take me 41 km (25.5 miles).

I was going full speed and mostly on hilly dirt roads. So I’m guessing it can go a little further on paved roads.

Hitway says in the manual that they tested 75 kg (165 lbs) at 25°C (77°F) at the highest setting and they made it 35 km.

So the range is pretty close if not better than what they advertise, which is good.

Buy This If You

• Want an affordable entry level e-bike that works well and has all the basic features.
• Want something portable and easy to store.
• Want a good suspension system and fat tires.
• Need something for dirt roads, paved roads, trails, and city bike trails.
• Like a simple display with no complicated settings.

Don’t Buy This If You

• Want an e-bike that can go faster than 25 mph (USA version) 25 km/h (European version).
• Want a bike with tons of adjustable settings or a smartphone app.
• Want to mountain bike (larger tires will be way better for that).
• Expect to get all metal and aluminum parts.
• Prefer frame motors over hub ones.

Final Thoughts & Updates

So far I’ve ridden this bike about 100 km (62 miles). That’s not super far, but I’m going to keep riding it and updating as I go.

I mostly take it on dirt roads with lots of hills, which means the motor is working hard, and it’s dealing with a lot of bumps and rocks.

If the Hitway keeps working the way it is now, I’d say it’s a fantastic e-bike. It has a smooth ride; the pedal assist works really well, even up hills. It’s simple and I like the small tires more than I thought I would.

I can pick it up myself, it folds really fast, and it fits in the trunk of my car, in some ways I actually prefer this smaller style vs the larger electric bikes that are a little more similar to small mopeds.

This might not be the e-bike of choice for everyone, but if you’re looking for a small tire, lightweight, folding e-bike that’s very affordable, the Hitway BK6S/BK6M is an excellent choice.

Have any questions? Leave a comment below.