Heybike Tyson E-Bike Test | Photo Rich Goodwin Mountain Weekly News
The Heybike Tyson E-Bike has been making a lot of waves. Let’s take a closer look at this model and see if it’s earned the hype!
The Heybike Tyson Folding E-bike is a commuter bike through and through, and designed for people who want easy city travel without the hassle and headache of other alternatives.
Rich Goodwin, Author and Gear Tester Talks about the Heybike Tyson Foldable E-Bike
Pros of Heybike Tyson E-Bike:
- Comfortable Ride: Full suspension, fat tires, and ergonomic design for a smooth ride.
- Powerful Motor: 750w motor with good acceleration and a top speed of 28 mph on flat terrain.
- Relatively Long Range: Up to 45-50 miles on a single charge (advertised as 55 miles).
- Safe for Commuting: Includes turn signals, brake lights, horn, hydraulic disc brakes, and a headlight.
- High Weight Capacity: Carries up to 400 lbs including rider and cargo.
- Foldable Design: Folds for easy storage and transport.
- Utility Rack: For carrying backpacks, baskets, or other cargo (may affect foldability).
- Hydraulic Disc Brakes: Powerful and low-maintenance brakes for better stopping power.
Cons of Heybike Tyson E-Bike:
- Heavy: At 77 lbs, it can be difficult to maneuver and load.
- Not Great for Hills: The geometry may not be ideal for steep hills.
- Overstated Range: Advertised range may not be achievable in all conditions.
- Battery Integrated in Frame: May be more difficult to remove or replace.
- No Option for Dual Battery: Limited ability to extend range beyond single battery.
- Price: While competitive, it’s not a budget e-bike.
About Heybike
With Heybike, I have a bit of a different origin story than a lot of bike companies. Rather than starting as a bike lover, Heybike comes from a place of wanting to fix daily commutes and make getting too and from work a lot easier.
That passion for improving travel, combined with the second founder of Heybike’s passion and knowledge about all things bike make for a powerful combination of knowledge of solid biking mechanics, and dedication to ease of movement.
Heybike produces a range of e-bikes designed specifically for commuters, with the goal of making e-bikes as affordable and accessible as possible.
Who Is This Bike Built For?
A lot of elite bike companies these days are competing for the high-end market. The people who want the maximum possible performance in the smallest possible weight, and for whom comfort is a secondary goal.
That’s not who Heybike is targeting with the Tyson.
The Tyson’s high weight capacity also makes it a good bike for people who want an alternative to shopping in a vehicle, since it’s easy to connect a basket and go. Overall, most of the key features are geared toward comfort and ease of use.
A bike is more than the sum of its parts, but the parts still give you good insight into the bike and how it’s going to perform on the street. Here are all of the most important features and how they impact this bike’s performance.
4” Fat Tires
One of the first features any potential buyer is going to notice about the Tyson e-bike are the fat tires installed on every model.
These large 4” tires are there to help ensure maximum possible comfort while you are cruising. These larger tires have impressive shock absorption but they also work surprisingly well on asphalt. Chunky tread often works to slow down a bike, but in this case it seems to work well for street cruising without causing too much friction with the road.
750W Motor
The motor on the Tyson is a bit more powerful than you’d typically expect in this price point. That translates to a longer range rather than more assistance, but it works impressively well for its design.
That said, real road testing isn’t likely to give you the 55-mile range that the company advertises, except in absolutely ideal scenario.
The pedal assist mode is definitely going to give you the longest range. However, a range of powered pedal assistance and full e-bike mode to work effectively in most situations.
The other nice feature of this model is that you can pretty reach a max speed of 28 mph on flat stretches. However, this bike’s geometry is really designed for flat surfaces, and you’ll be working a good bit more if your commute involves a lot of hills or any steep hills.
55 Mile Range
This is a little bit of an exaggeration when it comes to most real-world scenarios. But, if you’re familiar with e-bikes, that’s going to be a familiar statement. Most e-bike companies are slightly exaggerating the range of their bikes in real-world scenarios not to be inaccurate, but because of how the range is tested.
That said, a 45-50 mile range in most real-world scenarios is very reasonable from this motor, almost regardless of what mode you use the bike in.
Dual Suspension System
Suspension is probably the second biggest factor in the comfort of any bike, after the seat, and coming in just before ride geometry.
Since the Tyson has both front and rear shock suspension, still an oddity in a lot of bikes and e-bikes, you can expect a much smoother ride than average. If comfort is at the top of your list for a commuter bike, this bike combined with its super comfy saddle is potentially a good option.
Heybike Tyson Foldable Frame Design
Foldable bikes aren’t necessarily new, but this is another standout feature for some people who are looking to be able to store their bikes in small areas. If you need to be able to bring your bike into the office with you, or don’t have a garage to store it in, this feature is a good bonus.
However, a lot of users have traded foldability for adding storage to the bike, in the form of an egg crate or another basket on the back. That’s definitely an indication for us that this feature is nice for those that use it, but not necessarily a deal maker or breaker when it comes to the overall functionality and design of the bike.
Heybike Tyson Features Turn Signals
Built in turn signals are a huge advantage for this bike! Sure, lots of people do just buy turn signals to help customize and increase the safety of their bikes, but you don’t have to do that with this model.
For a city cruiser, safety features and features that make it safer to ride near traffic are super important. Especially if you’re rating the bike based on it’s out-the-box safety, this is a nice thing to see.
Loud Horn
Anytime you’re going to be in traffic, a loud horn is a good thing to have. The Tyson has a good directional and high volume horn. Of course, you never want to be in a position where you need it, it’s still nice to have.
Right Thumb Throttle
Having a thumb throttle feels like a nice touch on this e-bike. Half-hand throttles are pretty standard, and a few models are even experimenting with full-hand throttles like a motorcycle. Unfortunately, those options can make it easy to lose control, which makes this thumb throttle a nice option.
Utility Rack on Back
The utility rack on the back of this bike is a nice acknowledgement that this is a functional bike, rather than a racer. Whether you’re just using it as a rest for your backpack, decide to add a crate or other storage device, or something else, this is a nice additional feature.
That said, using the utility rack in any more permanent way does usually mean losing the foldability of the design. So, keep that in mind.
400 lbs. Total Capacity on the Heybike Tyson
400 lbs. capacity is a big claim, but fortunately on that the Tyson seems able to meet.
Remember, that’s total capacity, including the bike’s own 77lb frame. So, once you account for bodyweight, plus whatever cargo you might be hauling, you can go through 400 lbs. surprisingly quickly.
At the same time, this is still a higher-than-average capacity, and makes the Tyson a lot more versatile than some of it’s competition.
Heybike Tyson Brakes
Hydraulic disc brakes are another oddity on this bike, but they work well, and handle the weight and weight capacity of this heavier frame better than a lot of mechanical brakes. While not our first choice for featherlight high-performance bikes, on a heftier e-bike, this is exactly the kind of brake we want to see.
The brakes are responsive, work quickly, and don’t need a lot of maintenance for the average user. All good things.
Heybike Tyson Battery
The Heybike Tyson comes with a 48v 15ah battery built into the frame. In terms of battery security, life, and protection, this is probably the best option. However, it can make charging the battery, or replacing it when it loses capacity, more of a challenge. That doesn’t mean it can’t be done, but it does mean that you might need to plan a little more around charging and replacement.
That said, it would have been nice to see more options for a dual battery to extend the range of the bike if needed. It’s already got impressive range, but the potential for even more is tantalizing.
Overall Impression
For a daily rider, commuter bike, and an errand running bike, the (Heybike Tyson $1,699) does a good job and is worth the price. The additional safety features, including brake lights, flashers, turn signals, good brakes, and a horn, along with front and rear suspension are nice to see. If safety is one of your bigger concerns, this bike is a good option especially for people that plan to commute with traffic.
That said, the Tyson is definitely a product of its price point. It’s a lot better than a lot of its same-price competition, but it’s by no means a premium bike.
Related Foldable E-Bikes
Heybike Tyson E-Bike Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Comfortable ride with full suspension and fat tires
- Powerful 750w motor for good acceleration
- Relatively long range of up to 45-50 miles
Cons:
- Heavy at 77 lbs
- Not great for hills
- Overstated range of 55 miles
hi, can the tyson battery be charged while inside the folded up bike ?
Frank,
Yes that is how it charges, Directly into the frame/battery
-Mike