Flyer 860 Electric Bike Review

If you want a high-quality, sleek, and zippy folding electric cargo bike that sidesteps the clunky shifting problems that plague most e-bikes, you’ve come to the right place! We just had the pleasure of testing Flyer’s 860 Folding Cargo Electric Bike. It was a treat to ride and look at.

About Flyer 

Founded in 1917 by Antonio Pasin as the manufacturer of the Original Little Red Wagon, Flyer is now branching out into the world of adult mobility. Their fleet now includes scooters, cargo bikes, cruiser bikes, and commuter bikes. We were fortunate to test their new 860 folding cargo electric bike.

Flyer is the adult line of electric bikes from the iconic American manufacturer, Radio Flyer, best known for their Original Little Red Wagon. With over a billion Radio Flyer wheels on the road, Flyer has a century of experience building beautiful rides. We agree that Flyer e-bikes are a great everyday solution that infuses fun and function into micromobility. Read our comprehensive review below to see how this model stacks up against the fierce competition among folding cargo e-bikes.

Frame Size

The Flyer 860 Folding Cargo E-Bike comes in just one size that fits adults from 4’11″ – 6’4″. Ordering one is further simplified by the free shipping and the 30-day free trial. Customizing the bike is easy whether you want to choose the frame color, add a kid carrier, cargo storage, or safety features such as a bike lock or mirror. One of the best parts of ordering is that the bike will ship in 2 business days.

The bike’s step-through-esque frame makes hopping on and off for errands effortless. The frame can carry 300 pounds and the rear rack can carry an astonishing 80 pounds. The quick-release seat post makes it easy to share the bike with friends as well as do on-the-fly changes. Surprisingly, the lack of suspension is well compensated by the comfy seat and wide tires. Together, these features do a decent job absorbing vibrations whether from cracked city streets or grassy park shortcuts. 

Motor and Battery

The battery is seamlessly located behind the downtube while the brushless motor is hidden in the rear hub of the Flyer 860 Foldable E-Bike. The 350W brushless hub motor provides a ton of oomph and feels like a 500W motor likely due to the bike only weighing 53 pounds. The bike has a top speed of 20 mph with and without pedaling. You can take advantage of the motor via the throttle (located on the right side) or five pedal assist levels (one being the least assist and five being the most assist). We were super happy with the peppiness of the pedal assist. We were also stoked with how the motor seems to slowly fade off when you stop pedaling as opposed to laggingly staying on like on some of the other bikes we’ve tested. Besides the kickstand review, the only other thing we’d ask the Flyer team to double-check is the motor’s performance at top speed. We thought we felt it juggling between different power levels whilst we were pedaling at 20mph i.e. we’d be pedaling at a consistent pace and torque yet it felt like the motor was occasionally lurching us ever so slightly forward. Possibly the wind, but worth investigating.

The 48V, 10Ah UL-2271-tested removable battery’s position behind the downtube adds to the bike’s overall stability and low center of gravity. The low center of gravity makes the bike a joy to wiggle around corners. When pedaling, the battery provides up to 40+ miles of range. The range claim stood up to our testing – we went 12 miles using just 20% of the battery. Like most of the e-bikes we’ve tested, the 860 wasn’t the easiest to pedal during our battery-off test to simulate a dead battery, but the 860 has a great excuse. It’s a single-speed. See below for why we love the idea of a single-speed e-bike. As for charging the bike, the battery charges in less than 8 hours using a standard wall outlet.

Components

Flyer takes component simplicity to the next level – it’s a single speed. No need to think about shifting while riding. No more dropping the chain and then getting covered in grease as you put it back on. No more going to the shop to ask them to solve ghost shifting. No more clanging or bent front nor rear derailleurs. Shifting is typically one of the clunkiest features of e-bikes. We’re glad to see Flyer do things right and give owners peace of mind. We’re excited to see if this trend takes off.

Continuing to keep components simple, the mechanical disc brakes eliminate worries about leaking hydraulic brake fluid. The brakes performed perfectly during our tests. 

The Flyer 860 Folding E-Bike tech doesn’t stop at the battery and motor. The automatic brake lights are super helpful. The LED display on the left side of the handlebars shows speed and battery level. Hidden behind the LCD screen is a USB charging port.

Overall Impression

The Flyer 860 Folding Cargo Bike ($1,699.99) is a high-quality, sleek, and zippy folding electric cargo bike that sidesteps the clunky shifting problems that plague most e-bikes. The Folding Cargo retails for $1,699 which is in line with pricing on fellow high-quality bikes from Aventon or Rad Power. Flyer’s partnership with Affirm makes setting up a payment plan a breeze. There’s also a give $50, get $50 friend referral program. We’re excited to see where the 860 ranks when we update our rankings.

Related Articles:

1. Flyer Cargo Bike Review
2. Are Electric Bikes Safe for Kids to Ride?
3. Top 10 Foldable E-Bikes When Storage Matters