Coming on the heels of a successful year, Himiway has a lot in store for 2023. The ebike industry has high expectations of the brand— a specialist in long-range and fat-tire ebikes— and I’m curious about the upgrades they have up their sleeve. In this article, I’ll discuss Himiway’s existing lineup of ebikes and offer my thoughts on the new features we’re likely to see in 2023.
Himiway hosts their 2023 Product Launch this Thursday, March 16th via YouTube live stream. Starting at 7 pm PDT/10 pm EDT, you can watch the presentation here and be among the first to know about the brand’s upcoming models and releases.
Past Himiway Electric Bike Reviews
At Mountain Weekly News, we’ve kept tabs on Himiway for the past couple of years and reviewed several of their ebikes out in the wild from our testing location in Jackson, WY. The ebike space has become highly competitive with many brands vying for a slice of the pie, and Himiway focuses on long-range and fat-tire electric bikes.
We’ve tested their city-oriented bikes like the Escape and Cruiser and trail-hungry models like the Cobra Pro and Zebra. It’s been impressive so far but we did point out some improvements we wanted to see in future iterations— let’s see how Himiway delivers on an even more advanced fleet of all-terrain ebikes.
Possible Design Changes
One challenge of designing an ebike is achieving a sleek look that’s as close to standard bikes as possible that still fits large batteries and motors. This can be especially difficult with entry-level models which often have slightly bulkier components. Even on Himiway’s most affordable sub-$2,000 ebikes, I expect more modern and streamlined silhouettes this year. This extends to neater integration of the many cables and wires (it’s an electric bike after all) from the handlebars into the frame.
I’m also interested to see new color options on Himiway bikes that step beyond the typical gray or black paint jobs we see on so many ebikes today. We loved the creative camo design on the Cobra Pro last year and are hoping to see a few frames with brighter designs in 2023.
Expected Performance Upgrades
- More mid-drive motors?
Another area to see potential improvements, of course, is all technology distributed throughout the bike. Upgrades here or additional advanced features can cause big jumps in the ebike’s performance and utility while riding. Himiway’s current fleet features some models with rear hub motors and others with mid-drive motors and this year, I’m expecting at least one new model with that higher-end mid-drive setup.
- Longer-lasting batteries
Long-range batteries are Himiway’s bread-and-butter. Ebike users these days continue to want more and more range and I predict Himiway will deliver on this promise to make its high-capacity batteries last even longer. There are some innovative solutions already out there with some brands offering an optional range extender battery so maybe Himiway will go that route or even produce a bike that comes standard with two integrated batteries. The brand’s bikes currently have a range of between 60-80 miles but this year, could we see ebike range approach 100 miles on a single charge?
Across the industry, there has been some seriously eye-catching tech released in the past year and I expect Himiway to incorporate some of these advances. While they may pass on things like having their own app or gimmicky-yet-cool lighting strips, customers can watch for improvements to motor sensors and digital displays.
- Fat tires and wheel size
Himiway made a name for itself, in part, due to its focus on all-terrain fat tires on each of its bikes so it’s safe to assume that’s a key area for 2023. As Himiway expands its lineup, it may diversify the tire options across the range to ensure each tire matches the bike’s expected use or type of terrain. This could mean some beefier, knobbier tires for their off-road bikes and slicker fat tires on their urban models.
Originally, fat tire bikes exclusively ran 26” wheels with oversized tires but fat bike manufacturers have since hopped on the mountain bike trend of larger-diameter wheels. The maximum wheel size for Himiway at the moment is 26” and I wouldn’t be surprised if they launch one or two models with bigger 27.5” rims and fat tires well beyond the 4” mark.
- Bike categories
The ebike space is changing fast and as more and more riders join the ebike movement, they have additional needs and wants from the bikes they’re using. Ebikes are more affordable than ever and have expanded beyond trail use into daily commuting, delivery, road, and other activities. Himiway’s future will be shaped by the bikes they offer and while they’ll probably stick to their guns producing large-battery fat bikes, they could play around with frame designs and intended use. Possible directions include compact city bikes or high-end mountain bikes. The cycling industry is a largely male-dominated field and customer base but I would love to see Himiway and other ebike brands making more of an effort to serve the needs of female riders this year.
Final Thoughts
There’s a lot to look forward to in 2023 from Himiway and other ebike brands as they ride the wave of the cycling renaissance we seem to be experiencing. I’m interested to see how they channel their expertise in long-range and fat-tire ebikes into new models while also exploring other categories and smart tech.
Overall, my main predictions include changes like sleeker frames that still house a high-capacity battery (maybe two?), bolder colorways, and a wider (no pun intended) variety of fat tires. Some models released this year will be improvements to earlier generations while others could mark a new focus for Himiway— we’ll just have to wait and see.
Remember to tune into Himiway’s 2023 Product Launch on March 16! The event starts at 7 pm PDT/10 pm EDT and will be streamed for free on YouTube right here.
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