But the electronics are buggy, and the assist lag is problematic.
Heybikes Horizon aims to become yet another comfortable workhorse commuter.
And with front and rear suspension on top of fat tires, the Horizon delivers comfort in heaps.
Its fun to ride, easy to fold and unfold, and feels generally solidly built.
But the Horizon runs into some reliability issues in its electronics that keep it from earning top marks.
Here’s what I found after riding the Heybike Horizon.
It comes with a two-year warranty, and a 30-day free trial.
Heybike offers financing through Klarna at checkout if youd like to break up your purchase into payments.
Complementing the plushness from the suspension are 24 x 4 inch tires.
They also add lots of traction for loose terrain.
The frame features a low step-through design to make it easy to mount and dismount.
Both the seat and the handlebars adjust up and down to accommodate riders of various sizes, too.
Heybike says the Horizon is intended for users between 5'5" and 6'3".
Heybike includes fenders front and rear, as well as lights front and rear.
The Horizon also comes stock with a rear rack.
The rear hub-based motor will get you rolling up to 28 miles per hour with assist.
Its paired with a removable 692 watt-hour lithium-ion battery.
And theres a throttle that kicks the assist in, even if youre not pedaling.
Given its maximum top speed, Heybike wisely includes hydraulic disc brakes for consistent and strong stopping power.
There is an app that works with the Horizon as well.
Here youll find easy ways to adjust the assist level speed, among other options to tailor your ride.
Finally, Heybike offers the Horizon in four different colors.
Heybike Horizon review: performance
I rode the Horizon for ten miles on my first ride.
I even got it dirty on some gravel paths locally.
It was exceptionally comfortable and smooths out just about any bumps you’re free to throw at it.
Of course, with front and rear suspension, that should come as no surprise.
It adds complexity and weight, and very likely some cost.
Its easy to fold and unfold, too.
Just flip a few levers, collapse the seat post and the handlebars, and flip up the pedals.
It would be more appropriate to stow the folded Horizon in the corner of a garage.
I ran into some issues with the motor assist on the Horizon.
It took between two and eight full pedal strokes for the assist to engage.
I also usually rely on the throttle to get going in a hurry.
The Horizon has a throttle, but I also ran into reliability issues here.
Then, other times, it would engage perfectly when I depressed it all the way.
My guess is theres some sort of loose wiring or a connection problem here.
When the assist does finally engage, its powerful.
you could get going up to 28mph in a hurry, with both the throttle and the pedal assist.
That indicates some movement in the joint.
It did not affect the ride at all, but the creak did get annoying.
After 10 miles, I have no idea how much battery I used.
But then the battery level indicator would shoot back up to a full-charge status.
Should you buy the Heybike Horizon?
The Horizon is one of the most comfortable fat tire folding bikes Ive tested.
The Horizon falters in its electronics.
Eight pedal strokes before the assist kicks in is simply too much of a delay.
And the throttle and battery life indicator were both buggy and unreliable.
The Horizon sets itself apart with the rear suspension, of course.
And its that rear suspension that really makes the Horizon stand out for its exceptional comfort.
If youre after the smoothest ride possible, the Horizon beats them all.
