The Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru Electric Bike — CleanTechnica Review

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The Himway Cruiser blew our socks off as one of the best value electric bikes on the market a few months ago so we were thrilled when they reached out about a review of their new Cruiser Step-Thru.

The Step-Thru takes the robust Himiway Cruiser and adapts it onto a mid step frame for easier mounting. This is a huge advantage for riders looking to haul cargo, with less flexibility, and of a wider range of heights than a traditional high step frame. In contrast to the Himiway Cruiser’s matte black paint, the Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru comes decked out in a slick pearl white.

Disclaimer: Himiway provided the Cruiser Step-Thru free of charge for the purposes of this review.

The Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru comes in a standard cardboard bicycle shipping box and requires an above average amount of effort to assemble. It isn’t overly complex, but the lack of in-box instructions can be frustrating. It took us about an hour to get everything put together before dropping the bike on the charger to get topped up.

There are a number of unboxing and assembly videos provided by owners that walk through the process. Videos like this one are great to watch before ordering a bike to see if you’re comfortable with the assembly or not. If not, many local bike shops offer bicycle assembly service and if you’re lucky, you can ship it directly to them.

Out of the box, our review bike had been dinged up in shipping and had a damaged brake lever. To test out Himiway’s support, we reached out to them and they were quick to drop a replacement brake handle in the mail. For the damaged paint, they suggested we head to Amazon to purchase a white paint marker, for which they would reimburse us. It was an odd suggestion for a pearl white paint job and clearly an area they could improve in. After touching up the scratched paint, the bike looked fine. Good enough for government work, but not quite as good as new.

When the new brake lever showed up two weeks later, we bolted the new one on and headed out for our first ride. The Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru isn’t shy, opening up the power right out of the gate. It is a magical feeling and comes as a special surprise on a large 72 pound fat tire bike. It is rocking a 750 watt continuous power geared hub motor out back that unleashes an impressive amount of assistance even at lower assistance levels.

We took it on a 42 mile ride with a healthy amount of incline and even with us laying into the throttle up some of the steeper hills, it performed admirably, returning home with a 20% charge. That translates to an estimated range of just over 50 miles of range per charge for average sized riders using an average assistance of 3. That is extremely impressive and makes Himiway’s estimated range of 35-60 miles of range per charge seem a bit conservative. I could easily imagine getting 75 miles of assistance out of this thing on assist levels one and two.

Compared to comparably priced value e-bikes, the Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru is hard to beat. The specs and components across the board are comparable to other bikes in the same price range with the exception of the Cruiser Step-Thru’s oversized battery. At 840Wh, it packs in a meaningful amount of additional range and power over the competition.

The range and power of the bike are impressive, but that’s not all that’s happening under the hood. The Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru starts and ends with its robust 6061 aluminum frame. The solid construction of the frame and included rear rack translates to a carrying capacity of 350 pounds. That’s a figure normally reserved for over built cargo bikes. Speaking of cargo, the Cruiser Step-Thru’s rear rack can be fitted with a set of panniers and a top bag or any number of Himiway’s choice accessories.

front rack with a 30 pound capacity can also be added to the bike thanks to the integrated front rack mounting points on the head tube. Combined, the Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru can be kitted out with a massive amount of gear hauling capability in a wide range of configurations.

From a comfort standpoint, the fat tire cruiser is an absolute dream to ride on, thanks to the cushion added by the voluminous fat tires, the suspension fork up front and the comfortable Velo saddle. For those unfamiliar with fat tire bikes, the additional air volume in the massive 26″ x 4″ tires means they have enough flex with their low 25 psi pressure to simply eat up most bumps in the road that would normally be putting a strain on the suspension fork.

For larger bumps, the suspension fork steps right in to take the impact, making for a bike that’s smooth rolling and stable. The wide saddle looks slim but proved to be far more comfortable than many of the value saddles we’re used to seeing on electric bikes in this price range. The integrated handle on the underside of the saddle is also handy for lifting the bike onto a rack or up a curb without having to grab the inevitably greased up seat tube.

Overall, the Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru carries forward the impressive range and power of the original Himiway Cruiser in a frame that makes the brand accessible to a wider range of riders. Himiway notes that it is suited for riders ranging from 5’3″ up to 6’4″ and while that’s true, it is important to keep in mind that this is still a full-sized, fat tire bike. At 72 pounds, it is definitely built to last and its hefty frame can support up to 350 pounds of humans, gear, and groceries.

Its weight is largely a non issue while riding the bike, but it can be unwieldy in between sessions. Things like moving the bike around the garage, hoisting it onto an e-bike-specific bike rack like this one that can handle the extra weight of e-bikes, and walking it over to lock it up all require a bit more work than a traditional bicycle. It’s understandable, but worth keeping in mind as you explore different options and how they might fit your particular use case.

We have had a blast on all of Himiway’s electric bikes and the Cruiser Step-Thru was no exception. It transformed trips down to the coffee shop or over to the beach into exhilarating sprints across town. Whether it was the bike or our legs that did most of the work on those trips, our lips are sealed.

Check out the specs below or head on over to the official Himiway Cruiser Step-Thru site for more details and purchase information.

All images credit: Kyle Field, CleanTechnica

Specs

  • Motor: 750 watt continuous power geared hub motor w/80 newton-meter max torque
  • Battery: 840 watt-hour, 48V, 17.5 amp-hour pack built with Samsung or LG lithium-ion cells
  • Assistance Modes: Pedal assist from levels 0-5 & right-mounted half twist throttle
  • Range: 35-60 miles per charge
  • Payload Capacity: 350 lbs
  • Frame: 6061 Aluminum
  • Weight: 72 lbs
  • Gearing: 7 Speed Shimano derailleur & 14-28T cassette
  • Tires: 26″ x 4″ Kenda fat tires
  • Lights: Integrated front and rear LED lights
  • Brakes: Mechanical disc brakes with 180mm rotors
  • Suspension: Alloy front suspension fork with lockout
  • Saddle: Velo soft saddle
  • Seat Post Diameter: 30.4mm diameter x 300mm length
  • Recommended Rider Height: 5’3″ ~ 6’4″
  • Price: $1699

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Kyle Field

I'm a tech geek passionately in search of actionable ways to reduce the negative impact my life has on the planet, save money and reduce stress. Live intentionally, make conscious decisions, love more, act responsibly, play. The more you know, the less you need. As an activist investor, Kyle owns long term holdings in Tesla, Lightning eMotors, Arcimoto, and SolarEdge.

Kyle Field has 1654 posts and counting. See all posts by Kyle Field