Heybike Mars 2.0 Review: Folding Fat Tire Class 3 E-Bike Fun at a Great Price

Heybike, founded in 2021, is a relative newcomer to the electric bicycle market. They offer a variety of e-bike types, including commuter bikes, folding bikes, and fat tire bikes. The recently released Heybike Mars 2.0 is an upgraded version of their best-selling e-bike, the Heybike Mars.

Heybike Mars 2.0 Colors

The Mars 2.0 is available in four colors: Pumpkin-Orange, Dusty-Blue, Leather-Black, and Granite-Gray.

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While the bike looks good in all four colors, I was very happy to see that my review bike arrived in Granite-Gray. The color is subdued and elegant and is beautifully offset by the various black elements, especially the perforated wheel rims with the red inserts. The combined effect is suggestive of more expensive vehicles.

Many e-bikes look like something that you would rent on an island vacation. This color combination is one that I would be happy to ride every day.

Heybike Mars 2.0 Specifications

The new Heybike Mars 2.0 features many improvements, including a stronger 750-watt rear hub motor with a 1200-watt peak which produces 80Nm of torque. This translates into quick starts and fast speeds, even on hills like those around my house.

My house is on a fairly steep hill, and other electric vehicles that I have tested have had issues making it up without zig-zagging and providing my assistance.

Not so with the Heybike Mars 2.0. It easily makes it up my street between 15 and 20 mph without peddling. With slight pedal assistance, it makes it up at nearly its top speed of 28 mph.

Other improvements over the previous model include app connectivity, an enhanced rear rack, and a more compact folding design.

Heybike Mars Model Comparison

Assembling the Heybike Mars 2.0

This video shows Dan and I assembling the Heybike Mars 2.0, and then Dan gives a quick tour of the bike and its many features.

Assembly is a bit more of an effort than some other e-bikes, but nothing that the average rider would have problems accomplishing. The bike came well-padded, and the box was intact. The only improvement to the packing I would recommend is to strengthen the protection around the rear rack somehow, as it has deflections on both sides, most likely caused during shipping.

The Heybike Mars 2.0 ships with a charger (not shown), a user guide, and all the tools needed for assembly.

The Heybike Mars 2.0 Battery

At the heart of the Heybike Mars 2.0 is a 600Wh (12.5Ah, 48V) external removable lithium-ion battery. The battery slides into place between the seat post and the rear wheel, and it has a lock that deters theft and features a USB charging port that can charge your phone or other devices.

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Although probably an issue with any e-bike with a similar design, the fact that the battery is exposed opens it up to potential tampering. The key only locks the battery in place and does not prevent someone from turning your bike on and switching on the lights, for instance.

The battery gives the Mars 2.0 a range of 45 miles (with some pedal assistance, closer to 30 without). With the included charger, going from empty to full battery should take about six hours.

A clever mechanism in the seat post provides access to the battery for removal, which flips the seat up with a handle. The seat is very comfortable, rests on a shock absorber, and features a quick release for height adjustment.

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A look at the Heybike Mars 2.0’s Components

At the front and rear wheels are mechanical disc brakes, which I have found to be perfectly adequate for controlling the bike going down steep hills or coming to immediate stops.

Hydraulic disc brakes would be a nice step up, but as this is a budget e-bike, compromises need to be made as to where to best spend the money. I think that Heybike has made many informed decisions regarding the balance in terms of quality and performance.

The front suspension is a spring fork with 65mm of travel with preload adjustment and lock-out. As I am riding primarily on paved and, at worst, gravel roads, I did not need to change the stiffness of my springs, but the option to do so is conveniently provided.

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Part of what gives this e-bike a more aggressive look is the fat tires. The Heybike Mars 2.0 comes with 20″ x4″ Chao Yang Hippo Skin + puncture-resistant tires. I found these tires grip well on pavement and loose gravel, stones, and leaves.

This is an e-bike, after all, meaning peddling is part of the equation. As such, the Heybike Mars 2.0 comes with a seven-speed Shimano derailleur. There are higher-quality derailleurs on the market, but like the brakes, I find that the selection makes perfect sense at this price point.

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Sitting in the driver’s seat, you are presented with handlebars sporting a fairly standard set of controls flanked by front and rear handbrake controls and comfortable leather grips.

From left to right are waterproof switches for the lights and electric horn adjacent to switches that control the degree of pedal assist, turn the bike on and off, control the main screen’s backlighting, and change the speed indicator from max to average.

In the user manual provided with the Heybike Mars 2.0, the “Display and Setting” section incorrectly shows some of the switches and includes turn indicators that are not present on this model. As the rear light seems to have directional arrows, this seems an odd omission.

Especially as you need to keep one hand on the throttle nearly all the time, turning signals would be a welcome addition.

In the center of the handlebars is the main display, which shows battery level, riding time, speed, pedal assist level, range, and ability to switch between units for speed and range. The display is monochrome and is easy to read in bright daylight, even when wearing polarized sunglasses.

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The backlighting makes it easy to read in low light. Some may find fault with the display not being in color, but as with the brakes and derailleur, I find it to be perfectly adequate and am happy that the money went to the motor, battery, and many other improvements. It would be nice to offer a color display as an optional upgrade.

On the right side of the handlebars are the seven-speed Shimano derailleur and a thumb throttle.

The bike also includes front and rear plastic fenders that do their job without undue added weight, a rear light/brake light, and a four LED front headlight mounted on the front fender. The headlight is sufficient for most rides but certainly not the brightest on the market.

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Another differentiator between the original Mars and the 2.0 is the new model’s integration with the Heybike app.

The original Mars e-bike comes with a standard rear rack. The Heybike Mars 2.0 features a longer enhanced rear rack with a 120-pound carrying capacity and pegboards on both sides.

Heybike will undoubtedly be selling clips that work with the pegboards to attach water bottles, locks, and other small items, but I have not seen anything on their website yet.

Nevertheless, with an inexpensive set of bungee cords, you can easily attach a wide variety of gear to the enhanced rack. The rear rack is secured with four bolts directly to the frame and is removable, but the rear light is attached to it and would need to be relocated if you plan not to use the rack.

The Heybike Mars 2.0 has a folding design and, in a few quick and easy steps, folds both at the handlebars and midsection to a fairly small size. Even the metal pedals fold to minimize the dimensions of the folded bike.

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At 75 pounds, it’s not exactly lightweight, but easy enough to fit in the back of typical hatchbacks and SUVs. Lifting and carrying the bike, folded or not, is made easy by the placement of a handle at the center of the bike’s frame.

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Unfolded, the Heybike Mars 2.0 measures 67″ long by 25″ wide by 49″ high. When folded, it reduces to 37.4″ long by 21.7″ wide by 27.95″ tall. The Mars 2.0 is solidly built, practical, has many improved features, and is priced to sell.

The Heybike Mars 2.0 Companion App

The app provides utilities for locking and unlocking the bike, changing vehicle settings, real-time trip tracing, itinerary sharing through social media platforms, recording ride data, displaying error messages, and managing different riders.

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I found using the app intuitive, and its utility definitely adds to the experience of owning the bike. The ability to track and retain your rides is very nice, but there are no capabilities to track the bike or to disable it if it is stolen. This would be a great addition.

How Does the Heybike Mars 2.0 Ride?

I created this riding impressions video to answer that question.

I love this bike. When I was a teenager, I had a Motobecane 50V Mobylette moped. In the days before I had a car, it was the next level of freedom beyond my bicycle. Even after selling it and buying my first car, I always missed the open-air riding experience that the moped provided. The Heybike Mars 2.0 is today’s answer to the moped of my youth.

As you can see in the video, the Mars 2.0 carries my 200-pound weight with ease, climbs fairly steep hills at good speeds without pedal assistance, rides as confidently on loose gravel as it does on pavement, brakes confidently, and accelerates much faster than my Mobylette ever did.

Should You Buy the Heybike Mars 2.0?

Would I recommend the Heybike Mars 2.0? Yes, for sure. It is solidly built, beautifully designed, and has an excellent balance of performance, quality, and cost. It accelerates quickly and is fast enough for any trip around town. It brakes well, is surefooted on loose gravel and dirt, and is terrific fun to ride.

To further its utility, Heybike has many optional accessories available, such as front and rear baskets and saddle bags.

The Heybike Mars 2.0 sells for $999.00; it is available directly from the manufacturer or from other retailers, including Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Looks great, especially in Granite-Gray; Affordable; Class 3 with good gearing and torque; Powerful brakes; Ride is smooth and comfortable; App integration, Enhanced rear rack; Includes a headlight and rear brake lights; Folding mechanism is excellent; Battery is easily removed

What Needs Improvement: Turn signals would be a nice addition; The app should be updated to add a few new features