Heybike Horizon E-Bike Review: Full Suspension, Folding, Fat Tire Fun

I recently reviewed the Mars 2.0, another recent e-bike from Heybike, and I loved it. The Heybike Horizon went on sale last week and is currently priced at $1699.99. The Mars 2.0 currently sells for $1099.99. What is the difference between the two, and what justifies the added $600 expenditure? How about a Horst-link rear suspension and hydraulic front suspension, 24 “×4” fat tires, as well as hydraulic brakes and headlight and back/brake lights both with turn signals? How does it stack up? Let’s take a look.

Heybike Horizon Specifications

The Heybike Horizon features a 750-watt rear hub motor with a 1200-watt peak, which produces 80Nm of torque. These are the same specs found on the Mars 2.0 and are typical for the market segment.

The 750-watt, 48-volt motor is the most powerful allowed by law in the United States and provides plenty of power for comfortable acceleration and to easily reach the 28 mph top speed for class 3 e-bikes.

As with the Mars 2.0, climbing hills is not much of an issue for the Heybike Horizon. As the area around my house is quite hilly, I had many chances to test this ability and found it perfectly acceptable. I weigh 200 pounds, and the Horizon can ascend fairly steep hills at speeds of 15 mph without any pedaling and, with a bit of effort on the rider’s part, can reach speeds near its limit.

As my fellow reviewer, Dan received the Heybike Horizon and assembled it without filming this time, there is no assembly video. However, the process is essentially the same as with the Mars 2.0 and is easily completed within an hour.

Assembly involves adding the handlebars, front wheel, fender, rear rack, headlight, and pedals. The Horizon ships with a User Guide and all the tools needed for assembly.

Like many folding e-bikes, the Heybike Horizon has a step-through design, and unlike the Mars 2.0, the battery sits inside the frame on the forward segment. The battery drops into the frame and is locked in place with a key.

In order to turn the Horizon on, you flip the red switch on the battery, place the battery in the bike’s frame, and lock it. This means that the battery must be removed to completely shut the bike off every time. This also means that once turned off and locked, passers-by cannot turn the bike on and drain your battery.

The Horizon’s battery can be charged out of the bike or in place through a port near the bottom of the forward upright.

One nice feature of the Mars 2.0 battery is the addition of a USB charging port, allowing riders to charge their phones and other mobile devices. This feature is not found on the Heybike Horizon and would require a second perforation in the frame to access the port.

The Heybike Horizon’s battery is a 692Wh (14.4Ah, 48V) with a stated range of 55 miles compared to the Mars 2.0’s 600Wh (12.5Ah, 48V) with a stated range of 45 miles.

In both cases, the range assumes some level of pedal assistance, but in both cases, I found that riding in typical conditions, the battery life was more than adequate around town.

Riders who anticipate needing additional range can always purchase a second battery. As with all aspects of the bike, balance is the key. Larger batteries weigh more, which is an additional weight you always carry.

The Horizon features front and rear 180 mm hydraulic disc brakes by RSX. The brakes are quiet and provide powerful stopping power for descending hills or quick stops.

The front spring fork provides 80 mm of travel (compared with the Mars 2.0’s 65 mm) and includes preload adjustments and lock-out controls. I typically ride mostly on pavement and smooth trails and do not change the settings often, but being able to do so is a plus.

Aside from the full suspension and excellent seat, a big part of what makes the ride of the Heybike Horizon so comfortable is the 24″ x4″ Chao Yang Hippo Skin + puncture-resistant tires. The tires are knobby and provide plenty of grip on loose gravel and dirt, yet they are relatively quiet on pavement.

E-bikes, by design, give you the option of pedaling. As the power and torque of the Heybike Horizon are sufficient to zip down the street or pull you up most hills without assistance, pedaling is mainly to add power to demanding hills.

This is where the seven-speed Shimano derailleur comes in. There are higher-quality derailleurs on the market, but the selection makes perfect sense at this price point.

Sitting at the handlebars, the rider is presented with a standard set of controls flanked by front and rear RSX handbrake controls and comfortable leather grips. This layout is found across the Heybike product line with a few variations.

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.

An added feature of the Heybike Horizon is the turn signal indicators controlled by a switch below the headlight switch.

In the center of the Heybike Horizon’s 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. 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 derailleur, I find it to be perfectly adequate and am happy that the money went to the motor, battery, and many other improvements. However, offering a color display as an optional upgrade would be nice.

On the right side of the handlebars are the seven-speed Shimano derailleur and a thumb throttle. Below the thumb throttle is a new button marked “Auto” that toggles the automatic sensor for the headlight, a useful new feature, but be sure to turn off the battery completely or toggle the auto switch to off when you are done riding.

If you do not, the lights may go on while it gets dark in your garage or storage area, and you may come back to a low battery.

The bike also includes front and rear plastic fenders that keep the bike’s weight down while doing their job, a rear light/brake light as well as a front headlight mounted on the front fender.

Both the headlight and rear light have integrated turn signals, a very welcome addition. The headlight is sufficient for most rides but certainly not the brightest on the market.

The Heybike Horizon, like the Mars 2.0, syncs with the Heybike app, which 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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The ability to track and retain your rides is very nice, but as I mentioned in my previous review, there are no capabilities to track the bike or to disable it if it is stolen. It would also be nice if the app provided a way of mapping out your routes beforehand and calculating the available range, if it could share your location in real-time, and if it allowed you to connect with other riders and share favorite trips, places to avoid, or added other similar functions.

The Heybike Horizon is currently available in a limited-time sunset color scheme, which goes from yellow in the front to orange in the middle and pink grapefruit at the back. It is festive and bright and will undoubtedly garner a wide variety of opinions, although it might not be for everyone, and it will probably be difficult to touch up when scratched.

The Horizon will be available in other colors in the future, but the colors have not yet been revealed.

The back of the Horizon has a black rack bolted to the frame. The rear/brake light is bolted to the rack, which can accommodate a bucket or saddle bag. The front stalk also has mounting points for a basket.

The Heybike Horizon is a folding design, and despite its larger size (unfolded dimensions 75.6″ long by 24.4″ wide by 46.5″ high with 24″ wheels) in a few quick and easy steps, it folds both at the handlebars and in the midsection to a fairly small size.

Even the metal pedals fold to minimize the dimensions of the folded bike. When folded, it reduces to 49.2″ long by 23.6″ wide by 31.5″ high. At nearly 80 pounds, it’s not light, but easily enough fits in the back of typical hatchbacks and SUVs.

Should You Buy the Heybike Horizon?

The Heybike Horizon has many improved features, including hydraulic brakes, a hydraulic front suspension, a Horst-link rear suspension, 24 “×4” fat tires, and a headlight and back/brake lights, both with turn signals. It is solidly built and practical, but ultimately, any electric bike is only as good as it rides.

I took the Heybike Horizon around town on different surfaces and inclines and concluded that it is a powerful and comfortable bike. Combining the full suspension design with the larger fat tires, especially with the excellent seat, provides a comfy ride regardless of the road surface.

The step-through design should appeal to everyone, and the seat is adjustable to accommodate riders from 5’5″ to 6’3″. The height of the handlebars is not adjustable, however. The motor and brakes are strong enough to allow the Heybike Horizon to go everywhere easily and in great comfort.

For a limited time, Heybike is featuring the following offer (on the Heybike website):

Exclusively Yours!

Get a $119 gift package for free with a Horizon ebike purchase! This box is thoughtfully designed, and packed with a backpack, a pair of cycling gloves and customized postcard.

Discover the perfect way to celebrate your limited-edition e-bike (Up to 500 units) with our Custom Plaque, which showcases your e-bike’s unique serial number, and make your e-bike truly one-of-a-kind!!

The Heybike Horizon sells for $1699.00; it is available directly from the manufacturer or other retailers, including Amazon.

Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample

What I Like: Class 3 with good gearing and torque; Full Suspension; Powerful brakes; Ride is smooth and comfortable; App integration; Front and rear/brake lights with turn signals; Folding mechanism is excellent; Battery is easily removed and locks in place

What Needs Improvement: The app would benefit from the addition of a few new features; The current color scheme being offered may not be for everyone