The folding e-bike market has been stagnant for quite some time now. By this, I don’t mean there weren’t any new folding bike releases, what I mean is that the design of the bikes became pretty stale.
I can easily take two bikes from two different brands and show them to you; and you’d think they’re from the same brand.
Heybike is here hoping the change this, and now we finally have a new kid on the block - the Heybike Tyson. And just like the famous boxer, this e-bike can really throw some punches.
For starters, the bike features a captivating unibody frame made out of magnesium alloy. Then you have a generous double suspension and giant tires that will absorb almost all the bumps that are coming your way.
Oh, and I forgot to mention that Tyson is foldable, which means you can plop it into your car’s trunk and take it with you on your outdoor adventures.
Let’s take this bike apart and see what makes it tick.
One thing is for sure, Tyson has a pretty unique frame design. Maybe I embellished the frame a bit in the intro, but you’ll surely be turning heads.
Tyson features a curvy unibody frame that’s more akin to a car than a bike. Sure, the biggest part of this bike is the huge, thick middle tube, but what really draws attention is the chainstay.
You see, Tyson’s chainstay is there to support the rear suspension. But instead of slapping just any piece of magnesium alloy and calling it a day, Heybike went the extra mile and sculpted the chainstay to give this bike an extra dose of style.
Chainstay aside, the real showstopper on this bike has to be the double suspension. That’s right, this is one of the very few foldable e-bikes that comes with both a front and rear suspension. On top of that, it’s of the hydraulic variety, which is incredibly surprising considering this is a relatively budget-friendly bike.
The biggest downside to having a double suspension is the added weight. And Tyson is a really big boy - weighing just a tad bit more than 77 lbs. I really hope you don’t live somewhere where you need to carry your bike in because lugging this thing around is a real nightmare.
At least the rest of the frame is pretty dope. Not only do you get a pretty generous rear cargo rack, but Tyson also comes fully kitted out with front and rear lights as well as fenders. I don’t know why brands started selling fenders as an add-on, but I’m happy when I see them included with the stock bike.
When it comes to folding, it’s a petty standard mechanism I’ve seen dozens of times now. There are two latches, one on the middle tube and another on the handlebar stem. To fold the bike, you just unlock those two latches and the bike pretty much folds itself.
Motor
Tyson comes with a pretty standard, albeit a bit underpowered, motor for this price range. Don’t get me wrong, a 750-watt rear hub motor is nothing to scoff at, but you need to factor in that this bike alone weighs 77 lbs. Add to that your own weight and you’re going to have a pretty hard time climbing hills on just the thumb throttle.
Where the motor really shines is when riding on flat terrain. On the highest level of PAS, it will take less than 10 seconds for you to reach that 28 MPH max speed mark. So, if you are going to ride this bike somewhere hilly, I recommend you don’t rely on the thumb throttle, it will just hog all the battery charge.
When it comes to controls, Tyson is one of the most fully kitted-out bikes I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing in quite some time. You have your standard control cluster on the left-hand side of the handlebars with buttons for turning the motor on/off and switching the level of PAS, as well as buttons for turn signals, the front light and the horn.
But that’s not where the real magic is at. No, you unlock Tyson’s full potential when you download Heybike’s companion app. This app allows you to customize pedal assist. So if PAS 1 is a bit too slow for your taste, you can adjust it so the bike goes faster.
Of course, there’s also a fully-colored LCD screen that will feed you all the riding info you could ever need. On top of that, it’s pretty well-lit so you’ll have no trouble reading it even under direct sunlight.
Battery
Tyson comes with a pretty beefy battery for a budget bike. To be more precise it comes with a 48V 15 Ah battery that provides you with around 55 miles of range.
As is the case with most foldable e-bikes, Tyson’s battery is fully integrated into the middle tube. To take it out, you need to fold the bike and slide it out.
Of course, you don’t need to take it out to charge it, there’s a charging port right on the frame you can use.
When it comes to charging time, it’s just as impressive as the range. It takes around 4 hours for the battery to fully charge, which is well above the average for a budget bike. This is because this bike comes with a 4A charger instead of your standard 2A one.
Brakes
Tyson comes with hydraulic disk brakes with 180-millimeter rotors. They provide ample stopping power, but they do tend to overheat.
Why do they overheat? Well, because Heybike decided to use organic brake pads. The biggest advantage of these pads is that they’re extremely quiet. However, they do heat up really fast and release a pretty unpleasant odor.
The best way to avoid brakes from overheating is to brake with both of them at the same time. Sure, that might cause you to slide a bit, but that’s what this bike is built for - conquering your local off-road trails while having mad fun.
Wheels And Tires
As is the tradition with foldable bikes, Tyson comes with giant 20’’ x 4’’ tires.
The tires are super bouncy and have pretty aggressive tread, so they’re grippy too. The only drawback is that Tyson is pretty sluggish when riding over the pavement. But the pavement is not this bike’s target terrain. No, where this bike really shines is on the local country and mountain trails.
Pros And Cons After Testing
Although heavy as all hell, Tyson is a pretty decent fat tire bike.
First off, you get a pretty beefy, albeit sluggish, 750-watt motor. As long as you don’t force Tyson up steep hills, you’re going to have a blast.
Then you have that double suspension that will absorb even the nastiest of bumps. Of course, you also have those fat tires that absorb some of that road shock. I’m pretty sure you can ride this bike over nothing but potholes and not feel a single bump.
Lastly, you have the companion app that allows you to customize your riding experience to your heart's content. On top of that, the bike also comes with a GPS tracker, so if it gets stolen, you’ll know exactly where it is. The only caveat here is that this feature is free for the first year, after that, you’ll have to shell out 69 bucks for it.
Lastly, this bike is compact. When folded, it takes up just 38 x 36 x 24 inches. So even if you don’t have a lot of storage space, you won’t have much trouble finding space for Tyson.
Advice To Consumers
If you’re looking for a fun, affordable e-bike you can just plop into your car’s trunk and take for a weekend adventure - the Heybike Tyson is it. You get a pretty decent motor, more than enough range, and an incredibly comfy riding experience.
Our Rating - 80/100
Heybike Tyson
Heybike’s Tyson is a real value train. It comes with double suspension, a decent motor, and lots of range. The best thing about it? It’s so affordable almost everyone can buy it.