Heybike Comfort Ranger 3.0 Pro Electric Bike Review: Tough Little Cargo Ebike | WIRED

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Rating:8/10

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WIRED

Incredible battery range. Remarkably stable for looking over your shoulder while riding in traffic. Folds down at two hinge points for portability and storage. Four-inch fat tires and dual suspension.

TIRED

You’re not going to look cool on this bike. Compact build is less efficient for pedaling.

These days, the ebike market is pretty crowded, but there are a few key metrics most people look for when shopping: battery life, storage size, and speed. The Ranger 3.0 Pro is HeyBike’s latest model in the Ranger line, and the company knocked the specs out of the park: The 90-mile advertised range is impressive, and the bike folds into a compact little package. It handles extremely well for its scooter-inspired shape. A few taps on the app updates the settings to Class 3, with a top speed of 28 miles per hour.

I’m always looking for excuses to drive my truck less, and this nifty little folding electric bike has made it easy. The convenience, handling, and riding comfort have far outweighed the somewhat goofy look of the low-riding, upright design, and it’s one the best combinations of specs to price to power among anything I’ve tested. It’s foldability and accessible step-through design make it a solid choice for people looking for a little commuter bike with impressive battery life.

You Can Do It

Photograph: Maggie Slepian

One of the first things I asked when I learned I was going to be testing this bike was, “Can they send it to a bike shop to assemble?” I’m not proud of this, but it’s important to stress that while my brain cells go dormant when faced with an instructional video or a package of tiny tools, even I was able to assemble this bike from the box.

It came in just a few pieces (seat, handlebars, front wheel, pedals), all of which I’ve already assembled and adjusted in my analog bikes. I still wrangled two friends for assistance, which proved helpful since it is somewhat unwieldy to wrestle the heavy frame in place with everything aligned.

Unlike the other bike in this line, the Ranger S ($1,099), you don’t need the HeyBike app to use the Ranger Pro. The app lets you change the bike settings, update firmware, and track rides, but it’s not necessary to activate the bike. It charged to 100 percent in just three hours out of the box and has since taken around seven hours to fully charge in an AC outlet after running down the battery, which is on par with my full-size Radster Road.

Photograph: Maggie Slepian

I tested this bike during a chaotic spring here in Montana, which means muddy bike lanes, drizzle, sleet, and a lot of puddles. Unlike my full-size ebike, the Ranger Pro has a fully enclosed battery and has an IP65 waterproof rating (which means it can withstand direct hits from pouring water but isn’t submersible). I was never stressed riding it to town for errands in the rain.

Along with step-through access and cargo-carrying, this bike’s main accessibility feature is its foldable design, which reduces it to half its size. The two main break points are at the base of the handlebars and the center-base of the frame. Pull the latches to disengage, then hinge the frame and handlebars, and the bike can be tucked in the corner of a garage or fit in the back seat of a car. It weighs 65 pounds and is an unwieldy load to carry, but the storage convenience is stellar.

I was somewhat nervous riding 20 miles per hour in traffic, knowing that two latches were the only barriers between the bike in one piece and the frame literally folded in half, but everything stayed secure. I’ve zipped this bike through some of the ugliest potholes Montana has to offer, and nothing has shaken loose or opened.

Top-Notch Handling

Photograph: Maggie Slepian

The bike has a whopping 440-pound load limit (you’ll have to buy the baskets ($89) and panniers ($59) separately), but I had good luck strapping down my gym bag, yoga mat, and grocery hauler on the rear rack. I’m accustomed to full-size bikes with taller frames, so I wasn’t sure how a folding cargo ebike would handle, but it did better than my full-size upright ebike.

The lower center of gravity and the step-through frame help with stability, which is nice since my town has atrocious bike infrastructure and riding in traffic can feel like a pedal-and-pray situation. I am a paranoid traffic rider anyway, and am constantly looking over my shoulder to gauge traffic risk, and I was able to keep the bike fully aligned without wobbling. This is an often-overlooked element of bike handling in traffic, but the Ranger Pro makes it easy to twist around.

I’ve taken this on a range of commuter terrain, and the 4-inch fat-bike style tires roll nicely over bumps and ruts. The front and rear suspension help ease chatter even further. Even after a rou