The Himiway Cobra has completely changed my mind about what an ebike should be. It's an off-road full suspension tank of a fat tire ebike, yet still fantastically responsive thanks to the torque sensor. But it's not without its downsides.

Keep reading to find out why the Himiway Cobra Forest Edition, as seen here, is probably the most fun eMTB I've tested yet.

Himiway Cobra

Editor's Choice

9 / 10

Probably one of the biggest ebikes available, the Cobra is a heavyweight tank, with 26 x 4.8-inch offroad tires and a beastly 750W motor. While not the nimblest of bikes, it feels reliable and predictable thanks to the torque sensor, and those tires ensure great grip on any surface. At $2400, the Cobra (Forest camo edition as reviewed) can't be beaten. 

Brand

Himiway

Battery

960Wh

Weight

40kg (88lbs)

Brake Style

Tektro 180mm hydraulic disc

Frame Material

6601 aluminum

Suspension

Front hydraulic, rear 4-bar linkage

Motor (W)

750W (PAS 1-4 is locked to 250W for EU/UK)

Rider Height

5'5"-6'5"

Tires

26x4.8 inch fat tires, offroad

Gearing

7-speed Shimano Altus

Sensor

Torque

Rear Rack

Optional extra

Pros

• Powerful 750W motor with 86Nm of torque
• Up to 80 mile range
• Torque sensor for more natural riding experience
• Huge fat tires provide unparalleled grip
• Available in gorgeous forest camo or carbon fiber black design
• Affordable

Cons

• Large and heavy
• Best suited to offroading than a daily commute
• PAS levels 1-4 limited to 250W for UK and EU customers, and no throttle

Buy now from Himiway UK (£2500) Buy now from Himiway US ($2400)

Design and Aesthetics

We're reviewing the Cobra in Forest camo edition, though you'll also find a Carbon Fiber black design. It's a beautiful wrap, around an aggressively thick frame, made from 6601 aluminum. Featuring massive 26 by 4.8-inch CST brand "roly-poly" off-road fat tires, this is by far the largest and heaviest ebike I've tested yet at 40kg (88lbs), and measuring 83 inches from front to back. It's suitable for riders from 5'5" to 6'5" (168-198cm), and has up to 180kg (400lb) payload capacity, which is well above average. For reference, I'm 6'1" (185cm) and weigh 110kg.

The suspension is a key comfort feature here. Of course, it features an almost standard front hydraulic suspension, but you also have a clever four-bar linkage and coil suspension on the rear. It's the first ebike (in the UK, anyway) to feature this. I won't pretend to be a physics major, as I don't understand the forces going on or what it is about the four-bar system that works so well. But from what I do understand, it has to do with reducing the surge or heave when accelerating or braking—as well as just being better at absorbing shocks. It's also a difficult system to get right, and to my amateur eyes, I think Himiway has nailed it.

The grips on the handlebar are very nice, molded to your hand for comfort and better grip. However, they do have a slight tendency to slip when you're really pushing it. The display sits in the middle, and offers little beyond the basics of a trip computer, speed, and current power output and levels. There's no Bluetooth or app functionality, and no built-in GPS tracking or remote locking. On the left is an equally basic control system, consisting of separate physical buttons for power, lights, and horn, plus PAS level up and down.

The only disappointment on the design front is that ours came equipped with some garish orange reflectors on the front and back, which I can only assume are there for legal compliance in Europe. They're cheap and tacky, and one of ours snapped off after a bit of offroading anyway. Not a big deal; I would have removed them eventually, anyway. But on the topic of legal compliance, let's talk about the specifications.

Specifications

First, a quick note that this is the EU version of the bike, and in order to comply with EU laws, there are a few differences. Although it's equipped with the same 750W motor, PAS levels 1-4 are locked to 250W only. If you want to comply with the law when riding, stick to 1-4. Also, while there is a throttle on the left side, on this model, it seems to have been repurposed as Walk Assist. On the US model, the throttle alone can get you up to blistering high speeds, so I can't comment further on throttle-only modes.

The hardware is identical, as far as I can tell. It's still the same motor, but it's been locked to a lower power output. Unless you go up to level 5 PAS—which is seemingly programmed as an unlocked mode. The power difference is obvious when cycling, but also by looking at the display. In level 5, you can see it reaches 750W, and peaks higher. I asked if it was possible to rebalance the PAS levels so they were more of an even distribution, but sadly not. 1 to 4 is locked to 250W for normal street riding, while level 5 is unlocked with full power. I was also unable to locate a "hack" online to unlock the throttle or change the PAS level output for the more recent Himiway bikes.

US viewers, don't worry about any of this, your bike will be full power, unlocked. This is only relevant if you're buying from the EU or UK.

In either case, the custom rear drive hub motor can provide an impressive 86 Newton-meters of torque power. And rather than the wattage of a motor, it's the torque power which provides a more accurate representation of what the motor is capable of. 86Nm is well above average for a bike of this class.

As for battery, the $2400 Himiway Cobra features a large 48v 20ah (960Wh) capacity, which is part of the reason for the overall weight. That's a lot of capacity, and the battery is effectively hidden within the frame, but still removable from the underside if desired and locked in with a key. Himiway claims you can get up to about 80 miles of range, which is excellent, though as ever this will depend on your usage pattern, your weight, and the terrain you're riding on. 80 miles is a best case scenario, often measured with a 65kg rider using PAS level 1 on flat terrain.

I'm on the heavier side, and riding in a mix of PAS 4 and 5 around quite rough and hilly terrain of the Cornish countryside I managed around 30 miles (45km) until I hit one battery segment remaining, at which point range anxiety forced me to head home. You should never completely deplete any battery, but that's still excellent in my experience; it's a lot higher than average. Just bear in mind that range is heavily affected by external factors, so while it serves as a useful comparison between bikes that you're considering, it may not equate at all to what you'd get in a realistic scenario.

On the front and rear, you'll find Tektro 180mm hydraulic disc brakes. These are a significant improvement on mechanical disc brakes seen on cheaper models, though they could still do with being a little stronger due to the sheer weight of the bike, requiring about 15 to 20 ft stopping distance when riding at 20mph.

Gearing is courtesy of a 7-speed Shimano Altus (standard in this price range). It is a budget option, but sufficient. In fact, a lot of the components are fairly standard, but where the bike deviates is the frame, suspension, motor, and wheels.

Torque Sensor vs Cadence Sensor

A key feature of the Himiway Cobra is the torque sensor. Typically anything under $2000 features a cadence sensor. But what's the difference, and does it matter?

A cadence sensor is a simple motion sensor: it only knows when you're moving. It's a bit laggy and doesn't respond to how much effort you're putting in. Once you've moved a little bit, it'll turn on the motor at whatever your current PAS level is. There's no nuance to it, and a lot of the time, it can feel overpowering because it has no relation to you, only to the movement of the bike. I noticed this particularly on the Engwe M20 I reviewed last month, when I said that I felt like a pointless part of the equation. I would start to cycle, then the motor would take over, and I no longer needed to cycle; I was just going through the motions for the sake of it. To the point that most of the time, I would just press the throttle instead. And while that's fine to get you from point A to point B, it's not really cycling, is it?

A torque sensor is more complex and more expensive, but offers a direct relationship between the ebike and the rider. It's a force sensor that measures precisely how much you're pressing onto the pedals, and then depending on your PAS level will top up your power a little or multiply it a lot.

This is fantastic for two main reasons. Firstly: it's a lot safer. Cadence sensors on a higher power level tend to blast off when you dont expect it, because of the lagginess and the fact they're not responding to your input. Torque sensors will only ever respond to your effort, so they're not going to surprise by jumping into full power suddenly. Which, I'll add, my elderly neighbor did last month, when she didn't realize her bike was in power mode 3, and went careening into the bush.

On the Himiway Cobra, there's almost no lag at all—push down on the pedals you will get some power.

Secondly, and most importantly: you have to cycle. I realize that's a rather shocking statement to make on an ebike review, but because it's responding directly to your effort, you do actually need some effort to go fast or get the bike uphill. This makes it feel much more like a traditional bike, and it's a lot more fun to ride. Of course, US readers could just use the throttle, but as mentioned, that functionality is removed from the model I'm testing.

Just because you have to cycle doesn't mean you can't have a leisurely trip on a bike equipped with a torque sensor though. In level 5 PAS, the full power of the motor is unleashed, and needs only minimal effort from you. But the point is that it's responsive, and you can choose more precisely how much effort is needed from you.

Riding the Cobra

The Himiway Cobra is suitable for any terrain, yet still responsive and predictable to ride. It performed great on regular roads, but that's hardly noteworthy. Where it really shines is off-road. Those fat tires provide an unparalleled grip on gravel and dirt and really give you confidence.

It's not the nimblest of bikes. It's heavyweight and somewhat lumbers along—but it is very smooth, predictable, and feels safe.

The four-bar suspension works wonders and discreetly absorbs the smaller bumps to the extent you won't even notice it's working. While riding downhill on the grassy moors, I briefly looked down at the frame, and could see the rear suspension swinging up and down wildly. I wouldn't have known the path was so bumpy if I hadn't looked.

The only disappointing aspect of the ride off-road for me was the kickstand. It's solid when it's down and does the job of standing the bike up; but when I was tumbling over smaller rocks and bumps, it made one hell of a racket.

Should You Buy the Himiway Cobra?

Absolutely. While not perfect, the Himiway Cobra is a fantastic choice for those who are looking for an ebike that can handle offroad with ease, has incredible grip, and more than enough power to take you anywhere up the steepest of hills. It also looks incredible, and is well worth the $2400 asking price.

On the other hand, there are a few reasons you might not want to get the Himiway Cobra. It's big and heavy—the biggest, heaviest ebike I've ever tested, in fact. Those of smaller stature might struggle to lift this 40kg behemoth. While it is a great comfortable on-road ride too, it's obviously not meant for a daily urban commute. There's no chance you're getting this on a train, and don't even think about the pain that would entail dragging this up a staircase to your apartment.

But for offroad? A powerful, great-looking, long-range, fun adventure bike with a responsive torque sensor? You won't find better for under $2500.