Himiway Big Dog

Images from manufacturer's website

80 mi

RANGE

25 mph

TOP SPEED

7 hrs

CHARGE TIME

79 lbs

WEIGHT

Rear Hub

MOTOR TYPE

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Himiway Big Dog Review: Takeaway

The Himiway Big Dog is designed to be a premium version of the popular Himiway Escape Pro, thanks to the addition of a powerful 750-watt gear motor, specialized inner ring, heavier-duty frame, and far-superior battery. At just $300 more than the Escape Pro, however, the Big Dog offers excellent value for money.

The Himiway Big Dog combines the functionality and capacity of a cargo bike with the comfort, seamless riding experience, and looks of an urban cruiser. This makes it a great everyday bike for running errands, shopping, or making deliveries, while still offering a stylish ride for weekend adventures.

Ideal for...

Long biking trips

All-terrain biking

Urban biking

Running errands/making deliveries

Overview of the Himiway Big Dog

The Big Dog’s frame is made of premium 6061 aluminum, which offers more durability than your average e-bike frame. This increases the Big Dog’s carrying capacity to an impressive 400 lbs, making it perfect for carrying your heavy equipment, groceries, and more.

The 48V 20Ah Samsung/LG lithium battery is smaller in size than previously used e-bike batteries, however, it provides a longer range and shorter charge time for more convenience. The battery is also neatly integrated within the frame, providing both aesthetic and protective benefits — especially against inclement weather.

With the Big Dog’s 20″x4″ Kenda fat tires, Himiway has created a cargo e-bike suitable for all terrains — including both sand and snow. The increased tire volume provides extra cushioning against bumps, assisting with a smoother ride. The inclusion of off-road suitable threads means this model can also handle light off-road usage.

Reasons to Buy

The Big Dog’s 400-lb load capacity allows it to live up to its name as a cargo e-bike, especially considering most e-bikes are only able to tolerate weight up to 250 lbs.

The longer-than-average battery life is another huge bonus for any e-bike rider, as it lets you to travel further on a single charge.

The e-bike’s convenient step-thru frame caters to both short and tall riders — or those between 5’0” and 6’2”, to be more precise. The step-thru frame also makes mounting and dismounting the e-bike a breeze.

Additionally, the bright LCD display is a helpful touch, especially for riders who like to view their stats on the go. The large screen makes features such as battery capacity, pedal level assist, odometer, speedometer, and wattmeter easily accessible. Plus, a USB port charges your cell phone while riding.

Things to Consider

While the step-thru frame is incredibly convenient for a wide range of riders, it doesn’t allow the e-bike to cater to very tall individuals. Those requiring greater height might consider the Himiway Zebra, which comes with a step-over frame while still offering up to 400-lb load capacity, 80 miles in range, and a rear rack.

Additionally, the e-bike’s motor lags by around one second when you first begin to pedal. This is common across all Himiway models, however, and doesn’t take long to get used to.

Specs & Components

Colors

Dark gray

Motor

750W brushless gear motor

Battery

48V 20Ah Samsung/LG lithium battery – 960Wh

Charger

Standard 3.0 A smart charger

Frame

Upgraded 6061 Aluminum frame

Load capacity

400 lbs

Tires

20″ x 4″ Kenda fat tires

Pedals

Alloy pedal with reflectors

Brakes

180mm mechanical disc brakes

Display

LCD display with USB charging

Accessories/Extras

Front and rear LED lights, rear rack (wooden), removable front rack, front/rear fenders, center kickstand

The specs above come from the manufacturer and may vary from what you’ve experienced. Notice something that needs correcting? Let us know.

Ratings

Power

 4/5

With its newly uprated 750-watt, rear hub motor, the Himiway Big Dog will make mincemeat of most hills. Offering a very powerful 85 Newton meters of torque, competitive with many of the best Bosch or Yamaha mid-drive motors on the market, the motor will give a big kick when you need it, from getting away quickly at the traffic lights to starting a ride up a big hill.

Range

 5/5

Himiway claims you can get a full 80 miles per charge out of this. That may be the case if you’re riding on perfectly flat terrain with a light rider and no cargo. However, with a heavier load, you’re likely to get a 60-mile ride. The range further drops to about 45 miles in a hilly city like Portland, Oregon.

For greater range, use the pedal assist as opposed to pure throttle. This will boost your available range considerably. Best of all — your doctor will thank you for pedaling instead of just riding it like a motorbike.

Comfort

 4.5/5

4.5

Sitting in an upright, city bike position, you won’t have much strain on your upper body as you ride for many miles. The Big Dog comes with a comfortable Selle Royal saddle that will absorb many of the bumps in the road.

The 80mm travel fork with preload settings will allow for optimum comfort even while absorbing the lumps and bumps. This is aided by the 4-inch wide tires that give the sensation of “flattening out the bumps” considerably.

Durability

 4.5/5

4.5

One of the key improvements to this model is its new rear hub motor. This has been designed with a system to make the motor outlast its predecessor by a considerable margin. The new, extra durable motor will considerably add to the useful life of this e-cargo-bike and help it maintain its value for many years.

With all bikes, you’ll have to change the chain, brake pads, and cabling every 700 miles or so (perhaps in an annual service at a bike shop).

Style

 3.5/5

3.5

If you’re paying a couple of thousand bucks for a utility or e-cargo-bike, you don’t expect something that will have people wanting to take selfies with it. The Himiway Big Dog belongs to that category. It won’t win awards for its looks, but it’ll do the job well! It’s a bit too clunky in the frame and with the attached rear rack to look sleek or modern like other bikes. We love the color scheme — light gray and black suit the purpose for which this e-bike is made.

Our Research Methodology

We personally research and test every e-bike featured in our reviews and guides to provide accurate, data-driven recommendations. Learn how we review.

About Our Editorial Team

Written by Robb Dorr

Co-founder

Robb is a massive cycling enthusiast who has more than 20 years of non-motorized cycling experience. He started eBikes.org to lower the barrier of entry to cycling and reduce the intimidation people can experience when getting into the cycling world.

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