HeyBike ALPHA Review

We’re no stranger to HeyBike here at EBJournal. We’ve seen a few come through over the years. All of which have been a variation of fat tire, compact, folding, electric bikes. The ALPHA is quite the send off from those other models. Most notably… it is not a folding bike and the wheels are quite larger.

HeyBike entered the electric bike scene in 2021 and has grown their brand on the back of those compact folding ebikes. Great for travel and ready for all sorts of terrain. The ALPHA on the other hand fits in more with other models they’ve released like the Brawn and Hero. Fat tires and adventure-ready.

The HeyBike ALPHA is a Class 3 rated electric bike with a collaborative MIVICE mid-drive. This 500w 105Nm drive unit is not only Class 3 rated, but also Class 2 compatible, and comes with a throttle, of which there is a unique activation that we’ll get into shortly.

The 680Wh removable battery will get you an estimated 60 miles of range and has a UL2271 certification.

Both a Step-Through and Step-Over model are available. The Step-Through accommodates riders between 5’1″ and 6’1″, where the Step-Over is best suited for 5’3″ to 6’3″ riders.

Both models will have the above-mentioned mid-drive and battery, as well as a Shimano Altus 8-speed drivetrain, hydraulic disc brakes, a Hydraulic suspension fork with lockout and preload adjustment, 26″ x 4″ fat tires, fenders, lights, and a rear rack.

HeyBike and MIVICE partnered together for this powerful mid-drive and in doing so were able to create a unique riding experience. There are 5 levels of pedal assist that are regulated off of the riders pedal input thanks to the torque sensor.

While the topic of torque vs cadence sensor is commonly brought up, we largely favor torque sensors for their natural pedaling characteristic. How does this work with a throttle?

Part of this partnership was creating a unique throttle experience that protects the drivetrain and is easy to use for the rider. First off this is a pedal activated throttle. This means that the throttle won’t engage until the rider pedals. This is done to prevent any damage to the drivetrain by easing into the power rather than abruptly putting all 105Nm of torque through the chain.

Along with a 28mph max speed (while pedaling, 20mph w/ throttle), the ALPHA has a max load capacity of 400 lbs (rider included). It comes with the rear rack and they do have front rack accessories available as well.

The ALPHA makes getting into a mid-drive ebike approachable at $1699 between both frame styles. It’s capable from commuting to back road exploring. The drive unit is powerful and delivers an easy riding experience that will allow all riders to tackle those steep hills with ease.

So what is not to like?

Well to be honest, assembly was not as straight forward as it could have been. I should start by saying we would encourage connecting with your local bike shop before hand to schedule time for them to do the assembly and give a good look over. In fact we would recommend that to anyone buying a bike direct.

That being said our particular unit did need a bit more attention when it arrived. It was not a major issue and HeyBike opted to exchange the whole unit to avoid anything that may have originally gone unseen.

This isn’t a poke or stab at anyone. Things happen and this is why we always urge people to inspect their bikes, new and used, and ultimately to take them to a bike shop to let the pros doing a top to bottom inspection.

While the intial exchange added a few days to get to riding, we were thankful for the quick work to get us rolling. After assembly of the ALPHA I promptly took off for my first ride.

With little experience on MIVICE driveunits, I was eager to see how this one rode.

As to be expected it had plenty of power, managed the battery well and quite surprisingly was very quiet. I mean truly, it was hard to hear the drive unit over the fat tires on pavement. Which we all know have a nice hum to them.

Breaking away from cycling through the different pedal assist modes and getting up to top speeds, I started to have a better idea of where I think this bike would feel most at home.

I wasn’t able to track the time it took to get back to 100% on the charger since I plugged it in and left it over night, but I’d imagine the 2A charger should take about 6-7 hours for a complete charge from 0.

That being said, back to thinking of where this bike would feel most at home.

Crusing down some farm roads to open rec spaces near the river I spent a few hours exploring every inch of the acreage finding new trails and new access spots to the water. This is where it really shined. Open rec paths across fields, up and down rolling hills, left and right through tight trails, and traversing river rock beds. It was great for this area. Taking it slow or zooming along, the fat tires took the brunt of the terrain and the fork offered enough dampening to the front end to not throw your hands off the bars. We all know riding across river rock is never a smooth experience, meanwhile the ALPHA took it on.

All said and done, we feel as though the ALPHA is the right bike for a more adventurous rider. The higher weight at 71 lbs we think makes it less appealing as a daily commuter, not to say it can’t do that well, but higher weight bikes and fat tire bikes aren’t typically our go to for getting across town.

Those very things that might not make it a native commuter are what sets it up perfectly for exploring rec areas and getting out into the woods. From beaches to farm roads, the ALPHA suits that terrain very well. The higher load capacity and sufficient battery size, means that you can really have those all adventures exploring. Bring your lunch, a fishing pole, even some lawn chairs and make those weekends more enjoyable.

I keep thinking of this historic town near where I grew up. It has horse trails, paved paths, gravel paths, old buildings and open fields. Whether I were visiting there or if I lived locally, the ALPHA is the right type of bike to see every inch of that place.

Plenty of power, plenty of battery, and big fat tires to soak up those rough roads. The ALPHA makes a wave for mid-drive fat-tire bikes under $2000.

Price: $1699
Sizes: Step-Through, Step-Over
Weight: 71.6 lbs
Load Capacity: 400 lbs
Website: heybike.com