has made a name for itself in recent years with a range of long-range, fat-tire electric mountain bikes that positively steamroll down the road. But it’s entering a new field in 2023, as Himiway has launched its first-ever “narrow” tire bike. Meet the 61 lb Rambler — a solid electric commuter bike option that’s priced right.
My tester came with a 500W hub motor paired with a 720Wh battery that’s supposedly good for a whopping 55 miles of range, qualifying this electric commuter bike as a genuine “long-range” e-bike option . Unlike the Zebra with its Shimano SIS shifting and right-hand throttle, the Rambler uses more conventional trigger shifters on the right handlebar and a thumb throttle on the left side.
Rambler is a purely pedal-assisted proposition — and that’s OK, because as pedelecs go, it’s actually a pretty good one!The bad thing about hub motors is that they add mass to the back of the bike, changing the “feel” of the ride. The good thing is that they usually allow multiple chain rings up front, which means more gearing options, torque multiplication, and range.