Himiway A7 Pro review: urban explorer
At some point, Himiway went from being a budget e-bike manufacturer to producing some more interesting models, such as the Himiway C5. Sadly, that e-motorbike isn’t available in the UK, where I reside, so I had to settle for testing another new Himiway model, the A7 Pro.
The Himiway A7 Pro is a long-range commuter electronic bike equipped with front and rear suspension, built-in lights, an ABUS lock, a rear luggage rack, and a mid-drive motor. It provides a surprisingly enjoyable cycling experience.
Apart from the obvious shortcomings—the bike is heavy, and some of the components are cheaper—the Himiway A7 Pro is a decent e-bike, ideal for taking you around town with ease. How does it compare to the best electric bikes, and should you get one?
Himiway A7 Pro review
Price and availability
The Himiway A7 Pro was announced at CES 2024 and is available to buy now directly from Himiway for a recommended retail price of $2,399/ ￡2,399 (approx. AU$3,595). It’s available in four colours: Black & White, Light Gray, Emerald Green, Green and Dark Orange. The bike is only available in one size.
Specifications
Max speed: 25 km/h (15.5mph)
Motor power: 250W
Battery capacity: 720Wh
Range: up to 50 miles
Gears: 9
Max payload (rider+cargo): 300 lbs (approx. 136 kg)
Brakes: Shimano hydraulic disc brakes
App: N/A
Setup
The Himiway A7 Pro comes in a big, well-packaged box. You do need two people to get the bike and components out of the box unless you want to do what I did and tip it out. I don’t recommend it, as it can damage the bike, but it’s doable.
This is by no means an exclusive complaint about Himiway, but I wish more companies paid attention to packaging design. Pure Electric does an amazing job in ensuring its products can be handled by one person thorugh clever packaging design, and I wish more companies took notice.
But back to the Himiway A7 Pro. Once the bike is out of the box, there are only a few parts that need inserting, such as the front wheel, the handlebar, and the pedals. The instructions are clear enough, although not all images correspond to the text, but it’s not impossible to figure out how to put everything together.
One thing that tripped me up was the front light. The bracket slots into the stem that holds the handlebar, and the manual doesn’t really say this. As a result, I had to undo the handlebar later to mount the light, which was a slight inconvenience.
The bike does arrive with a robust multi-tool, which can be used for assembly and beyond—a nice touch. Overall, it shouldn’t take longer than half an hour to get the bike road ready, especially if you have someone to help you rotate the bike (it’s quite heavy).
Himiway recommends checking if the brakes are responsive, the front wheel is securely installed, and the handlebars are firmly mounted before your first ride. The chain is lubrication-free, but applying a little oil can reduce noise. Tires need to be inflated (obviously), generally to 75-80% of the maximum pressure (the maximum pressure is stated on the tyres).
Design and build quality
The Himiway A7 Pro borrows design inspiration from mountain bikes, as evident from the front and rear shock absorbers and the ’air-adjustable’ seat post. The lever under the seat allows for quick height adjustments on the fly, but it might take some getting used to if you’re unfamiliar with the system.
The bike's step-through frame makes it easy to get on it. However, I’m used to riding sportier bikes, so the seat height didn’t necessarily feel tall enough. It’s worth noting that I’m 6”0’, so this might not be an issue for everyone.
Soldering quality is okay, although you could tell they applied soldering wire deliberately when assembling the bike. The joints feel sturdy, and the paint job covers the clunkiness of the connections, so it’s not a massive issue, either. Almost expected at this price point, to be honest.
Apart from a few components (e.g., the seat), the Himiway A7 Pro feels quality enough for the price. The Shimano groupset adds panache to the setup; I especially liked the hydraulic disc brakes, which worked beautifully straight out of the box.
The flush-mounted LCD screen displays information well and is visible enough to read in daylight. The control panel is mounted on the left side of the handlebar and has four buttons: on/off, settings, up, and down. The latter two control the assist from zero to five.
The 250W motor is mounted in the middle—great for weight distribution—and has a torque sensor that intelligently adjusts electric assist in real-time.
Gear shifters are calibrated decent enough, and the lubrication-free, low-maintenance chain is certainly a bonus.
The Himiway A7 Pro is well-equipped with accessories, from the built-in front and rear lights and rear luggage rack to the built-in ABUS lock and kickstand.
The 720Wh battery is located in the down tube and can be removed, which is a nice touch. Depending on the level of assistance, the rider’s weight and the terrain, it can last for up to 50 miles and can be charged in and outside the bike. Charing time is XXX.
The combination of the lock and the removable battery makes the Himiway A7 Pro pretty theft-proof, although I still recommend chaining your bike to something sturdy.
Performance and comfort
I took the Himiway A7 Pro on a few rides, testing its hill-climbing capacity as well as the assist.
(Living in a hilly area is great for pushing your lungs and testing e-bikes; not so great when you’re trying to walk home with a bagful of groceries.)
The torque sensor works really well, and the mid-drive motor applies the electronic assist quickly and smoothly. There is no lag or jerkiness, just smooth sailing in any setting. I found the assist forceful enough in lower settings, which is great news, as keeping it there helps preserve battery life.
The shock absorbers do an excellent job of making the road feel less rough. Better still, you can adjust the suspension level, so if you find it too hard or soft out of the box, you can easily change things around. Check out the instruction manual for more info on this.
The bike is heavy but thanks to the electronic assist, it will reach its maximum speed quickly. That said, it’s hard to keep the momentum going for the same reason (i.e. weight). The bike rolls well downhill, but as soon as you hit the bottom of the hill, all that energy gets lost due to the suspension.
This is a unique characteristic of mountain bikes; you can’t ride them out of the saddle like road bikes. Instead, you have to play around with the gears to move, no matter how slowly you’re travelling.
To be honest, the Himiway A7 Pro isn’t a touring bike, nor is it designed to go fast, so the lack of speed is not an issue, at least in my eyes. If you want to pedal faster, you’d better get the Gogoro Eeyo 1 or another lightweight e-bike.
It might just be me being completely incompetent, but I couldn’t figure out how to turn the lights on for ages (they don’t turn on automatically). As it happens, pressing and holding the "+" button for three seconds will do the trick. When the headlights are on, the taillights will light up; the taillights also blink when braking.
Battery removal was another tricky point for me. The keys to remove the battery are supplied in the box, and turning the key slightly will make the drop the battery a little bit. However, to remove it, you need to press down the key and then rotate the battery. This is to prevent accidental operation. This wasn’t obvious to me first, and needless to say, I didn’t try to force the battery too much in case I damaged it. Once you get the hang of it, the process is straightforward enough.
Verdict
The Himiway A7 Pro is a mean commuting machine that’s easy to use and ride. It’s certainly not a speed devil e-bike, due to the weight and shock absorbers, but I doubt many people woul get the A7 Pro to push their fitness.
The convenience features really won me over. I love the built-in lights and lock, and I appreciate the rack, too, as it makes the bike all the more versatile.
Although there is no app or built in GPS to track your bike should it get stolen, you can prevent it from happening by removing the battery and using the built-in ABUS lock (and your own). Prevention is always better than the ability to track the bike, as what will happen when you confront the thieves? Exactly.
Overall, the Himiway A7 Pro is a lovely commuter electronic bike with a robust battery and enough oomph to get you around town. If that’s what you want, check it out.
