Himiway Big Dog cargo e-bike review

With more cities in the US, Canada, and other parts of the world building more bike lanes, e-bikes are becoming a more viable option for beating the traffic, and reducing carbon emissions, or just getting outdoors. I’m relatively new to e-bikes but I’ve been really enjoying the experience and learning about new brands. I recently received a test sample of the Himiway Big Dog E-bike to try out and see what the experience is like. In this review I’ll show you what it’s like to assemble and ride, and what makes this fat tire cargo bike unique and different. I’ll go over the pros and cons and then I’ll let you know if I think I can recommend the e-bike to you.

A quick note that while Himiway provided this sample to me at no charge, it did not make any requests about the content of my review so these thoughts are 100% my own. Read on to see how to get $50 off your purchase.

What is Himiway Big Dog E-bike?

Himiway named this particular e-bike “Big Dog” to describe its primary function as a utility or cargo bike and it has the looks to play that part. The bike’s aerospace grade aluminum frame is twice as thick as other commuter bikes allowing the bike to carry as much as 400 pounds worth of payload. If that figure sounds familiar, it’s the actually the same payload as the Himiway D5 Zebra I reviewed last August.

But the devil is in the details as the overall design of the Himiway Big Dog differs from your average all-terrain bike. The Big Dog has almost a moped form factor with a low center of gravity supported by chubby 20-inch alloy wheels. This combination makes the e-bike feel more comfortable to ride even if you fully load it.

Watch my full video review of Himiway Big Dog e-bike

Set Up & Assembly

A word of warning when the bike is delivered that it comes in an extremely big box and is extraordinarily heavy. The bike alone weighs 79 pounds so you might need assistance to get it somewhere or you can unbox it.

I assembled an e-bike last year and it wasn’t hard, but since it was extremely unfamiliar to me it did take me a while. We couldn’t wait to get this bike on the road so husband Roger assembled it pretty much the moment it arrived. It took him about 45 minutes to attach the handlebars, wheels, pedals, and a few accessories.

The bike does come with all the tools you need to do the assembly which is massively helpful. It also boasts a few extras like a bell. An AC-powered transformer and power cable are also included for recharging.

Battery & Range

The Himiway Big Dog E-bike uses the same 960Wh Samsung or LG 48V 20Ah lithium-ion battery as other Himiway all-terrain bikes like the Zebra. On a full charge the bike can last up to about 60-90 miles, or 96-144 kilometers. Like other Himiway bikes, you can easily swap or replace the battery by unlocking the bay with the included key and sliding it out.

You can charge the battery either on or off the bike.

How long does recharging take?

Charging a fully drained Big Dog takes about 7 hours. Wow that does seem infinitely long, the truth is that this is a massive battery; far larger than your average power bank, so it probably shouldn’t be a surprise that it will take a while. The best thing to do is to charge it overnight if you don’t want to deal with downtime.
Himiway claims that its battery can retain about 80% of its capacity after 1,000 charges.

Display & controls

Mounted in the middle of the handlebar is a good sized display screen. The multifunctional display offers all the essential data when riding including the average speed, mileage, and battery level.

On the left handlebar is the power and speed switch box which will get your bike turned on and allow you to dial up the pedal assist.
A headlight on-off switch and information button is also located here. A Shimano shift lever is located on the right hand side of the handle next to the throttle which operates by turning it towards you.

One other thing I really appreciate is the fact that an LED headlight and LED tail light are also included on the bike and can simply be activated with the push of a button.

Riding experience: Power on & go

I took the Big Dog our on several rides, and husband Roger also tested it out. While I did find it a bit strange to get used to the different dynamics of the smaller and fatter wheels, I got over it quickly. The bike feels very stable and supportive and the ride is extremely smooth—despite the bike’s weight.

Adjustable shock absorbers on the front allow you to make adjustments for street riding or going off road.
The bike is surprisingly comfortable to ride even for long distances; one of the first times we took the bike out to test it, we ended up on a three hour crosstown bike ride without realizing it.

The other way this bike is great is for keeping you stable when you hit grass, or dirt; those chunky tires dig in and keep you from skidding.

Carrying Cargo

You’ve got several options for carrying cargo with this bike. The rear rack is placed low down above the wheel so you could simply bundle soft bags onto here and secure them with bungee cords. You could also add some thing like a box or saddlebags or panniers and transport whatever you need to that way.

We opted to give the big dog that European chic feel by bolting a wine box onto the back.

Now it can carry groceries, a backpack or case of beer easily.

Speed & Power: 7-speed Drivetrain

Himiway outfitted the Big Dog with a 750W brushless geared hub motor. At full throttle, the Big Dog, can reach a top speed of 25 mph as delivered which makes it a bit slower than the Juiced CrossCurrent X Step-Through, but still on par with other Himiway bikes. When Roger and I tested it out, we couldn’t get it much faster than about 20 mph even when unloaded. Himiway says that’s because customers who want to unlock more speed must first agree to a safety disclosure to receive a code to unlock higher speed.

The 7-speed drivetrain does give you some peddling flexibility but be prepared for a workout especially when you fully load its already heavy frame. Speaking of weight, if you plan on storing the Big Dog on a bike rack, make sure it can handle at least 90 pounds to support its 88.6-pound body.

Interestingly this bike also has something called walk mode which will give you very low power assistance when you’re walking the bike long distances or up small hills. Just press and hold the minus button on the left side keypad to slowly power the bike forward at walking speed.

Power assist, pedaling, or full throttle

Like many e-bikes you have options for how you want to power it; you can of course simply pedal the bike and get where you’re going, though as noted above because this bike is so heavy it is indeed quite a work out.

A good thing then that you can engage the adjustable pedal assist which will make peddling much easier. You can dial this power assistance up or down depending on how much of a boost you need. If you want to extend the bike’s range beyond 60 miles, the pedal-assist system will give you a nifty 15% range boost.

Like operating a motorcycle, the Himiway Big Dog offers a half-twist throttle which is great at quickly and effortlessly launching the bike forward while at the same time, offering a layer of protection against accidental activations.

Although Himiway advertises the Big Dog as a city cargo bike, the 20-inch x 4-inch Kendo fat tires help the big dog adapt to tougher terrain and weather conditions while providing good shock absorption as well.

Mechanical Disc Brakes & Kickstand

The Big Dog also features the same Tektro 180mm mechanical brakes as the Zebra on both wheels. After a little bit of calibrating, I had no problems with these brakes on the Zebra. However, loading the Big Dog with cargo can affect the stopping distance.

When parking the Big Dog, you can use the heavy-duty U-shaped aluminum kickstand since its double-leg design helps with the stability which comes in handy when loading and unloading, or doing repairs or replacing the battery.

Exclusive Accessories

The Himiway Big Dog is built like a tank just like the Zebra, but if you want to maximize its rugged frame, you can equip the bike with an accessory or two.
Himiway sells a special front-mounted basket as well as an extended large rear rack for those larger loads. You can also attach the bike to a foldable cargo trailer sold on Himiway’s website. Finally, the Himiway Cobra Rear Rack initially made for the Himiway D7 Cobra and D7 Cobra Pro is compatible with the Big Dog as well.

Security

In this day and age it’s important to have good security features. The big dog gives you the ability to create a security pass code which is required to power up and ride the bike. You can set your own pass code by following the instructions in the manual. Even so, someone would still be able to pedal the bike away if they were determined. I would also like to see something like a hidden AirTag compartment either in the battery or the frame…or both, so that it could be tracked if stolen.

Weather resistance

Naturally one hopes a e-bike is weather resistant, and the Big Dog does have IPX4 water resistance. Still, Himiway recommends you not park your bike outdoors in cold or inclement weather for extended periods of time.

Overall Review: Himiway Big Dog E-bike

Not all e-bikes including some all-terrain ones are made specifically for cargo, deliveries or just those that need to carry stuff on two wheels. Himiway did a good job filling in that niche because the Himiway Big Dog is a fun e-bike for transporting stuff or just tooling around in, and it has some off-road chops too!

Soup it up with a rack accessory and you have an e-bike that can really stack up the load while having a big enough battery for long distances. The Big Dog’s cargo-focused role does mean that Himiway had to compromise a bit on its all-terrain performance so be sure you really need the cargo features before finalizing your purchase.

Overall I think this is a great e-bike and extremely well made. I love the versatility of the Cargo focussed design; I think the fact the cargo rack is placed lower down behind the seat and over top of chubby tires gives it so much more stability for whatever you need to carry. I think this would be a really great e-bike for someone who needs to navigate a densely populated urban centre while carrying the essentials. while the bike does weigh a lot, it actually gives me a lot of confidence that if I ever did face a crash, the bike would survive, and so would I.

When it comes to the downside for this bike, there’s not a lot that truly stands out to me. I do think the heavy weight, while necessary to its core purpose, is a lot of bike to manage, and if you were to try to transport this on a vehicle, just lifting it up would be a huge challenge for one person. Plus, you’re going to have difficulty finding a vehicle rack that can accept its weight. If you’re interested in the Himiway brand, you can also take a look at the Himiway Zebra, which is slimmer and lighter.

The other thing I would like to see on this bike is some better anti-theft options like a hidden AirTag compartment.

Those are less distractions from the bike itself and more just observations and future considerations.

I and Roger have been loving the Himiway Big Dog and I can absolutely recommend it.

If you’d like to check it out on Himiway’s website you can get $50 off by using my affiliate link, or use coupon code TECHGAD23 to get that $50 off.

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