Heybike Comfort Ranger 3.0 Pro Electric Bike Review: Tough Little Cargo Ebike

It came in just a few pieces (seat, handlebars, front wheel, pedals), which I had already assembled and modified in my analog bikes. I still wrangled two friends for help, which was helpful, as wrestling the heavy frame into place with everything lined up is somewhat unwieldy.

Unlike the other bikes in this line, the Ranger S ($1,099)you don’t need the HeyBike app to use the Ranger Pro. The app lets you change the bike settings, update firmware and track rides, but there is no need to activate the bike. It charged to 100 percent in just three hours out of the box, and then took about seven hours to fully charge in an AC outlet after the battery was dead, which equates to my full-size Radster Road.

Photo: Maggie Slepian

I tested this bike during a chaotic spring here in Montana, which means muddy bike paths, sleet, ice, and lots of puddles. Unlike my full-size ebike, the Ranger Pro has a fully enclosed battery and has an IP65 waterproof rating (meaning it can withstand direct hits from pouring water, but is not submersible). I was never stressed driving it into town for errands in the rain.

Along with step-through access and cargo carrying, this bike’s key accessibility feature is its collapsible design, reducing it to half its size. The two main breaking points are at the base of the handles and the center base of the frame. Pull the latches to disengage, then hinge the frame and handles, and the bike can be tucked into the corner of a garage or fit in the back seat of a car. It weighs 65 pounds and is an unwieldy load to carry, but the storage convenience is great.

I was somewhat nervous about riding 20 miles per hour in traffic, knowing that two latches were the only barriers between the bike in one piece and the frame literally folded in half, but everything remained secure. I zipped this bike through some of the ugliest potholes Montana has to offer, and nothing came loose or opened up.

Top-notch handling

Photo: Maggie Slepian

The bike has a whopping 440-pound load limit (you’ll see the baskets ($89) and bag ($59) separate), but I’ve had good luck fitting my gym bag, yoga mat, and groceries onto the back rack. I’m used to full size bikes with taller frames, so I wasn’t sure how to folding cargo ebike would handle, but it did better than my full size upright ebike.