Himiway Big Dog E-Bike Review, 2024

Sure, the graph above doesn’t look great at first glance, but the visual aside, there is decent range on the Big Dog.

In our range test we were impressed with the Himiway Big Dog’s performance, despite a couple of challenges with our testing. In our PAS 1 test, our rider had to stop multiple times due to a loss in tire pressure; having to stop and pump the tires up meant that we didn’t have consistent pressure for the test. Also, there were some significant hills in this test and that resulted in a total elevation gain of more than 2000 vertical feet.

We mention that because the final result for our PAS 1 test was only 47 mi., a not especially impressive distance until we factor in the hills and the fact that our tester rode until the tires were noticeably soft and then stopped to pump them back up. Soft tires asks more of the motor and battery; we are confident that without the hills and the leaky tires we would have covered more than 50 mi. on a single charge, which would be a respectable performance.

On our test in PAS 5 our tester covered 37 mi., which does suggest that the Himiway Big Dog could cover more distance than it did in PAS 1. Covering 37 mi. in PAS 5 is a very good result and suggests riders could commute for several days in PAS 5 before needing to plug the battery in for a recharge.

The bike fell short of the 60-80 mile claim, but that stated range feels theoretical vs real-world anyway. It’s a massive battery at 960-watt hours, but given that moped-styled e-bikes are heavy and not always the most pedal-efficient the battery will have to work a lot to compensate. It’s a lesson we learned when we tested the Himiway Escape too. The battery’s capacity will still vary in terms of real road miles depending.

We also had to remind ourselves that this is meant to be a cargo bike and as such, it has a 400-lb. carrying capacity. When we review those distances, we judge its performance as being pretty good.

Readers to this point in the review can’t be blamed for thinking that the Himiway Big Dog might be caught napping on the front porch for our hill test up Hell Hole. Our infamous ¼-mi., 12 percent climb has humbled e-bikes that didn’t weigh 79 lbs.

However, we do this test on every bike we review because even with extensive specs on paper, we can never project which bikes will impress on Hell Hole.

The Himiway Big Dog did impress, though. In PAS 5, it knocked out the climb in 67 seconds for an average speed of 16.2 mph, a pace quick enough to make most riders giggle with surprise. On our throttle-only ascent, not pedaling only resulted in an additional 10 seconds added to the climb, for a 14.2 mph average speed.

The Himiway Big Dog is spec’d with mechanical disc brakes with 180mm rotors. Honestly, we were a bit disappointed to see a bike that weighs 79 lbs. equipped with mechanical disc brakes. We will discuss that more in a bit later.

As we’ve mentioned in other recent reviews, we have revised our protocol for the brake test. Instead of getting out of the saddle and pushing our weight back to execute the hardest-possible stop—a panic stop—we now brake more like most of us typically slow down for a quick stop. We stay seated and brake as hard as possible without causing a skid.

The Himiway Big Dog notched a result of 22 feet, 4 inches averaged over our three stops. That’s not a bad result, especially for a 230-lb. rider, but because this is pitched as a cargo bike with a 400-lb. capacity, it’s easy to see that 180 lbs. of rider plus 180 lbs. of payload would result in a much longer stopping distance.

Not including hydraulic discs on this e-bike seems like a mistake; claiming that the Big Dog is equipped with hydraulic disc brakes—as one of the photos on the web site does—seems a mistake as well. These are criticisms, but not deal-breakers.

With touches like a comfortable Selle Royal saddle and a high-rise bar that can be rolled backward or forward for rider comfort, the Himiway Big Dog included some nice details to maximize rider comfort. The 20 x 4-in. Kenda tires give a very cushy ride. The suspension fork also adds to rider comfort and control.

The Himiway Big Dog comes in just one size and while they claim that anyone from 5 feet up to 6 feet 2 inches can ride the Big Dog comfortably, our tester was at the tall end of their range (6 feet 1 inch) and felt somewhat cramped.

The Himiway Big Dog is a full-featured cargo bike with the capacity to carry a serious load. One issue we sometimes see with cargo bikes is a lack of guidance on how to further kit-out the cargo bike so that it can actually carry that big load.

Himiway does a great job of giving buyers options for carrying groceries and more. On their accessories page there is a tab visitors can click on that will show the full complement of accessories that work with the Big Dog, eliminating any guesswork. In addition to accessories, they also carry a number of replacement parts like tires, wheels, lights and electronic components.

Making a spoked wheel that can support several hundred pounds isn’t easy and Himiway’s decision to go with cast aluminum wheels makes the Big Dog not just a great cargo bike, it’s an especially good option for anyone looking to return to exercise after too many sedentary years. The cast aluminum wheels will stand up to very hard use.

There are a number of terrific e-bikes in the $1500-$2000 price tier, and the closer an e-bike gets to that $2000 threshold, the more an e-bike needs to do to impress. That Himiway was able to create a solid cargo bike in this price range is good, but when they built it around a 750W brushless hub motor and powered it with a 960Wh Samsung/LG battery, they made the Big Dog a significant value.

Potential buyers of the Himiway Big Dog are encouraged to give some thought to where they fit within Himiway’s sizing guidelines; riders toward the edges of its recommended range may find it difficult to achieve lasting comfort on the Big Dog. Similarly, we suggest anyone planning to haul a heavier loads give thought to the mechanical disc brakes. These are good brakes, but a 200-lb. rider hauling a 60-lb. kid and 40 lbs. of groceries might find the Big Dog needs a long runway to stop when going downhill. Riders in flatter environments won’t face the same issues.

Any time an e-bike company makes an e-bike that’s meant to do more than take a rider for a fun ride, but can capably replace a car for at least some trips, we appreciate the added versatility.

With Himiway, the Big Dog is a stylish, stout and versatile cargo e-bike that won’t ever seem like more bike than a rider needs.

‘Happy Riding, make sure to let us know if you have any questions down in our comments section or if you think we left anything out in this review of the Himiway Big Dog.