Himiway Cobra Pro Review, 2024

Our Range Test is a method for evaluating battery performance, but it also allows us to get an idea of the efficiency of a bike’s motor/battery pairing. Additionally, it gives us a bracket of real-world distance measurements that we can compare to manufacturer’s claims. We give a brief description of how we perform this test in the graphic above.

Previously, I mentioned our skepticism regarding Himiway’s claims that the Cobra Pro could reach 60-80 miles on a single charge. This was primarily because of the bike’s 1000W motor (which we assumed was a power-hungry beast), its substantial weight (an 88-lb frame is not uncommon, but it’s still a lot of bike for the motor to move in addition to a rider), and the fact that it uses the same size battery as the standard Cobra – a fully-integrated 48V, 20 Ah (or 960 Wh) battery with Samsung/LG cells.

Regarding Himiway’s advertised range, I was happy to learn that they performed their own range test on the Cobra Pro under thoroughly documented conditions. According to our contact, their test was performed on a flat road, with light wind, a temperature of around 77°F, a roughly 132-lb rider, and a speed of about 15 miles per hour.

In our test, the Cobra Pro succeeded in meeting Himiway’s claims, though there are a few caveats to examine in relation to our data. Considering the bike’s two modes, we performed range tests at the two extreme ends of the spectrum – with maximum assistance in Sport Mode / PAS 5, and with minimum assistance in Eco Mode / PAS 1. These trials were also primarily held on paved multi-use paths with a 20 mph speed limit, so we reduced the Cobra Pro’s top speed to adhere to this regulation. With the bike in its standard settings, its range data may have been different. Again – with its 1000W motor, this bike is meant for off-road use, so our test environment is likely to be different from the areas consumers will use it.

With maximum assistance, we saw a range of roughly 42.5 miles, and with minimum assistance, we reached just over 64 miles. This was impressive, but there are a few more considerations to take into account here.

The Cobra Pro’s battery capacity is admittedly gigantic – when looking at previous e-bikes we have tested, it’s among the highest we have seen without getting into dual-battery territory. It also features unique technology that Himiway provided some detailed technical information on. Without getting lost in the weeds, just know that the cells that make up the Cobra Pro’s battery are larger than standard cells in both diameter and length, giving them a significantly higher capacity. Their chemical composition also allows them up to 20% higher energy density than standard cells, allowing for a smaller battery but a larger capacity.

Of course, the Cobra Pro’s high-capacity battery powers its Bafang 1000W motor that I mentioned earlier. This motor likely does wonders to increase the bike’s efficiency (and therefore its range) thanks to the fact that it is a mid-drive instead of a hub motor. Due to their positioning within the bottom bracket, mid-drive motors naturally split the work needed to move a bike with its rider. This requires less energy to be drawn from the battery, allowing it to last longer – and move the bike across a greater distance before running out of charge. So – while the Cobra Pro’s motor is extremely powerful, it makes for a more efficient pairing with its battery than the standard Cobra.

This is a good time to bring up a feature of the Cobra Pro’s motor that likely skewed our test results to some degree. We noticed during our range test in Sport Mode / PAS 5 that, after going only about 21 miles, the motor’s power dropped significantly when the battery hit 25%. At this point, the display read only about 375W in motor output, and climbing hills suddenly became much more difficult. Despite feeling this unusual drop-off, we continued and finished our range test, then reached out to Himiway later to determine what had happened.

We learned that the Bafang motor has an overheat protection feature that limits its torque output when activated. This kicks on when the motor overheats from working hard and drawing a large amount of current from the battery. The fact that the motor HAS this feature is excellent – it prevents the motor from heating up to the point that it sustains damage and/or fails – even if it resulted in our max PAS distance getting stretched out by a few miles.

This feature seems to encourage the full use of all of the Cobra Pro’s settings to match its environment. Considering how functional the bike is on rough terrain even in lower PAS settings, it seems best to keep it set at a low-to-mid level most of the time. Bumping its power level up to a high PAS setting only when it is truly needed, and reducing it again when it is not, should help to prevent the motor from overheating.

I’ve already mentioned how the Himiway Cobra Pro is a champion hill-climber, but it’s time to bring that point home. You can read about our Hill Test in the graphic above, but know that our test hill is an extreme challenge that has sent more than a few e-bikes packing.

The Cobra Pro would laugh at those failed e-bikes if it could. In Sport Mode / PAS 5, the Cobra Pro made the climb in one minute and two seconds, and with just its throttle, it was one second faster. The numbers are telling, for two reasons: first, we typically see slower throttle-only times; and second, the Cobra Pro’s data puts it squarely in the top 3 across all of the e-bikes we have tested. Of course, the 160 Nm of torque that its 1000W motor puts out does a lot to explain the bike’s stellar performance!

This seems like as good a time as any to bring up our only other major point of critique regarding the bike. And to be fair, it’s not just the Cobra Pro. When testing e-bikes with mid-drive motors, we’ve commonly seen unusually rapid wear on their cassettes, specifically in their highest (smallest) gears, due to their massive amounts of torque. During our testing of the Cobra Pro, we saw enough wear to warrant asking Himiway for a replacement (which they graciously provided), though the second cassette also began to show wear quickly. We reached out again with further questions about the issue.

To test brake systems, we do our best to replicate a near-emergency situation that a rider might encounter. We pedal each bike that we test up to 20 miles per hour, then apply the brakes to stop as quickly as possible while maintaining control. Once the bike has come to a complete stop, we measure the distance it traveled as the brakes were applied. Then, we repeat this process two additional times and average the results.

In the case of the Himiway Cobra Pro, we measured an average stopping distance of 26’-1”. This is quite a bit longer than our current average when comparing the bike to similar all-terrain models we have tested, and I attribute these results largely to the extra weight of the Cobra Pro; many of those similar models weigh in roughly 15-20 lbs under the Cobra’s 88 lbs.

While this performance isn’t terrible, it does leave something to be desired. Considering how powerful the bike is when getting up to speed, we feel it could use a bit more help in slowing back down; we’d love to see Himiway upgrade the Cobra Pro’s 180 mm brake rotors to larger and more efficient 204 mm rotors. These larger rotors would disperse heat better and allow for better modulation – which would allow for better control in off-road environments.

When it comes to other safety features, the Cobra Pro does not have much to speak of aside from its front headlight. This is actually a relatively unique component due to its two LEDS and automatic light sensor. I was pleased to notice that the light was quick to activate when I rode through a tunnel, and I appreciated the extra width put out by the dual LEDs. According to the spec sheet, the bike IS supposed to have a rear light as well, but this was not included on our test bike.

Aside from the headlight, the Cobra Pro has a single front reflector and spoke-mounted reflectors on both wheels. Low tech, but always good to have.

The most obvious and important thing to discuss about the Himiway Cobra Pro’s ride comfort is the bike’s full suspension. Spec-wise, the suspension provides a budget-friendly but functional package of components. The front suspension fork on our test bike was unbranded, but we liked seeing that it was an air/oil fork instead of a spring-based model. The rear shock was a DNM AO-38, which performed well in our testing but again, is a budget component.

In practice, these parts provided a feel that I was pleased with overall. I thought the Cobra Pro felt a bit stiff on paved surfaces, but it loosened up and became a lot more comfortable on dirt and sand. There, the bike’s rear suspension added a cushy layer of comfort to bumps that I greatly appreciated. That said, if you’re planning to use the Cobra Pro regularly in demanding environments, you might want to consider upgrading the stock parts for better performance and longevity. To repeat, a mountain bike this is not.

When testing the Himiway Cobra Pro, I kept returning to one thought: just with how much fin I was having it was remarkably difficult to find a flaw in this bike! Is that subjective? Sure – but as we’ve discussed, the bike’s performance also backs that up more substantially.

While it is a bit noisy, the Bafang 1000W mid-drive motor goes a long way in giving the Cobra Pro the confidence it needs to handle rough terrain and otherwise impossible hills. Any rider will appreciate both the amount of power the motor can deliver, and the speed at which it can be felt. The bike’s full suspension, while on the budget end of the spectrum, makes traveling in untamed environments more comfortable and ultimately more enjoyable. And the bike’s pairing of a mid-drive motor with a high-capacity battery, in combination with an effective minimum PAS setting, give it a sizable range.

That said, it’s not perfect, no matter how close it might initially seem. When considering the Cobra Pro’s brake test results, we’d appreciate seeing an upgrade to 204mm rotors in the future. These would more appropriately match the bike’s power and weight in off-road settings.

Additionally, while it’s far from the only e-bike we’ve seen the issue appear on, there is the issue of unusual wear on the bike’s cassette. The torque generated by the mid-drive motor and applied through the chain to the cassette can – without an additional level of care and the formation of specific good habits – cause damage requiring the costly replacement of components.

The bottom line with the Cobra Pro is that this is a different kind of e-bike that requires a unique level of understanding (and probably some personal adaptation) to use effectively. Getting to know the bike and its limitations – and correctly applying the full scope of its electronic and manual settings – is imperative to reach the extent of its capabilities.

With some time and care, this fierce and competent e-bike can take you wherever you want to go, whether that be a short romp in the dirt or a lengthy trek through the wilderness. If you’re an adventurer, a hunter, or just a fun-seeking daredevil, we think you’d be hard pressed to find an e-bike better able to handle extreme environments for a better price.

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 Cobra Pro.