A review of the Hey Bike Mars: A folding e-bike with fat tires and fun times

With the Hey Bike Mars it is the best of both worlds, and here’s how it happened. 

The Mars from Hey Bikes is a rugged little folding and fat-tired e-bike with a powerful motor and solid battery. When we first agreed to test it out, we weren’t sure what to think. Was it for trails or the city? We decided to just use it for everything and see what happens. 

The Mars is a class 2 e-bike that can reach speeds of around 21 miles per hour at the highest level of pedal-assist. It has a 500-watt brushless rear motor and a 48V 12.5Ah battery that charges in about six to seven hours. 

Right out of the box the bike is user-friendly. It folds in half and snaps together easily and securely with a simple lever on the top tube. The seat is adjustable and can be positioned to be suitable for most riders. The handlebars are also easily adjustable and can be taken out along with the seat to reduce the overall package size of the bike to 37 by 15 inches to make it easy to transport.

It also has several accessories available including a solid rear rack. The max load overall is 330 pounds, while the rear rack has a max load of 100 pounds. 

For the first test, we took Mars to the beach. There’s a variety of surfaces including sand, asphalt, wooden planks, dirt, you name it. And plenty of people that we need to weave around to check the steering, which is quite nimble. It rode over all surfaces effectively, including sand. 

The 20-inch fat tires are four inches wide and puncture-resistant and a decent size for absorbing everything from potholes and tree roots. For additional reverberations, there is front suspension and suspension on the seat. The suspension does lockout for city use as well. 

The transmission is a seven-speed set-up from Shimano with a simple and effective thumb shifter. 

Tell Your Friends

If looking for an e-bike that can provide a lot of different riding opportunities that lean more to the recreational side of the spectrum Mars has a lot to offer. 

When I say the best of both worlds, here is what I mean. On one particularly glorious spring day, I rode the Mars to work, which is a decently long 10-mile commute through a variety of big city streets and separated bike lanes. The Mars was up to the task. The pedal assist was easy to adjust on the fly with a clear display of speed, assist level and speed. The disc brakes performed well. I also enjoyed the rather loud horn. There is built-in front and rear lighting as well. So, this can be a commuter on good weather days. And it is fun to ride. 

After work, I folded the Mars up and put it in the trunk of my compact car. I had to drive to the country and while I was waiting to return home took the bike out on doubletrack trails at a local park. I did try it on some more gnarly singletrack as well, but there were so many tree roots, that it wasn’t comfortable. But it was a blast touring on the doubletrack, going up and down the hills was a breeze. 

So, best of both worlds. 

Wish List

The battery life is okay with the Mars bike, from 37-48 miles, but in an age when battery life is extending longer and longer, it isn’t what I would describe as great, especially for those like myself who lean heavily on the motor after a long day at work. That being said, with the external battery, it is easy to take into the office to charge while the bike is locked up outside. 

The battery is external and sits in a bracket under the seat. It works with a key and is easy to remove and charge. It comes with two keys, and I would suggest making an additional copy just to be sure. There is also a USB charging port on the battery, which is a great little feature. 

The bike is not waterproof, so this is not a choice for, say, all-weather and all-year commuters, but that’s not the target market with this one. 

Ideal User

Looking for a bike to do a bit of everything with a focus on fun? Mars could be that option. Throughout the testing period, I took the Mars bike to a couple of ultimate frisbee games, commuted to work on multiple occasions, and did errands around the neighborhood. In addition, I quite enjoyed taking it on the trails outside the city and along the cottage road and into town while off on a weekend adventure. It has a lot to offer. And, it’s a lot of fun as a recreational option that is super-handy and easy to use.

E-bikes get people outside more often, pedaling and being active instead of sitting in cars or at home. And to that end, Mars is fantastic. It is only limited by weather, but if your lifestyle fits that mould, then you cannot beat Mars especially when the price is a factor.  

Currently, this folding e-bike with a powerful motor, a Shimano transmission, fat tires and more is just over $1,000US. That’s incredibly affordable for this package. So, maybe it works to invest in a Mars and have it on hand for daily errands, the occasional work commute, some fun on the trails and then up to the cottage on the weekends. 

The bike itself weighs in at 66 pounds, so it’s not light, and the ability to lift it in and out of a car trunk should be considered. The ideal user should have an outdoor storage area such as a shed at ground level if the weight is an issue. 

Summary

In the end, I was impressed by the versatility of the Mars model by Hey Bike. There is a lot to offer riders in a very affordable package. 

I love that I can fold the bike up and put it in the trunk for weekend getaways to have on hand for all the fun times as well as some commuting and neighborhood errands. You could even fit two for a couples trip. 

Hey Bike is a new brand to us, but I’m happy to report it ships quickly, it has a support team available, and a two-year warranty. 

Check out Momentum’s reviews section for more great information.