The Himiway D5 Zebra is the follow-up to the Zebra (which I reviewed last year). Along with appending D5 to the Zebra namesake, the 2024 D5 features a few selection modifications and an non-compulsory improve to a torque-sensing drivetrain. Final 12 months, I rated the Zebra at 4.3 stars, which might be a contact excessive at this time, given how the market has modified, however not far off the mark.

The D5 Zebra earns a stable 4.5, enhancing on last-year’s Zebra in lots of respects and leaving solely a few criticisms unaddressed: the 79 lb curb weight (I’ll circle again to that in a minute) and the low-tech show.

New for 2024, the D5 I’m sitting on right here comes with a torque-sensing drivetrain, making it a really compliant, controllable, and competent bike. Whereas certainly heavy at 79 lbs, this bike isn’t meant to be a downhill eMTB and also you don’t really feel the load as a lot on the enduro trails, single tracks, and pathways that the D5 – all driving environments that the D5 will traverse with ease.

Listed below are the highest 5 takeaways I’ve after a number of hundred kilometers of driving:

1. The torque-sensing drivetrain is leagues above the cadence sensor from a rideability perspective, nevertheless it additionally means that you would be able to’t experience on cruise management (that’s a characteristic, not a bug). The rear hub + torque sensor combo is tuned properly, feels very pure, and provides that “bionic legs” sensation that makes torque-sensing drivetrains pleasant.
2. The D5 eats up most terrain and could be very comfy on pavement, packed dust, sand, snow, and gravel. I run the tires at round 8 psi for sand/unfastened dust/snow, and 15 psi in all places else and all the time really feel like I’ve good traction..
3. $1,799 is a good value to pay for a motorbike like this, although you may get the cadence sensor model for $1,599 should you favor.
4. The driving place is barely extra ahead than most of the D5 opponents. Sadly, the brand new saddle just isn’t my favourite, because it will get in the way in which when pedaling, however that’s a straightforward swap.
5. Its 79 lbs is each an excellent and unhealthy factor. On one hand, the beefy body and parts imply that the D5 can accommodate as much as 400 lbs, however the weight additionally makes it cumbersome to maneuver within the storage and in some low-speed driving conditions. Additionally, the D5 and different bikes at this weight ought to ship with a thru-axle as an alternative of quick-release hubs.

When you’re buying the D5 and wish to get a way of what you’re moving into, this picturetastic evaluate was written for you!

Phrases & Pictures: Cameron Martel 

Himiway despatched us the D5 at no-charge. We should not have a monetary relationship with Himiway. All opinions are topic to our review policies. Merchandise are scored based mostly on our hands-on experiences with them. To this point, I’ve hands-on reviewed more than 30 ebikes. 

2024 Himiway D5 Zebra Specs

• MSRP: $1,799 USD / $2,399 CAD
• The place to Purchase: Himiway website (Canada)
• Guarantee: 15-day money-back assure, 2-year guarantee on the bike and battery
• High Velocity: 28 mph / 45 kph 
• eBike Class: Class 2 out of the field, class 3 unlockable
• Vary: Claimed 80 miles / 125 km (wBW estimated 35 miles / 56 km)
• Bike Weight: 79 lbs / 36 kg (together with battery)
• Weight capability: 400 lbs (182 kg)
• Motor: 750-watt rear hub
• Torque: Estimated 86 nm
• PAS: Torque, 5 -levels
• Brakes: Tektro hydraulic brakes with 180 mm rotors
• Gearing: Shimano 7-speed
• Battery: 48V 20 Ah (960 Wh)
• Wheels & Tires: 26” x 4” wheels and Kenda tires
• Different: Headlight, powered taillight, entrance and rear fenders, rear rack, bell

Himiway D5 Zebra Meeting

Here’s a Himiway YouTube Video on the best way to assemble the Zebra. The method for assembling the D5 is similar. If it’s your first time assembling a bike-in-a-box, anticipate it to take about an hour.

A number of issues to bear in mind:

• Pedals are directional when screwing them in. Himiway has stickers indicating the right course to show the pedal
• Meeting is far simpler with a associate, particularly when mounting the entrance tire and seating the brakes.
• Take out the battery and cost it whilst you assemble the bike as it’s doubtless operating a partial cost out of the field.
• If turning the bike over on its handlebars, put the vehicles on a wood block or another kind of object. This can elevate the handlebars off the bottom and forestall the show from getting broken.

Himiway D5 Zebra Aesthetics & Design

The D5 is a beautiful ebike, with a beefy body and assertive driving place. The crank housing offers the underside a part of the body some visible depth, although it seems like a mid-drive at first look (the D5 Pro comes with a 500-watt mid-drive). 

I just like the frame-integrated battery, which supplies the downtube substantial heft however hides all the electrical bits. Nonetheless, due to its visible heft, no one will mistake this bike for something different than an electrical bike.

Himiway has rebranded, and its new emblem seems in a number of areas on the bike, together with the headlight and tail gentle. The aspect of the D5 is branded with massive HIMIWAY textual content on the downtube, and there are some graphics and the D5 branding on the highest tube. Different colorways are extra flashy (and get a greater LCD display, too).

The one visible aspect that appears misplaced is the saddle, which is large, lengthy, and a little bit odd-looking. It’s comfy sufficient to experience with, however its width and form bought in the way in which throughout aggressive pedaling. Since this D5 is a torque-sensing mannequin, it’s best to completely pedal aggressively every now and then.

It’s a greater cruising seat than a driving seat. It’s a effective selection for the cadence-sensing D5, however I might substitute it with one thing higher fitted to pedaling on the torque-sensing mannequin.

2024 Himiway D5 Zebra Construct High quality & Parts

Himiway has continued to enhance general part high quality in each new bike iteration, with the D5 sporting brand-name parts all through (with the notable exception of the entrance coil suspension fork).

Suspension Forks, Tires, & Brakes

Himiway is utilizing a coil fork from a model referred to as TRAMA, which lacks a retail presence of its personal however is throughout Alibaba (and comparable web sites). I can’t communicate to the long-term sturdiness of those forks or the TRAMA model on the whole, however using this suspension within the D5 is unsurprising given the value level Himiway is coming in at.

The D5’s suspension fork affords 95 mm of journey and comes with a quick-release hub. The suspension journey is sufficient for pavement, pathway, and enduro driving, however anybody with downhill aspirations will discover it shortly bottoms out (and, once more, why are you downhilling an 80 lb ebike?).

Seeing the D5 outfitted with Kenda Krusade 26×4” tires isn’t a shock, both, as Himiway is named a fat-tire-focused model. The Krusade tires are appropriate for the D5 and supply good traction in most conditions. Paired with the massive wheels and tires are 180 mm brake discs paired with hydraulic calipers from Tektro.

These brakes are enough for the D5’s use case, however anticipate brake fade to hit quick should you’re driving the D5 aggressively on difficult terrain (or downhill). I didn’t expertise vital declines in braking efficiency, however after a couple of back-to-back gentle declines, I seen a tangible change in responsiveness (and a few vibration).

For a motorbike that weighs round 60 lbs, 180 mm rotors are effective; at 79 lbs, it’s price upgrading to 200 mm (or greater) rotors, which is able to carry out higher and supply further reliability and warmth administration.

The load can also be why I’d favor to see a thru-axle used as an alternative of the quick-release that the D5 ships with. Technically, there’s nothing mistaken with quick-release axles, and utilizing one on the D5 isn’t out of spec. Nonetheless, the D5 is 79 lbs by itself, and the drivetrain, hubs, forks, brakes, and so on. all need to take care of a variety of mass. In consideration of that, sooner or later, I’d favor to see Himiway use a thru-axle on bikes that weigh this a lot.

Show & Handlebars

Each different colorway will get a vastly improved LCD show. In actual fact, it’s the identical one which got here on the C5 I reviewed earlier this 12 months. For reference, right here is the C5’s show:

Now, let’s evaluate the C5’s show to what Himiway has outfitted solely the House Gray colorway D5 with:

Whereas each shows showcase the identical info, the D5’s show feels way more “low tech” and, frankly, previous by comparability. By no means thoughts that the C5’s show has a lot better visibility in low-light/no-light situations!

I’m certain there’s a logical or logistical purpose why solely the House Grey colorway will get the low-rent show, however that doesn’t make me any much less salty about it. It doesn’t dwell as much as the identical aesthetic or high quality commonplace as the remainder of the bike, and Himiway’s selection to make use of it for this colorway is complicated provided that the show is one thing you will notice, use, and give attention to each single time you experience the bike. 

Himiway is utilizing a reasonable set of ergonomic grips, and I like them nicely sufficient. I additionally like that Himiway strapped a thumb throttle on the left bars (vs. a half-twist throttle), which is way more user-friendly and controllable (for my part). The management pad for the show additionally lives on the left bars.

The suitable bars characteristic the Shimano Altus shifter and a bell – there isn’t a lot to report right here!

Groupset

The Shimano Altus M310 7-speed groupset seems on many entry-level ebikes, and seeing it on the sub-$1,800 D5 isn’t a shock. For the reason that highly effective hub motor can present ample help up the hills, a 7-speed drivetrain is enough for the D5’s use case.

Whereas not ideally geared for climbing, I discover that utilizing the highest gear + PAS 2 or 3 will get me up each hill I’ve pointed the D5 at so far.

What’s the 2024 Himiway D5 Zebra Prefer to Journey?

The D5 is straightforward to get to a snug cadence and is a snug experience general. It by no means feels wanting for energy and is ready to sort out most terrain with ease. 

On a current experience, my associates – 6’11” and 5’7” – every spent a while on the D5. Reflecting every finish of the peak spectrum, each discovered it comfy sufficient to experience, although my shorter good friend mentioned that she would have most well-liked a smaller body.

Within the above picture, Highlighter Boy (faux identify) is on the D5, and Gray Goose (additionally a faux identify) is on the Zebra. Technically, Highlighter Boy is barely too tall for the body. Himiway suggests a max rider top of 6’5”, although Highlighter Boy mentioned he had no drawback driving the D5.

Conversely, Gray Goose at 5’7” is close to the underside vary of the sizing scale, and she or he discovered the driving place had an excessive amount of of a ahead lean for her tastes, although including adjustable handlebar risers may alleviate that considerably.

Each riders discovered that the seat, whereas comfy when sitting, bought in the way in which considerably when pedaling. I additionally discovered this and have since swapped out the inventory seat with the large saddle that got here with the Zebra, which is simply as comfy and a lot better to pedal with.

The match and end on the D5 are noticeably improved in comparison with Himiway’s earlier bikes, and I’d know, as I’ve reviewed virtually all of them! 

However in comparison with the Surface 604 Shred I’ve in my storage, which is additionally a rear hub + torque sensing drivetrain, the D5’s weight turns into unimaginable to disregard. The Shred weighs in at 57 lbs, and whereas 22 lbs isn’t a ton, it’s lots whenever you’re speaking about bikes, and much more so whenever you manipulate the bike within the storage.

The D5’s torque help has 5 PAS settings, and I discover that PAS 1 is good for me. It’s a mild help that provides ~15% further “oomph” after I pedal, whereas PAS 5 feels prefer it’s doubling my output. I’d use PAS 4/5 for cruising and PAS 1-3 for path driving. The D5 additionally scoots alongside simply effective on pedal energy alone, however once more, it’s 79 lbs, and also you’re going to really feel it (it’s an ideal leg exercise although).

The D5 Zebra is a Almost Excellent Entry-Degree Cross-Nation eBike

Outfitted with its fenders, rear rack, and powered entrance/taillights, the D5 is sensible to experience daily, and because of its large 20 Ah battery, it’s bought the vary for it, too.

The D5 might be Himiway’s finest bike from a use case/product match perspective, and I’ve ridden the snot out of the Cobra Pro eMTB that has extra torque than some financial system vehicles!

The mixture of a clean torque-sensing drivetrain, massive battery, and included creature comforts makes the D5 a compelling worth proposition. Few bikes at $1,700 gives you as a lot vary, energy, and functionality. 

Sure, the D5 is heavy, this colorway makes use of a low-rent show, and the seat may very well be higher. These are the one downsides of this in any other case wonderful entry-level fat-tire ebike.

On a broader degree, the D5 can also be a testomony to Himiway’s dedication as a model. They proceed to iterate and revise based mostly on important suggestions and rider sentiments, and because of that perspective, they’re arguably the model to look at within the inexpensive ebike area. With a rising North American seller community and improved elements availability, potential Himiway house owners can be ok with the long-term serviceability of their bikes.

When you’re on the lookout for a torque-sensing powertrain and like fats tires, you can be hard-pressed to discover a higher ebike for the cash than this D5.