Drivetrain
The Himiway Cruiser features a 7-speed Shimano Altus front derailleur and a Shimano Index thumb shifter. The shifter and derailleur fit together well and provide a crisp feel when shifting.
We found the 7-speed range to be more than sufficient for the cruiser. Given the speed this bike can go, it was rare that we were in gears 1-3. It was still nice to have the lower gears when we got tired or things got steep, but overall we spent a lot of our time in the harder gears.
After numerous tests, we have determined that the Shimano 7-speed groupset provided by Himiway for the cruiser is the right groupset for this purpose. Another advantage of this drivetrain is the fact that it is manufactured by Shimano. For this reason, your LBS (local bike shop) will know how to tune the drivetrain if needed and will likely have replacement parts in stock.
Handles and saddle
The saddle and grips are two of the largest contact points on the bike, so it is important that they are comfortable and perform as required.
After many miles on and off road, we can safely say that the Velo Cruiser saddle and locking handles tick all the boxes when it comes to comfort and positioning.
The Velo saddle felt great underneath us, even on super long rides. There was also a handle on the bottom which was a great help when lifting the bike and moving it around in general.
Although the handles were comfortable, we would have liked a slightly stickier feel. The rubber feels like leather and can be a bit slippery off-road, but it’s perfectly fine when cruising.
Overall, we think most riders will be happy with the Himiway Cruiser’s saddle and grips, and if that’s not the case, both components are easily replaceable.
Handlebars
The 27.8mm/650mm long aluminum handlebar with a 70mm rise felt a bit thin in width and thickness. For such a large bike, a 27.8mm handlebar just didn’t feel as strong as the rest of the bike, plus it was a bit thin for our tastes. We would have liked at least 700mm handlebars for the cruiser, as wider handlebars would improve balance and control, especially off-road. On the plus side, the 70mm rise was a nice touch, ensuring we rode a little more upright, resulting in less fatigue over time. If you plan to cruise in a relaxed manner, this handlebar is probably right for you. However, if you plan on taking the cruiser off-road, we think a wider handlebar will definitely provide a better experience.
Pedals
The other main point of contact when driving the cruiser is the pedals. Pedals can vary greatly in terms of grip, durability and feel, and after riding the Wellgo aluminum pedals we agreed that these pedals were perfectly adequate for the cruiser’s intended use.
The pedal platform has pins that improve grip and control, but are not so large that you can’t lift your foot off when needed. These pedals also come with reflectors to improve your visibility to others. Because these pedals are made of alloy, they feel supportive underneath you and can easily withstand pedal strokes.
Similar to the grips and saddle, we think most riders will do well with these pedals. If this is not the case, the pedals can easily be replaced.
Tires
The 26 x 4.0 Kenda Juggernaut tires feel and behave like a juggernaut! According to our testing, these tires eat up everything in their path and can provide traction on the ground where there is none. Thanks to the width, volume and tread pattern of these tires, we were able to float over sand and absorb a lot of noise off-road, such as washboard roads.
These tires also proved to be fairly puncture resistant as we never had a flat tire, even with extremely low tire pressure. A quality set of tires is crucial to your bike’s performance, and we believe the Himiway Cruiser has the right set of tires for its off-road use.
Another advantage of the Kenda Juggernauts is the sheer amount of air they hold. Because of the volume of these tires, you can run a variety of tire pressures that provide drastically different feel and performance.
Freight options
The Himiway Cruiser is equipped with a luggage rack that is great for paneer bags. The rack can comfortably hold up to 45 pounds. Himiway also offers an additional front basket for $89.99 if you want extra storage space.
