Heybike and Macfox do not make the same kind of bike. Heybike builds bicycle-shaped commuters, city, folding and fat-tire, many of them Class 3 with 28 mph pedal assist, geared drivetrains and racks, fenders and lights in the box, from $899 to $1,699. Macfox builds moped-style Class 2 bikes with a hard 20 mph cap, a thumb throttle and single-speed gearing, from $1,099 to $2,199, with the deeper bolt-on parts catalog. Buy Heybike if you will pedal and want to go 28; buy Macfox if you want a throttle-first moped that stays street legal and a platform to modify.
We are an authorized dealer for both brands and stock 11 Heybike commuters and all 5 Macfox bikes. Everything below comes from our own product pages; where a brand does not publish a figure, we say so rather than fill it in.
What is the real difference between Heybike and Macfox?
Shape, class and drivetrain. A Heybike commuter is a bicycle with a motor: 26 to 27.5-inch wheels on the city bikes, 20 x 4-inch fat tires on the folders, Shimano 7 or 8-speed gearing on most, pedal assist with a torque sensor on the Hybrid, Venus and Alpha, and a throttle that stops at 20 mph while assist runs to 28 on the Class 3 models. A Macfox is a moped with pedals: a banana seat, 4 to 5-inch tires, one gear, a thumb throttle, and a 20 mph ceiling that Macfox does not offer an unlock for. Both are legal to ride as bicycles in most states; they simply ride differently.
| Heybike (commuters we sell) | Macfox | |
|---|---|---|
| Bike shape | City, folding, fat-tire, utility | Moped-style, fat-tire |
| Models on our floor | 11 active commuters | X1S, X1S x Bs.zay, X7, M16, X2 Pro |
| Price today | $899 to $1,699 | $1,099 to $2,199 |
| Top speed | 20 mph on Class 2 models, 28 mph assist on Class 3 models | 20 mph, all models |
| Class | Class 2 (Titan, Mars 3.0), Class 3 (Hybrid, Venus, Ranger 3.0 Pro, Saturn, Ranger S 2.0), unstated on others | Class 2, all models |
| Motors | 500 to 1,000 W rated, 1,000 to 1,500 W peak; one mid-drive (Alpha) | 500 to 750 W rated, 750 to 1,000 W peak, rear hub |
| Batteries | 468 to 957 Wh, dual options on Titan and Saturn | 499 to 960 Wh, dual options on X1S, X7, X2 Pro |
| Published torque | 65 to 105 N·m, most models | 65 N·m, X2 Pro only |
| Gears | Shimano 7 or 8-speed on most | Single speed |
| Folding | Mars 2.5, Mars 3.0, Ranger S 2.0, Ranger 3.0 Pro | None |
| Warranty | See each product page | 2-year Macfox limited warranty |
| Parts on this store | Universal commuter accessories | Per-platform collections, 13 to 33 parts each |
Which brand is faster?
Heybike, on paper, and only on the Class 3 models. The Hybrid, Venus, Ranger 3.0 Pro, Saturn and Ranger S 2.0 are rated to 28 mph on pedal assist, with the throttle held to 20 mph; the Hybrid and Venus switch between Class 2 and Class 3 in the app. The Titan and Mars 3.0 are Class 2 at 20 mph. Every Macfox is 20 mph, full stop. If you will not pedal, the two brands are the same speed.
Which brand goes farther on a charge?
Heybike publishes bigger numbers, with a bigger asterisk. The Hybrid is rated up to 100 miles and the Venus up to 85, but Heybike states those were tested with a 155 lb rider in the lightest assist level with no throttle; the Ranger 3.0 Pro is rated to 90. Macfox's ratings are up to 28 miles (X1S), 35 (X7) and 40 (X2 Pro) on one battery, and 56, 70 and 80 with the dual-battery option. Because a Macfox rider mostly uses the throttle, the honest comparison is Heybike's throttle-heavy planning band against Macfox's single-battery figure, and there the gap narrows. Our range guide shows how to estimate yours.
Which brand is better for hills?
Heybike, because of the numbers it publishes and the one bike it builds around them. The Alpha at $1,299 has a Mivice 500 W mid-drive making 105 N·m through a torque sensor and a Shimano 8-speed, the highest torque figure on either lineup. The Mars 3.0 and Saturn list 95 N·m, the Ranger 3.0 Pro 80, the Hybrid 75. Macfox publishes torque for the X2 Pro only, 65 N·m, and every Macfox is single speed, so on a long grade you have the throttle and nothing else. Our mid-drive vs hub explainer covers why the Alpha climbs the way it does.
Which brand has better parts support?
Macfox, by design of the bikes. Each Macfox platform has its own parts collection on this store: 33 for the X1S, 31 for the X7, 22 for the Bs.zay, 17 for the X2 Pro and 13 for the M16, from batteries and forks to fenders and racks, and the frames are built expecting modification. Heybike's commuters take the universal ecosystem instead: racks, bags, locks and lights, most of which ship in the box already (rack, fenders and lights are included on the Hybrid, Alpha, Mars 3.0, Ranger 3.0 Pro and Saturn). If you plan to build a bike, Macfox; if you plan to ride one out of the box, Heybike.
Head-to-head at the same price
| Budget | Heybike | Macfox | The difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| About $1,100 | Ranger S 2.0, $1,099: folding, 750 W, 692 Wh, 28 mph | M16, $1,099: youth-scaled, 500 W, 499 Wh, 20 mph | Different riders entirely; the M16 fits from 3'11" |
| About $1,400 | Titan, $1,399: full suspension, 720 Wh, 20 mph, 300 lb | X1S, $1,399: front fork, 500 Wh, 20 mph, 220 lb | Same speed and class; Titan has more battery and suspension, X1S is 65 lb with 33 parts behind it |
| About $1,400 | Ranger 3.0 Pro, $1,399: folds, 720 Wh, rated 90 mi, 28 mph | X1S, $1,399 | Ranger folds, goes 28 and carries 440 lb; X1S is the moped |
| About $1,600 to $1,700 | Hybrid, $1,699: 864 Wh, rated 100 mi, 28 mph, 27.5-in wheels | X7, from $1,599: 624 Wh, 35 mi, 20 mph, 330 lb, 5-in rear tire | Hybrid is the distance commuter; X7 is the heavy-rider cruiser |
| Above $2,000 | No active Heybike commuter | X2 Pro, $2,199: full suspension, 960 Wh, 20 mph | Macfox alone here |
Who should buy Heybike?
Riders who pedal. If your commute has hills, if you want 28 mph on assist, if you need the bike to fold into a hallway or a trunk, or if you want the rack, fenders and lights fitted before the box is open, Heybike has a bike for it at nearly every price step from $899 to $1,699. Start with our Heybike commuter comparison or the under-$1,500 roundup.
Who should buy Macfox?
Riders who throttle. If you want a moped that never asks you to pedal, stays legal at 20 mph without an unlock to worry about, seats a rider up to 330 lb (X7, X2 Pro) or a kid from 3'11" (M16), and gives you a parts catalog to make it yours, Macfox is the better fit. Our Macfox lineup comparison picks between the five.
Speed: tie on throttle (20 mph); Heybike wins on pedal assist (28 mph on five models). Range: Heybike's ratings are larger but measured in lightest assist; Macfox's are throttle-realistic and doubled by a second pack. Hills: Heybike Alpha, 105 N·m mid-drive. Parts: Macfox, 13 to 33 per platform. Cheapest way in: Heybike Cityscape 2.0 or Mars 2.5 at $899. Both brands ship free from us; bike returns are 14 days with a 25% restocking fee.
