Heybike Mars 3.0 review: The folding e-bike built for adventure

I see a lot of folding electric bikes where I live. In the dense D.C. metro area, space is a luxury and efficiency is the name of the game, at least until you get to the ex-burbs. Most of these folders are polite little machines with undersized wheels and tight wheelbases, purpose-built to collapse neatly into apartments and office corners. Not the Heybike Mars 3.0. This beefy beauty is about big adventure, starting with its four-inch fat tires and full suspension that smooth out rough terrain—and bad decisions—with equal ease.

The Mars 3.0 reimagines the previous 2.0 model with one simple philosophy: more. More power, more torque, more range, more security, more cushion. It’s a folding e-bike that wants to roll out, not fit in.

How we tested the Heybike Mars 3.0

I’m a short (5’4”) woman who rides bikes for fun and function in a population-dense suburb of Washington, D.C. That means I ride on city streets—sometimes with protected lanes, sometimes without, but always with traffic signs and lights—plus a healthy network of multi-use trails full of parents with strollers, joggers, other cyclists, and, occasionally, a rogue roller skater. Gathering my favorite accessories (a helmet mandatory, the rest left to preference), I took the Heybike Mars 3.0 through this gauntlet for errands and just pure joy-riding, plus extra time on gravel towpaths. In addition, I had two other riders—one 5’6” and one 6’1”—take turns on test rides to gauge their comfort and fun factor.

Design and details: A folder that doesn’t want to fold in with the pack

I confess: I’m a thin-tire, lightweight-bike kind of girl who likes to pedal and treats throttles as a cheat code on the rare occasion I use them. I knew the upgraded Heybike Mars 3.0 would challenge all of that. Still, I’d become curious about the brand after spotting an increasing number of food delivery riders zipping past on them. The riders were always up for a quick chat—bike people usually are—and most mentioned the same two things: comfort and affordability. Then, without fail, they’d twist the throttle and vanish into traffic. Time is money, after all.

The Mars 3.0 arrives mostly assembled, leaving the head tube, handlebars, front tire, fender, light, and pedals to be attached. The box includes the tools you need, and the YouTube tutorials make setup easy to follow. It’s doable solo, though having a second pair of hands helps steady the frame.

At about 70 pounds, the Mars 3.0 is no dainty commuter. It’s a dirtbike-ish with a step-through aluminum frame and a full commuter kit, including lights, turn signals, an electric horn, and a 440-pound payload capacity. The rear hub motor cranks out 750 watts (1,400 at peak) and 95 newton-meters of torque, which is serious muscle for a folding e-bike. It ships as a Class 2 e-bike limited to 20 mph, but you can unlock speeds up to 30 mph through the display or app. (Note: That’s not street legal in most places, so save it for open spaces.)

Design-wise, the Mars 3.0 super-sizes a familiar e-bike silhouette. The larger frame pairs a front hydraulic fork with a rear Horst-link suspension and 20-inch by 4-inch all-terrain tires for a smooth, sometimes bouncy ride. Full suspension at $1,299 is uncommon, and the Mars 3.0 aims to help you make the most of it by increasing the range to 65 miles, 20 more than the previous model. 

Security gets the same overbuilt treatment. You can unlock it with an NFC card, a PIN code, or your phone’s app via Bluetooth, but to ride, you’ll still need to insert a physical key into the frame. It’s overkill, and frankly, a little old-school, but it fits the Mars 3.0’s personality: more is more.

Performance and ride feel: Pedaling optional

I like the upright posture; though at 5′4″, there were moments I felt a little small on the frame. On paved roads, the combo of fat tires and full suspension smooths out cracks, curbs, and general city neglect. But those nubby, off-road tires roar like a prop plane on takeoff every time you throttle up on pavement. Even my riding buddies commented. Hit dirt or rocky bits, though, and the Mars 3.0 turns bouncy in the best way—almost gleeful about rough terrain.

Twist the throttle or tap the pedals, and the Mars 3.0 surges forward like it’s been waiting for permission. In Eco mode, pedaling feels effortless and hills … well, what hills? In the top Boost level, pedaling becomes purely performative. You can coast for ages between strokes and still rocket ahead. The rhythm feels off because, really, this bike isn’t asking you to pedal—it wants you to throttle.

Heybike says the 3.0 uses torque sensors for smoother assist, but to me, the response feels closer to cadence sensors. That’s a blast on open trails but twitchy in stop-and-go city riding. A few times at lights, I accidentally tapped a pedal and lurched forward—not ideal in traffic. I only noticed this in the highest settings. However, the Heybike app allows you to customize max speeds, throttle use, and tailor pedal assist levels to your liking (shown above). It also tracks rides, if you want. 

Folded, the Mars 3.0 fits into the back of an SUV or RV, though its 70-pound frame isn’t something I can hoist casually. There’s a smart little stand to keep weight off moving parts, but a stiff hinge and those fat tires make closing it a two-person job. Ditto lifting it into my hatchback, where it just fit (as you can see above). Locking it up is another puzzle: with no classic triangle frame and extra-thick tires, U-locks won’t cut it unless you’re using a motorcycle version. Two flexible chains—or a folding lock—work best to secure both the frame and rear motor.

On a breezy fall day, I ran a full-throttle battery test and managed 23.6 miles with maximum assist with lights blazing. That’s solid for max output and suggests that lower assist levels with steady pedaling could reach Heybike’s claimed 65-mile range. The dynamic battery gauge, though, is its own little drama. One minute you have three-quarters of a charge, the next it’s gasping for volts. It bounces with effort, showing less on climbs and more on coasts, which caught me out mid-ride. When it finally dies, it does so politely but abruptly: no flashing lights, just silence and resistance.

The Mars 3.0 isn’t subtle. It’s fast, and sometimes a handful. It’s built for people who like their rides the way Heybike likes its upgrades: more of everything.

So, who should buy the Heybike Mars 3.0?

The Heybike Mars 3.0 is here to make your weekends longer, not to make your commute easier. It’s the e-bike equivalent of a portable adventure machine: heavy, capable, and a little wild. It’s for the “toss it in the truck and find a trail” crowd. RV travelers. Van-lifers. Weekend wanderers. City riders tired of bone-rattling pavement. If you measure value in smiles per mile instead of folding dimensions, this one earns its keep.

 

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