Review: Ahooga Max folding bike

1. Design (8/10)

When we look at the design of the Ahooga Max, it’s immediately apparent that it stays true to the identity of the Ahooga Fold.

Ahooga triangular frame

We also spoke with the designers. Integrating the battery, the folding mechanism, and improving riding comfort were their main goals. The typical triangular Ahooga frame provides a lot of extra stability compared to other folding bikes.

The design of the Ahooga Max feels a bit less ‘vintage Belgian’ than the Fold, but Ahooga addresses this with some accents. The Atomium is hidden in the folding mechanism, and the seat post doubles as a bottle opener.

The double triangular design is patented and unique to Ahooga folding bikes. This frame design is sturdy and makes it feel more like a ‘real’ bike. You get more riding comfort and stability in corners at higher speeds.

Weight, carrying, and pushing

The Ahooga Max weighs 18 kg. Consider this weight more as ‘lifting weight’, as you mostly move the Max around like a trolley. It’s not the lightest e-folding bike but still scores smoothly around the average. The choice for the front wheel motor plays in its favor here.
Although weight is important and easy to compare, carrying comfort is often overlooked. Walking to a train with an ultra-light but poorly designed folding bike is a hassle compared to a trolley that rolls behind you.

Apart from that, you ride more than you carry it. So, don’t forget to consider riding comfort in your comparison. Popular competitors are heavier; exceptions like the Vello +Bike are lighter.

The Ahooga Max uses an improved version of the frame from the original Folding. The frame is more robust, and the folding techniques are more innovative. Carrying, or rather lifting, is easy due to the wide bar and well-distributed weight.

The riding position on the Ahooga Max is upright, similar to other city bikes like the Brompton or the recent Müller Birdy. The height of the saddle and handlebars are adjustable, making the bike suitable for a wide range of users. From small to tall, say 1.95m.

Rain and Wind

The mudguards are sturdier and more durable than the previous models. They include an integrated rear light and a wheel. Ahooga also offers a luggage rack with extra durable wheels, which seems like a good choice for consumers – providing additional cargo space.
The integrated front light is a nice feature, it’s the Ahooga logo. The number of lumens is unknown to us, but it’s mainly a light to be ‘seen‘ rather than to illuminate. Integrated means it’s harder to repair yourself. You can always add an extra light, one that you can also aim yourself.

It’s logical that a Belgian brand chooses tires that also perform well in the rain. They are slightly wider for better grip on tram rails and wet zebra crossings. We are fans of the choice for 20-inch tires. This allows you to maintain a pleasant cycling feeling. The comfort that the Ahooga Max offers is definitely a major plus.

Just nitpicking about the finish of the rubber battery closure mechanism. We’re particularly pleased that it’s now integrated compared to the old Ahooga folding bike.

Why 8/10? Rating folding bikes is harder than you think. Some people are looking for a folding bike for commuting/ public transport. Others because it’s more compact than a regular bike, more for urban use.

The design of the Ahooga Max is well thought out. As a train-bus folding bike, it scores 7, but as a compact bike that can also fold, it’s more of a 9/10.

2. Performance; acceleration and speed (7.5/10)

Top speed (8/10): 25 km/h – Easily achievable with good pedaling

Acceleration (7/10): The front-wheel motor has less power than mid-drive or rear-wheel motors

Maintaining top speed (8/10): Once at speed, it’s easy to maintain; the bike is light enough to keep pedaling through

Performance uphill (7/10): The choice of a front-wheel motor is a disadvantage here too, but because the bike rides well, it manages

New Bafang front-wheel motor

The Ahooga Max features a significant upgrade to its motor compared to its predecessors. The bike is equipped with a 30 nm Bafang front-wheel motor, which is a departure from the rear-wheel motor found in the original Ahooga Fold.

Bafang is a well-known name in the e-bike industry, recognized for offering a good balance between price and quality. Their motors have become a standard for basic quality in electric bikes, and larger brands like Giant have adopted Bafang motors to manage costs without significantly sacrificing performance.

The choice of a front-wheel motor was initially surprising, as front-wheel motors are considered less stable compared to mid-drive or rear-wheel motors. Nowadays, these motors have improved, and with the use of the right technology and sensors, this disadvantage can be overcome.

By using a torque sensor to determine the motor power, the Ahooga Max ensures this safety. During testing, the Max showed stable riding comfort, even at higher speeds, and the front-wheel motor did not detract from the riding experience.

The integration of the motor with a torque sensor is a significant step in the evolution of Ahooga bikes. Previous models only had a speed sensor.

The new torque sensor allows the motor to provide power assistance proportionally to the rider’s pedaling force.

This means that the bike only assists as much as the rider pushes, providing a more natural and controlled riding experience, which is especially important in a front-wheel motor setup. This is why the Ahooga Max is also more expensive than its older siblings.

Battery and Range

The battery of the Ahooga Max is another area where the bike has seen significant improvements. The battery is fully integrated into the frame, which not only enhances the bike’s aesthetics but also provides better protection against theft – a common issue in urban environments.

The battery can be easily removed with a key for charging, giving riders the flexibility to charge it both inside and outside the bike.

For those who want to know, the charger doesn’t have a fan, so you can also charge it at work without disturbing colleagues.

Ahooga claims a range of up to 50 kilometers on a single charge. You also have a range extender to go up to 80 km. This is under ideal conditions, on lower assistance levels. Additionally, the rider’s weight, terrain, and use of electric assistance play a role in the range.

We tested the autonomy of the Ahooga Max battery as much as possible in our limited time with the electric folding bike. On a full battery, we covered 30 km on the highest assistance level – always at 20+ km/h.

If you ride on the lowest assistance level and pedal well on a flat road, you might be able to reach the 50 km mark… but you will almost never have these perfect conditions.

Folding bike for the city

The Ahooga Max is designed as a hybrid bike that performs well with or without electric assistance. It is light enough to ride comfortably even when the battery is empty, which is not always the case with heavier electric bikes.

Regarding speed, the bike can easily reach and exceed the threshold of 25 kilometers per hour, after which the electric assistance cuts out due to legal limitations. The automatic shifting ensures that you quickly and smoothly reach the top speed.

Acceleration and accelerating went surprisingly well. We haven’t tested many front-wheel motor bikes yet, so it was a first real experience. Even when you accelerate quickly and pull on the handlebars, the front wheel remains firm and stable on the ground.

3. Unique Features and Technology (7/10)

The New Ahooga Folding Mechanism

When you look at the folding mechanism of the Ahooga Max, you’ll notice that clear thought has been given to improvements compared to the previous model, the Fold.

The Swoosh, as Ahooga calls their folding motion, is fast and easy… but! You do need to practice it a bit. Once you’ve mastered the right technique, you might find yourself thinking you’re running late for the platform and chasing after the train.

You need to fold the bike at two specific points. The Swoosh, as Ahooga calls it. You can see it in this video.

We tried this ourselves a few times at first too. It works, but you need to know what you’re doing. Training from Ahooga is necessary. Otherwise, you can watch online; there are plenty of videos explaining this.

We visited the Ahooga Flagship store in Brussels. Here, some experienced Ahooga staff members are happy to prove that it only takes a few seconds.

The previous Ahooga Folding could also be rolled like a trolley. Based on my experience with that, I thought the Max would work in a similar way.

Now it turns out it’s completely the opposite, and actually for the better. By using the handlebars, the bike remains better balanced when walking or turning. It’s important to push down and secure the saddle. This movement ensures that the bike is ‘locked’ in the folded position.

Once folded, the Ahooga Max is reasonably compact, even compared to typical 20-inch competitors. It’s still a bike that you have to lift, but with the trolley mode, you don’t really have to carry it.

We don’t see the Ahooga Max as the typical bus-train folding bike, although it can be. It’s more of an electric city bike that rides comfortably and folds up for storage after use. Especially handy in the city, or if you live on a higher floor.

The Ahooga Max easily fit in the trunk of an A-Class Mercedes. There was still room for a bag or two.

Belgian Features

Ahooga is a Belgian brand and wants to make this clear in the design. In the front folding hinge, we find an icon of the Atomium. And to be extra handy, you can use the seat post stem as a bottle opener.

4. Riding Comfort (8.5/10)

Riding Comfort on flat roads (8.5/10):

Riding Comfort on uneven roads (7.5/10):

Riding Comfort for long distances (8/10):

Riding on wet roads -> safety (8/10):

Riding Comfort during the Test Ride

The seating position on the Max is fairly upright. The height of the seat and handlebars can be adjusted, making it a good fit for everyone (up to 1.95m, after which you’ll need a longer seat post).

During the test ride, the Ahooga Max proved to be a light and comfortable ride. The comfort on the bike was rated 8 out of 10, except when hitting cobblestones, where it dropped to a 7.

You do feel the lack of suspension, although you can’t really expect that on a folding bike. Compared to other folding bikes, the Ahooga Max scores high on comfort due to the thicker tires that absorb most shocks.

The bike can reach high speeds, with a top speed of about 34 km/h on flat ground. Of course, the electric motor supports up to 25 km/h, but the bike is light and agile, making it easy to cycle faster.

The built-in torque sensor is a significant upgrade from the Fold and the Modular, which only had a speed sensor. With the torque sensor, the bike works as a percentage of your power, adding a lot of control and stability to the bike. This is important for a front-wheel motor and thus also adds bonus points in this review of the Ahooga Max.

During testing, the bike remained nicely stable, even at high speeds. Even when releasing the handlebars and pedaling hard, the bike remained smooth and controlled. The front-wheel motor did not destabilize the steering, dispelling uncertainties about the safety of front-wheel motors on such light bikes.

So, a pleasant experience indeed. We gave the Ahooga Max an 8.5/10 based on comfort. Suspension would change a lot, but we must remember that this is a folding bike, and we should evaluate it accordingly. It wouldn’t be a fair review if we compared a folding bike to a suspended city bike.

High-Quality Bike Components

The Ahooga Max features a Shimano Nexus 7 automatic gear, hydraulic disc brakes, and a chain designed to improve usability.

The Shimano brakes are also an improvement over previous Ahooga models. Although these are not the strongest brakes, they are more than sufficient for a small, light, electric folding bike like the Max.

The frame is sturdy, and the hinge contains a small piece of suspension for extra comfort when riding on cobblestones or other rough surfaces. This doesn’t do much, but on Belgian cobblestone roads, you want every bit of suspension. On one hand, for your comfort, and on the other hand, to prevent punctured tires.

5. Safe Riding (8/10)

Testing the safety of an electric bike is usually the most enjoyable or least enjoyable aspect of these reviews. Here we’ll take a closer look at how the bike performs in less than ideal conditions.

Anyone can build a bike that rides fast and well on a perfectly flat road. But our Belgian infrastructure is not quite there yet. Our bike paths are often still on the road or in poor condition. Although there are exceptions and improvements.

On the Ahooga Max, an electric folding bike mainly used in the city, we delved a bit more into the dangers in the city.

Safety around other drivers is your responsibility. Wear the right clothing and ensure you have enough reflectors and lights. Additionally, there are other obstacles, such as tram tracks, cobblestone roads, slippery crosswalks, and road irregularities.

With the Ahooga, we rode through Brussels in pouring rain to get a taste of these not-so-pleasant obstacles. And honestly, for a compact folding bike with a front-wheel motor, we were pleasantly surprised, with little to no real problems.

A slippery crosswalk remains slippery, even with these slightly wider and larger wheels, you can still experience this. But precisely because of these larger wheels, we also had more stability and control when sliding. On small wheels of, for example, a Brompton folding bike, you would have fallen much faster.

Also on cobblestone roads, the Ahooga Max wins due to the improved riding comfort, again compared to other folding bikes, not compared to full-size electric bikes. Compared to electric bikes, you can still say that the Ahooga Max is a good bike. It rides pleasantly, it’s comfortable, and you have what you need to safely complete your ride.

On the tram tracks, the tires are just wide enough to avoid getting stuck. Of course, this depends on the angle, but if you ride a bit cautiously, you have little chance of falling. Other electric folding bikes often use narrower tires. These get easily stuck in these tracks or tram rails.

We also encountered many small irregularities, asphalt pushed up by tree roots, and other typical things that make a bike path unpleasant, such as branches, slippery leaves, and other obstacles. But here too, we didn’t encounter any real problems; braking was safe, riding at high speeds was without issue or fear.

Even riding hands-free, the bike remained extremely stable. This was a big question mark given that the torque comes from the front wheel. All in all, we still prefer mid or rear-wheel motors.

6. Price Comparison (6/10)

At 3500 euros, the Ahooga Maxx is more expensive than the Ahooga Fold. It’s logical too; you get a lot more in return. This makes it a bike, an electric folding bike in a higher price segment.

Expensive but good electric folding bikes with a mid-motor quickly cost 4000 to 5000 euros. We prefer this type; it’s the easiest to ride and offers the best support, as well as a centered low center of gravity. Of course, they are expensive and not always an option.

By opting for a rear-wheel motor, you can lower the prices, so we also need to consider this when making a price comparison.

The Ahooga Maxx costs around 3500 euros. Around this price, we find the Tern Vektron Q9, Kettler Famigliano C-N, and the Flyer Upstreet 1. These are models with a quality mid-motor.

Furthermore, there are also many models with a rear-wheel motor, costing around 1500 to 2500 euros. With their price, Ahooga also competes directly with the famous C-Line Electric (front-wheel motor).

This makes the Ahooga Maxx have an attractive price, but there is still stiff competition. For most people, there will be another choice made, although we believe that the Ahooga perfectly fits a certain group of cyclists who want a sturdy bike that can also be easily stored.

Bike shops often make a distinction between folding bikes and compact bikes that cannot be folded. Ahooga falls somewhere between these two.

Main Competitors: Brompton, Riese & Muller, Tern, Kettler, Flyer, Eovolt, Vello

Our Opinion on the Ahooga Fold

The Ahooga Max is an electric folding bike that does a lot of things well but can still improve. The design is thoughtful, and the bike is sturdy and stable, which instills confidence while riding.

The integration of a Bafang front-wheel motor with torque sensor is a clever move that provides a pleasant riding experience. The battery is neatly integrated into the frame, benefiting both aesthetics and safety.

With a weight of 18 kg, the Ahooga Max is not an ultra-lightweight, making it less suitable for those who need to fold and carry quickly and often. Not a real bus-train-tram folding bike, but rather a bike you simply ride to work with. We are especially fans of the riding comfort; the Ahooga Max can compete with 28-inch city bikes.

The price of 3500 euros places the bike in a higher segment, making it less accessible for budget-conscious buyers. Additionally, this places the Ahooga Max in a price segment with strong competitors. Tern, Kettler, Flyer, Brompton, … all are strong competitors as well.