“A Practical E-Bike Can Also Be Great Fun”: TechPulse Reviews the Ahooga E-MAX

Every now and then a review lands that says, better than we could, exactly what we set out to build. This is one of them.

Belgium's tech authority TechPulse took our E-MAX Alfine out for a few weeks of real-world riding across commutes, trains and city streets, and came back with a 9 out of 10. Their verdict is one we're rather fond of: a practical electric folding bike doesn't have to be dull. It can be a genuine pleasure.

Here's what reviewer Jeffrey van de Velde found, the good and the honest, and why it matters if you're thinking about your next city ride.

A folding bike with actual personality

Most folders play it safe. The E-MAX doesn't.

TechPulse opened on the design: sharp, modern, unmistakably its own thing, and a clear step away from the more traditional shapes of bikes like the Brompton. They noticed the details, too. Cables routed cleanly through the frame, a daytime running light set into the head tube, and a little Ahooga logo hidden on the lever that locks the handlebars. The sort of thoughtfulness you don't expect at this level.

And then the colour. The review made a real point of our configurator. Front and rear frame mixed and matched, matte or gloss, the logo resized and recoloured, all of it built to your taste at no extra cost. (Our 2026 custom programme runs past 16,000 combinations.) Their test bike turned up in Bumblebee. Spoiler: people looked.

This is the first half of our whole idea. A bike you want to ride is a bike you actually ride.

Folds small. Rides big.

Here's the part that tends to surprise people, and TechPulse felt it too: the E-MAX rides like a normal bike.

Stability matters more on a folder than almost anything else, and even more on an e-bike that slips past 25 km/h without trying. The reviewer found the E-MAX genuinely solid, behaving like a full-size electric bike that simply happens to sit on a lower frame. They credited the second bar in the front triangle for the stiffness, even with the bike's slim tubing.

That's our patented hingeless double-triangle frame doing exactly what it was engineered to do. No hinge in the main frame means no flex, no wobble, no compromise.

On the road, that translates into a ride they called smooth and dynamic through the corners, with wide Schwalbe tyres adding a welcome layer of comfort. They even found themselves cruising past 30 km/h under their own legs. “Sporty” isn't a word folding bikes get to keep very often. They used it anyway.

City power, delivered like it should be

At the heart of the E-MAX sits a MiVICE motor at the front wheel: 35 Nm, five levels of assistance. Around town, TechPulse found it had plenty in reserve to hold 25 km/h, and praised the one thing that's hard to engineer and easy to feel. The assist is natural. No yank off the line. You roll away at your own pace, and the motor simply keeps you company.

They liked the Shimano Alfine 8-speed hub, too. A wide enough spread for the city, and refreshingly low-maintenance. Fewer trips to the workshop, more time in the saddle.

And they were honest about the limits. Into a strong headwind or up a steeper hill, 35 Nm makes itself known. We won't argue. The E-MAX is built for the commute and the home, train and office rhythm, not for hauling you up a mountain pass.

The honest part: range

No review worth reading is all praise, and we'd be suspicious of one that was.

TechPulse's main critique was range. The standard removable 250 Wh battery is sized for everyday commuting, and in real-world use they saw somewhere around 35 to 40 km. Our 180 Wh range extender lifts the total to 430 Wh for longer days, though they felt its strap-on mount could be more elegant. Point taken, and noted for the road ahead.

The honest framing is this: the E-MAX is a city bike and a multimodal companion. You pop out the battery, charge it at your desk, and fold the bike under it while you work. For that life, the one most of us actually live, it's right on the money.

The verdict: 9/10

TechPulse's conclusion is the one we'd hoped to earn. The E-MAX shows that an electric folding bike, usually all sensible practicality, can also be a lot of fun. The playful colours, the easter eggs on the frame, and above all the ride. Their reviewer even admitted they'd almost buy one themselves.

What they loved: the unique design · the surprisingly sporty, comfortable ride · the solid build quality What they'd change: more range · a sturdier range-extender mount

That's a bike that folds small, rides big, and makes the daily commute something to look forward to. Belgian-engineered, and proud of it.

Read the full review over at TechPulse → https://techpulse.be/review/499610/ahooga-e-max-vouwfiets-review-een-praktische-e-bike-kan-ook-heel-leuk-zijn/

Ready to feel it for yourself?

A 9/10 is lovely. A test ride is better. About one in three people who throw a leg over an Ahooga end up taking one home, so the best way to understand the E-MAX is to ride it.

Book a test ride now!