The AQ177 Pro Max has the biggest battery I've ever seen on an e-bike... was this monster made in Texas?! The downside of all that juice is a Texas-sized curb weight of 116 pounds... no sir, this electrified bicycle is not for the faint of heart. With a full loadout of commuting accessories, hydraulic brakes, and a suspiciously low price tag of just $1,799, this e-bike is tempting indeed... but how will the quality hold up over time? Dive into the full review to get my take.
Video Review
General
Frame and Contact Points
Electronics
Bicycle Components
Written Review
After reviewing hundreds of electric bikes, they all start to look the same... and then something like the AQ177 Pro Max comes along and shakes everything up. The battery on this thing is bonkers big, the brakes are new-to-me DYISLAND branded, and it's got a surprising amount of features packed in at a low price point. This is the first e-bike I've ridden on from Aniioki and it's certainly made a strong impression!
Let's Talk About Size (and Weight)
The AQ177 Pro Max is actually fairly small as electric bikes go, with a short minibike-sized frame and 20 inch wheels. Despite this it's still the heaviest electric bike I've ever tested, weighing in at just over 116 pounds. A typical fat-tire minibike weighs in the 60 to 80 pound range... so why is the AQ177 Pro Max so heavy? A lot of that weight is in the massive battery, which tips the scales at 27 pounds by itself. However, take out the battery and you're still left with a much higher than average weight of 89 pounds for the bike by itself. This is because you need a thick and strong frame to safely support that hefty battery; thus, while the result is a cumbersome bike, I'm glad Aniioki didn't cut any corners. The last thing you want is for the frame to crack because you hit a pothole too hard.
Another perk of the sturdy frame is the 350-pound weight limit, quite higher than average for an electric bike. Aniioki rates the rear rack for 55 pounds of cargo, but I bet this thing can carry a lot more; it's part of the frame and amazingly sturdy. It includes an easily removable seat for carrying a passenger, though you'd probably want to invest in some foot pegs for anything but the shortest of trips. A better upgrade would be a luggage carrier or case; this baby is just begging to be used as a delivery vehicle due to its range and speed capabilities.
More Range than Your Butt
Electric bike range is a hotly contested topic, but I think "butt range" is a more important metric. How long can your body handle being in the saddle? Most people will be aching to quit by the 20 mile mark, even if the motor is doing most of the work. Just imagining how sore I'd feel after 200 miles of riding makes me shudder, but that's exactly the kind of pedal-assisted range Aniioki says you can get out of the AQ177 Pro Max, and I'm inclined to believe them. 1,000 watt-hours is considered very high capacity for an electric bike and the AQ177 Pro Max is coming in at almost triple that figure! While I can't see anyone (except maybe some delivery drivers) putting in that kind of mileage in a single day, I can still see the benefit; most riders will be able to go multiple days and trips in-between charges.
Let's be Honest... it's a Moped
Now don't get me wrong, the AQ177 Pro Max is surprisingly easy to pedal, especially compared to competing models from brands like Super73 or Monday Motorbikes. That's because the AQ177 Pro Max may be minibike sized, but it's still built more like a traditional bicycle with an approachable step-thru frame and a long adjustable seatpost. This means that even my lanky 6'3" frame can pedal fairly comfortably, a pleasant surprise! However... 116 pounds is 116 pounds, and since this e-bike is rocking an entry-level Shimano Tourney drivetrain, pedaling just isn't a good time without a side order of electric assist.
On the top end of things the AQ177 Pro Max can reach 30mph quite easily, with pedal assistance or purely on the throttle. The thing is, pedaling at this speed is not fun, due to the limited range of the 14-28 tooth freewheel. Even in the highest gear your feet are going to be cycling very fast at 30mph and it's not easy or fun to sustain that for long. No, if you want to cruise at 30mph, you're going to be doing that via the full-twist throttle, which (combined with the full motorcycle-style signal controls) will make moped and scooter riders feel right at home. There's also cruise control, which I discovered on accident as it doesn't seem to be advertised anywhere in the manual.
I should also mention that the 1,000 watt motor, while quite fun, is a bit too powerful for an electric bike. While laws vary (and enforcement varies even more) from place to place, the usual limit is 1 horsepower, or 750 watts, for a Class 1, 2, or 3 electric bicycle. Thus, many jurisdictions would legally consider the AQ177 Pro Max a moped.
Suspiciously Cheap
A 1,000 watt-hour e-bike battery made with premium quality cells from manufacturers like Samsung or LG can easily cost $800 all by itself... so how is Aniioki able to pack in almost triple the amount of cells, plus full suspension and hydraulic brakes, on a bike that only costs $1,699 USD? Well, Samsung and LG charge a pretty penny to use their high quality stuff. Aniioki manufactures their own batteries, and motors to boot, so that means significant cost savings. The downside? Premium cells from Samsung or LG last a long time, and a lot of work goes into making sure they're safe to use. Aniioki is a fairly new brand and their batteries are not UL Certified, so your guess is as good as mine as to how safe and long-lasting their batteries will be. Let's just say I wouldn't leave it charging un-attended - better safe than sorry!
There's also some unbranded components on here, namely the suspension. The rear frame suspension has no markings on it to speak of, and the front fork just says "Aniioki" on the side, though I'm pretty sure they're just white labeling a basic suspension fork rather than building it themselves. This suspension combo does a nice job of smoothing out the ride in urban areas, but it's definitely not up to the task of off-road riding; I took it for a test spin off the pavement and heard a disturbingly loud knocking sound when the suspension bottomed out.
The hydraulic disc brakes are DYISLAND branded which is unfamiliar to me; after some research online I found that they cost about 1/2 as much as similar setups from Tektro, which is the unofficial "affordable with excellent quality" brake system found on most affordably priced e-bikes these days. These DYISLAND brakes have large 180mm rotors and stopping power feels great, but I don't love how the levers feel in my hands; they feel cheap and almost flimsy. I also heard a lot of pinging and rattling coming from the rotors during my test riding; it was inconsistent and despite trying to tune the brakes it still happened occasionally. That's just my subjective opinion, though, and these brakes had no problem bringing the AQ177 Pro Max to a quick stop from 30mph.
Room to Improve on Safety
You should definitely opt for the white model if being seen is a concern; while I love the sleek look of the black model, it's just not very easy to see. Front visibility is great thanks to the super bright motorcycle-style headlight, but that's about it. Side visibility is hampered by a complete lack of reflective sidewall striping on the tires, which are generic 20x4 fatties that also lack puncture protection, I would recommend Slime or Tannus ARMOUR inserts to prevent flats... especially since a blowout at 30mph would actually be pretty dangerous. There is a taillight, but it's just not very bright - even the brighter brake activation mode is impossible to see during the daytime. The same is true for the blinkers, which are only present in the rear, and won't be seen by anyone unless it's dark out. But hey, at least the buzzer-style horn is quite loud!
The lights and signals are fairly middle of the road, and honestly better than on a lot of electric bikes that completely lack turn signals and brake activation... but I think Aniioki needs to do better for the AQ177 Pro Max. This is more of a moped that is clearly designed to be ridden with traffic on city streets, and it's very important to make sure that vehicle drivers can a) see you, and b) know where you're going! My recommendation is to get the white version, add a brighter taillight, and use your hand signals rather than the built-in blinkers.
Closing Thoughts
This beast of an electric bike won't be for everyone; if you want something you can carry up the stairs to your apartment, look elsewhere! But if you're looking for something moped-esque that is still fun to pedal, capable of doing long hauls with a good amount of cargo, then this just might be the e-bike for you. I'm definitely going to be watching the Aniioki brand to see what else they make and how well their products hold out over time. If you've got an Aniioki e-bike, I'd love to hear from you! Chime in with a comment below and let me know how you like it.
Until next time!
What Other Experts Are Saying
"With a full kit of accessories and an eye-popping 2,880Wh battery capacity, the Aniioki AQ177 Pro Max is making waves in the electric bike market! It's much heavier than your average e-bike but that weight translates to stability at speed and ridiculously long range. It looks sleek, feels amazingly comfortable, and has a sturdy integrated rack that will make it an attractive option for delivery riders everywhere. ..."
"The AQ177 Pro-Max is a Class 3 electric bike, with power assist up to 28 mph (the rider must also be pedaling in this mode), and a throttle-only mode top speed of 20 mph. The slower top speed in throttle-only mode means that in most U.S. states, the AQ177 can be ridden on shared-use recreational trails. There are five levels of pedal assist available to the rider. The AQ177 Pro Max’s motor is rated for 750W, with a..."
"The Aniioki is trying to be a lot of things. First of all, what’s with that name? It almost sounds like a play on the famous sharpshooter Annie Oakley, though that might be giving too much American history credit to a company that seems to be another one of these Asian import e-bike brands that tend to spring up overnight. And when we take a deeper look at the bike itself, it seems to go in a number of directions...."
"The Aniioko Aq177 Pro Max electric bike is a long range and high powered model (for the price point). It’s among the longest range bikes on the market, and from my market research, you have to double your spend to get significantly more powerful bikes (which are often dangerous for the untrained rider). The bike almost feels like a hybrid between a moped and a bike, putting emphasis on the throttle-only cruising wh..."
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