Christmas List Necessity: Turn Your Kids Into Red Bull Stars With Himiway's $800 C1 E-Bike

Folks, if you've got a little rugrat or two running around your house, or maybe you're someone 'cool' uncle or aunt, then listen up because Himiway's C1 may be just the sort of machine to gift your kids this Christmas. It's nothing more than an $800 (€750 at current exchange rates) piece of hardware designed to give children, ages 4-12, a taste of what the grown-ups are into these days.

Warning: This thing is sure to give your kids a taste for speed, so be careful not to raise the next Red Bull star. If that's what you want, read on.

Now, I mentioned that the C1 is fast, and I wasn't lying. Overall, this thing tops out at 15 mph (24 kph). Quite the punch for a kid to have at their fingertips. Why so much? Well, kids grow up hella fast, and that means that they're going to outgrow the lower speed setting rather quickly. Over the course of your child's life, the C1 can be their partner as they grow. Let's take a look at how.

Overall, each C1 starts off with an aluminum frame designed to make this bugger light and strong, weighing just 32 lbs (14.5 kg). Himiway also brags that it can even handle up to 165 lbs (75 kg), a tad under the average weight of an adult. What I found rather neat about the way the frame looks is how Himway aimed for that off-road look of a dirt bike. Heck, imagine you were a kid and unboxed something like this for Christmas.

From here, Himiway built this machine around 16x3 in tires, meaning that this thing is even suitable for off-road use. After all, my MTB has tires with a 2.25 in cross-section. This means your kid will be able to join you even if you decide to take the road less traveled.

Speaking of roads less traveled, how long will the C1 last on a full charge? As I explored the manufacturer's website, I ran across info stating that the C1 comes in with a massive range of up to 50 mi (80 km). That's more than some adult e-bikes on the market. This is made possible by the presence of 360 Wh of battery power mounted underneath the saddle.

Now, all that juice is feeding a 350 W motor mounted to the rear wheel. This is where the C1 gets its spunk to hit that 15 mph top speed. But, if you're child isn't quite yet ready to fly around at these speeds, two other settings reduce the limit to 13 mph (21 kph) and seven mph, a tad more manageable for the new rider.

There's just one thing I need to point out before moving on 15 mph is nearly the speed limit set for adult e-bikes over in Europe (not available to European customers), which means that your child and you, too, must always wear a helmet. Trust me; you can mess yourself up at lower speeds than that.

Sure, those speed settings are going to help a lot in terms of safety, but there's another feature in place that has proven to be priceless in terms of controlling an EV of this nature: brakes. For the C1, Himiway has chosen to add not only hydraulic brakes as the source for stopping power but an electronic one too, both active only on the rear wheel.

For the C1, Himiway has chosen to drop the pedals and install a pair of footpegs onto which riders can rest their feet. This allows your child to focus on nothing more than controlling this bugger, which is done via thumb throttle, where an LCD display is also located. And that's really all there is to the C1 or is there?

While this e-bike comes across as boasting some rather impressive stats and components, one aspect of the story we haven't yet shed light upon is your child's personal experience. To do that, let's imagine that Saturday morning is here, and everyone has had their breakfast. From here, it's time to get dressed and equipped with proper safety gear, and then it's time to open that garage door. As you do, you look over to your youngling, him or here at you, and you each hop on your EVs. "Ready?" "Ready."

The best part of it all is that the C1 has the power and wheels to explore off-road terrains. Heck, it even looks like you can just toss it in the backseat of your car or trunk, and off you go to some light trails through the woods with your grown-up in development. Along the way, you'll teach, you'll guide, and at the end of it all, give a high-five overlooking the terrains you've just conquered. Just a little something to think about before Christmas rolls around.