2021 Maxfoot MF-19 Review

Video Review

Written Review

Power — 1,000 nominal watts, 90 Newton meters of torque

Speed  — 23 mph 

Battery and Range — 48 volt 14 ah, 50 miles

Pedal assist sensor — Cadence sensor

Display — Bafang, LCD

Frame and weight — 6061 Aluminum alloy, 84 lbs curb weight, 300 lbs carry capacity

Suspension —  Front and rear spring suspension

Gearing — Shimano Altus, 7 speed

Brakes — Tektro, mechanical disc, 160 mm rotors

Warranty — 12 month 

Price — Starting at $1,795 USD 

Hello friends and welcome back to another episode of Electrified Reviews! I hope today finds you well and in good spirits, and I hope you’re ready for today’s review, because it’s a pretty sweet one.

Today we are reviewing the Maxfoot MF-19 folding electric bike. This is a full suspension, beefy, functional and fun ride with quite a few different versions and color options. 

The Maxfoot MF-19 has a starting price of $1,795 USD for the 500 watt hub motor version, $1,995 USD for the 750 watt version and $2,095 USD for the 1,000 watt model, which is the one we’re reviewing here today. 

There’s only one frame size with the MF-19, which is pretty much standard with folding e-bikes, and six different colors to choose from. There’s Crystal Ash, which is like a polished black, White, Yellow, Grey, Violet and Orange, which looks great. 

Something worth noting about Maxfoot is they offer a 1 year warranty on their bikes, which is pretty generous for this price point. 

And with that, let’s dive into the specs!

The Maxfoot MF-19 has a powerful 1,000 watt Bafang hub motor with an impressive 90 Newton meters of torque, bringing this ride up to a top speed of around 23 mph. The 1,000 watt motor is extremely peppy and will get you up to top speed in a blink. And with the mechanical advantage offered by the more compact 20 inch by 4 inch fat tires, the MF-19 is a good hill climber too. 

The battery on the Maxfoot MF-19 is a 48 volt, 14 amp hour system with a max estimated range of around 50 miles on the lowest pedal assist setting. The battery is locking and removable, and is housed inside the frame. This keeps the MF-19 looking very nice and tidy and also helps keep the battery free from dirt and debris. Another thing that keeps the MF-19 looking fresh is the internally routed wires! This isn’t an easy feat with folding e-bikes, so 10 points to Maxfoot for the extra effort here.

Speaking of the frame, the MF-19 has a beefy one. It’s made of 6061 aluminum alloy and while it’s a bit heavy at nearly 85 pounds, it also has a solid 300 pound carry capacity. That’s going to come in handy if you plan on loading up that rear rack. We also appreciate that both the frame lock and handlebar lock are dual-stage, which is going to help ensure that everything stays where it’s supposed to while you’re riding, even on rough terrain. 

Now, even though the Maxfoot MF-19 does have dual suspension and a strong frame, it’s still not a heavy duty trail e-bike. So, stay clear of any Evil Knievel-size jumps, but you should be fine on most light to moderate trails. 

And the suspension does it’s job fairly well. There’s enough travel in both the front and rear suspension to nicely smooth out the ride. You know, it’s not often that we see a full suspension folding e-bike, but every time we do it’s always a good reminder of just how much more comfortable they are!

In the back of the Maxfoot MF-19 we’ve got a Shimano Altus 7-speed derailleur paired with a Shimano SIS Index thumb shifter. This is a nice upgrade from the Tourney derailleur and provides improved shifting and reduces chain derailments. The steel derailleur cage is a nice touch and helps protect the derailleur from getting bent and damaged. 

Now the Maxfoot MF-19 is equipped with a 12-magnet cadence sensor, which, like all cadence sensors, has some latency with motor activation and deactivation. Thankfully, the half-grip twist throttle is live from 0 mph and the brake levers have motor inhibitors built in. 

To bring the Maxfoot MF-19 to a stop we’ve got Tektro mechanical disc brakes with 160 mm rotors in the front and the rear., and although they’re not as powerful as hydraulic disc brakes, they still offer more than enough stopping power. 

There is a headlight on this ride that does a good job of increasing visibility, but it’s not really bright enough for actually illuminating the trail. If you plan on riding in low-light conditions, an aftermarket light with around 2,000 lumens should do the trick.

Folding the Maxfoot MF-19 is an easy task and takes just a few seconds. There’s the dual-stage frame lock, and the dual-stage handlebar lock, and once those are related the entire bike just folds up in half. The folded dimensions are 42” by 21” by 32”.

The Bafang display is great. It’s easy to read even in the harshest sun glare and it’s also adjustable. On the left side of the handlebars we’ve got the independent button pad and on the right side we’ve got the SIS Thumb shifter and half-grip twist throttle.

Overall, the Maxfoot MF-19 is a good looking full suspension folder that can fill a variety of roles. It’s a cargo or passenger e-bike with the rear rack. It’s a commuter with that 50 mile max range. And it’s really pretty powerful with the 1,000 watt motor. Of course, one of the most important things is the fact that it folds, which makes the MF-19 a great choice for pretty much anyone looking for a sub $2,000 USD folder.

See more of the MF-19: https://maxfoot.bike/collections/maxfoot-electric-foldi