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Electric bicycle manufacturer Himiway has been riding high on its main two electric bicycle models for quite some time. Now the company says it is ready to mix it up with a slew of new e-bikes.

Himiway’s bread and butter has so far been its fat tire Cruiser e-bike and Escape moped e-bike.

Both are fast Class 3 e-bikes that can be unlocked for impressive speed and power levels rarely seen in the industry.

But with only two main e-bike styles in the lineup, Himiway is apparently planning to launch four new models with a bang during an upcoming livestream in October (date: TBD).

As Himiway’s CEO Mike Walker explained:

“We look forward to delighting both returning and new customers with our latest e-bike models. Watch our free livestream announcement from anywhere in the world this October as we showcase the Softail Supreme, Multifunctional, and Premium All-Terrain E-bikes. We will be announcing four new bikes across these three categories as an extension of our mission to revolutionize the electric bike experience for riders of all ages and fitness levels.”

himiway cruiser electric bicycle
The Himiway Cruiser is a fat tire e-bike with urban features like lights, fenders, and rear rack.

Himiway Softail Supreme E-bike

Himiway is referring to its new softail e-bike as its “most innovative e-bike yet.”

The company hasn’t released too many details other than to confirm that it will feature full-suspension with high-quality suspension components.

Himiway has also teased the price, indicating that it will fall somewhere in the $2,100 to $3,000 range.

This wouldn’t technically be Himiway’s first full-suspension e-bike, as the company’s electric moped also sports rear suspension. But that bike uses a simpler dual-coilover shock setup, while the softail e-bike Himiway is teasing is likely to be more similar to a traditional electric mountain bike.

A “multifunctional” e-bike

It’s not quite clear what Himiway means by a multifunctional e-bike, but it will likely fall somewhere in the hybrid category.

As the company explained:

“The Multifunctional E-Bike, as the name implies, will offer riders a range of uses from grocery shopping to pickups and deliveries, all the way to weekend trips with the family. E-bikes are well-known for their versatility and many people have replaced cars with an e-bike as their main mode of transportation. This makes e-bikes, such as Himiway’s, very affordable when considering the total cost of ownership. The Multifunctional E-bike will raise the bar for what it means to offer maximum utility at an affordable price.”

That might even mean that we could see a longtail cargo e-bike or a shorter utility bike. Given Himiway’s penchant for borrowing design inspiration, a RadRunner-inspired e-bike might not be out of the question.

And considering the teaser price of “$1X99,” we expect it will likely compete in the same category as popular cargo/utility e-bikes designed for value-oriented shoppers.

Premium all-terrain e-bikes

Again, Himiway is light on the details here for the company’s supposed “Premium All-terrain E-bike.” All we really know is that the company claims it will be “a blend of mountain and urban cruiser.”

We also know it will also be a sub-$2K e-bike just like the “multifunctional” line, so we’ll see what rolls out in October.

An update to the current Himiway Cruiser is a decent possibility, meaning fat tires for all-terrain riding combined with urban features like racks and lights.

Considering the company claims four new models are coming (and my PR contact mentioned an actual five models), some of these three styles are likely to have variants such as step-through frames.

The current Himiway Escape electric moped embraces Henry Ford’s “You can have any color you like as long as it’s black.”

Electrek‘s take

Himiway is taking a bit of a novel path here, dropping details about specific models and rough price ranges, yet preventing us from looking behind the curtain yet. They’re also using some odd nomenclature, but I’ll chalk that up to a PR language barrier. The company boasts a warehouse in California and an address in a business park in Vancouver, Canada. But let’s get real. That appears to be a small rented office, leaving Himiway as a primarily Chinese brand operating a direct-to-consumer model in the US.

I would have loved to see images of these new e-bike models, but Himiway isn’t ready to let us peek yet. The styles sound like a welcome addition to the lineup though, as they’ll help round out the otherwise lack of variety currently offered by the company.

As it is, Himiway already suffers from accusations that its two models are largely inspired by (if given the benefit of the doubt) or knock-offs (if not) of two other major players: Rad Power Bikes’ RadRover e-bikes and Juiced Bike’s Scorpion electric moped. Both models have since received updates, and so it’s not surprising that Himiway is also looking to update its line.

Come October we should have a much better idea of what Himiway is cooking up.


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Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia talked about modern masculinity before Gen Z was born 

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Pete Townshend's Quadrophenia talked about modern masculinity before Gen Z was born 

Despite The Who’s Quadrophenia being set over 60 years ago, Pete Townshend’s themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.

The album is having a renaissance as Pete Townshend’s Quadrophenia A Mod ballet is being brought to life via dance at Sadler’s Wells East, and Sky News has an exclusive first look.

As Townshend puts it, the album he wrote is “perfect” for the stage.

Pete Townshend
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Pete Townshend

“My wife Rachel did the orchestration for me, and as soon as I heard it I said to her it would make a fabulous ballet and we never really let that go,” he tells Sky News.

“Heavy percussion, concussive sequences. They’re explosive moments. They’re also romantic movement moments.”

If you identify with the demographics of Millennial, Gen Y or Gen Z, you might not be familiar with The Who and Mod culture.

But in post-war Britain the Mods were a cultural phenomenon characterised by fashion, music, and of course, scooters. The young rebels were seen as a counter-culture to the establishment and The Who, with Roger Daltry’s lead vocals and Pete Townshend’s writing, were the soundtrack.

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Quadrophenia the album is widely regarded as an essay on the British adolescent experience at the time, focusing on the life of fictional protagonist Jimmy – a young Mod struggling with his sanity, self-doubt, and alienation. 

Townshend sets the rock opera in 1965 but thinks its themes of identity, mental health, and modern masculinity are just as relevant today.

He says: “The phobias and the restrictions and the unwritten laws about how young men should behave. The ground that they broke, that we broke because I was a part of it.

“Men were letting go of [the] wartime-related, uniform-related stance that if I wear this kind of outfit it makes me look like a man.”

Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson
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Paris Fitzpatrick and Pete Townshend. Pic: Johan Persson

This struggle of modern masculinity and identity appears to be echoing today as manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate, incel culture, and Netflix’s Adolescence make headlines.

For dancer Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy, the story resonates.

Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet
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Paris Fitzpatrick, who takes on the lead role of Jimmy in the ballet

“I think there’s a connection massively and I think there may even be a little more revival in some way,” he tells Sky News.

“I love that myself. I love non-conforming to gender norms and typical masculinity; I think it’s great to challenge things.”

Despite the album being written before he was born, the dancer says he was familiar with the genre already.

“I actually did an art GCSE project about Mods and rockers and Quadrophenia,” he says.

“I think we’ll be able to bring it to new audiences and hopefully, maybe people will be inspired to to learn more about their music and the whole cultural movement of the early 60s.”

Read more from Sky News:
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In 1979, the album was adapted into a film directed by Franc Roddam starring Ray Winstone and Sting but Townshend admits because the film missed key points he is “not a big fan”.

“What it turned out to be in the movie was a story about culture, about social scenario and less about really the specifics of mental illness and how that affects young people,” he adds, also complimenting Roddam’s writing for the film.

Perhaps a testament to Pete Townshend’s creativity, Quadrophenia started as an album, was successfully adapted to film and now it will hit the stage as a contemporary ballet.

It appears that over six decades later Mod culture is still cool and their issues still relatable.

Quadrophenia, a Mod Ballet will tour to Plymouth Theatre Royal from 28 May to 1 June 2025, Edinburgh Festival Theatre from 10 to 14 June 2025 and the Mayflower, Southampton from 18 to 21 June 2025 before having its official opening at Sadler’s Wells Theatre, London on 24 June running to 13 July 2025 and then visiting The Lowry, Salford from 15 to 19 July 2025.

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Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

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Russell Brand charged with rape and sexual assault

Russell Brand has been charged with rape and two counts of sexual assault between 1999 and 2005.

The Metropolitan Police say the 50-year-old comedian, actor and author has also been charged with one count of oral rape and one count of indecent assault.

The charges relate to four women.

He is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday 2 May.

Police have said Brand is accused of raping a woman in the Bournemouth area in 1999 and indecently assaulting a woman in the Westminster area of London in 2001.

He is also accused of orally raping and sexually assaulting a woman in Westminster in 2004.

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Ashna Hurynag discusses Russell Brand’s charges

The fourth charge alleges that a woman was sexually assaulted in Westminster between 2004 and 2005.

Police began investigating Brand, from Oxfordshire, in September 2023 after receiving a number of allegations.

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The comedian has denied the accusations and said he has “never engaged in non-consensual activity”.

He added in a video on X: “Of course, I am now going to have the opportunity to defend these charges in court, and I’m incredibly grateful for that.”

Metropolitan Police Detective Superintendent Andy Furphy, who is leading the investigation, said: “The women who have made reports continue to receive support from specially trained officers.

“The Met’s investigation remains open and detectives ask anyone who has been affected by this case, or anyone who has any information, to come forward and speak with police.”

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Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to ‘dear friend’ Val Kilmer

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Tom Cruise leads moment of silence in tribute to 'dear friend' Val Kilmer

Tom Cruise has paid tribute to Val Kilmer, wishing his Top Gun co-star “well on the next journey”.

Cruise, speaking at the CinemaCon film event in Las Vegas on Thursday, asked for a moment’s silence to reflect on the “wonderful” times shared with the star, whom he called a “dear friend”.

Kilmer, who died of pneumonia on Tuesday aged 65, rocketed to fame starring alongside Cruise in the 1986 blockbuster Top Gun, playing Tom ‘Iceman’ Kazansky, a rival fighter pilot to Cruise’s character Maverick.

Tom Cruise, star of the upcoming film "Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning," leads a moment of silence for late actor Val Kilmer during the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
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Tom Cruise said ‘I wish you well on the next journey’. Pic: AP

Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP
Image:
Val Kilmer in 2017. Pic: AP

His last part was a cameo role in the 2022 blockbuster sequel Top Gun: Maverick.

Cruise, on stage at Caesars Palace on Thursday, said: “I’d like to honour a dear friend of mine, Val Kilmer. I can’t tell you how much I admire his work, how grateful and honoured I was when he joined Top Gun and came back later for Top Gun: Maverick.

“I think it would be really nice if we could have a moment together because he loved movies and he gave a lot to all of us. Just kind of think about all the wonderful times that we had with him.

“I wish you well on the next journey.”

The moment of silence followed a string of tributes from Hollywood figures including Cher, Francis Ford Coppola, Antonio Banderas and Michelle Monaghan.

Kilmer’s daughter Mercedes told the New York Times on Wednesday that the actor had died from pneumonia.

Tom Cruise takes part in the Paramount Pictures presentation at CinemaCon at Caesars Palace on Thursday, April 3, 2025, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
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Tom Cruise at Caesars Palace on Thursday. Pic: AP

Diagnosed with throat cancer in 2014, Kilmer discussed his illness and recovery in his 2020 memoir Your Huckleberry and Amazon Prime documentary Val.

He underwent radiation and chemotherapy treatments for the disease and also had a tracheostomy which damaged his vocal cords and permanently gave him a raspy speaking voice.

Kilmer played Batman in the 1995 film Batman Forever and received critical acclaim for his portrayal of rock singer Jim Morrison in the 1991 movie The Doors.

Read more from Sky News:
Tributes to ‘genius’ Kilmer
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He also starred in True Romance and Kiss Kiss Bang Bang, as well as playing criminal Chris Shiherlis in Michael Mann’s 1995 movie Heat and Doc Holliday in the 1993 film Tombstone.

In 1988 he married British actress Joanne Whalley, whom he met while working on fantasy adventure Willow.

The couple had two children before divorcing in 1996.

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