Tenways nearly perfects the shareable city e-bike

Good electrical bikes are expensive. So why not bargain 1 and stock it?

That’s the thought down the Tenways CGO Compact e-bike I’ve been sharing pinch my woman and teenage girl for the past 2 weeks. It adapts successful seconds without immoderate devices to comfortably fresh riders of varying heights acknowledgment to its low-entry frame, quick-release spot post, and height-adjustable handlebar.

It besides takes up little abstraction than an mean motorcycle pinch its 20-inch wheels, folding pedals, and a handlebar that twists to create a slim, wall-hugging floor plan that goes level wrong a car aliases train.

The CGO Compact’s geometry puts riders into a comfortable upright assemblage position. Combine that pinch wide tires and a dense aluminum framework – heavier than galore full-sized e-bikes – and it feels remarkably sturdy contempt its size, pinch a rear bearer strategy beardown capable to clasp a kid aliases a fewer days of groceries.

The shareable e-bike isn’t a caller idea, but Tenways comes adjacent to perfecting it pinch the €1,999 (about $2,365) CGO Compact.

Tenways, the Amsterdam-HQ’d e-bike institution of Chinese origin, has been connected a tear successful Europe acknowledgment to the post-pandemic chaos that took retired overmuch of its competition. The marque makes awesome looking e-bikes from off-the-shelf parts supported by a robust work network. Importantly, they waste beneath the €2,681 (about $3,160) e-bike average — costly compared to the US, but acold little apt to burst into flames.

My Tenways reappraisal e-bike arrived astatine my beforehand doorway successful a elephantine cardboard box. It seemed large capable to fresh the CGO Compact afloat assembled and pinch the handlebar twisted, yet I still had to connect the steering file and beforehand instrumentality myself. The e-bike took astir 20 minutes to unbox, but I’ve been assembling direct-to-consumer e-bikes astir erstwhile a period for the past decade.

The first point I did aft assembly was play pinch the Byschulz Speedlifter Twist Stem. It’s magical. Open the lever to quickly raise and little the handlebar, aliases to summation entree to a pin merchandise that lets the handlebar twist retired of the way. It took a small believe for everyone to maestro but we soon sewage the bent of it.

The mini LCD dashboard is agleam and colorful moreover successful the sun. You person to participate a four-digit PIN codification astatine power-on, which tin only beryllium changed successful the rudimentary app complete Bluetooth. It’s the only theft-deterrence Tenways offers connected the CGO Compact, which besides intends it won’t effort to upsell you connected subscriptions aliases software-locked features.

Despite our tallness differences, ranging from 164cm to 183cm (5ft 5in to 6 feet), everyone recovered the CGO Compact to beryllium very comfortable. Adjusting the handlebar and saddle takes little than 10 seconds, and the suspension seatpost did a bully occupation of soaking up mini bumps. But the seat’s speedy merchandise system offers nary further information to forestall the station and saddle from being stolen. A no-no successful the large European cities this motorcycle targets.

The e-bike’s torque sensor made the thrust exceptionally intuitive, ensuring that the powerfulness delivered by the 250W rear-hub centrifugal was tuned to lucifer the downward unit exerted connected the pedals. The centrifugal was besides very quiet, masked wholly by the sound of the wide, 2.4-inch tires riding complete asphalt.

The Tenways centrifugal is only tin of 45Nm of torque. And without further gears, the CGO Compact is champion for mostly level environments. It still did amended than I expected connected hills, easy besting the 35Nm Raleigh One I precocious reviewed. For example, I was capable to transverse a span pinch a 10 percent incline that stymied the Raleigh One, but only if I had a rolling commencement — otherwise, I had to get disconnected and push. On downhill slopes, the ample chainring allowed maine to pedal comfortably astatine speeds approaching 30km/h without my legs frantically spinning out. The pedal-assist, however, quits helping astatine 25km/h (16mph) successful Europe.

I besides didn’t acquisition immoderate of the twitchiness you get from folding bikes pinch comparatively short wheelbases, smaller 16-inch wheels, and constrictive handlebars. In wide I rode successful pedal-assist levels 3 aliases 4 retired of 5, pinch 3 emotion the astir natural, and 4 for erstwhile I was successful a hurry.

On a afloat artillery I managed to recreation 65kms (over 40 miles) earlier needing a recharge. I received alerts connected my iPhone and Apple Watch erstwhile the artillery dropped to 10 percent, and powerfulness dropped noticeably erstwhile the estimated remaining scope deed 4km. Charging the 494.36Wh artillery took a comparatively slow 4.5 hours from the bundled charger.

The CGO Compact was evidently designed by group that really thrust bikes successful compact European cities. It comes modular pinch integrated lighting, mudguards, a large bell, kickstand, and a partially covered transmission to protect trousers, skirts, and agelong coats from getting snagged. The small crossbar successful the step-through framework moreover doubles arsenic a grip to thief hoist the motorcycle up stairs.

City bikes request to haul things, which is why the CGO Compact comes fitted pinch the click-and-go MIK HD rear bearer system. It supports loads up to 27kg (almost 60 pounds) — capable to fresh a compatible crate aliases kid seat. The e-bike besides has mounting points up beforehand for a vessel cage aliases rack.

In general, the Android and iOS app is fine, but it’s seldom needed. It mightiness yet beryllium useful for buying accessories and insurance, aliases starting a chat pinch support and uncovering the nearest work center. It besides promises to show riding information collected by date, but this ne'er worked for me, only showing zeroes.

Tenways’ CGO Compact is an fantabulous e-bike for €1,999 (about $2,365). The riding experience, everyone agrees, has been stellar. And erstwhile it yet needs servicing, Tenways has a coagulated web of section motorcycle shops successful Europe to supply support, pinch a fresh proviso of the off-the-shelf parts from brands you know.

The CGO Compact is simply a highly adaptable e-bike that rides large and tucks distant small, making it an perfect companion for European metropolis life. It’s besides exceedingly shareable — but cipher would blasted you for keeping it each for yourself.

Photography by Thomas Ricker / The Verge