Belt-drive city e-bike for relaxing rides

After having previously tested out Tenways’ first single-speed electric bicycle last year, I was excited to give the brand’s newest model a try. Now that I’ve spent some good saddle time on the Tenways CGO800S, here’s what I think about this new ride.

First of all, there’s definitely a lot to like in the Tenways CGO800S. It’s not all perfect, and there were a few misses, but it’s largely a very nice offering.

This is absolutely an urban-oriented e-bike though, so don’t expect to turn this into your hybrid trail rider or anything like that.

It’s also a pedal-assist e-bike fitting in the Class 1 designation in the US, so you’ve got to go into this review knowing that this is an e-bike made for cyclists. This is not a motorcycle with pedals.

With that frame of mind in place, let’s dive in here. You can start with my brief video review below, then keep reading for the rest of my thoughts.

Tenways CGO800S video review

Tenways CGO800S tech specs

• Motor: 250W rear hub motor
• Top speed: 20 mph (32 km/h) in US, 15.5 mph (25 km/h) in Europe
• Range: Claimed up to 62 miles (100 km)
• Battery: 36V 10.4Ah (375Wh)
• Weight: 50.7 lb (23 kg)
• Frame: Aluminum alloy 6061
• Suspension: Front suspension fork
• Brakes: Tektro hydraulic disc brakes
• Extras: Gates carbon belt drive, color LCD display including speedometer, battery gauge and PAS level indicator, front and rear LED lights, torque sensor, included rack and fenders, three color options
• Price: $1,999

Great for the city

As I mentioned, this isn’t one of those “motorcycle with pedals” types of electric bicycles. This is a relaxed e-bike that feels much more like a standard city bicycle, albeit one that doesn’t make you work very hard if you don’t want to.

The upright ride with tall handlebars gives a comfortable body position and the modest 250W motor doesn’t feel overpowered. It still has some nice acceleration in higher-power pedal assist modes, but no one will accuse the Tenways CGO800S of being too much bike to handle. It just isn’t going to knock anyone’s cycling socks off, so to speak.

That means it is better suited for someone who already enjoys cycling, but wants a nice boost added to their usual ride. And perhaps they also want the other advantages that come with nicer e-bikes.

For example, the included torque sensor makes the pedal assist smooth and intuitive feeling. When you press harder on the pedals, you get more power from the motor. It’s as simple as that.

There’s no throttle to feather; everything is foot-controlled.

Well, not everything. You’ve still got those hydraulic disc brakes at your fingertips. But there’s no shifter to mess with, since this is a single speed. That can go in either the pros or cons column, depending on whether you like the simplicity of a single-speed or prefer the gear ratios that come with a multi-speed transmission.

For me, single-speeds are great, lightweight, and simple solutions. But I also live in a flat city, and so your mileage may vary.

Speaking of mileage, the company says you’ll get up to 100 km (62 miles) of range from the Tenways CGO800S. That’s probably a bit higher than most people will get, but it really depends on what pedal assist level you keep it in.

If you’re blasting around in the highest power level, you’ll be lucky to see 35-40 miles. If you keep it in level 1 all the time, you could realistically reach 62 miles of range.

But since most people don’t have the self-control to only use the lowest (and slowest) power level, don’t expect to ever really see 62 miles of range.

Even so, the rest of the promises check out. The speed really gets up to 20 mph (32 km/h). The bike comes with included accessories like a rear rack and a fender set. The LED lights work and they work well. Though on that note I’ll say that the turn signals feel a bit gimmicky to me.

They’re barely distinguishable on the rear of the bike since they are built into the single tail light. You’ve got to be really close to make out that one turn signal is on and realize what it is.

Sure, having turn signals is a nice addition. And I may use them from time to time. But I’m definitely still going to use hand signals too. I wouldn’t rely on those little rear turn signals – and of course the lack of front turn signals also makes hand signaling a necessity.

Another nice addition that is almost a bit overkill is the screen. Don’t get me wrong, it’s beautiful. But there’s just so much going on, especially when you get into the settings. I turned off the password feature since it was a bit annoying to me. But password protecting your e-bike is a neat idea, and some riders might enjoy the extra security. I’ll go with a beefy lock any day of the week, but the feature is still a nice addition, in theory.

And I can’t deny that the screen is quite attractive. It’s nicely designed and the colors pop. So nice work there, Tenways.

For $1,999, you’re getting a lot of nice parts like those hydraulic brakes and Gates carbon belt drive.

Even so, the lower power and limited top speed don’t quite match the price, if you’re looking for bang-for-your-buck performance-wise.

So in this case, I’d say that it’s worth it if your main requirements are the quality construction and easygoing ride. But if performance is more your thing, you can find bikes with bigger motors and batteries for less cash.

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