Tenways E-Bike is a rapidly growing eBike brand with a solid presence on both sides of the Atlantic. The brand offers an innovative range of lightweight torque-sensing belt-drive urban electric bikes, which aren’t just well-equipped, but also elegant and breathtaking to see.
But are they really that good? What about the downsides? Well, that’s what I’ll discuss today. I’ll be reviewing all products offered by Tenways E-Bike to see if they’re actually worth your buck. Here’s what this blog will cover.
About Tenways E-Bike
Tenways E-Bike is a Netherlands-based manufacturer of electric bikes.
Even though the brand rolled out its first product just last year, it has come a long way since then. Having established a solid presence in Europe, Tenways E-Bike has its eyes set on the North American market and it’s just a matter of time before it invades the American streets.
While there are a lot of things that distinguish Tenways E-Bike from other brands, the two main highlights of its electric bikes are torque sensors and belt drivetrain. If you’re a newbie, here’s a brief explanation of why this is a big thing!
Torque Sensors are the Future of Electric Bikes
As you’d recall from my in-depth torque vs hub explainer, a torque sensing pedal-assist system is a significant improvement over the other type – the cadence sensor.
While cadence sensors usually detect your pedaling input 3-14 times per revolution depending on the number of magnets they use, the torque sensors have an insanely high sampling rate. They can sense your pedal inputs up to 1000 times a second.
Consequently, the power delivery is highly responsive and pleasantly smooth – the motor kicks in the moment you need assistance without any delay or lag.
Belts Have Several Key Benefits Over Chains
Likewise, as you’d recall from my in-depth belt vs chain explainer, belts have several advantages over chains.
Unlike chains which undergo stretching over time and lose their efficiency, belts maintain their efficiency throughout their service life, which is itself way longer than the service life of a chain. A belt can last up to 30,000 miles without needing any replacement.
Belts work absolutely silently and they don’t corrode or rust like chains. But the most important advantage they offer is their clean and maintenance-free nature.
Unlike chains, belts don’t need to be lubed, oiled or greased EVER! Even if you ride on a nasty dirt road or a muddy terrain, you can just wash the belt… or can just leave it be and all dirt and mud will come out by itself.
All in all, belts provide a hassle-free ‘fit and forget’ experience.
Tenways Electric Bikes Line-up
As of now, Tenways E-Bike offers just two electric bikes; the Tenways CGO800S in its “City Comfort Series” and the Tenways CGO600 in its “City Road Series”.
While the former is a high-end urban ride to ensure utmost comfort and convenience, the latter is an affordable road eBike meant to reliably transport you from A to B. Let’s have a detailed look at what each of them offers.
Tenways CGO800S eBike Review
Main Specifications
- Motor: 250W brushless hub motor
- Top speed: 25km/h (15.5mph) in EU, 32km/h (20mph) in US
- Battery: 36V 10.4Ah (374Wh) Li-ion
- Max Range: 100km (62 miles) max
- Charge Time: Approx 4.5 hours
- Pedal-Assist: Torque-based, 1-5 levels
- Frame: 6061 aluminum alloy
- Net Weight: 23kg (50.7lbs)
- Max load: 120kg (265lbs)
- Tires: 700x48C (28×2.0”) CST
- Gears: Single-speed
- Drivetrain: Gates Carbon Belt
- Brakes: Tektro Hydraulic Disc Brakes
- Suspension: SR Suntour NEX e25 front suspension fork
- Extras: Color LCD panel, integrated front/ rear lights, front/ rear metal fenders, rear rack, kickstand
- Best deal RN: Buy Tenways CGO800S From Official Tenways Store
Motor & Performance
The Tenways CGO800S uses a 250W Mivice M070 geared hub motor in the rear. The motor weighs just 1.7kg (3.75lbs) and can hardly be noticed at first glance. It’s surprisingly silent as well.
Even though the 250W hub units are not counted among the most powerful options on the market, the one on this Tenways bike is a different story – all thanks to the sensitive magnetic torque sensor that dramatically boosts the efficiency of the motor for a decent ride experience.
The pedal-assist system has five power levels, with the highest level assisting you to the max road-legal speed of 25km/h (15.5mph) or 32km/h (20mph), depending on where you’re using it. Even the lower levels provide a delightfully decent level of assist.
The motor provides a lot more capability than what you usually expect from a 250W unit. It performs excellently on moderate hills and inclines, and is perfectly suitable for an urban environment.
However, if you frequently encounter steep hills in your commute, the CGO800S might not be perfect for you. It’s because of the fact that it’s a single-speed bike, as Tenways had to sacrifice gears to give you the sweet, sweet experience of having a Gates Carbon Drive belt transmission.
So, while the CGO800S can perform great on flat urban roads and moderate hills, you’ll have to pedal a lot more when you use it in a very hilly area. But, as an upside, you’ll be getting all the benefits of a belt drivetrain and would have a clean, silent, and grease-free low-maintenance experience.
Battery & Mileage
The CGO800S features an easy-removable 36V 10.4Ah (374Wh) Lithium power pack. It’s also relatively bigger in size than the one used in the other Tenways eBike, and weighs around 2.65kg (5.85lbs).
The battery is one of the most efficient in class and gives you a disproportionately long range for its size. Though you won’t get the manufacturer-claimed range of 100km (62 miles) in real-world conditions, you can expect around 60km when riding on multiple power modes… which is still quite impressive.
Part of the reason you can get so much range from a small 374Wh battery is that both the motor and the pedal-assist system are insanely efficient. There are no delays and practically no power losses in the torque-based pedal-assist system, which conserves your battery charge.
I am also a big fan of the way Tenways has hidden the battery in the downtube but has still made it removable for out-of-frame charging. It can be really important for all those folks who need to charge their battery inside their home.
For additional convenience, Tenways has equipped the battery with a small charging indicator to let you check if it has been fully charged or not.
The battery can also be charged while in the frame. Thanks to the 3A charger which allows for faster charging than the standard 2A chargers, you can juice up the battery to 85% in 3 hours and to the full 100% in 4 hours.
Battery casing is yet another nice little detail. It’s alloyish, solid and sturdy!
Frame & Style
The neat, clean, and elegant frame is one of my favorite things about the Tenways eBikes. The CGO800S has a step-through frame that allows you to easily get on or off even when you’re carrying a backpack.
As an interesting feature, the handlebars are slightly swept-back to ensure an upright riding posture and a relaxed geometry. It not only gives this Tenways bike a bit of cruiser looks, but it also adds to the overall riding comfort.
The downtube is a bit oversized for two reasons. It needs to accommodate the lockable/ removable battery and it needs to be sturdy enough as the sole connection between the two ends of the bike.
Despite that, Tenways has managed to keep the total weight of the bike at 23kg (50.7lbs) – which is beyond impressive. It’s partly due to the high-strength 6061 aviation aluminum alloy frame, that’s known for its light nature and brilliant endurance. The maximum rated payload is also quite reasonable, at 120kg (265lbs).
What I like the most about the frame is that it has a premium look with an absolutely clean exterior and practically invisible welds. All cables are routed internally and you can’t find a single wire to mess up the look. Even the entry and exit points of all wires have been meticulously designed to be as invisible as possible.
Overall, the frame has an elegant posture, sleek lines, and glossy finish… and is available in 3 colors: sky blue, pebble grey, and midnight black. Each of them looks so stunning that choosing between the 3 can be quite a task!
Even though Tenways doesn’t offer the CGO800S in multiple sizes, the seat post has plenty of adjustment and can accommodate riders with heights varying from 155-190cm (5’1”-6’2”).
Suspension & Comfort
The Tenways CGO800S eBike uses a SR Suntour NEX e25 front steel spring suspension fork for smooth and comfortable sailing.
Unfortunately, the fork has no adjustment or lockout options, so you can’t adjust it in accordance with your weight or the type of terrain. However, it’s capable enough to tackle every city bump or pothole that you may encounter while commuting to and from work.
You also have a Selle Royal seat with decent padding to further add to the cushioning. Moreover, the lock-on handgrips with faux leather feel soft and pleasant to touch.
The large 28” wheels also add to the overall ride comfort by rolling over every kind of obstacle that you can reasonably come across in an urban setting.
The rims are made of aluminum alloy and the tires used on them are CST 700x48C (28×2.0”) large-volume semi-slick. The tires also have a puncture-resistant liner to give you the peace of mind you need while commuting to work.
LCD Display & App Sync
The Tenways CGO800S eBike features a really cool color LCD panel that’s quite large and is centrally mounted onto the handlebar stem. This arrangement has numerous upsides, the most notable of which is an absolutely clean handlebar that can be mounted with anything you want.
While all important ride metrics are displayed in large and legible fonts, the central positioning means you won’t have to take your eyes off the road.
Besides the usual ride metrics like the real-time speed, distance traversed, battery status, and pedal-assist level, you can toggle the data to see your average trip speed, maximum speed, and even battery cycles info.
You can switch the units between km/h and mph and can adjust the brightness of the screen to suit day/ night riding.
You can also connect the LCD panel to the Tenways app to enjoy remote monitoring and to see your all-time riding stats, such as total number of trips made and total distance covered so far, among other things.
Safety & Other Features
The Tenways CGO800S bike uses Tektro dual hydraulic disk brakes with all-weather stopping capability to let you stop on a dime.
Moreover, it comes equipped with a 36V front lamp and a 36V rear brake light along with turn indicators to keep you safe while riding at night. The lights are unbranded but they ensure exceptional wide-range illumination for utmost convenience.
The most noteworthy additional feature is the sturdy rear rack that can easily haul up to 20kg (44lbs) of cargo.
Among other accessories and components, you have a strong side kickstand and full-length metal fenders for protection against mud. The only thing this Tenways bike misses is the throttle, as it ships as a Class 1 eBike.
Buy Tenways CGO800S From Official Tenways Store
Tenways CGO600 eBike Review
Main Specifications
- Motor: 250W brushless hub motor
- Top speed: 25km/h (15.5mph) in EU, 32km/h (20mph) in US
- Battery: 36V 7Ah (252Wh) Li-ion
- Max Range: 70km (43 miles) max
- Charge Time: Approx 2.5 hours
- Pedal-Assist: Torque sensor
- Frame: 6061 aluminum alloy
- Net Weight: 15kg (33lbs)
- Max load: 120kg (265lbs)
- Tires: 700x38C (28×1.4”) CST
- Gears: Single-speed
- Drivetrain: Gates Carbon Belt
- Brakes: Tektro Hydraulic Disc Brakes
- Suspension: Rigid front fork; no suspension
- Extras: Compact OLED display, integrated front/ rear lights, spokes reflectors
- Best deal RN: Buy Tenways CGO600 From Official Tenways Store
Motor & Performance
Just like the other Tenways eBike, the CGO600 comes with a 250W Mivice M070 geared rear hub motor – which is equally discreet to spot and equally silent to operate. The motor can assist you to a max speed of 25km/h (15.5mph) in Europe and 32km/h (20mph) in the US, and you again don’t have throttle capability.
The pedal-assist system uses a Mivice S200 torque sensor for efficient, responsive, natural, and intuitive rides… and has multiple levels to let you regulate your motor power output in accordance with your needs.
The ride handling is surprisingly remarkable and you can easily steer through the trickiest of turns or cramped urban roads. The drivetrain is the same Gates CDN Carbon belt that’s used on the CGO800S to give you a clean, silent, and maintenance-free experience.
Battery & Mileage
Unlike the removable battery in the CGO800S, the battery of this Tenways eBike has been integrated into the downtube. While it helps achieve a perfectly clean exterior and excellent weather-proofing, it can be inconvenient for riders who don’t have a charging socket in their garage or wherever they store their bike.
However, as another upside, you can easily deceive anyone into thinking that you’re riding a conventional bicycle (since the motor is also small and silent… remember?)
The battery used in the CGO600 is also much smaller than the one used in the other Tenways bike. It’s a 36V 7Ah or 252Wh Lithium-ion unit.
While the brand claims a maximum assisted range of 70km (43 miles) in ideal conditions, the real-world output could be way less, depending on your weight as well as what level of assist you use during your ride.
Due to the small capacity, the charge time of this Tenways eBike is around 2 to 2.5 hours.
Frame & Style
The Tenways CGO600 uses a diamond frame in contrast to the step-through frame used in the CGO800S.
Since the frame doesn’t need to have an oversized downtube to accommodate the battery and provide more strength, it weighs much less – and helps make this Tenways eBike one of the lightest options on the market.
The CGO600 weighs just 15kg (33lbs) and is therefore extremely easy to carry around. It’s not just the frame that helps cap the net weight to 15kg, there are quite a few other reasons as well.
For instance, the CGO600 has a smaller battery and it doesn’t include the rear rack and metal mudguards that come with the other Tenways bike. Also, its tires are thinner than the ones found on the CGO800S.
As far as the looks are concerned, the frame is just as glossy, elegant and neat. There are practically no welds or wires that you can spot and the overall finish is as premium as you can expect.
The frame is made of 6061 aluminum alloy and has the same load rating of 120kg (265lbs). But unlike the CGO800S, it has a rigid fork and a flat handlebar. Moreover, you have four color options to choose from: sky blue, arctic blue, lime green, and midnight black.
As far as the frame size is concerned, Tenways offer the CGO600 in two options: a medium-sized frame for 165-180cm (5’4”-6’0”) riders and a large-sized frame for 180-200cm (5’9”-6’6”) riders.
Safety & Other Features
The CGO600 features the same 700C/ 28” wheels but the tires, as mentioned before, are thinner. It uses 38C/ 1.4” wide CST puncture-resistant road tires compared to the 48C/ 2” tires found on its sibling bike. Thankfully, they are not less capable and you can expect to roll over anything that comes your way.
The brakes are the same all-weather dual hydraulic from Tektro. Considering the motor size, the use case, and the top speed of this Tenways eBike, even the mechanical disc brakes would have been fine… but it’s always good to have enough stopping power to tackle any emergency situation.
Among other features, the CGO600 features a compact OLED display mounted on the left side of the handlebar. The display is much more limited in functionality than the one in its sibling bike, but can still let you monitor all basic ride parameters of interest. Thankfully, it can be synced with the Tenways app for more functionality.
As for other components, the CGO600 offers a bright 36V front headlamp, a rechargeable rear light, a mechanical bell, and spokes plate reflectors.
Buy Tenways CGO600 From Official Tenways Store
Verdict: Are Tenways eBikes Any Good?
Absolutely! But let me clarify something.
Like every single electric bike on the market, there are a few downsides to Tenways eBikes as well.
For instance, they don’t offer throttle, which can be inconvenient for riders who have knee or joint issues. But that’s not a downside when you consider that being Class 1 compatible, they’re designed that way.
Likewise, having no gears can be inconvenient for riders who encounter very steep hills. But again, that’s the cost you pay for having a belt… as the internal hub gears or crank-based gearboxes can more than double the tag!
So, when you consider the use-case the Tenways eBikes are designed for, they are definitely good! And not just good… they are the best in class!
These lightweight bikes are designed to reliably transport you from A to B in an urban environment, and there’s simply no other bike that can beat them in this area.
They offer an absolutely clean, low-maintenance and grease-free experience as well as an intuitive, responsive, and efficient ride.
If you’re looking for a bike that you easily carry up to your 4th floor apartment, that you can store without worrying about greasing the entire area, and that won’t break down while you commute to work, Tenways eBikes are what you’re looking for.
You can buy or explore more about these bikes at Tenways official store:
With this, I’ll sign out. I hope it was an informative read. In case you want to explore more urban electric bikes, check out my best picks here. Happy riding… Take care!
