Tenways nearly perfects the shareable city e-bike

Good electric bikes are expensive. So why not buy it and share it?

That’s the idea behind the Tenways CGO compact e-bike that I’ve been sharing with my wife and teenage daughter for the past two weeks. It adapts in seconds without any tools to comfortably fit riders of different heights thanks to its low-entry frame, quick-release seat post and height-adjusting handlebar.

It takes up less space than a typical bike with its 20-inch wheels, folding pedals and a handlebar that folds to create a slim, wall-mounted profile that folds flat inside a car or train.

The geometry of the CGO Compact keeps riders in a comfortable upright body position. Combine this with wide tires and a heavy aluminum frame – heavier than many full-size e-bikes – and it feels remarkably sturdy despite its size, with a rear carrier system strong enough to hold a child or a few days’ worth of groceries.

Shareable e-bikes aren’t a new idea, but Tenways is close to perfecting it with the €1,999 (about $2,365) CGO Compact.

Chinese-born Amsterdam-headquartered e-bike company, Tenways, is in a slump in Europe due to the post-pandemic chaos that has taken away most of its competition. The brand builds great looking e-bikes from off-the-shelf parts backed by a strong service network. Importantly, they sell €2,681 (about $3,160) below the e-bike average – expensive compared to the US, but much less likely to catch fire.

My Tenways review e-bike arrived at my front door in a huge cardboard box. It seemed big enough to fit perfectly into the CGO compact with the handlebar folded, yet I still had to assemble the steering column and front wheel myself. The e-bike took about 20 minutes to unbox, but I’ve been assembling direct-to-consumer e-bikes about once a month for the last decade.

The first thing I did after assembly was play with the Bischulz Speedlifter twist stem. It’s magical. Open the lever to quickly raise and lower the handlebar, or to gain access to the pin release that lets the handlebar slide out of the way. It took a little practice for everyone to master it, but we soon got the hang of it.

The small LCD dashboard is bright and colorful even in sunlight. You must enter a four-digit PIN code upon power-on, which can only be changed in the primary app over Bluetooth. This is the only piracy-deterrent offering Tenways offers on the CGO Compact, which also means it won’t try to upsell you on subscriptions or software-locked features.

Despite our height differences of 164 cm to 183 cm (5 ft 5 in to 6 ft), everyone found the CGO Compact very comfortable. Adjusting the handlebar and saddle took less than 10 seconds, and the suspension seatpost did a good job of soaking up small bumps. But the quick release mechanism of the seat does not provide any additional protection to prevent the post and saddle from being stolen. This bike targets the big cities of Europe.

The e-bike’s torque sensor made the ride exceptionally smooth, ensuring that the power delivered by the 250W rear-hub motor was tuned to match the downward force applied to the pedals. The motor was also very quiet, completely masked by the sound of the wide, 2.4-inch tires running on asphalt.

The ten-speed motor is capable of delivering only 45Nm of torque. And without extra gear, the CGO Compact is best for mostly flat environments. It still performed better than I expected on hills, easily beating the 35Nm Raleigh One I reviewed recently. For example, I was able to cross the 10 percent inclined bridge that blocked Raleigh One, but only if I had a rolling start—otherwise, I would have to dismount and push off. On the downhill slopes, the larger chainring allowed me to pedal comfortably at speeds up to 30 km/h without twisting my legs. However, pedal-assist stops helping at 25 km/h (16 mph) in Europe.

I didn’t experience any of the wobble that comes with a folding bike with a relatively short wheelbase, small 16-inch wheels, and narrow handlebar. In general I rode at 3 or 4 out of 5 pedal-assist levels, with 3 feeling the most natural, and 4 when I was in a hurry.

On a full battery I managed to travel 65 km (over 40 miles) before needing a recharge. I received alerts on my iPhone and Apple Watch when the battery dropped to 10 percent, and a significant drop in power when the estimated remaining range reached 4 km. Charging the 494.36Wh battery with the bundled charger took a relatively slow 4.5 hours.

The CGO Compact was clearly designed by people who actually ride bikes in compact European cities. It comes standard with integrated lighting, mudguards, a rattling bell, kickstand and a partially covered transmission to protect trousers, skirts and long coats from clogging. The small crossbar in the step-through frame also serves as a handle to help lift the bike up stairs.

Urban bikes need to haul things, which is why the CGO is equipped with the compact click-and-go MIK HD rear carrier system. It supports loads up to 27 kilograms (about 60 pounds) – enough to fit in a compatible basket or child seat. The e-bike also has mounting points on the front for a bottle cage or rack.

In general, the Android and iOS apps are fine, but rarely needed. This may ultimately be useful for purchasing accessories and insurance, or starting a chat with support and finding the nearest service center. It also promises to show ride data collected by date, but this never worked for me, only showing zero.

Tenways’ CGO Compact is an excellent e-bike for €1,999 (about $2,365). Everyone agrees that the riding experience has been great. And when it eventually needs servicing, Tenways has a solid network of local bike shops in Europe to provide support, with a ready supply of off-the-shelf parts from your familiar brands.

The CGO Compact is a highly adaptable e-bike that rides big and rides small, making it an ideal companion for European city life. It’s also highly shareable – but no one would blame you for keeping it all to yourself.

Photography by Thomas Ricker/The Verge