For the past 6 weeks we have been putting the Tenways CGO600 belt drive eBike through its paces. If you are looking for a new city eBike this weeks article with the Tenways CGO600 review is essential reading. Discover how this clever belt drive eBike has plenty of tricks up its sleeve for city cycling. Could this be the perfect city bike?
Price as reviewed – £1,499
Trivelo Verdict: A gorgeously understated & stylish urban city eBike
Pros: Silky smooth belt drive ride & quality of build
Cons: Limited bluetooth integration with mobile app
Buy the Tenways CGO600 from Tenways UK
Buy the Tenways CGO600 from Tenways US
First Impressions of the Tenways CGO600
First impressions from the Tenways CGO600 Review are that the bike looks beautiful and surprisingly lightweight for an electric bike. The frame has first class frame welds and equipment throughout. The design masks its eBike credentials and you could be forgiven for assuming this was a conventional city bike.
Taking my first ride of the Tenways CGO600 eBike I was keen to see how the modest Mivice M070 motor would perform. The belt drive system delivers a near silent and smooth ride. Three power assisted modes worked well with the torque sensors applying assistance based on your power output.
Specification of Tenways CGO600 eBike
Frame – 6061 Aluminium frame
Drivetrain – Single Speed Gates belt drive
Wheels – 700c Aluminium rims
Brakes – Hydraulic disc brakes
Weight – 15kg
Range – Up to 70km (43 miles)
Forks – 6061 Aluminium front fork
Crankset – Gates Carbon Belt Drive
Tyres – CST Puncture Proof 700C
Motor – Mivice M070 250W Rear Hub
Battery – 36V 7AH Lithium-ion
Top Speed – 25km/h (Europe) 32km/h (US)
What type of eBike is the Tenways CGO600?
The Tenways CGO600 ebike is a Class 1 electric bike. So, what is a Class 1 electric bike? Electric bikes tend to have electric motors between 50W and 750W. These are split into three classes:
Electric Bike Classes.
- Class 1: Pedal Assist. These electric bikes have a drive system where the assistance is only activated through pedalling. Sensors detect pedal movement, torque or bike speed to provide power assistance up to 16mph in Europe and 20mph in the US.
- Class 2: Throttle on demand. These electric bikes have a drive system that can be activated through a throttle. This can be from a grip-twist, trigger or button. The motor may also be activated through a pedal actionas with Class 1 electric bikes.
- Class 3: Speed Pedelec. These electric bikes can be activated through pedalling but can reach higher top speeds up to 28mph. In parts of Europe these eBikes may need special licenses and license plates.
Technical Features & Security
Power is applied directly without disruption or any noise of any form! The power is regulated using a double sided torque sensor for near instant application of the electric motor. As you apply more torque to the pedals the sensors increase the power near instantly.
On the handlebars sits the digital display and control unit for the power. The control unit includes a security pass code to provide additional security. You can increase and reduce the power from 0 to 3 using the control buttons while cycling. Having the control unit so close to the grips makes adjusting the power possible while cycling.
The Tenways mobile application supports the eBike providing a remote interface with battery life and ride history. To help the application learn about your cycling style power usage each ride you take is recorded through the app. You need to start/stop each ride and it tracks this with the battery usage. Connectivity is provided by bluetooth and pairs quickly. I found I had to pair each time but this was a click in the app selecting your bike.
Appearance & Design
The slick city bike design has integrated cabling to maintain those smooth lines. With the 36V 7Ah lithium-ion battery discretely housed in the downtube the Tenways CGO600 was regularly mistaken for a regular bike. If you feel conscious about using an eBike you have no need with this one as most people are unlikely to realise.
The Tenways CGO600 comes in a selection of colours unlike a number of its rivals. This choice of colours mean you can specify the bike in line with your own style. With 5 colours available there is something for every taste. I tested arctic blue and the matt sky blue colours. Both look great in the flesh and hopefully the photos do them justice.
My only complaints on the design would be the lights. The front light not in keeping with the overall style. The retro globe style for the front light misses the mark with the rest of the bike being a modern city fixie style. The rear bike light is a USB charged device that is a shame not to also run from the bike central battery.
Range & Performance
The real life range of an eBike is rarely what the manufacturers claim in the brochure. The Tenways CGO600 has a claimed range of 43 miles on a full charge. I think that is a realistic range for city cycling. I weigh 80kg and rode the bike with and without additional weight of a backpack weighing up to a further 5kg. During our testing cycle we included a number of hill reps to test the battery that is not likely to mirror normal use. Across our testing we averaged 38 miles of range putting the bike through some rigorous testing.
Performance will depend on what you are looking for and how you use the bike. It has three power settings, a fourth if you switch it off altogether. It is possible to cycle on the flat unassisted but the motor makes this quite hard work. On normal cycling I would use the first power mode or no power on a descend. This allowed me to maintain a speed of near the max 16mph all the time. The extra speed setting is useful for busy junctions where you know you need to accelerate fast to not disrupt the flow of traffic. I would use this occassionally at traffic lights on busy roads and really was beneficial.
If you are new to belt drive bikes read our post on the Advantages & Disadvantages of Carbon Belt Drive Bikes. This should help explain how they work and differ from conventional chain bikes.
Tenways CGO600 Ride Experience
What is it like to ride the Tenways CGO600? After covering over 150 miles on the Tenways on a variety of ride distances I found it a must have addition to my n+1 bike selection. I love riding and generally find eBikes dilutes the purity of a ride. Not the case with the Tenways. The riding position is closer to a road bike than a city bike which I personally found more sporty.
The Tenways CGO600 has a 250W motor that some reviews have questioned in terms of power. From doing the Tenways CGO600 review I tested this on a usual route we take electric bikes and had no issues. I weigh around 80kg so a relatively heavy rider. I took the Tenways up a hill that was 1km with an average gradient of 4%. I did this in 2m 29s and an average of 15.3mph. This was using the Tenways with the lowest power setting (1 of 3).
The hydraulic disc brakes front and back perform well in wet and dry conditions. A good amount of feel coming through the brake levers that are all custom Tenways kit. This means no issues for Tenways with availability of parts.
Tenways CGO600 Review Summary
The Tenways CGO600 offers a lot of value for money in a stylish smooth ride. The power from the electric motor makes city cycling a joy. With a budget of less than £1500 you get a quality electric Gates carbon belt drive eBike. That is a pretty solid start. Add to this a lightweight stylish frame with a sporty geometry and a host of extras from hydraulic brakes to a bluetooth connected mobile application.
Who is the Tenways CGO600 for?
Should you buy the Tenways CGO600 electric belt drive bike? From our experience over the past few weeks I would recommend this bike to a range of buyers. As well as myself my wife, father-in-law and even one of my kids tried this bike and universally they all loved it. It suits a wide variety of riders so is likely to find a range of customers attracted to it.
Video review - Tenways CGO600 eBike
What could be improved?
So, what could be improved on the Tenways CGO600? From completing the Tenways CGO600 review there were a handful of improvements we would love to see.
- Firstly, if the lights could be more sympathetically designed to be integrated with the rest of the bike it would transform the aesthetics.
- Second. The mobile application is very handy but if the GPS could auto track journey details synchronising with the bike this would make the app massively more user friendly.
- Finally, the digital interface on the handlebar could be more slick and cohesive with the bikes handlebars without compromising on ease of use for the rider.
Best Alternatives to the Tenways CGO600
For a complete round up of alternatives read our 15 best belt drive eBikes. A full list with specifications and pricing for eBikes suited to every budget. I really rate the Tenways CGO600 but there are others and it is a growing market. Read our buyers guide to find out more.
Tenways have since launched the Pro model. Read my review of the Tenways CGO600 Pro eBike that addresses a number of the improvements we suggested to the CGO600. Another really interesting well priced eBike worth a look.
About the Author
Having founded Trivelo in 2015 after many years competing in triathlon Billy continues to enjoy training and triathlon. Founder Billy is strongest in the water but continues to try and convince his body that he is an ultra runner.
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