ENGWE T14 Review

One particular model of e-bike that seems to polarize the great buying public more than any others is the mini-folders. While some people love foldable bikes, thinking that they are a practical option for getting to and from places in modern urban areas, others feel they are just too small to be viable options instead of their car or other modes of transportation.

It’s fair to say when you make the decision to go down the foldable e-bike route rather than the fixed assembly models, there are going to be compromises. The real question is just how noticeable are these compromises and do a bike’s positive aspects make up for them?

In the following review, I am going to be covering the Engwe T14 foldable e-bike in detail, discussing pros and cons of this bike’s design and other important aspects. While I can’t tell you which bike to get, I hope this review proves useful in your search for the best e-bike for your circumstances and lifestyle.

Engwe T14 Size Issues

The first thing I want to say about the Engwe T14 I want you to know that it should not be taken as a complete dealbreaker, as there will be plenty of people it will appeal to. It’s the size. If you are 6’ tall or more, it is unlikely that you will fit comfortably on this bike. As a compact folder, it is designed with shorter people in mind.

First things first, when it comes to the sizing, you might need to alter the saddle height. Even still, if you are beyond the recommended height restriction for riders of this bike, it doesn’t matter if you have the seat post set to the highest position on its stock, you will not find it comfortable or even healthy to ride.

Next there’s the issue with the pedal strokes, if you have long legs, you can contact the throttle key and body. Which would mean you would have to pedal with your legs almost opened and angled outwards. As funny as that may look, it won’t be the best way to get you from a to be.

This all sounds terribly negative. The good news is that if you are 5’8” or less, you are likely to have a different experience.

The Battery and Motor

Considering it is quite a budget e-bike, the Engwe T14 does come with a reasonably good battery. It does come with a claimed range of between 15 and 49 miles. While I am open to being proven wrong, even for a 48v 10Ah battery I would say that 49 miles is wishful thinking on a single charge.

It’s a similar story to the motor as it is to the battery. Given that it is only a 250w motor, it offers a lot of punch. More than I was expecting for such a small and seemingly insignificant looking bike. The one slight downside I would note about the motor is that when you use it for pedal assistance, there is a little bit of a delay between starting it and it actually working. However, this is a relatively small issue and once the motor is up and running, I never noticed any drops in performance.

The Ride

When it came to riding the Engwe T14, I was just as skeptical when I started looking at the bike online before ordering it. I felt sure it would not live up to the very low expectations I had for it. I was, for the most part, on flat and well-maintained surfaces, proved wrong.

It ran, unsurprisingly, best on flatter surfaces, but still would handle slight inclines and small hills reasonably well. The real issues came when I tried to tackle steeper and bigger hills. Those left me breathless and not enjoying my ride at all.

This is not surprising though, as this e-bike is not designed with hills in mind – it is a single-speed and heavy commuter and urban area bike.

The Suspension

One of the most spectacular things about the Engwe T14 that made me intrigued to try it out, in addition to its price, was just how well it was equipped with effective and seemingly high-quality suspension. There is not just the usual front suspension fork that you get on a lot of modern e-bikes, but a central shock and two rear shock absorbers. If that wasn’t enough – its saddle is sprung.

Although I would point out that it is a strange sensation you need to get used to when cycling over bumps and uneven surfaces, due to the bouncy feel, it is still a great addition. The suspension helps to absorb much of the vibrations and bumps roads in real disrepair would cause.

Does it really need it though or does all that suspension add to the weight in a negative way and make the bike more complicated to use for its own good?

That really is up to you to decide. I would say that I enjoyed the comfort of having the bumps, vibrations and other sensations generated by uneven and off-road surfaces, with the suspension.

The Mechanical Disc Brakes

If you have looked at a number of the reviews on this site or elsewhere, you will know that there are two main types of braking systems found on the majority of modern e-bikes – hydraulic and mechanical disc brakes. Whereas hydraulic is the very best option, that is not to say that mechanical brakes are terrible.

The Engwe T14 comes equipped with mechanical disc brakes in the rear and front. I found that both sets of disc brakes worked wonderfully well, with the rear wheel being incredibly easy to lock off. My only real gripe with them, and this is more with cheaper mechanical disc brakes, is that they were quite noisy, depending on the circumstances and how tightly I triggered them.

Tires and Wheels

The Engwe’s wheels are 14-inch and one-piece, three-spoke mag design. These are ideal for use on these kinds of small commuter e-bikes because they do not come with the risk of any of the spokes breaking. The tires on these wheels are 2.125 x 14” and roll rather nicely and have a rather good grip. Despite all that, you will need to be careful when riding over obstacles on the road like potholes and similar imperfections because small wheels are not really designed to cope well with those kinds of hazards.

Weight, Size and Handling

As noted above, you need to take extra special care when riding this bike if it’s your first with 14” wheels because these are not great for riding over potholes and obstacles. I must admit that this bike took a little more time to get used to than others I’ve tested out. It has exceptionally narrow handlebars that feel quite close together which makes the cockpit area feel incredibly cramped.

Despite all that, the handling on this bike is great, if a bit tricky at first.

Thanks to its already small size, when its folded it’s the perfect dimensions for taking on and off public transport or for throwing into the back of your car or a taxi. The biggest downside in terms of size is the fact it is 27.5kg, so quite heavy for such a small bike.

Accessories

Given that the name of the game with folding bikes is convenient and practical, no folder would be complete without at least some accessories. It helps make you feel like you are getting a reasonable deal, even when the bike is relatively small and stripped back in terms of components, like the Engwe T14.

The good news is that you get the same kind of accessories you would find if you bought a more expensive e-bike. The T14 comes with a pannier rack that has a reasonable capacity and is handy for carrying stuff while you ride, a kickstand, which means you don’t have to lean it against anything or always fold it up when you are off it, a front light which makes nighttime cycling safer and more enjoyable and rather nifty mudguards. Even if you are not intending to do much mountain biking or offroad cycling on this, as it is not really designed for those types of environments, the mudguards will help protect the bike from any dirt, debris and mud that might fly up off the ground.

Curiously, the pannier rack has a cushion on top of it. Which is kind of funny because I am pretty sure you would not be able to take anyone as a passenger on the back of this small e-bike.

Summary – Is the Engwe T14 Right for You?

If you are looking for a foldable e-bike and are not especially tall, the Engwe T14 might be a great option. It has a lot of flaws, but considering how stripped back and simplistic it is in terms of design and controls, I think it would perform well if you were just looking for an easy way to complete your commute.

It is, though, up to you whether you decide to go ahead and invest in this great little bike.