Tenways CGO800S Review

There are many options now to choose from if you are looking for emission and guilt-free commuting. In addition to the popular EVs, there are also a wide range of electric skateboards, kick scooters and what we are talking about on this site, electric bikes. In particular, I want to draw attention to the Tenways cgo800s. The latest addition to the Tenways family, following hot on the brake pads of the cgo600s, the cgo800s is a stunning iteration of a modern city bike that combines the best of traditional pedal power with high tech.

The model is fittingly part of Tenways ‘City Commuter Series’ and this shows because almost every aspect of it has been design has been created with convenience and comfort in mind. Tenways have continued to build on the solid reputation they have had for many years now, with each new iteration of these great e-Bikes. Find out more by reading the full review below.  

The Speed

Thanks to its 250W rear hub motor, the cgo800s can provide you with the 20mph or 15.5mph you need, depending on where you are in the world. It offers a range of up to 62miles per charge, but I never rode it long enough or for enough days to really put this to the test. As Tenways has a good reputation when it comes to their specs and promised abilities of their bikes, I wouldn’t be surprised if it did offer that.

Tenways cgo800s Overview

Look at the cgo800s from a purely aesthetics point of view, it is one of the best-looking commuter bikes I have seen. It has a very sleek and simplified 6061 aluminum frame which offers a stunning strength-to-weight ratio and benefits from strong corrosion resistance. As it weighs around the 42 lbs mark, it is extremely lightweight and easy to carry, in between rides.

If that wasn’t enough you have the carbon belt and Gaes crankset combination, which compared to more traditional metal roller chains, offers composite and polymer components that are far more secure, durable, and reliable. For this reason, Tenways boldly claim it can last 18,600 miles on the road without requiring any maintenance. While I unfortunately can’t disprove or prove that claim, based on my experience with the bike I would say it is highly likely.

The Setup

Before I go any further, Tenways have done a sterling job in offering a selection of three different color schemes for the cgo800s. There is the choice between Sky Blue, Pebble Grey, and Midnight Black. All colors come with a spectacular and attractive matte finish. Don’t be alarmed when your bike arrives and inside the box is a toolbox of all the important equipment you need to assemble the bike. Like most modern e-bikes, particularly models like this one with a carbon belt drive, they are predominately assembled already.

The bike’s rear fender was already installed as were the rear and front lights.

After a few minor instructions, all laid out in the manual that came with the bike. I had set it up. It took minutes.

The Frame and Build

Like many e-Bikes on the market these days, the cgo800s is only available in one size. However, thanks to its step-through frame and adjustable features, it can accommodate riders between the heights of 5’1” and 6’3”. Due to the positioning of the handlebar and the seat, it offers a comfortable, upright cycling position that will help you to maintain good posture and avoid you sloping over the handlebars. That was my experience anyway.

The Battery and Smart Motor Assist

The cgo800s’ smart electric pedal assistance comes in the form of the extremely powerful 250W Mivice M070 Rear hub motor that is powered by the 36-volts lithium-ion battery. Additionally, it benefits from a S200B magnetic torque sensor that is operated by a C201 controller, both these components being made by Mivice also. These help to detect the amount of torque required in real-time.

This allowed me to tackle all of the inclines I tried to ride it up with required minimal effort on my part as the pedal assistance tech picked up my slack. Thanks to the streamlined design and the fact that everything is integrated, it does not look as high tech as it actually is.

When it comes to protecting against theft, there is a special locking mechanism, and you can even set a code that is required to be entered into the LCD display. If someone does not know the code, the motor will remain disabled.

Depending on the amount of pedal assist you use each time, the battery should last on a single charge for 62 miles. One downside I would point out is the fact that the battery then takes around 4.5 hours to recharge fully. One major positive is the fact that you don’t need to keep it attached to the bike when it is time to charge.

The Ride

It’s all very well and good discussing the components and different features that make this bike really stand out, but what about what’s really important – the ride? The good news is that even if you find yourself owning your first pedelec bike, the Tenways cgo800s will not disappoint you. It is very easy to start using. You simply need to start pedaling, and because there it is only a single-seed electric bike, you don’t need to shift gears at all.

Although it looks as if it is designed for a slow and relaxing commute, I was perhaps a little quick to misjudge it because I managed to hit the limit of 20mph with some degree of consistent pedal action in addition to the pedal assist.

It’s interesting because the Mivice M070 rear hub motor is probably one of the smallest of its kind I have ever seen installed on an e-Bike. If you had asked me beforehand what I expected, it was not what it managed to deliver. That little bad boy can deliver quite the punch, and with little to no real noise.

A good test I always like to try when on a new e-Bike is to compare the pedal assistance engaged with it turned off. With this bike, you soon realize not long after turning the pedal assistance off, just how much it was helping you.

I need to be clear about something, as this is meant as a sporty take on the average city bike, it is not expected to handle anything too arduous. Therefore, when I took it on moderate inclined hills or through headwinds, the torque and power was enough to make it still a safe and enjoyable ride. However, when it came to tackling very steep hills, it suffered because of the small hub motor and single-speed gearing.

I recommend, where possible, giving any hills with an incline of around 10% or more a miss.

The Brakes – Efficient and Effective Tektro Hydraulic Disc Brakes

Like many of the models of e-bikes I have and will be reviewing for this site, the Tenways cgo800s e-bike is equipped with the powerful and responsive Tektro hydraulic disc brakes. I found these to be extremely effective, only requiring a minimum amount of pressure on the levers on the handlebar.

The LCD Display and Controls

On the middle of the handlebar stem sits the large but not eye-sore sized LCD display unit. It features large buttons on both sides that are within easy reach of your thumbs. While the left button toggles through the menu and allows you to select the level of pedal assist you require, the right switches are used for turning indicators, the taillight and headlight.

What I particularly liked, and something I’ve come to expect from the mid to higher-priced models is the Bluetooth compatibility that allows you to connect your smartphone to your bike and use the Tenways app for a whole host of additional functions and great features like navigation to name but one.

Summary

If you have a more flexible budget and are willing to pay a little more for a quality e-Bike that is designed with comfortable and convenient inner-city commuting in mind, then you can’t get much better than the Tenways cgo800s. It may lack the option for changeable gears and may not be able to handle inclines that are too demanding, but what it lacks in these areas, it more than makes up for performance overall.

The removable, rechargeable battery does require a lot of charging, but when it is ready to power the bike, it will do so for a reasonably long distance. The addition of mudguards and the rear rack that is fully integrated into the mudguard at the rear, does not distract from the overall good looks of this streamlined e-bike. I thoroughly enjoyed taking the cgo800s for a spin and based on this progression they have made from the previous model, he cgo600s, to this, things are only going to get better from Tenways, a company that already has a sterling reputation for designing and manufacturing great e-bikes.