Engwe P20 folding e-bike evaluate: how forgiving are you?

It’s straightforward to make a folding e-bike just like the Engwe P20 look nice on paper. 

First, you worth it close to $1,000 and promise a 10-second folding time. Then, you change the normal oily chain, derailleur, cassette, and shifter with a belt-driven motor and torque sensor that ought to intuitively ramp up the pedal-assisted energy with out requiring any gears or upkeep. Lastly, you add hydraulic disc brakes to deliver every little thing to a managed cease and wrap all of it up in a nice-looking bundle that may be carried onto a prepare or tossed into the trunk of a automotive.

On paper, then, the €1,099 (about $1,190) Engwe P20 ticks all of the containers for an e-bike that lately went on sale in Europe. Driving it for the final month at my residence in Amsterdam, nevertheless, makes it clear that you simply nonetheless get what you pay for.

The P20’s worth and have set makes its faults largely forgivable, however they’re faults nonetheless.

My first problem with the P20 is with the tuning of the torque sensor. There’s a noticeable delay within the pedal help delivered by the P20’s “Talengo JKaero” belt drive when coming off the road. Attempting to begin on an incline is even worse, requiring a number of seconds of pretty important effort from the rider. And because it’s a single-speed bike, you’ll be able to’t change gears for aid.

Maybe this tuning is on function for the reason that unbranded 250W rear-hub motor is simply able to 42Nm of torque. It wouldn’t be the primary e-bike that shifts the burden to the rider’s quadriceps as a substitute of the motor (and battery) in favor of eking out a bit extra vary per cost. The P20 just isn’t the bike to personal if you must frequently climb hilly terrain, but it surely handles reasonable slopes superb.

My second problem makes itself recognized after getting the P20 in control. At about 23km/h (14mph), my legs began spinning so rapidly that the saddle started to really feel uncomfortable. That higher restrict is okay in the event you’re good with rolling alongside at an off-the-cuff tempo however annoying if you must get wherever on the P20’s 25km/h (15.5mph) prime velocity, per European limits.

And like practically all mail-order e-bikes, you’ll be able to unlock the motor for much more velocity if you already know the trick — which I did for this evaluate. Not surprisingly, I discovered pedaling at US speeds of 20mph (32km/h) to be unattainable. Thankfully, my evaluate mannequin shipped with a throttle lever regardless of being a no-no in a lot of Europe. It was disabled within the software program however can be unlocked with some Konami code magic. Annoyingly, even the P20’s throttle suffers from a delay.

I pedal alongside at 23km/h, hit the throttle to cease the windmilling and… the motor cuts out, resuming after a second or two as soon as the throttle lastly engages. It does finally get the bike as much as 32km/h — and past, in the event you dare. 

These efficiency quirks could be unforgivable for an e-bike within the $3,000-plus vary that I normally evaluate — however the Engwe P20 prices only a third of that. And there are many issues to love right here.

The P20’s hydraulic disc brakes deliver these 20 x 1.95-inch tires to a cease rapidly and beneath management. Simply observe that the brakes are unbranded, which may trigger points discovering alternative brake pads when the time comes.

The P20’s geometry additionally rides bigger than its measurement, so the steering doesn’t really feel overly twitchy like some smaller foldable bikes. It’s heavy for a foldable with 20-inch tires, coming in at 18.5kg (41 kilos) or 22kg (55 kilos) when slotting in that detachable (and lockable) 346Wh (36V / 9.6A) battery. However that added heft helps the trip really feel a bit safer on the expense of portability. 

The vary is first rate, although heavy use of the throttle will diminish it significantly. When solely utilizing the motor as a pedal help, I used to be getting about 52km (32 miles) from a full battery when using in energy ranges two or three (out of three). Not unhealthy. The battery takes over 5 hours to cost.

Engwe calls the P20 a 10-second folder, which is definitely formidable — my finest time was about twice that, however you may fare higher with plenty of follow. The handlebars and seat can each be dropped with quick-release latches, and even the pedals fold with some effort. The bike then folds in half alongside what looks like a reassuringly robust latch discovered halfway alongside the middle tube.

A magnet helps hold the entrance and rear wheels hooked up when folded, permitting you to push or pull the unwieldy bundle in the event you steadiness it on one wheel whereas holding the seat with two palms. It takes some follow and energy to get proper. A tiny built-in steel stand lets the bike relaxation on the bottom within the upright place with out toppling over too simply.

The P20 additionally comes with plenty of extras baked into the worth, together with built-in fenders, a rear rack, a kickstand, and entrance and taillights (with helpful brake mild), that are all required by most metropolis commuters. It additionally has a flip sign function with devoted buttons on the handlebar. Utilizing them is difficult since they don’t make a sound, don’t routinely flip off, and aren’t very seen in the course of the day. You’re higher off utilizing hand indicators, in my view.

There’s no app, the show is tiny however superb, and the entire bike can face up to rain and jets of water whereas using. You’d assume an IP6 score could be commonplace for all e-bikes meant to be ridden outdoor, but it surely’s not assured at this worth vary.

What frustrates me concerning the P20 is that it could possibly be a terrific e-bike however as a substitute feels prefer it was developed by a advertising and marketing workforce utilizing out there components picked from a catalog, with out anybody taking the time to optimize the using expertise. However that’s what you get on the funds finish of the e-bike spectrum. 

For €1,099 / £1,099, the Engwe P20 is a good selection for anybody who wants a comparatively cheap e-bike as a part of a multimodal commute or is searching for a foldable that rides extra like a standard bike.

Pictures by Thomas Ricker / The Verge