Review: The Tenways CGO600 Pro E-Bike Is So Practical, It's Almost Sexy | Lifehacker

With its stylishly minimalist look and low-maintenance style, the Tenways CGO600 Pro is an e-bike you could fall in love with. It’s a city bike; the kind of bike you use—for popping down to the store or commuting to work at a non-profit—not the kind of bike that becomes your lifestyle. It's not for off-road adventure, but if you need to get from point A to point B, and you want to do it on a smooth-riding, stylish e-bike with as little maintenance as possible, the CGO600 Pro hits the bullseye. This thing is so practical it's downright sexy.

Low maintenance belt drive

Solid handling

Light weight

Gears are actually good sometimes

Classification: Class 1

Price: $1,899

Colors: Avocado Green, Sky Blue, Midnight Black, Pebble Grey

Weight: 37 lbs. without battery

Rider’s height: three frame sizes accommodate riders between 5’0-6’2″

Motor: 350 Watt rear hub motor with 45 Nm of torque

Battery range: Up to 53 miles

Pedal assist: 3 levels, Torque Sensor

Top assist speed: 20 mph

Frame: 6061 aluminum frame

Tires: CST 700x45C urban tires

Brakes: Tektro dual-piston hydraulic disc brakes

Drive: Gates carbon belt drive

From the look, to the ride, to the onboard computer, the CGO600 is all about simplicity and functionality. A crowd-funded product of the Netherlands, the CGO600 embodies the understated style of Dutch urban bicycles. It's not one of those e-bikes that looks or drives like a motorcycle. It's very much a bike both in looks and power. It's a class-1 e-bike, so there's no throttle, and the assist speed tops out at 20mph. The motor is very quiet and the removable battery is discretely tucked into the down tube, so it easily passes as a non-electric bike; you won't feel out-of-place on a mellow, mixed-use bike path. Subjectively, it's a pretty machine, in a low-key way: It has a classic bike look, with an aluminum frame that come in four matte finished colors and a dual LED headlight built in to the top tube to give it a little panache.

The CGO may be a simple bike, but Tenways has clearly paid attention to the small details that matter: The handgrips are comfy, the pedals are wide, the seat post and handlebars are easily adjustable so you can dial it in for yourself and/or lend it out to someone else. There's even a little bell attached to the handlebars. It's a single-speed bike, so there are no gears to worry about and/or adjust. There isn't even a chain—the CGO600 has a Gates Carbon belt drive instead, so it's grease-free and won't ruin you trousers. More importantly, Tenways says the belt is "maintenance-free for up to 18,600 miles." I didn't ride it that far, so I'll take their word for it.

The CGO600 is maneuverable and responsive. There's no suspension, but even on bumpy payment, the aluminum frame provides enough flexibility that your teeth won't be chattering.

It's light, too. At only 41 pounds, with battery, it's light enough that riding with no assist is a reasonable option; not an option I chose very often to be honest, because the assist is spot-on.

The CGO 600's torque-sensing drive system transfers power from the rear hub drive smoothly and quietly, but the 350w motor is surprisingly peppy for being so unobtrusive. Pedaling up to 20 mph on flat ground is effortless and feels natural; there's no sudden surge of torque like you get with less-refined e-bikes, instead of feeling like a motor is pushing your bike, you feel like you have very strong legs. There are only three levels of assist, compared to the usual five that e-bikes offer, but I never felt like a power level was "missing."

The stated range per full battery is "up to 53 miles," but it depends on how much you pedal, assistance level, hills, your weight, and so many other factors; it's impossible to really estimate. That said, the light weight and torque-sensing configuration mean a battery charge lasts a long time, and while it never went 53 miles in my test rides, the battery life is good.

The assist takes you to 20mph, but I topped out at about 35mph on this bike, and at no point did the CGO600 feel wobbly or out-of-control. That 35mph was on a downhill, of course; pedaling up hills takes some effort. Smaller urban inclines are no problem, but larger hills will put you face-to-face with the problem of a single-speed: Bikes have gears for a reason, and a big hill will have you wishing you had a granny gear to switch to.

In keeping with its minimalist aesthetic, the CGO600's onboard OLED display is tiny. It shows how much battery power you have left, your speed, and which of the three levels of assist you're using in a bright, black and white rectangle that's not much larger than a watch face. If you want to get more tech-y with it, there's a companion app that tracks your rides. It also tracks your bike's location, so if someone makes off with it, you can steal it back.

Tenway's CGO600 is refreshingly free of gimmicks. It's all about dialed-in simplicity that works perfectly. With its minimalist design, light weight, and quiet motor, the CGO600 Pro offers a smooth and enjoyable ride for short commutes (and rides to your friend Dave's house), and the belt drive and quality components means you'll spend less time repairing and more time riding.