Tenways CGO800S : the most comfortable hybrid bike of 2023 ?

Today i give you my opinion on the Tenways CGO800S. This new high-end urban electric bike has some nice technical arguments and could be THE competitor of some German brands, at an affordable price ! What is it really worth ? This is what i explain here after having used it for 2 months.

My opinion on the Tenways CGO800S after 2 months of testing

The Tenways CGO800S has everything I’m looking for on an electric city bike An elegant and minimalist design and above all an excellent comfort of use. At first use, no doubt, we are dealing with a robust bike with a careful design and a real sense of detail. But for me, the big surprise is its weight! The Tenways CGO800S is so light, you forget it’s an electric bike. It’s a delight to ride.

The bike has a single speed and 5 levels of pedaling assistance. There is an intelligent torque sensor that calculates speed, pedaling frequency and torque at the same time. Tenways did not consider it necessary to have multiple gears, as the assistance system automatically adapts to each pedal stroke. Since there is one gear, they chose a carbon drive belt, which makes the bike lighter, quieter and easier to maintain.

The battery does its job: 75 km covered with 1 charge (with assistance level 3)! In short, the experience is great and this electric bike has everything to compete with some of the big German brands.

Why choose the Tenways CGO800S ?

The engine

For this CGO800S electric bike, Tenways has partnered with the German brand Mivice. It features a 250W M070 brushless rear hub motor, a S200B torque sensor and a C201 controller. The motor elements are so small and discreet that they are almost invisible. From a distance, it is impossible to see that this is an electric bike !

Like many new generation electric bikes, the Tenways CGO800S is equipped with an intelligent motor The harder you press the pedals, the more assistance the motor will provide. I found the motor to offer a smooth and very natural ride, without jerks. I mainly tested it in the city, with a few small climbs and I can tell you that it fulfills its function well: an assistance that can be powerful if needed, even on hills (it can handle hills of 15° max). I also appreciate the silent side of the Tenways CGO800S engineeven at assistance level 5 (the highest).

The carbon fiber belt is from Carbon Gates. Unlike a classic chain, I feel it brings smoothness to the ride, and more importantly it also plays a role in the quietness of the bike. The brand announces a durability of 30,000 km of use without maintenance. (PS: I’ll be back to update this test to let you know how it goes 😉 ).

When starting, a single pedal stroke activates the motor. In stationary position, the bike starts directly, the motor response is immediate. This last one allows to reach the 25 km/h regulations easily and without efforts. It is also a good bike to ride and start. Its magnetic torque sensor offers you a smooth and intuitive electric assistance.

The battery

The Tenways CGO800S bike contains a 374 Wh, 36 V, 10.4 ampere-hour lithium-ion battery (the best type of battery available today). This battery offers a range of about 100 km. For my part, I managed to reach 75 km while driving in mode 3, which is still coherent.

As for the design, the battery is very discreet and fits perfectly into the frame of the bike without obstructing the ride. The advantage is that it is located in the front part of the bike frame, a good location because it is the center of gravity of the bike! So you don’t feel like you’re dragging a weight behind you, as it can sometimes be the case on some bikes that have a battery behind the seat.

The battery of the Tenways CGO800S is completely removable Thanks to a small key, it is easy to transport and prevents any risk of theft.

With the included charger, the battery is fully charged in 4.5 hours, which is about average.

Comfort

As I said above, when I use this bike, I sometimes forget that I’m on an electric bike. The weight is 19 kg, which puts it in the category of light electric bikes, and above all an extremely maneuverable bike. I have 2 steps to go down from my house to the street and back, so the weight of my bike is a real issue for me.

When I’m on my Tenways CGO800S, I find that the posture allows me to have a straight backwhich makes the rides very pleasant, even the longest ones. The design is ergonomic and I find the saddle very nice (it is adjustable in height). I had the opportunity to ride 37 km in 1 time (it was the longest ride I could do with this bike so far), and I didn’t have any particular pain in my buttocks or back.

The bike is also equipped with a rather soft front suspension, quite appreciable when I go up or down a curb or when I face damaged roads. Even if it’s a bike made for asphalt, it doesn’t prevent to ride on hard and slightly stony ground.

Finally the open frame Dutch bike type in fact a very good electric bike for women. It allows you to get on and off the bike easily. For your information, i am 1m78 tall. The bike is suitable for people from 1m55 to 1m90.

Tenways design and quality 

I chose the CGO800S in grey, but it is also available in black or sky blue. Its design is clearly high-end, and very oriented to please city dwellers who are fans of beautiful high-tech objects.

I like its minimalism : the aluminum frame, the interlocking of the parts, the weldings, the cable passages, nothing is left to chance, nothing protrudes !

No doubt : this is a bike for Apple fans 😆 !

The icing on the cake is that Tenways is a European manufacturer ! As you might expect from the impeccable design and the quality of manufacture, but also the minimalist and light design found in many Belgian or Dutch manufacturers… the bike is 100% made in Europe (it is manufactured more precisely in Lithuania and the Netherlands). And it is thanks to the volume of bikes produced that the brand can offer very competitive prices ! More than 25,000 bikes were produced between March and December 2022 and pre-orders for 2023 already exceed 50,000 bikes.

Tenways won the award for the best-selling urban bike in the Netherlands in 2022, a real accolade when you know the Dutch bike market !

Safety 

Brakes are THE safety issue not to be taken lightly on an electric bike. On the Tenways CGO800S, we find Tektro hydraulic disc brakes front and rear. This is the best braking system today! The braking power is very good. For the little anecdote, during my 2nd ride with this bike on my way to work (yes I am from the velotaf !), it was raining and a bit foggy, a moving van passed me and braked right in front of me a few seconds later… A good opportunity to test my reflexes, and also the brakes and the front suspension of the bike. I had to brake and turn at the same time, so I took a curb pretty fast, but the main thing is that I avoided kissing the back of a van !

The bike is equipped with classic front and rear lights, but its “plus” is the presence of turn signals at the rear. They are easily activated from a button on the handlebars.

Wheels 

The Tenways CGO800S electric bike is equipped with 48-inch CST puncture-resistant tires. The wheels have reflective dots that will replace the reflectors we are used to (another thing that will please the minimalists 🙂 !).

The handlebars and the screen

In the middle of the handlebars is integrated an intelligent LCD screen that you can unlock with a secret code that you can customize. It displays essential information such as speed, total miles ridden and remaining battery life. This screen is also compatible with the Tenways application and allows you to broadcast the GPS in real time.

The limits of cycling ? 

The Tenways bike is a “single speed”: it has no derailleur, so you can’t change the speed. When you are loaded and you start up, you have to make a little effort to start the bike. OK, I am quibbling a little because a quarter of turn allows to launch the assistance of the electric motor.

Paradoxically, the fact of not having a derailleur system makes the bike mechanically easier to maintain and especially lighter. This is a choice Tenways has made, as have other brands of electric city bikes.

Recap : My opinion on the Tenways CGO800S 

The CGO800S electric bike is a good electric bike in the air of time. It is at the cutting edge of what is currently being done (hydraulic disc brakes, invisible “German motor”, GPS screen). For my urban use, it is a perfect bike: light (19 kg), easy to handle, discreet and with good performance. Everyday rides are pleasant and smooth but above all safe and comfortable.

Is this bike one of the best? Answer in the ranking of the best electric bikes of 2023.