In two years, more than dozens of new bicycle brands have appeared. And this wave has not ended. The latest arrival is called Tenways, a brand from Hong Kong and founded two years ago in crowdfunding. Its bikes are assembled in Eastern European countries with Chinese components, a strategy that is likely to avoid being penalized by European anti-dumping law.
Tenways offers a range of four bikes (closed or open aluminum frame). Its design is reminiscent, and it is no coincidence, of established brands such as the Belgian Cowboy, the Dutch VanMoof or even the French Mustache.
To seduce customers, Tenways has bet everything at very reasonable prices: between 1,600 and 1,900 euros for the CGO models (600 and 800) and 2,400 euros for the last one, the Ago X (a nod to Tesla?), a versatile model Equipped with a 80 Nm Bafang motor and a 10-speed Shimano transmission.
Are these “low cost” bikes? Yes, but they have everything or almost everything: a removable battery integrated into the frame (360, 374 or 504 Wh depending on the model). The autonomy goes from 70 to 100 kilometers. Among the key equipment: disc brakes, Carbon Gates strap instead of a chain for three of them, lights including the front integrated into the frame and an app to geolocate your bike and establish a route.
They are also equipped with puncture-proof tires, a luggage rack, mudguards and a kickstand. Weight? the model we tested, the CGO 600 Pro, weighs just 15 kilos without the accessories and 18 with them. The other three weigh between 19 and 27 kg (without accessories).
A good price-performance ratio
Therefore, we tested the CGO 600 Pro, a closed-frame sports bike that is offered at 1800 euros. Aesthetically there is little to say since it is sober and of quality in terms of welding. It is equipped with a 250 Wh and 35 Nm brushless motor in the rear wheel hub and a magnetic torque sensor to adapt speed to pedaling power.
Therefore, the power is not there. It is enough to move calmly around the city but you will have to avoid the coasts. All three modes are effective on the flat, but without belt speed, you’ll have to break a sweat to get up the hills. Especially since once the legal 25km/h is reached, it is impossible to go faster. We even have the impression of pedaling in a vacuum. And of course, the more you pedal, the faster the battery drains.
The speed, mode, the route programmed in the smartphone application and the battery level are displayed on a small screen of the on-board computer. This box has three buttons to start the engine and change modes. We are far from the digital device of the competition, but it is simple and effective.
Last point, the purchase. The bikes can be ordered online and arrive in two days from the Netherlands. But you will have to know how to tinker a bit to put the handlebars back on and correctly fix the front wheel by connecting the disc brake and correctly adjusting the mudguard. A detail for experts, but for a neophyte it can be a real nuisance.
To put it bluntly, you get what you pay for. At this level, only the French brand Le Velo Mad makes the weight in terms of price and with superior accessories and components.
Source: BFM TV
