It’s easy to make a folding e-bike like this Enwei P20 Looks great on paper.
First, you price it at close to $1,000 and promise a 10-second folding time. You can then replace traditional oil chains, derailleurs, flywheels and shifters with belt-driven motors and torque sensors that intuitively increase pedal assist power without any gears or maintenance. Finally, you add hydraulic disc brakes to bring everything to a controlled stop, and wrap it all up in a nice package that can be carried on a train or thrown into the trunk of a car.
On paper, the €1,099 (approximately $1,190) Engwe P20 ticks all the boxes for an e-bike that recently hit the market in Europe. However, riding it at my home in Amsterdam last month made it clear that you still get what you pay for.
The P20’s price and features make its flaws largely forgivable, but they’re flaws nonetheless.
My first issue with the P20 was the torque sensor adjustment. Off the line, there was noticeable lag in the pedal assist provided by the P20’s “Talengo JKaero” belt drive. Trying to start on an incline is even worse, requiring considerable effort from the rider in a matter of seconds. Since it’s a single-speed bike, you can’t switch gears to relieve stress.
Perhaps this tweak is intentional, as the unbranded 250W rear hub motor can only deliver 42Nm of torque. This wouldn’t be the first e-bike to shift the burden onto the rider’s quads instead of the motor (and battery), in favor of getting more range per charge. The P20 is not the right bike to own if you regularly climb hilly terrain, but it handles moderate inclines well.
My second problem occurred after accelerating the P20. At about 23 km/h (14 mph), my legs started spinning so fast that the seat started to feel uncomfortable. This cap isn’t bad if you’re good at driving at casual speeds, but it’s annoying if you need to get anywhere within the European limits of the P20’s 25 km/h (15.5 mph) top speed.
As with almost all mail-order electric bikes, you can unlock the motor for even more speed if you know the trick – which is what I did in this review. Not surprisingly, I found it impossible to ride at 20 mph (32 km/h) in the United States. Fortunately, my review model was equipped with a throttle stick, although this is a no-no in much of Europe. It’s disabled in software, but can be unlocked with some Konami code magic. Annoyingly, even the P20’s throttle is delayed.
I pedaled at 23km/h, stepped on the accelerator to stop the windmill, and then… the motor shut off and resumed a second or two after the accelerator finally engaged. It does eventually get the bike up to 32km/h – or even higher, if you dare.
These performance quirks are inexcusable for e-bikes in the $3,000-plus range I usually review—but the Engwe P20 costs just a third of that. There’s a lot to like here.
There’s a lot to like here
The P20’s hydraulic disc brakes bring 20 x 1.95-inch tires to a quick and controlled stop. Please note that the brakes are not branded, which may cause problems finding replacement brake pads when needed.
The P20’s geometry is also larger than its size, so the steering doesn’t feel overly twitchy like it can on some cars. smaller folding bike. It’s heavy for a foldable with 20-inch tires, weighing in at 18.5kg (41lbs) or 22kg (55lbs) when the removable (lockable) 346Wh (36V/9.6A) battery is inserted. But the added weight helps the ride feel safer, at the expense of portability.
Range is decent, although heavy use of the throttle reduces it considerably. When using the motor only as pedal assist, at power level 2 or 3 (level three), I could travel about 52 kilometers (32 miles) on a full charge. good. The battery takes more than five hours to charge.
Engwe calls the P20 a 10-second binder, which is certainly ambitious—my best time was about twice that number, but with lots of practice you’ll probably get better at it. Both the handlebars and seat can be lowered via quick-release latches, and even the pedals fold away easily. The bike then folds in half along a reassuringly sturdy latch in the middle of the center tube.
Magnets help keep the front and rear wheels connected when folded, allowing you to push or pull bulky packages if you balance on one wheel while holding the seat with two hands. It takes some practice and strength to get it right. A tiny integrated metal stand allows the bike to be placed on the ground in an upright position without tipping over easily.
1/twenty one
The P20 also comes with a host of extras for its price, including integrated fenders, a rear rack, a kickstand, and front and rear lights (with useful brake lights) that most urban commuters will need. It also has a turn signal function with dedicated buttons on the handlebars. They’re tricky to use because they don’t make a sound, don’t turn off automatically, and aren’t very noticeable during the day. I think you’re better off using gestures.
There are no apps, the display is small but refined, and the entire bike can withstand rain and water while riding. You might think that an IP6 rating is standard on all e-bikes for outdoor riding, but that’s not guaranteed in this price range.
What frustrates me about the P20 is that it could be a great e-bike, but it feels like it was developed by a marketing team using available parts picked from a catalog, and no one took the time to optimize the riding experience. But that’s what you get at the budget end of the e-bike range.
Priced at €1,099/£1,099, the Engwe P20 is a good option for those who need a relatively cheap e-bike as part of their intermodal commute or are looking for a foldable e-bike that works more like a traditional bike.
Photography: Thomas Ricker/The Verge
