Knowledgeable's Score
Execs
- Appears nice
- Low cost
- Good vary twin batteries
Cons
- No baggage rack, no passenger seat
- Not street authorized within the UK
- Actually heavy
Our Verdict
Nice styling, respectable energy and vary make the M20 a enjoyable bike to trip. It isn’t authorized on public roads within the UK, however these within the US can get pleasure from its quirky charms.
Value When Reviewed
$1,299.99
Greatest Costs In the present day: Engwe M20
Let’s face it: electrical bikes can look slightly pedestrian of their design, with many targeted on perform over kind. Not all: the Urtopia Carbon One stands out as a motorbike designed with kind over perform. However whereas that’s to its detriment, Engwe has taken an identical method with its M20 mannequin, which has particular motorcycle vibes. The query is, can its efficiency match the aesthetics?
Options & Design
- Enticing cafe-racer design
- Twin suspension
- Single, fixed-height seat
If you happen to’re contemplating an Engwe M20, then I hope you reside someplace that has lots of house. The field it arrives in is gigantic, and you would be confused into pondering you’d ordered a dinner desk from eBay whereas drunk.
The explanation for the dimensions is easy, because the M20 is a giant bike and comes largely assembled. The body and again wheel are in place, with the handlebars connected by way of its cabling and simply needing to be screwed into place. Then there’s the entrance wheel, pedals, mudguard and kickstand to placed on.
Whereas this sounds fairly easy, it nonetheless took me an hour or so, because the instruction handbook is really terrible. Moderately than footage, you get laptop renders of the steps, a number of of which bear little resemblance to what’s required or are too small to learn. The device equipment can also be a bit primary and the kickstand was lacking the 2 nuts required to carry it in place.
Fortunately I discovered the suitable dimension ones in my shed. Oh, and there’s an abundance of zip-ties. It’s nice the bike is nicely protected, however I've to chop by 30 of them, which felt a bit extreme.
![Unpacking Engwe M20](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Engwe-M20-PACKAGING.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Martyn Casserly
When it comes to styling, the M20 is alongside the strains of the cafe racers, and also you would possibly even say it’s merely a clone of the favored Super73-RX Mojave. Both manner, the M20 is yours for about half the price of the Super73.
When ordering you've got a alternative of both one battery or two. The mannequin on overview is the latter, with the second battery positioned alongside the crossbar, giving it a petrol-tank look that solely will increase the motorcycle really feel.
It doesn’t assist with weight, although. At 38kg/84lbs this isn't a light-weight bike that you just’ll fortunately decide up and run up the steps. It’s chunky and requires lots of power to carry. Oh, and did I point out that’s simply the bike itself?
Add one battery and the burden jumps to round 43kg/94lbs, whereas the dual-battery model is a hefty 47kg/104lbs. This makes it the heaviest e-bike we’ve reviewed on Tech Advisor by a great distance.
The aluminum-alloy body is sturdy and is available in black, inexperienced or white. It seems like a cargo bike, however you gained’t be taking any passengers as the only seat doesn’t go away a lot room for backies. There’s no baggage rack both.
The saddle peak is round 31.5 inches/80cm from the bottom and might’t be adjusted, Engwe says that the M20 is appropriate for individuals ranging in peak from 5ft to 6ft 8in, with a most load capability of 264lbs/120kg, however at 5ft 9in and with quick legs, I discovered the seat too low for snug pedalling, and couldn’t straighten my legs totally. I’d be shocked if anybody over 6ft may comfortably pedal the M20 alongside.
![Rear view of Engwe M20](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Engwe-M20-REAR-VIEW.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Martyn Casserly
There’s twin suspension to cope with any bumps within the street you’ll encounter.
The 20 within the title refers back to the dimension of the wheels, that are 20 inches. The tyres (tires for these within the US) are 4 inches fats and proceed the all-terrain theme that the M20 embraces.
Once more, it’s an actual disgrace there’s no baggage rack as a result of Engwe claims that with each batteries on board you would probably journey for as much as 150km (round 94 miles) on a single cost. You possibly can’t regulate the handlebar angle or peak, which is ready at 44.8in/114cm from the bottom however that’s common at this finish of the e-bike market, and to be truthful they're comfortably positioned once you’re biking.
7-speed Shimano gears assist when you want to go sooner or help up a hill, whereas entrance and rear disc brakes are there to sluggish you down once more. You additionally get a few motorbike-style headlamps simply to finish the visage.
![Headlamps of Engwe M20](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Engwe-M20-FRONT-VIEW.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Martyn Casserly
e-bike or Moped?
- 750w motor
- Exceeds UK and EU e-bike laws
- Class 3 e-bike within the US
Getting onto the motor facet of issues presents one thing of an issue, at the very least for these within the UK and far of mainland Europe. Engwe matches the M20 with a 750w brushless gear motor that kicks out a most torque of 55Nm and might attain speeds of round 45kmh or 28mph.
Underneath present UK legislation, an e-bike ‘should have a most energy output of 250 watts and shouldn't be capable of propel the bike when it’s travelling greater than 15.5mph’. It additionally has a twist throttle, one other factor that’s unlawful within the UK for e-bikes, if you wish to apply it to public roads. It’s high-quality to be used on non-public land.
If you wish to trip it on UK roads, it’s labeled as a moped and requires registration, plus street tax and insurance coverage to be authorized. Related restrictions exist within the EU, though it complies with class 3 e-bike legal guidelines in North America. If you happen to’re going to purchase this, be sure you verify native laws to see should you’ll truly be capable of trip it anyplace aside from non-public land.
Efficiency
- 28mph/45kmh high pace
- Throttle slightly too easy
- Struggles on massive hills
As I stay within the UK, I wasn’t capable of take the M20 out on the general public roads, however I'm lucky sufficient to have using some farmland in Cornwall, so I may open up that throttle and see what the M20 was made from.
It’s snug to take a seat on, with the suspension doing its job admirably when going throughout tough terrain, little question aided by these fats tires. It does change into instantly obvious although that this isn’t actually supposed to be a motorbike that you just pedal all that a lot. The using place and low saddle peak talked about earlier than made it troublesome to generate a lot energy, which turned out to be an issue with such a heavy bike. The gears did assist, however as soon as you employ the throttle and depend on the motor, the M20 makes much more sense.
![Side profile of Engwe M20](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Engwe-M20-MAIN.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Martyn Casserly
There are 5 energy modes on provide, from minimal to the complete 750W. These are managed by way of the LCD display screen connected to the handlebars. This additionally tells you your present pace, distance travelled and battery life remaining. It’s a monochrome show, however works nicely in daylight, making it straightforward to control the stats. There’s additionally a harder-to-find additional mode for when strolling with the M20, that is enabled by urgent and holding the ‘-’ buttons on the panel, which retains the motor rolling at a gentle 6kmh till you launch it.
![Control panel for Engwe M20](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Engew-M20-LCD.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Martyn Casserly
I spent most of my time utilizing the throttle, and never bothering to attempt to help the motor by pedalling. The M20 pulls away properly, as the facility is available in easily to keep away from any sudden jolts, as long as you’re within the decrease energy modes.
The throttle has little or no resistance, so it’s fairly straightforward to press it by chance as you’re using. Then you've got a sudden burst of acceleration which you didn’t anticipate. One drawback is that the motor doesn’t reduce out as quickly as you’re off the throttle, resulting in the bike accelerating for a few seconds after. This may be disconcerting, particularly at increased speeds, nevertheless it was one thing I discovered to compensate for after some time, which made it only a quirk reasonably than a critical concern.
It’s price figuring out that the motor does reduce out should you apply the brakes, so that you don’t have to fret an excessive amount of about hurtling into the cow that’s simply wandered into the sector, or pedestrians should you’re don’t occur to be biking on a farm.
![Throttle and gear controller fo Engwe M20](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Engwe-M20-Gear-Control.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Martyn Casserly
Engwe states that the M20 can attain 45kmh/28mph, however my reasonably restricted check observe didn’t permit for such speeds. I did comfortably take the bike as much as round 30kmh and it felt strong and nicely balanced at that velocity.
Hills are one thing of an issue although. Engwe says inclines of as much as 10 levels are high-quality. In Cornwall, that’s nothing. There are enormous, steep hills in every single place and the heavy M20 struggled with the hills round me: the motor mainly failed to assist a lot after I obtained to the 18° hill close to my home. At that time, you’re pedalling a extremely weighty bike up a steep slope, which isn’t one thing you’d wish to do for very lengthy.
To be truthful, on 10 degree-or-under hills it fortunately whizzed up with out a care.
The twin 160mm disc brakes didn’t encourage confidence firstly. They squeaked noisily, and the entrance ones have been a bit grabby, making the entrance wheel lock at occasions, whereas the rear was extra spongy. Discs want a while to mattress in and, being the mechanical, cable-operated selection, will be adjusted. Additionally, they’re stopping lots of weight and probably from excessive speeds, however I didn’t have any situations the place I couldn’t cease the bike.
![Gear system of Engwe M20](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Engwe-M20-Gears-.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Martyn Casserly
Engwe claims {that a} single battery cost will ship a variety of as much as 75km (round 47 miles) when pedal assisted within the low energy mode. That is additionally presumably on a flat, easy street with a fairly light-weight rider. As you gained’t actually wish to pedal a lot on the M20, you’ll as an alternative most certainly be utilizing the upper energy modes which is able to curtail these distances. I discovered round 30 miles per battery cost appears to be regular, so the twin battery model may most certainly take you 50-60 miles earlier than needing to be plugged in as soon as extra, relying on terrain. That’s not a foul vary in any respect. You’ll wish to arrive at your vacation spot with time to spare although, as every 13Ah battery takes round 5 hours to refuel with the supplied charger.
![battery pack for Engwe M20](https://b2c-contenthub.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Engwe-M20-BATTERY.jpg?quality=50&strip=all&w=1200)
Martyn Casserly
Value & Availability
The Engwe M20 is surprisingly reasonably priced, costing $1,299.99/£1,199.99 for the single-battery model or $1,599.99/£1,499.99 for the double, which is greater than affordable on this class.
It’s accessible direct from Engwe’s web site, and supply is free.
One motive for the low value is the quick guarantee which lasts only one yr. And a few elements, equivalent to tyres, are coated for a paltry month. In any case, you’ll be liable for becoming any faulty elements, since labour isn’t coated.
If you happen to’re on the lookout for off-road options, then the Carrera Vengeance is an effective choice within the UK and for round £1000, or for many who desire the fats tire method, there’s the Rad Energy Bikes RadRunner 2 that prices an identical quantity to the M20 and is constructed to take cargo.
You’ll discover a larger choice in our roundup of the very best electrical bikes to see what different choices are at present accessible.
Verdict
The M20 is nice enjoyable to trip, seems incredible, and within the nice scheme of issues is comparatively reasonably priced. If you happen to’re in North America, then it needs to be price critical consideration because it’s quick, has respectable vary and might scratch that cafe-racer itch very nicely. It’s a special story within the UK and EU although, as whereas all these issues stay true you merely can’t trip it on the street, at the very least not legally.
You do get what you pay for, too, which is why finances parts such because the brakes and gears are used. Pay extra elsewhere and it's best to get higher high quality hydraulic disc brakes, for one.
The twist throttle is just too straightforward to unintentionally set off and you want to pull a brake lever in order for you the motor to chop out right away. The handbook is terrible, the burden heavy and there’s no room for a passenger or provision for carrying any baggage. However, if these issues don’t trouble you an excessive amount of, the M20 is a enjoyable bike to trip.
Specs
- Aluminum Alloy body
- 750W Brushless Motor (55Nm torque)
- 20in x 4in Fats Tires
- 48V 13Ah Lithium-Ion battery (optionally available second battery)
- 28mph/45kmh most pace
- 5 energy modes
- 34.17 Miles (55KM) most distance at Electrical Mode 1 and 46.6 Miles (75KM) at PAS mode 1
- 10° most climbing angle
- 160mm entrance & rear disc machine brake
- Twin suspension
- Shimano 7 gear system
- LCD Show
- 264.5 lbs/120 kg most load
- 114 x 167 x 80cm (44.8 x 65.7 x 31.5in)
- 76.72lbs/34.8kg (bike solely)
- 94.13lbs/42.7kg (single battery put in)
- 104.05lbs/45.9kg (twin batteries put in)