Testing the ENGWE M20 E-Bike in Jackson, WY | Photo Connor Burkesmith Mountain Weekly News
The ENGWE M20 E-Bike is getting a lot of attention, but is it worth the price tag? Let’s take a closer look at the company, the key features that make and break this bike, and who it’s designed for.
Mike Hardaker, Author and Gear Tester Talks about the ENGWE M20 E-Bike
About ENGWE
First, let’s dig into ENGWE themselves. Founded by biking enthusiasts, specifically biking enthusiasts looking at the possibility of electrifying bikes as a way to extend what’s possible on a bike, without getting rid of the quality or features they already loved, this company has been dedicated to function for a long time.
They produce a wide range of bikes, always with biking enthusiasts in mind. ENGWE also tends to look for how they can produce the quality of performance they’re looking for, without shooting the price of the product too high.
Plus, they understand the importance of portability when it comes to their bikes. Not only should your bike be able to do what you want it to, but it also shouldn’t be a pain to get it to and from its destination.
Since their founding, they’ve become known for foldable bikes, high-performance e-bikes, and their precision when it comes to choosing the features and functions that matter most to bikers.
Understandably, the M20, which many people identified as a budget SUPER73, got plenty of attention when it was released. After all, a more affordable version of an incredible bike, from a company known to push performance? That’s a winning combination.
Let’s look at the M20 in more detail.
What Is The ENGWE M20 Ebike?
The M20 e-bike was widely noted for being a clone of the SUPER73 but for more of a budget price. Does that mean that it’s inherently worse than the SUPER73? Not necessarily.
There are a lot of things that e-bike enthusiasts will notice right from the get-go with this model. For one thing, with a dual battery setup, you can get some pretty impressive range out of this bike. For another, the M20 doesn’t look, feel, or ride like a casual bike rider’s option. This isn’t your get-around-town bike, it’s not your bike to work day or errand running bike.
At the same time, dual headlights and some of the other safety features make riding this bike more casually an option. Though we’d recommend using this as a daily cruiser only if you don’t have another more suitable bike option available.
Versatile? Yes. Purpose designed? Also yes. This bike does a lot of things well and is great if you’re looking to shred through difficult trails. Plus, the 40-60 mile range on a dual battery M20, yes, that’s with heavy throttle use, means you’re unlikely to get stuck on the go.
ENGWE M20 Motor
The motor technically runs at 750W the vast majority of the time. But the ability to boost to up to 1,000W means that you can count on this motor to give you the power you’re looking for when you need it.
This bike is rated for a 28mph, ENGWE M20 top speed, though the reality tends to be closer to 26-27 mph unless you’re riding in truly exceptional conditions.
ENGWE M20 Tires & Suspension
These chunky 20×4” Tires are designed for rough off-roading conditions. They offer a knobby tread, perfect for dealing with just about any terrain conditions.
The tread does slow this bike down a little on the streets, but not so much that street use is more difficult or that you’ll lose range with this bike.
If you want a chunky, high-performance, commuting bike, this one works. But it’s going to be best for riders who have a longer commute to cover compared with bike commuters who only need to cover a mile or two at a time.
One of the standout features of this design is that you have a full suspension system that drastically improves the feeling of the ride. The front suspension does perform better than the back suspension, but the level of the suspension is good enough to keep you well rooted to the ground, even over bumpy surfaces and speed bumps.
ENGWE M20 Battery
This bike already does well on a single battery, giving the ENGEW M20 Range of 20-30 miles depending on riding conditions. However, the frame, and the bike as a whole, are really designed to stack two batteries on there. The added range, durability, and performance are worth the added cost of an additional battery.
Fans of standard bikes are likely to be shocked by the weight of the ENGWE M20 E-Bike coming in at 76lbs. + Weight of Second Battery. However, when it comes to e-bikes, and with the understanding that a lot of that weight is going to come from the batteries, support systems, and the chunkier tires and fenders on this bike, the M20 is pretty standard when it comes to weight.
You wouldn’t want to be pedaling this bike without an assist, but with the batteries and motor working for you, this weight is very manageable.
Adding a second battery does extend your range and increases your options when it comes to the M20 Ebike. However, it also limits the room in front and makes the bike a little less versatile as an everyday cruiser.
Additional Features:
Aluminum Fenders: The double aluminum fenders on this bike also help make sure you’re mud and dirt-free at the end of the ride. Another feature that makes this bike a reasonable in-town option, despite its otherwise rugged build.
It would have been nice to see carbon fiber for the weight reduction here. But aluminum is light enough, does the job, and helps to keep the production cost, and thus the consumer cost, low.
Shimano Tourney Shifter: Shimano is known for their high quality and durable bike gear, and having a Shimano Shifter on this bike helps increase performance confidence for sure. The Tourney model isn’t the best option available for this kind of bike, but it’s a good mid-tier option that offers quality performance at a more reasonable price.
For the M20, this looks like another performance for cost design decision. The Tourney works well enough and keeps going long enough to be worth the cost, but isn’t at the professional performance level where cost starts to skyrocket for even modest performance increases.
Fast Throttle Pickup: While this bike throttle isn’t going to start right from the word go, it picks up fast enough and smooth enough for most riders’ needs. The full twist throttle is going to feel familiar to motorcyclists and scooter riders, though it’s a bit of an oddity in the e-bike world. Half-twists are more common, for safety reasons, but this model makes the full-twist design work.
That said, it is pretty easy to accidentally grab the throttle when you’re trying to grip the handlebar. This design feature definitely makes this bike a better option for experienced riders and increases the learning curve when you start riding.
The other noteworthy feature I haven’t already mentioned is that the bikes fork is built directly onto the fender. That does make for a little more noise in operation but doesn’t otherwise interfere with the good functioning of the bike as a whole.
The last bit that we want to address is that this e-bike moped design isn’t very comfortable to pedal. The mini bike design makes good pedaling geometry difficult, and here, ENGWE really didn’t bother to put too much thought into it.
Why?
Because the vast majority of M20 riders are going to be riding in throttle-only mode. That’s where this bike shines the most, feels the best, and where the design performance shines.
Is this the best-moped e-bike on the market, no. Is it the most versatile? Also no.
But, at its price point, ENGWE has made a series of design decisions and compromises that work surprisingly well and cost surprisingly little.
Who Is It For?
The M20 isn’t the world’s fastest or best e-bike and doesn’t stand out as a top competitor in any single category. But, it’s incredibly functional, works well under pressure, and offers an impressive range for any e-bike.
That combination makes the M20 a good all-rounder, suitable for riding to work or hitting the trails on the weekend. It’s not a particularly good errand-running bike, but that’s not really what it’s been designed for.
If you’re looking for a good budget entry into the e-bike market, have a longer commute, want a good trail rider but don’t want to spend the money to buy a high-end model, this bike will do well.
When Can You Use the ENGWE M20?
The chunky tire tread initially makes a lot of riders confused, since the rest of the M20 looks like a pretty standard e-bike moped for street use.
The good news is that those chunky tires don’t significantly hinder street performance, while also making trail riding and other kinds of recreational biking a lot more doable.
Short answer: you can use it wherever and whenever you want to, with one caveat. The nearly 80 lbs. of weight on this bike (and slightly more than 80 lbs when you get the optional second battery) means that this bike takes some strength to move around. If you’re looking for a zippy light trail rider, this bike just isn’t going to do the job.
The main safety feature of this bike are the dual headlights, but there isn’t a ton of need for those outside of night riding. You’ll need to get standard reflectors and other safety equipment on your own. Additionally, I’m going to rate this bike a little less safe than average because of the full-throttle design. It’s just a little too easy to accidentally twist the throttle while steering or walking this bike.
ENGWE M20 E-Bike Pros & Cons
Pros:
- Versatile for rough trails and commuting
- Powerful 750w motor with good acceleration
- Long 40-60 mile range with dual battery
Cons:
- Heavy weight at 76 lbs
- Large and bulky for storage
- Uncomfortable pedaling experience
- May be confusing for new riders
- Limited safety features provided
Overall Impression
The ENGWE M20 E-Bike ($1,199) is highly versatile, performs well over time, and is a suitable option for both beginner e-bike riders and more experienced riders looking for a well-rounded ride.
This e-bike is probably going to be best for people who live relatively close to both their jobs and the local bike trails, or who are willing to haul a relatively heavy bike to and from their destination trails.
While useful almost anywhere, this bike is going to do best in situations where it has easy access to park trails and more remote trail options but also has good access to infrastructure like bike maintenance shops and charging stations.
For an e-bike at its price point, we’d have to say that the M20 is a fun if unremarkable ride.
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