A chain-drive version of the Tenways CGO600 Pro, the Tenways CGO600 Plus also brings a rack of eight gears to the party, but is otherwise very similar to its belt-driven brother. They’re the same price, are available in the same range of sizes with the same aluminium frame and 700c wheels, and both come in grey – the Plus model is however available in considerably fewer other colours than the Pro, with only blue offered as an alternative and not the green and black options for the Pro.
The twins also differ slightly when it comes to motors: the Plus gets a 250W rear hub motor from Tenways itself, which claims to generate up to 45Nm of torque against the 40Nm from the belt-drive bike’s Mivice M070. The Plus is 2kg heavier than the Pro, at 20kg fully loaded, but both can take a 140kg rider.
The Plus is also a more versatile ride than the Pro. That’s not to disparage the single-speed in any way, as for some it will be the ideal bike with all the advantages of the belt drive and lighter weight, but if you’re riding on anything other than urban streets and cycle infrastructure, along leafy boulevards where charming young couples exchange cheery hellos while riding through the morning sunshine toward their beloved jobs in digital design, then the Plus might be the better bet. There’s nothing to say that you can’t ride a belt-drive bike across a ploughed field and up a steep hill if you want to, but the chain drive, with its gears to complement the three power levels, will make things easier.
It may be a bit strange that gears, a staple of bike design since the late 1800s, should suddenly be a standout feature again, but that’s a result of having reviewed the Pro bike first as well as an artefact of the 11-year-old bike nut who lives in all of our heads and thinks gears on a bike are cool. Which they are. They may add a little maintenance and dirt to the ownership experience, but they make going up slopes more palatable. Paths that require a bit more leg power become more accessible, and the human urge to have something to fiddle with is also sated by the gear shifter.
While the Pro model was rarely above one bar of assistance in testing, as it skimmed around the tarmac that is its natural habitat, the Plus is better with two. Keeping the motor power at its lowest setting (it will happily ride with the motor off, for a fully analogue experience) feels like slightly too much hard work. With the motor set at the halfway mark (yellow on the display) riding becomes responsive and even easy, with the torque sensor keeping things smooth all the way up to the 25km/h cutout. There’s no boost to get you started, but the power kicks in well once you’ve got the pedals turning and relative to the Pro, it’s much better on hills. Whether you move up to the top setting of the three (orange on the display) then wish for a fourth, red option depends on how much exercise you want.
The display is the same as the Pro’s, a slim OLED unit that gives you the information you need and nothing more, split between two views you cycle between with a button. It requires a PIN on startup, which is a nice security feature, and can Bluetooth into the Tenways app on your phone, which boasts Google Maps integration – but if you’re going to invest in a handlebar mount for your smartphone, you might as well just use the map app you want and let the bike’s display take care of speed, power consumption and remaining battery life. Tenways claims 100km from a full charge of the 360Wh battery, exactly as it does with the Pro, but this is going to depend on how you ride it and would require incredible frugality with the motor assistance.
The bike arrives in the usual large box, with the wheels, handlebar and frame all separate and an enormous number of cable ties and pieces of polystyrene to deal with. It’s nice and easy to put together, with a set of tools that includes all sizes of hex key required and a spanner to tighten the pedals. The tyres even had enough air in them for a test ride, and while it’s possible to put the handlebars on backwards if you’re not concentrating hard enough or following the instructions properly, once you’ve flipped them back over it’s a straightforward build.
You can pay Tenways a bit more to have it delivered fully assembled, too. The mudguards are one of the fiddliest parts, and can rub on the tyre beneath, but it doesn’t take long to sort out. The wheels and saddle come with quick-release catches, making adjustments and puncture repairs easy, and there’s a kickstand on the non-chain side of the bike that didn’t need to be lengthened.
As it’s a light aluminium frame, the stand can hold it easily, and it’s a much better choice than a heavier bike if you’re going to be hauling it on and off a carrier or up stairs. Built-in lights add to the convenience, though the front light is weak and better suited to being seen rather than seeing in the dark – you might need to invest in an extra one if you’re planning on exploring away from well-lit areas at night.
The battery is removable and neatly integrated into the downtube. You can still tell it’s an e-bike, but at this point in their evolution we’re a long way from bottle batteries in terms of looks. The Tenways website will sell you a lot of things, but spare batteries don’t seem to be one of them – though there is an extra power bank for a bit more range.
If you’re in the market for a lightweight, sub-£1,800 urban e-bike, we’ve seen growing numbers of them over the last year or so. The Estarli e28.8 is worth a look and then there is a host of options from direct-to-consumer brands. We’ve previously tested the Fiido E-Gravel, the ADO Air 28 and the Engwe Mapfour N1 Air. The CGO600 is a good blend of performance and value though and Tenways has a growing presence in the UK.
As the CGO600 Plus is the same price as the CGO600 Pro, choosing between them comes down to where you intend to ride the bike. If you live somewhere nicely paved and largely unhilly, the Pro’s single-speed belt drive may bring it to the fore as it’s a massively uncomplicated experience that’s easy to live with. The chain on the Plus is a bit more complex, but brings with it the benefits of gears for when slopes factor into your plans.
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