An extreme mountain bike will shortly be released by the Chinese manufacturer Engwe. It can be folded in addition to having a harsh performance. Here are all the details.
The manufacturer’s all-terrain bike, the Engwe X26, is offered on the crowdsourcing website Indiegogo. You may order the X26 there for a discounted price starting at $1,580 if you need it right now. The first bikes will be shipped to Europe and the USA in August if all goes as planned. The Engwe X26, with a top speed of 50 km/h and a maximum engine power of 1000W, is only permitted for use on private property in Germany.
The engine power is still too high to use the enormous e-bike as an S-Pedelec officially register, even though the manufacturer offers to throttle it down to merely 25 km/h. But the X26 should be a lot of fun to drive and can handle practically any surface or terrain. The manufacturer claims that it can handle inclines of up to 30%, and the 4-inch wide tires should provide ample traction in every circumstance. Additionally, even on inaccessible stretches of road, the triple suspension improves driving comfort. The front wheel’s oil-filled suspension fork has a 150 mm spring travel, while the rear frame part’s 30 mm spring damper and the rear wheel swing arm’s two parallel air springs with 40 mm spring travel make up the whole suspension.
| Brand | ENGWE |
| Tire Size | 26 x 4 in |
| Range Per Charge (Normal Mode) | 100km / 62miles |
| Battery Capacity | Main Battery: 48V 19Ah Secondary Battery: 48V 9.6Ah |
| Gears | Shimano 8 Speed |
| Front Fork | Hydraulic Front Fork |
| Brake | Hydraulic Disc Brakes |
| Top Speed | 50kph (31mph) |
| Peak Power | 1000W |
| Rated Power | 750W |
| Max Incline Climbing | 30% |
| Acceleration | 46s (0-50kph) |
| Charging Time | 7 Hours |
| Front Light | 48V 12W LED |
| Load | 330lbs (150kg) |
| Weight | 90lbs (41kg) |
| Seat Width | 195mm (7.7 in) |
| Dimensions | Folded: 110 x 72 x 120 cm (43 x 28 x 47 in) Unfolded: 192 x 72 x 120 cm (76 x 28 x 47 in) |
Engwe X26: Design and Build quality
The Engwe X26 is packaged in a box that is 155 x 55 x 85 cm in size. The massive item weighs 49 kg, therefore the delivery service asked me to assist with unloading it. To be honest, this was definitely necessary. My driveway had this enormous package, and I was extremely interested to see how I would locate the e-bike inside. The frame color, package size, and weight are all printed on the outside of the box.
When you first open the box, a lot of packaging material that was placed practically everywhere the bike may otherwise be harmed during shipment attracts your attention. It’s not difficult to remove the folded e-bike from the box with a little effort, making it even more obvious that some attention has been put into the goods’ packaging and protection. So I took the cutter out and progressively released all of the bike’s safety features. A plastic bag with the accessories was also placed on the luggage rack, which you also find.
When the bike is completely liberated from the packaging, all that is left to do is take the pedals out of the accessories and fasten them to the crank arms with an open-end wrench (not included in the scope of delivery).
Here, it is advised to apply a little lubricant to the thread to prevent the pedals from moving too quickly, becoming caught, and making it easier to change them if necessary. The quick-release fastener needs to be closed after the upper portion of the handlebar has been fitted into the steering tube.
The ENGWE is actually completely put together and ready for its first flight in my driveway in less than ten minutes. It only almost gets better, but not much. The paint on the frame received a few scuffs during shipment despite the really thoughtful use of packaging materials and the extremely sturdy box. Additionally, the front light’s lamp head broke off at the plastic holder and was essentially simply hanging from the package’s wiring. These very modest transportation damages are typical for this type of massive and, more importantly, highly hefty deliveries. Superglue helped me to fix the front light bracket, and even after a few miles on rough terrain, it continues to function well.
Here are some statistics regarding this off-road e-bike before we get to the fun of riding: Currently, there are three different color options for the ENGWE. Our test bike is available in black, gray, and orange, in addition to the black variant. Additionally, it appears that there are versions made specifically for the US market in white and “Aqua.” The bike is 192 cm long overall and features 26 inch wheels. The saddle area’s maximum height is 120 cm, while the handlebar area’s maximum height is 125 cm. The Engwe X26 can support a maximum weight of 150 kg and is appropriate for taller persons because of its sturdy frame and these measurements.
The X26 can be folded in just a few easy steps, allowing for a substantially reduced overall pack size. In the pictures below, I’ve broken down each folding step for you. The upper portion of the handlebars and the pedals must be folded down first. The primary frame is tucked in during the second phase. The wheels and an additional stand bracket can now be used to set up the bike. The saddle can then be fully pushed in. The Engwe X26 barely measures 110 x 72 cm when folded. In fact, it does fit in a small car’s trunk. Even a station wagon can fit two of these wheels.
In essence, the Engwe X26 has a unique appearance and is thus undoubtedly eye-catching. The bike seems more like a tank than a folding bike because of the broad, 4-inch wheels, the wide and sturdy main frame strut, the baggage rack, the high handlebars, and the relatively wide saddle. However, if you look more closely, you can see the folding joints on the steering tube and the mainframe. These can each be fixed twice and are really sturdy.
In fact, this prevents the wheel from accidentally opening or closing. The Engwe X26 isn’t necessarily a visual treat for me when it comes to two-wheeler design, but this bike nevertheless gets a lot of attention. It appears to be very hefty, especially because of the wide wheels, and by the time you need to hoist the about 41 kg, you realize that this impression is not false. This bike can occasionally be substantially heavier than standard e-bikes without any folding mechanism, so you don’t want to have to carry it up or down multiple steps.
Engwe X26: Motor and Driving
The Engwe X26’s electric motor, which is housed in the back wheel hub, is of course its beating heart. The motor’s maximum torque is 80 Nm, and its output is 1000 watts. A 48 volt, 19 Ah and 7.5 Ah Li-Ion batteries provide the device with power. The X26 additionally has a rotary handle with which you can operate the engine and “accelerate” in addition to the help when pedaling that we are also accustomed from standard e-bikes.
This means that you don’t need to pedal to ride this e-bike. All of these characteristics, however, make the Engwe X26 ineligible for operation in German traffic. It could be challenging or impossible to obtain an operating authorization etc. even for an S-Pedelec. Therefore, we would like to make it clear right now that in Germany, using this bike in public places is prohibited.
As a result, the on-board computer offers a wide variety of configuration possibilities, and the X26’s utilization of the electric motor can be tailored to your specific requirements. Overall, the Engwe X26’s processing seems to be extremely strong, and fortunately, I searched in vain for loose screw connections or anything like. The brakes, rear derailleur, and triple suspension, of course, immediately reveal why this bike costs less than 1000 euros, and you won’t find any high-quality parts here. However, all of the components have the function, so you may still do the initial test drive without any concerns.
Let’s move on to the test’s most crucial component, which is the actual driving of the Engwe X26. Prior to your first actual ride, I can suggest that you sit down on the bike briefly to adjust the handlebar and saddle heights as well as the placement of the button module, the twist grip, and the shifter to suit your own riding position. It takes less than five minutes to complete, after which you may get going. Of course, you should charge the battery completely beforehand.
The key must be inserted into the bottom of the large frame strut, as previously mentioned, in order to “activate” the electric bike and make it usable. The button module can now be used to turn on the electronics. Level 1 is where it always begins. Now when you’re sitting on the bike, if you lightly peddle, you will hear and observe the motor support start pretty rapidly. You can even fully stop pedaling if you now “pull” the twist grip; at that point, the bike will only move forward using the force of the motor. Finally, you can speed up by raising the support levels by using the +/- buttons.
The Engwe X26 can only drive at a top speed of 50 km/h if the speed restriction is set to its maximum setting of 60 km/h. It does not require pedaling to obtain this value. I used GPS to assess the value, and it agrees with other evaluations of this e-bike. However, the wheel only indicates about 38 km/h at maximum speed with a 26-inch wheel size selected in the on-board computer, which can be explained by the real wheel diameter of the fat bike tires.Â
Driving the Engwe X26 is primarily enjoyable, that much is certain. The maximum speed of triple suspension, the bike also looks great off-road. Only when braking from higher speeds should you be a little cautious and lower speed early enough, as the triple suspension doesn’t seem to be stable enough for strong braking operations in these circumstances and the brakes can occasionally exceed their limits.
Engwe X26: Battery and Range
In the Engwe X26, a 48 volt 19 Ah and 7.5 Ah Li-Ion batteries is employed. The battery may be removed from the frame and is situated in the major frame brace. The on-board computer displays the battery level on a 5-part scale. The manufacturer estimates that a driver weighing 60 kg may go between 80 and 100 km on a flat stretch at 25 km/h when using the “Pedal Assist Mode” (i.e., pedaling) and between 40 and 50 km when using the “Hand Throttle Mode” (i.e., not pedaling at all).
The battery can be taken out of the frame and connected to the power supply at the store. You don’t even need an adaptor because there is an EU plug. A little rubber plug on the left side of the frame, right in front of the folding mechanism, must be opened in order to connect the charging cable to the battery, however the frame itself can also be charged directly. The charger itself actually gives off a weak and somewhat cheap feeling. It has a tiny “Li”-shaped LED display that is made of LEDs. When the battery is fully charged, the indicator changes from red to green.
As a result, the figures I was able to acquire are only to be used as a general reference and must always be tied to the above parameters. I have so far been able to travel 65 km on a completely charged battery while cycling between 50 and 70 percent of my maximum capacity at levels 4 and 5 on occasionally pretty mountainous terrain. I moved at about 25 km/h on average. The promised 40 to 50 km range sounds fully reasonable if I had only traveled on a flat road at the same average speed and had not pedaled entirely.
Engwe X26: Conclusions
Undoubtedly, the Engwe X26 is a lot of fun! With the 1000 watt motor in this model, you get a very stable, folding e-bike that also has a lot of power. The processing quality is excellent, and the bike is immediately usable. This almost 41 kg electric bike can be folded up easily and dramatically decreases its size for transportation in a car, for example. You can always keep an eye on all the important metrics thanks to the on-board computer’s huge display.
This e-bike is a lot of fun to ride and can be used off-road thanks to its big fat bike tires. This e-bike is a fantastic eye-catcher with a top speed of 50 km/h without any additional pedaling. However, one should be informed that it is illegal in Germany to move the X26 in public areas. In addition, the triple suspension is too “thin,” and the brake system is a little too small.
The Engwe X26 is a great bike for anyone who doesn’t have any issues with the law governing bike use. For roughly $1599, you can purchase a folding power pack with powerful propulsion and a high top speed that makes the driver happy.
