The Engwe LE20 is built to carry cargo, but that doesn’t mean you can’t have some fun with it as … [+]
For those that ride instead of drive, no other e-bike works harder than a cargo e-bike. Many are used by parents to get kids back and forth to school, pick up some groceries, or even make deliveries. There’s no shortage of electrified cargo bikes on the market these days, but one trend that is definitely on the rise is the addition of a second (or even third) battery to extend the range of these quiet, clean urban haulers.
On a recent trip to London and Paris, I saw e-bikes everywhere because they can usually reach urban locations faster than cars or small trucks, especially in the crowded centers of large cities. A significant percentage of them were cargo-carrying e-bikes of every kind, like this one in Paris loaded with blooms.
Cargo bikes were everywhere in Paris, clearly taking over from cars and small vans.
In my American hometown, many friends are reducing their driving miles, taking their kids to school on cargo bikes and running errands as well, often more quickly and affordably than by car. The money saved on gas in a year or two can cover the cost of the e-bike, plus you’re bicycling, and it’s still good exercise, even with pedal assist. I’ve never owned a cargo e-bike, but I recently spent time on the dual-battery version of the Engwe’s LE20 on the roads of Portland, Oregon.
Engwe LE 20 Cargo E-Bike Overview
The Engwe LE20 has a simple layout but robust construction. This is the ‘Passenger’ version I … [+]
The Engwe LE20 is a “short tail” type of cargo bike. The cargo is carried behind the rider on a platform that keeps the overall length of the bike fairly close to that of a regular bicycle. The LE 20 is available in multiple versions, including Standard, Cargo, Passenger, and Versatile; my review unit was the Passenger version with a seat, grab rails, and backrest for transporting a kiddo or two (if they are small kiddos). All of the LE20 versions use a step-through, rear drive architecture. There is a front suspension fork with short travel and a lockout option, and the LE20 rides on 20-inch tires.
Other kinds of cargo bikes include “long-tail” bikes with longer rear racks for more space, and the more traditional “bucket bikes” with a large cargo compartment ahead of the rider and a remote steering system. I saw many bucket bikes in Europe (where they have been in use since before e-bikes became popular), while I have seen mostly long and short-tail cargo bikes in the U.S., including on a recent trip to New York City and while riding around here in Portland.
The Engwe LE20 retails for $1,795 in “Passenger” trim, and features a 750-watt rear hub motor that makes 75nm of torque, combined with chain drive and a Shimano 7-speed rear derailleur. It’s classified as a Class 2/Class 3 e-bike, offering throttle power up to 20 mph and pedal assist up to 28 mph. Hydraulic disc brakes at both the front and rear ensure effective stopping power, and the handlebar can be folded down for storage or transport, as well as adjusted for height while riding. A small LED panel monitors speed, charge level for each battery, and other usual ride metrics. A dual-LED headlight sits above the front fender, and a bright red LED tail light is mounted to the rear rack. Pedal assist is metered by a torque sensor for better efficiency and smooth engagement.
The great thing about cargo bikes is they can be configured in almost limitless ways.
Weighing in at approximately 91 pounds with two batteries might sound like it’s a heavy bike, but cargo bikes are not typically designed to be lightweight. Instead, strength, reliability, and carrying capacity are their main selling points. For the LE20, a cargo limit of 440 pounds and a sturdy aluminum tubular frame enhance its appeal.
Adding in a motor has made cargo bikes much more workable for those riders who would like the convenience and capacity of a cargo bike but have hesitated in the past due to their own physical condition and the prospect of huffing a cargo bike up hills or across town. Having that motor assist is great – until you don’t have it due to a dead battery. Since weight isn’t a major factor for cargo bikes, manufacturers are increasingly adding a second battery to the bikes to extend range.
That’s the case for the LE20, which includes a pair of 48-Volt 19.2Ah Lithium-Ion batteries. One battery fits flush in the frame, while the other mounts to a vertical plate under the seat. Many e-bikes with dual batteries combine the battery’s storage for maximum range by default, but the LE20’s underseat battery has an “off” switch, allowing it to come along for the ride while the frame-mounted battery does the initial work. This way, riders can activate the still fully charged second battery if the in-frame pack is depleted.
The system will also work with both batteries activated, and Engwe claims they will provide over 200 miles of range at minimal pedal assist, which is likely optimistic in real-world conditions. However, even at half that number, it allows for very long-distance riding on a “single” charge of both batteries. Running just one battery at a time reduces range accordingly, and range is also affected by throttle use, load, terrain, and how much the rider is contributing with the pedals. Range using just the throttle will be much less, of course.
Ride Time on the Engwe LE20
If your furbaby is up for a ride, Engwe has a rack that will hold them.
Assembly was pretty much by the numbers and once charged up, I took LE20 on a long, fairly flat ride on a paved rails-to-trails outing using only the in-frame battery to start. With the settable pedal assist set to the maximum of 28 mph, the LE20 zoomed down the roadway with ease, but its only “cargo” at this point was an XL-sized rider.
On slight rises that required more pedaling (and motor power), the LE20 maintained speed while smoothly increasing motor output to match my pedaling, making the hill essentially nonexistent, which is what an e-bike is best at.
I also took the LE20 to my “regular” e-bike hill test, and performance was the same with either battery working or with both activated, with no loss in power when using one battery. The LE20 again made good progress up the steep incline under pedal power, with just a quiet whir from the rear hub motor as it worked at maximum output.
Coming down the back side of the steep hill, the LE20 was calm and collected thanks to the long wheelbase, and the front suspension, while basic, smoothed out the smaller road imperfections quite well. Hot into a corner, I applied braking power and the LE20 slowed with control and no brake squeal, but required a fair bit of effort on the levers. The longer wheelbase is more apparent when cornering aggressively but was not detrimental to control. Also, these are cargo bikes, not sporting road bikes, so I don’t expect miracles of high-speed handling, but the LE20 worked better than I expected at speeds above 30 mph on a tight, twisting road.
My own baby is now a football-playing teenager, so giving him a ride on the back of the LE20 wasn’t feasible. Instead, I borrowed an 8-year-old from a family friend, and we cruised the neighborhood in the LE20. He was comfortable in the back seat, and the LE20 was easy to ride with a fairly fidgety passenger aboard.
On another trip, I added two large panniers to the LE20 and piled in four bags of groceries, then carved through crawling rush-hour traffic to get home long before I would have in a car.
Who is the Engwe LE20 for?
Rear leg protectors come as stock on the LE20, and the ebike is highly adjustable to fit a wide … [+]
The Engwe LE20 cargo bike is a great choice for anyone with typical cargo bike needs: transporting kids to and from school, running errands, even commuting if you sometimes have more than a backpack’s worth of gear to carry and don’t want to drive a car.
Where it stands out is the long-range capability of the twin batteries. The twin battery packs give the LE20 more reach than many cargo bikes, so if the school, store, or workplace is a fair distance away, chances are you can make it there and back with no worries about running out of assistance or throttle power.
If I had anything to complain about, it might be the brakes, which work fine with just a rider and light cargo aboard but might be overtaxed if the LE20 is heavily loaded and heading down a hill. Still, I had no issue with the brakes in my riding, but I also didn’t max out the LE20’s cargo capability either. A brighter headlight would also be nice.
But overall, the Engwe LE20 is a solid, dependable cargo carrier buyers can customize for their specific needs and then ride with the confidence they’ll have the power to get home without range anxiety.
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