Engwe L20 review: A reliable, long range, and budget-friendly e-bike

Engwe L20: One-minute review

The Engwe L20 is a step-through bike that is perfectly designed for people looking for a more accessible mounting experience. This makes it very similar to the M20 minus the top tube. The lack of that part of the frame does make it more difficult to mount a second battery should you wish to.

At 34kg (75 lb), there's no getting away from how heavy this e-bike is. The only saving grace is that locating the battery underneath the seat provides a good level of balance to the bike. The quality of the build is high with no concerns about it falling apart or not being able to stand up to wear and tear.

The advertised range of 140km (87 miles) is unlikely to ever be achieved because who rides e-bikes under normal conditions? For a start, there's always some wind resistance and different road surfaces result in great friction levels that will reduce the range of even the best e-bikes. Secondly, you'll want to ride this e-bike with the highest level of pedal assist most of the time and that will put a serious dent in your battery performance.

The front basket and rear rack converts the L20 from a fun cruiser into something substantially more functional. Buying one of Engwe's basket or rack bags will ensure a perfect fit but in reality you can strap anything you want onto this e-bike. It'll handle anything under the maximum weight levels with ease.

The L20 is a fun bike that is perfect for getting jobs done and traveling from A to B. It will also work for a short daily commute, especially if you have things that need carrying into the office. At under £1,000 / $1,200 it's amazing what you get for the price.

Engwe L20 review: specs

Engwe L20 review: Price and availability

• $1,200 / £999
• Only available in the US and EU
• Available from the manufacturer directly

The Engwe L20 is a budget-friendly e-bike available at the bargain price of US $1,200 / £999. For the price, you'll get the cruiser-style bike, a 48V, 13Ah lithium-ion battery, and a charger. On top of this, there are a range of accessories included in the package, such as mud guards, a front basket, and a rear rack. You can pick from four different colours including Avocado Green, Snow White, Onyx Black, or Flamingo Pink, which is the paint trim that I had.

If you'd like to go the whole hog, then you can also purchase items including a rack bag, a phone mount, or a bicycle pump. These are available to purchase at the time of buying or separately afterwards.

Alongside these accessories, Engwe also sells batteries, which are perfect for replacing old and depleted ones or just having a spare in case you run low and don't have time to charge the others. I personally think that's a huge luxury but if you've got the money, then why not?

Engwe L20 review: Design

• Heavyweight aluminum frame
• Battery located behind seat tube
• Unbranded parts

At he heart of the Engwe L20's design is a step-through aluminum frame. The removal of the top tube makes it possible for almost anyone to get on this bike. This bike frame is therefore perfect for people who are on the shorter side or are unable to lift their leg over a standard-framed bike. As someone who isn't affected by either of those things, I just enjoyed the fact that it was incredibly easy to get on and off!

One of Engwe's more recent bikes, the P275 Pro, has much thinner tires but you won't find anything like that on the L20. These tires are classic Engwe; they are absolutely massive. At 20 x 4 inches, you'll have all the weight and grip you need to confidently navigate various types of terrain. 

In terms of electronics, there are quite a lot of cables, which is detrimental to the overall aesthetic. Even though the cables from front to back travel inside the down tube, there are still a lot of them that are visible, especially at the front. Cables running from the brakes, gears, display, and front light are coiled together, but this almost adds to their bulk.

The 48V, 13Ah battery is tucked neatly behind the seat post and can be removed by lifting the seat lever and rotating the seat 90 degrees. This has been engineered really well and works efficiently, even if it is a little annoying to have to adjust the seat every time the battery needs to be removed.

The L20 is an absolute beast. At 34kg, this e-bike is not for the faint-hearted. Lugging it around requires some muscles, which might make it counterproductive for the market that Engwe is targeting with the step-through design. Some of this additional bulk is a result of the weighty front basket and rear rack, as well as the solid metal mud guards.

Both of the lights are powered by the on-board battery and the rear one even acts as a brake light, which is ideal in terms of safety. There is also suspension located on the front fork, as well as springs under the seat to help with navigating uneven terrain.

• Design Score: 4/5

Engwe L20 review: Performance

• 250W brushless motor
• Shimano 7-speed
• 160mm front & rear disc mechanical brake

The 250W brushless motor is capped at the European limit of 25km / 15.5 miles per hour. Because of the chunky tires and extra weight, it actually takes quite a while to get up to this top speed. Once you're there though, it feels pretty quick and nippy. The low centre of gravity really helps to root you to the experience of riding the bike.

The pedal sensor could do with being upgraded to a magnetic alternative because it is slower to respond than I would have liked. It can feel a bit stop start and when pulling away at traffic lights I needed the motor to kick in much quicker than it actually did.

The Shimano gears were smooth and reliable and having seven of them was just about enough for most gradual inclines. You wouldn't want to be climbing mountains with it but you should look at other e-bikes if you are. When traveling downhill or moving through traffic, the 160mm mechanical brakes deliver enough performance to stop quickly. They took a little fine-tuning during the bike-build stage but that's to be expected.

Thanks to the front suspension and under seat springs, most of the surfaces I came across were dampened, which was a relief to my body. The fat tires further helped to soften any impact from potholes to uneven roads.

If you're after a quiet ride then the L20 is far from it. The motor combined with thick tires resulted in relentless whirring noises throughout the ride. Personally, I don't mind that though, as there's something about the noise, especially from the tires, that grounds you in what you're doing.

• Performance score: 4/5

Engwe L20 review: Battery life

• 48V, 13Ah lithium-ion battery
• 140km / 87 miles maximum range
• Removable battery

The 48V, 13Ah lithium-ion battery is heavy but easily removed after tilting the seat into a vertical position. It provides an advertised range of 140km, which is rather generous compared to the reality of most riding conditions.

I found that any assist mode lower than the maximum was not enough to make for an enjoyable ride. This naturally affected the battery range. With the highest level of pedal assist and regular wind resistance, I found the bike was able to provide closer to 70km. Considering I was only traveling relatively short distances at a time, this was absolutely fine for making sure I was home in between rides to recharge.

The L20 ships with less-than-fully inflated tires so to help with maximizing the range, make sure you inflate them properly. This will limit the level of friction and drag and therefore boost the overall achievable range.

The provided battery charger provides a full charge in around four to five hours and can be done by either removing the battery from the bike or by keeping it in location. 

• Battery life score: 4/5

Engwe L20 review: Should I buy it?

Buy it if...

Don't buy it if...

Also consider

Pure Free City e-bike

This retro hybrid e-bike is a good alternative to the P275 Pro, especially if you're looking for a step-through option and a little bit more class. Read our full Pure Free City review.

How I tested the Engwe L20

The Engwe L20 is perfect for cruising around so that's exactly what I did. I took it around my local neighbourhood and out onto country roads, thoroughly testing all of its features. In traffic and with the open road out in front of me, I was impressed at how the L20 handled. I tried all the assistance levels and tested the brakes in normal and emergency situations.

First reviewed: May 2024