Engwe E26 review: Testing out a budget-level 1,000W electric bike

I’ve tested several Engwe electric bikes by now, and each time I’ve come away with a solid feeling. The Engwe E26 continues that trend with a fairly priced ($1,199) electric bike that comes with a surprising amount of nice features for the price.

To see what it’s like to throw a leg over this e-bike, check out my review video below. Then keep reading for all of my thoughts!

Engwe E26 video review

Engwe E26 tech specs

• Motor: 1,000W peak-rated geared rear hub motor with 70 Nm of torque
• Top speed: 28 mph (45 km/h)
• Range: Claimed 86 miles (140 km) on pedal assist, real-world range likely half of that
• Battery: 48V 16Ah (758 Wh)
• Weight: 74 lb (33.5 kg )
• Max load: 330 lb (150 kg)
• Brakes: Hydraulic disc brakes on 180mm rotors
• Extras: 7-speed Shimano drivetrain, large LCD color display, LED headlight and tail light, thumb throttle, mag wheels, suspension seat post, removable battery, rear rack, fenders, kickstand
• Price: $1,199

More than you might expect

The basic design of the Engwe E26 is fairly similar to most other full-size fat tire electric bikes on the market. You’ve got your 26×4″ fat tires, your step-through or step-over frame options, a modest suspension fork, and included fenders with a rear rack.

But the power here is more than you might expect at this price. The 1,000W peak-rated motor provides 70 Nm of torque, which is to say, a lot. And cruising up to 28 mph (45 km/h) is always a welcome feature, especially since I like to ride on the road with cars and usually have nothing more than a thin strip of paint separating me and those 4,000 lb machines. Without a protected bike lane, going faster is actually safer since I can better keep up with the speed of traffic instead of getting passed as frequently.

There’s even a larger battery than you’re probably expecting. The standard for these bikes is usually 48V and 14Ah. Sometimes you’ll see a 15Ah battery. On the Engwe E26 though, you get a 16Ah battery. That’s 768 Wh of capacity, which is another welcome addition – especially at this fairly low price.

You probably won’t get the 80+ miles (130+ km) of range that they so optimistically claim, but you could easily get half of that if you’re putting in some good pedaling on your own. If you’re relying on the throttle for 100% of your power and just riding around like a motorbike, then slightly under 30 miles of range is a good bet.

“Nice to see” components

A lot of what you’ll find on the Engwe E26 is fairly standard. The 7-speed Shimano Tourney derailleur is basic. The rack and fenders, they’re fine but nothing fancy. It’s great to see the included front and rear LED lights, but again, fairly standard.

But in other places, you’ll actually find some great inclusions. For example, the hydraulic disc brakes are always a welcome sight, but they’re rarely found on bikes at this price. Installing them means Engwe is giving a more powerful braking solution that requires less maintenance – which is better for everyone.

The color LCD display is also quite nice, including big and easy-to-read digits and clearly displaying all the pertinent information. And while we’re on the handlebars, check out that bell! I’ve never seen an e-bike bell quite like this. In fact, it’s shaped like an actual bell. I’m talking, Liberty Bell without the crack kind of bell. This big ol’ bell has an equally big ol’ brass thumper and sounds great. I know it’s a small detail here, but I’m a sucker for a nice, well made and loud bicycle bell. Engwe nailed this better than plenty of $5,000 e-bikes out there, and you could buy four of these e-bikes for that price.

A note on “full suspension”

Engwe refers to this as a full-suspension electric bike, which isn’t exactly correct, at least not based on traditional nomenclature. This is a hard-tail e-bike, of which we’ve seen and tested many.

Where they pull that full-suspension moniker from is the inclusion of a suspension seat post.

I see what they’re saying. Basically, you’ve got suspension in the front from the fork and suspension in the rear from the seat. Sure, that’s fine. But the term “full suspension” generally means that the bike isn’t a hard-tail, which is to say that the rear wheel also has suspension. In this case, the Engwe E26 doesn’t have rear-wheel suspension. That makes it a hardtail, not a full-suspension e-bike.

Even so, it is nice to see the included seat post suspension, which does make a difference when riding off-road or hitting potholes. Just don’t go into this bike expecting true rear suspension.

Sum it up for me

The basic takeaway here is that the Engwe E26 gives you a lot of bike for your money. It feels well made, has plenty of power and battery capacity, is only moderately heavy (for a fat tire e-bike) at 74 pounds, and comes from a company that’s been around for several years.

I’m a big fan of several of the features like the suspension seat post, gorgeous bike bell, and the punchy hydraulic disc brakes. I even like that pretty turquoise color, though the yellow colorway option also has me intrigued. And then there’s plain old black for folks that don’t want to get exciting with their color choices.

At $1,199, this is a steal of a deal in my opinion. The bike works well, is fast and powerful, and won’t leave an unfairly sized hole in your wallet. That’s a score, in my opinion!