RATING: 9
PRICE: £2,199
On show at the recent Bath Cycling Electric Demo Day for the first time was Tenways’ brand new mid-motor commuter e-bike. In this Tenways Ago Air review we compile the thoughts of our in-house staff and Michael Vincent, our veteran bike mechanic and writer.
Before we dive in, a bit about Tenways for the newbie to either e-bikes, or the European brand. This label has a specialty of producing some very affordable entry to mid-tier e-bikes and are regarded generally, as evidenced by our reviews of its electric bikes to date, to offer a very strong baseline of quality given the price points they inhabit. Plus, the brand is digitally very strong with its software offering up security and navigation features, among others, that you don’t often find at these prices.
It’s been a busy year for Tenways too; just recently, it preceded the Ago Air launch with a new CG0800 Plus debut. The Ago Air sits in the Tenways range between the Ago T build and the premium Ago X.
If you land here specifically in search of the best e-bikes with a step-through frame don’t forget to check out our guide.
Tenways Ago Air | £2,199
Pros
Decent accessories
Powerful motor and generous battery
Easy-to-use display menu
Cons
No dropper post
No memory mode for power or lights
Battery cover can be tricky to remove
Internal headset cabling will cost more to maintain
Features
Shimano CUES componentry
Adjustable stem to get bar height correct
Mud & chainguards – urban-clothing-ready
Auto-unlock with paired phone nearby
Specifications
Motor: Tenways Mid-drive Motor (250 W Power, 80 Nm Max. Torque)
Controller: Integrated Controller of the Mid-drive Motor
Sensor: Integrated Torque Sensor for the Mid-drive Motor
Display: DIGIWISE BC240+K 31 TFT color Display
Battery: 561.6 Wh (36 V, 15.6 Ah ) Lithium-ion Battery
Lights: StVZO-compliant
Top Speed: 25 km/h
Range: Up to 100 km
Frame: Alloy Frame
Crankset: Alloy 170mm Powder paint black
Wheels: Alloy
Drivetrain: Shimano CUES 9-SP
Brake: Shimano Hydraulic Disc Brakes
Tyres: Kenda 700*50C 60TPI EPS/Reflective line
Front Fork: Zoom 188NS-700C-HLO fork
Bottom Bracket: Bafang
Weight: Net weight: 24.85 kg (excluding all accessories)
Full weight: 27.4 kg (including all accessories)
The AGO Air features quality equipment from major brands, and there’s no feel of compromise to hit a price point. With a torque-sensing mid-drive motor, the feel of the ride is natural, and the large tyres mean it can be ridden on gravel roads and tracks without worry. Overall, it’s a decent urban-ready package at a good price point that should suit most riders, most of the time.
I (Michael) enjoyed riding the Tenways AGO Air both on and off-road, as did my family. We’d like to have seen a dropper post to aid getting on and off, but that could be added relatively easily. The lack of a memory function is annoying, meaning you have to set the assist and light every ride and this is something we encourage Tenways to consider for the future. Apart from those niggles, it’s a good bike.
Tenways Ago Air review: What's new?
The new alloy frame on the Ago Air helps keep the weight down - but it’s still a hefty 27kg or so. The standout feature (or drawback) at this price point is the integrated cabling through the headset, keeping the look of the bike sleek and decluttered. This comes at a long-term price to bear in mind, in terms of significantly increasing the time needed to service should a new brake, gear or electrical cable be needed. Overall the feel of the bike’s materials and build is one of quality.
The AGO Air is specified with 700x50mm / 2” tyres - making for a comfortable ride over rougher surfaces. There’s plenty of room under the mudguards and between the stays to go wider - I’d say a 60mm / 2.4” tyre would fit, meaning you could go another 10 or so PSI lower in pressure for an even smoother ride. The handling is neutral, inspiring confidence. As suits a utility-focused bike, the riding position is upright, and the adjustable stem allows further riding position refinement.
The key piece of progression on this model is probably the inclusion of a Tenways-branded mid-motor (which under the surface appears to be Bafang made), where most of the catalogue around this price point to date has instead used hub motors. That price, in case you are wondering, is £2,199 at retail, exclusive of any available deals.
The 80Nm Bafang motor puts out plenty of smooth, quiet power to satisfy the hilliest commute, school run or shopping trip. Coupling with the Shimano CUES Link Glide 41T cassette - designed for the strains of e-bike use - means your maintenance costs will be buttons. The cassette is just £35, and chains are £30 - meaning you could expect thousands of miles of smooth shifting before spending well under £100 for a new drivetrain. Bringing you to a stop are Shimano hydraulic disc brakes - they’re one of the lower spec models as you’d expect, but will be perfectly good for the logical AGO Air uses.
Related to performance, the motor’s power and battery size coupled with the CUES gear range means the AGO Air can take on many challenges expected of urban bikes, from towing a trailer to carrying shopping, or a long, hilly commute. The rear rack is rated to 25Kg, so good for a fairly hefty child - although kickstands aren’t good for loading children and there’s no provision for adding a centre stand.
Sticking with the electronics, Tenways has given the Ago Air a meaty 561Wh battery. Accounting for the size of the battery and the intended use of this bike, Tenways says that a theoretical range of 100km is possible on a single charge.
This combination driving the Shimano CUES 9-speed drivetrain eats up hills and headwinds over long distances. My longest trip on the AGO Air was 54km of on- and off-road (i.e. gravel roads) riding, with a pretty hefty 450m of climbing. That ride on Level 5 (highest) assist used up every last drop of battery. Bafang may not have the cache of Bosch, but they are in the top three e-bike motor brands for Europe, behind Bosch and Shimano.
That battery can be removed for indoor charging in the cold or if the bike is stored communally, away from power, or to reduce the weight if you want to pop the bike on a car rack
Finally, on the digital side, the display is excellent on this model, and before you get going, it will prompt you to set up a unique password that provides a base level of security for the bike.
Previously, Tenways bikes have occasionally opted for a quite sleek integrated at the stem display, which is also good for different reasons, but to my taste, this slightly larger but still proportionate computer makes information at a glance just that little bit more possible. Underneath the stem is a 60 Lux front light which, given the European design heritage, is StVZO standard compliant.
The display has an optional security feature where the bike requires a four-digit PIN to start. This unlocking can be automated by pairing your phone using the Tenways app - and it works very well. Walk up to the bike, turn on, and it’s unlocked before you start pedalling.
What is the new Ago Air good at?
Quite simply, Tenways' Ago Air is best suited to either the commuter brief, or leisure riding; it does both equally well and sits among a plethora of similar bikes that are a bit jack of all trades, but do each task well. For example, you've a MIK pannier rack out back to stow up to 25kg of goods within pannier bags.
Tenways has further done a good job with the drivetrain spec and included accessories - mudguards, chainguard, kickstand, lights, etc - meaning you can jump on the AGO Air and ride in normal clothes without needing to add anything.
As for the geometry and the frame, you've got ease of entry provided by low-step tubing and that tubing is laid out to promote comfort. The geometry is relaxed and promotes an upright position in the saddle, which will be supportive of your back and place your eyes high above traffic. Separately, there is a pivoting adjustment available at the stem to fine-tune the reach and height of your handlebar, while the seatpost offers up a good length for size adjustment.
On account of the gearing, the nine cogs equate to a 100% through 373% range, and as we'll always recommend, using each and every gear will greatly help your experience and, latterly, your maintenance bill too. Generally, you'll get much more from your battery life if you're setting off in the right gear and ideally the lower support settings of the motor, rather than relying on the motor and just a few gears alone.
A 120mm travel front suspension fork is generous enough to account for dry weather cross-country exploration, so long as you're not taking on anything too choppy. This isn't specifically the intent of this bike, but it's nonetheless capable, if you feel comfortable riding off-road. Just be aware that the tyres are a bit slick for anything too muddy.
Finally, given the price point, it's really good to see a comfortable Selle Royal saddle specced alongside some ergonomic Tenways grips that offered a really nice palm support, something that will stop your forearms fatiguing on longer rides.
Any negatives?
There are a few niggles inherent to the motor system - the main one being no memory function for the assist level and lights. So every time you start the bike, you have to choose the assist level and light setting. This is a second or three’s button pressing, but it should be automatic. There’s also no USB port for charging phones. I increasingly feel this should be standard, to allow people to navigate using their phones without stressing over battery life.
An easily-fixed omission is the lack of a quick-release seat clamp. I understand that a QR clamp makes the seat/post dead easy to steal - but one that needs tools is also a major hassle if the bike is often ridden by people of different heights.
If I owned an AGO Air, a suspension dropper post would be high on the upgrade list to vastly improve getting on/off, stopping at lights and starting with a heavy loads. This isn’t a fault per se - and the omission at this price point is understandable.
A small point to finish, the AGO Air arrives in a box with a ton of packaging, so some folks may wish to use a bike shop for assembly and testing.
Tenways' competition near £2,000
The around about £2,000 price point is a hotly-contested market, even more so with the current glut of bikes and brands desperate to shift them.
Ampere Deluxe Pro | £2,199
There's the Ampere Deluxe Pro at £2,199, with an impressive 80Nm motor, but without the heritage of the Gazelle seen below. The non-ebike-specific Shimano Altus gearing will wear quicker - a win for the AGO Air there.
Gazelle Medeo T9 | £2,399
The big-brand £2,399 Gazelle Medeo T9 has a Bosch motor, but it’s only packing 50Nm of torque. You get the same CUES drivetrain, and because they’re a Dutch brand, there’s a built-in rear-wheel lock.
Cube Supreme Sport Hybrid Pro 500 | £2,099
Finally, with the current state of the market, you can pick up a highly-regarded 65Nm Bosch-powered Cube Supreme Sport Hybrid Pro 500 for the crazy price of £2,099 - but again lacking the more robust CUES drivetrain.
Tenways Ago Air review: FAQs
Can you remove the battery?
Yes - the battery unlocks for charging indoors or storage.
Is the AGO Air suited for off-road use?
Yes - on gravel paths, bridleways it will cope fine. The large tyres and suspension make for a comfortable, planted ride. It's not a mountain bike, however.
Can I use the AGO Air for carrying cargo?
Yes - the rear rack is rated for 25Kg of panniers / load - which is a lot. It's not as capable as a cargo bike will be, mind.
