r/EngweEbike

Hello, recently was able to ride the Engwe M20 3.0 and man it is absolutely amazing ! From side streets to main to main roads and bike trails, and it’s perfect for Denver because of the miles and miles of bike trails and bike lanes, you can get pretty much anywhere with one battery so two would by phenomenal if your gonna be using this a transportation, dude you could save so much gas 🤣 but yeah assembly was easy but I build things for fun. Personally I would get this insured and plated if you have the time and money ! But I’m a little biased because I grew up watching anime’s with moped style bikes 👀♥️💯

I've already modeled and have in use the license plate bracket and the side racks (currently printing up 3 sets of those to send out, slow going at 3hrs per panel). The other things I've got planned are noted here, and I'm currently working on a detachable rack that would be over the rear seat. The thinking is that as a solo rider, I don't need the seat space but I do need the cargo space, and pulling it in over the seat either all the way, or halfway would prevent the rear light from being blocked.

Anyway, throwing this out there fishing for ideas anyone might have for other custom designed parts/etc.

Note: blue color is just for illustration purposes, actual for could be anything, but black always looks good.

Meow!

I love my new bike. My wife loves my new bike. We ride everywhere and easily sustain speed if we need it, and the mileage is amazing with two people on it. Got my second battery this last week and I could ride anywhere it feels like. Did my tire and brake upgrades and it rides like a dream! Next step is painting the magnetic battery covers straight black and it’ll look GOOD 🔥😎

So I’m attempting to change tires on Engwe M20 3.0, I’m following instructions in this video: https://youtu.be/ZEWnoLDJFpU?is=7lNRZJfi2p8diQfp, and I got to the step at 0:21, and the hex screws stripped, not sure what to do at this point if anyone has successfully replaced these tires please let me know how I should proceed

Based on @Low_Duty_7103's excellent suggestion, I modeled up side panels to the same dimensions as the original ones, but with slots for adding bags, tie downs, or any other PALS compatible accessories. I also created dot matrix style lettering similar to the original that says M20. I'm printing one up right now to see what it looks like, the main panel is black, and the M20 "dots" are in grey. Will post up results when complete.

Note in the Fusion image it kind of all blends together, but the grey on black should make it stand out significantly more, especially from a distance, and with a dark background behind it.

EDIT: Added completed photos in replies. I definitely like it better than the big square, but the text is not very clear after all. Maybe a pattern of stripes or something might work better, otherwise plain is probably best.
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I’ve been riding the E26 lately and I have to say, I really enjoy cruising around with it.

The big wheels make it feel very stable and comfortable, and the brakes give me a lot of confidence. It’s also a really good-looking bike, the yellow and black color combo is hard to miss and definitely gets a lot of attention.

The fenders they look great and they feel very strong, but because of the material they are also quite noisy when riding, especially on rougher roads or small bumps.

They seem resistant, so I don’t think they’re bad quality, just a bit too loud for my taste.

Has anyone changed the E26 fenders for quieter ones? Did it make a noticeable difference?

I modeled up some brackets and MOLLE/PALS compatible plates to bolt on in place of the rear number plates. I am in the middle of modeling up a support bracket that will brace the rear by attaching to the back of the brake light assembly, but for now here’s some progress pictures. Dark grey for both as that’s what I had loaded, but I’ll likely do the bracket in black. This allows me to attach any of my PALS pouches/bags, or even just attach things with Velcro or bungees so the possibilities are literally endless.

Feedback/thoughts?

I'm getting close to having enough experience with this bike to put together an honest full video and written review from an actual consumer, something which doesn't seem to exist yet. To date, there's only one review I feel is fully honest, however it was created by someone who isn't even a cyclist, so there are a lot of things which were overlooked. Otherwise, all the reviews to date seem to be from people who were gifted a bike, rode it a few times, and then said only positive things.

Anyway, I'm getting ahead of myself as that's down the line; right now however, I thought I'd throw out a few of my overall thoughts, likes and frustrations, as well as some upgrades I recommend.

Quick background: I ride motorcycles, mountain bikes, eBikes and eScooters on a regular basis. I'm on a motorcycle daily and it is typically my first choice ride, followed by eBikes when it comes to local transportation. I've been riding motorcycles for over 25 years, and mountain bikes for more than 30, most of which has been downhilling. Since getting it, other than downtime, I also ride my M20 3.0 at least 5 days a week. I mention these things so you know where I'm coming from when it comes to what I expect from the bike, and how its components perform.

Mandatory Upgrades: It's a good bike, and honestly given the dual battery model pricing it is an incredible deal. That being said, there are some areas where components fall short and in my opinion require near immediate upgrading. Changing these items results in a night and day difference in bike performance.

• Brake Pads: While the OEM brake pads technically work, they are not good and don't get any better once you break in the pads and the rotor. It is a shame because the brakes themselves are extremely nice 4 piston hydraulics with a smooth, progressive, and powerful grab. I replaced mine with Top Brake Premium BD07-E+ Gold pads which you can find on Amazon for a little over $40 for two pairs. These will completely transform the braking experience.
• Tires: The OEM tires are acceptable for causal riding around your neighborhood I suppose, but honestly they are garbage. They have a terrible compound, and the tread really doesn't work well. They feel bad when turning, and worse when riding in the dirt. The tires I settled are the Ultraverse Clincher All Terrains which you can also get on Amazon right now for a little over $90 for a pair, shame I didn't wait to order mine. The compound is light years better, as is the tread and depth. These have essentially the same tread as the HEB Allscape which are a couple dollars more, and honestly may be the same tire (if that's your brand.)

Strongly Recommended Upgrades: While not mandatory, there are some areas where a simple upgrade can make for a much better experience.

• Mirrors: Personally I like the underslug and out of the way approach, shown in the attached photo. For riding on the street, you really need mirrors to know what is going on behind you. I went with the WITTKOP Bike Mirrors which you can mount in a variety of different positions. They'll set you back a little less than $30 on Amazon as well.
• Pegs: The OEM pegs work fine, but they are dangerous in my opinion as they don't fold up. Yes, BMX bikes have had fixed pegs for years without problems, and that is true, I have them on my Premium, however, they also don't go 40mph. I replaced mine with some folding motorcycle pegs which bolted right on by using a long bolt straight through the OEM mount. I got these pegs from Amazon which are only $13 right now. You'll also need some thread step downs, and potentially a couple washers. I can provide more specific detail if desired.\
• Forks: I have yet to perform this upgrade as I've struggled to find a good fork to replace it with, but the OEM forks are crappier than a $100 Wal-Mart bike. It is the one aspect of the M20 that I have absolute disgust with, they are simply garbage and need to be replaced as soon as possible. The stiction is out of control, the preload barely works, the compression adjustment has like 10 clicks, 8 of which feel the same, 9 is very stiff and 10 is effectively locked out. I totally understand the need to cut costs somewhere, and good forks are not cheap so I see why, especially since the average rider may not really notice or care (which is the only reason I don't have it listed under mandatory upgrades, not to mention cost), but man, they are the worst. The destroy confidence in turns, they don't fully rebound, they can't keep up with fast repeat bumps off road, and bigger hits bottom them out.

Recommended Upgrades: Honestly for most people neither of these things will make much difference, but pedals for me are a big part of my bike experience and one of the most important connecting points on a pedal bike, though a bit less on an eBike.

• Pedals: The OEM pedals are functional, but I prefer a larger BMX style flat, and in particular I'm a huge fan of Arclight pedals. These have removable, rechargeable LED lights at the front and back, and no matter which way you spin them, they autocorrect to always be white up front, red in the back. You can set them to strobe or be solid, and without a doubt they make you more visible in all conditions, and help light the way even more when riding at night. They're expensive at about $160, but I am a huge fan of the Redshift Arclight Pro pedals, and have them on two of my bikes.
• Motor Power Wire: The power/controller cable for the motor is run on the bottom of the rear swingarm. For most people this is probably fine, but I am planning on taking this bike through the Rubicon trail for a final torture test, and down there on the bottom it would absolutely get cut/crushed by a rock at some point. A free upgrade you can do with relative ease is to route that cable over the top of the swingarm and ziptie in place.
• Full twist throttle: Something that I'm generally not a fan of on eBikes are those little thumb throttles like on my ZOOZ, or the half grip throttle that came on this bike and many others. As a motorcyclist I'm used to the full grip twist, but I recommend this with caution. If you're not careful, you can easily twist the throttle and launch the bike while you're just moving it around, so consider this option very carefully. That being said, if you ride motos, it's such a welcome upgrade, and it is much less taxing on longer rides. I went with this generic full twist throttle which you can get for $26 now apparently. Upgrading it is a literal plug and play. Note: It does not come with a grip, and it needs a 1" grip, not a standard bike grip. I went with these Vans Cultx grips for $13 for the left side (reg bike grips) and I picked up the 1" motorcycle equivalent at my local Cycle Gear for $19 on the throttle side.

NOTE: The products I've directly linked on Amazon are not via affiliate links or anything like that, I don't get a cut or make any money, I just buy a lot of stuff off Amazon. Source them wherever you like, these are just the products I like all of which I've personally bought with my own money.

Overall, despite severe challenges with the forks, and abysmal performance from the brake pads and tires, I'm a huge fan of the M20 3.0. I still feel it delivers a phenomenal value for very well made bike. The frame has solid, beautiful welds all around, and tight tolerances everywhere you look. High quality electrical connectors are employed throughout, and the rear shock, even with its limited travel, is quite nice and makes for a very comfortable ride. I love the range I get with the dual batteries, and I still can't emphasize enough just how awesome the built in navigation is. I'm not a fan of the storage trunk, but that's easy to replace, and I'm working on a design for one now. The side plates seem to have mixed reviews, though I think they look cool, and honestly the back one works well as a backing for the MOLLE plate addition I'm in the middle of installing.

EDIT: I forgot to mention two other things that bug me, one of which is a bit more of a complicated upgrade.
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1- The horn: OMFG it is loud. Thing is, it is just as loud for the rider as anyone else as the sound comes out of the back of the headlights, kinda weird I know. That's not the main issue IMO, the big problem is that there is a full 1 second delay between when you hit the button and when you hear the sound, which makes it nearly useless for an actual emergency horn situation. If the horn is an important feature to you, seriously look into an aftermarket add on of some kind.

2- Battery Meter: There is no legitimate battery meter as far as I'm concerned. It has 5 blocks that represent huge 20% chunks, and the second you breach whatever threshold it has flagged, you drop into the next lower level. So you have no idea of you have 99% or 81% battery, or 89% or 71%, etc. That said, available battery in terms of percentage is considered not that accurate, but that's not entirely true if there's a decent BMS and it is using a shunt based coulomb counter. Alternatively showing the raw battery voltage is another great option. Anyway, there are a number of aftermarket meters you can pick up (just search for shunt battery meter), and this upgrade is on my short list. I've been hunting down a decent source for the OEM battery cable so I can cut it apart and use it to add the shunt so I can have a nice clean plug and play setup with the added monitor up on my bars. I'll do a write up on how I add that later on if anyone is interested.

Had an awesome ride today with the M20.

I crossed a mountain to reach the next village, with plenty of climbs and descents along the way. After around 10 km of dirt trails, I finally got a nice break on smooth downhill asphalt heading towards the river.

The thermometer was showing **40°C**, so the ice-cold river water felt more than deserved.

Honestly, this is the kind of ride that makes summer worth it: heat, dust, trails, views… and ending it with a proper swim.

Tomorrow I might have to do it again.

So I took it out for my first ride today to work and back home since it wasn’t raining, oh man this thing was sweet! It handled the street very well. I went up hills so easy I only had it on mode 3 the whole time which max speed does 28Mph, I didn’t lose any speed on it and I just used the throttle the whole trip, only used 1 bar for the full trip. I have the single battery model. The seat felt comfortable, honestly I didn’t have any complaints on it. I’ve rode normal bikes that had stiff seats before. The bumps on the road felt fine to ride over. My trip is a 19min commute to work, so total 38ish minutes. But man it was so fun to go up the hills! I had people complimenting the E-bike and my helmet lol but I must say this machine has some power for sure so a friendly reminder to take it to a spot and practice a bit to get used to the throttle and power it has. This is my first E-bike I own. I hope you all enjoy this E-bike once you get yours or if you already have it 😎✌🏽

Edit- I do recommend a good helmet and some mirrors and possibly front indicators for this bike model 💪🏽