Last year, Tenways unveiled the AGO Air – we’ve already reviewed it here and were pretty impressed by the bike’s sleek silhouette, powerful drivetrain and decent features. Until now, however, the bike was only available with a typical derailleur system, but Tenways is now taking things a step further by launching a second version equipped with a hub gear system and a belt drive.
With this new combination, Tenways has opted for components that really come into their own in everyday use. The belt drive operates quietly, requires no grease and is therefore significantly easier to maintain and cleaner than a chain. And the hub gear system impresses with its robustness and the advantage that gears can be shifted while standing still – which makes for noticeably greater comfort, particularly in city traffic. The choice of gear system is also spot on: the bike features the Shimano Nexus 5e, which was developed specifically for e-bikes with powerful motors and shifts gears reliably and precisely, even under load.
Anyone wondering whether five gears are enough for everyday use can rest assured. The gear range is roughly on a par with the Nexus 7-speed hub gear system. This means you won’t face any real disadvantages, whether on hills or on flat terrain. However, the gear ratios are slightly wider in places; this is, however, well compensated for by the electric motor’s assistance and is therefore less noticeable when riding.
Apart from that, the bike largely sticks to the familiar AGO Air design. It is still powered by a powerful mid-drive motor with 80 Nm of torque, which, combined with the large 560 Wh battery, ensures a decent range. The battery can be easily removed from the down tube for charging, which is a practical feature for everyday use. The bike’s equipment also makes it suitable for daily use: a full lighting system, mudguards and a luggage rack are all standard features. The latter is compatible with the MIK system, allowing baskets or boxes to be attached quickly and easily. Additional comfort is provided by an air-sprung front fork and 50-millimetre-wide tyres, which noticeably absorb bumps and thus contribute to a pleasant riding experience.
The lighting system has also received a minor update. At the front, there is now a slightly improved headlight with 60 lux, whilst the rear light has been moved from the luggage rack to the mudguard. There is also an interesting development regarding weight. According to the manufacturer, the new version is just over a kilogram lighter than the AGO Air with derailleur gears, which we weighed at 27 kilograms in our test here.
The new Tenways AGO Air with belt drive is available exclusively with a low-step frame, directly from the manufacturer’s online shop. It comes in two colours: the metallic-red Velvet Red and the more neutral Walnut Brown. The new version is priced at 2,499 euros, which is exactly 300 euros more than the version with derailleur gears.
