If a desire to cover every base possible is applied to e-bikes then Engwe is perhaps the result. We've looked at several of their models already which are summarised briefly in the next paragraph, but suffice to say they span a huge range of designs. Newest and potentially most groundbreaking is an affordable carbon-framed model with a high quality Mivice rear hub drive, the Engwe Mapfour N1 Air.

Engwe's design history is an entertaining little story in itself, as our chronology of their test bikes proves. Their Engine X proved a disappointing and overly heavy beast, whilst the C20 Pro was lighter but still a handful. Similarly heavy but with a really punchy mid-drive was the P275 that also showed a desire to move away from run of the mill fat bikes. Most recently, we've had a look at their bargain basement e-cargo bike, the LE20.

The N1 Air (and a sister Mapfour model featuring a mid-drive, the N1 Pro) promise to move the brand much further towards lightweight respectability.   
 

Mapfour N1 Air spec and first impressions

Assembly took around 30 minutes - lots of unwrapping of the lavish packaging then adding the front mudguard, light, kickstand and pedals. I'm no carbon fibre expert, but the one-size-fits-all step-through frame looked nicely made, with everything symmetrical and a smooth finish. There is a step-over option too.

Bonded into the carbon itself are threaded alloy mounts for a water bottle, rear rack and chainguard (my model had no chainguard but we're told they will come as standard). It's a nice frame design in itself and the step through design, adjustable angle stem and broad padded seat means it looks like it would suit those who want both a comfortable and speedy ride. 

Engwe Mapfour N1 Air, by Richard Peace

Of course the main reason for using carbon is to shed the kilos. However, hopping on the scales with the bike was a bit of a disappointment as it registered 18.1kg (including the battery, which is removable and weighs 2.4kg). That's in similar territory to some other full size hybrid style e-bikes with hub motors and similar sized batteries to the N1 Air's 360Wh. 

Estarli's current range of 360Wh-batteried full size hybrid e-bikes both start off at just under 19kg and they have conventional aluminium alloy frames. Alloy framed e-bikes can be even lighter - witness the Cannondale Treadwell Neo 2 EQ Remixte (around 18kg without its hefty front rack) or the Raleigh Trace, just 16.5kg, though it has a smaller battery of 250Wh. 

I also noted that the N1 Air comes with a one-year warranty on the frame whereas the likes of Look and Boardman back their carbon frames with a lifetime warranty. Carbon fibre can fail catastrophically if not made properly, so the length of the Engwe frame warranty pledges may at least give some a bit of pause for thought - though obviously we are not talking wafer thin walls as you may get on some ultralight carbon road frames. 

Intriguingly there is a GPX unit built into the frame and the N1 Air claims geo positioning to track the bike should it get stolen. It also has a motion alarm that's aimed at preventing that. All this is controlled of course via a smartphone app.

The rest of the spec is pretty basic, as you would expect given the incredibly low price for a carbon-framed e-bike. There's a 7-speed Shimano Tourney TZ derailleur system, unbranded  cable-operated disc brakes and amply wide 40mm Chao Yang tyres with something called Hippo Skin (presumably puncture protection). There are also alloy mudguards, a decent looking kickstand, a front hardwired light and a rear solar powered light, plus a nice crisp handlebar display.     
 

Riding

On the plus side, the Mivice M070 torque sensor power delivery is superb - as we've already come to expect from testing e-bikes like the Tenways CGO600 which was (as far as I know) the first bike to introduce this system to a UK audience. 

It's quiet, smooth and beautifully proportional to your pedal input and the five power levels are nicely gradated. On an 18kg multi-geared bike like this, it feels really fast and sporty and is a joy to ride. 

Hill climbing is pretty good, though if there were an ultra low granny gear I would wager that it would transform the bike's climbing ability from pretty good to awesome. (It should of course be possible for bike DIYers to do this or to pay a shop to do so, though that then starts to make the bike less of an amazing bargain). The gear changing itself from the ultra budget Shimano derailleur system was, as ever, reliable and pretty quick. 

As it stood, it was a blast to ride over hilly Pennine country and only on a couple of brief occasions when the gradient exceeded 15% did the motor power start to wilt. For a very compact looking, lightweight rear hub motor (the Mivice M070 claims a weight of 1.7kg), that's impressive. 

The range was equally if not more impressive. I reckoned I could average around 40-plus miles per charge over this hilly terrain, which was great going from the removable 360Wh battery in slightly windy and very cold winter temperatures.   

The cable operated unbranded brakes were poor at first, but improved to adequacy with use - though you still needed to squeeze the levers quite hard in an emergency stop situation. 

I had a few more minor gripes: the mudguards were rattly and there was a creak from the bottom bracket when putting pedal pressure on the left crank. Even if it had worked I wouldn't want to rely on solar power in a British winter, so I would be investing in a backup light anyhow. 

The Engwe app pairs quickly and easily. Just install it and scan the QR code. The feature I was most excited about - electronic locking - allowed me to alarm the bike, but the notifications on my phone if someone moved the bike whilst I was away from it were hit and miss. Sometimes they appeared and at other times not. 

It did allow tracking the bike remotely via a phone signal. This got me within about 50 metres of where the bike was, but should it be stolen it wouldn't guide you to the exact spot, only to within two or three houses. All in all I felt it was of mixed practical use - worth having but not something you are able to rely on for 100% accuracy.   
 

Weighing it up

As we've come to expect from Engwe, this bike is great value, especially given the super smooth and high quality drive system it packs. Whilst the carbon fibre frame looks the business, it's not really the headline act Engwe bill it as, given the bike doesn't fall into the superlight category many (much pricier) carbon-framed e-bikes do.

Nevertheless, this is a great value e-bike (even more so at the current 'pre sale' price of £1,299) that performs very well. Some of the budget components - including a relatively narrow gear range, merely adequate brakes and an app that is high tech but seemingly not 100% reliable - might lead to grumbles but are really commensurate with the ultra-competitive price. It is however probably the smoothest and most sophisticated assisted ride I've tried at this price point.  

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