We’ve already reviewed the Tenways CGO600. The CGO Compact, which landed in the UK in April 2026, is aimed at a slightly different problem. What if you love the CGO600, but your flat doesn’t have room for a full-size bike?
Note: this is a spec-based first look using Tenways’ own product details, not a ride review. We haven’t road tested the CGO Compact yet.
The idea
Smaller 20-inch wheels, a short-tail frame, and genuinely compact storage. Tenways says it’s built for people juggling small flats, shared households, or a car boot that’s already full. It’s not a folder in the traditional sense, but the footprint is noticeably smaller than a standard bike.
What’s under the hood?
A Tenways C9 hub motor with 45Nm of torque and a torque sensor, rather than the cheaper cadence sensors some budget bikes use. This is driven by a 500Wh, side-release battery, good for a claimed 100km (around 62 miles). As with all claimed ranges, treat that as a best-case figure achieved on the lowest assist setting.
The drivetrain is a Gates carbon belt. That means no chain to oil, and no grease on your trousers. And there’s a suspension seatpost to smooth out potholes, which matters more on smaller wheels than bigger ones.
The CGO Compact won a Red Dot Design Award for 2026, its category’s equivalent of an industry Oscar, and it’s priced at £1,795.
How it fits the range
If you already know the CGO600 — sporty geometry, single-speed belt drive, an excellent intro to the Tenways range — the Compact is aimed at people who want that same low-maintenance formula but need the smaller size. It’s not a replacement for the CGO600 so much as an answer to a specific space problem.
UK legality — the short version
Standard stuff here, but worth stating plainly: Tenways builds to the UK’s EAPC rules, meaning a 250W-rated motor and assistance capped at 15.5mph. That puts it in the same “no licence, no tax, no insurance” category as the CGO600. GOV.UK’s electric bike rules apply the same way regardless of wheel size.
What we’d want to know from a real test
Whether the 20-inch wheels change the ride noticeably from the CGO600 — smaller wheels can feel twitchier at speed and more affected by potholes, which the suspension seatpost is presumably there to offset. That’s a hands-on question, and one we’d like to answer properly if Tenways can get us a loan unit alongside a fresh look at the CGO600.