Richard Peace – cycling journalist and author

MMR X-BOLT 120 00

Review: MMR X-Bolt 120 00 | electric bike reviews, buying advice and news – ebiketips

The MMR X-Bolt range offer superb performance off-road and a chance to grab a carbon framed e-mtb with a top of the line mid-drive and decent sized battery at a bargain price if you are happy with a 2023 bike that doesn’t have the Bosch Smart System.

2023 models also have Purion and Kiox displays whilst the 2024 models have the newer Intuvia 100 display. However, if these features aren’t critical for you then the fact that the 2023 models feature the same frame and motor/battery setup makes them a massive bargain.

Note both model years have Bosch Performance Line CX Motors with 340% pedal assist, 85Nm maximum torque and 600W peak power. Whilst 2025 and 2026 Bosch Performance Line CX models may feature peak power of 750 watts, as I found during my time with the X-Bolt even older models offer superb off-road performance with what will be enough power for the majority of riders.

Price: £3999 but note lower spec models but still with a carbon frame available from £2549Motor and battery: Bosch Performance Line Weight: 23kg

Availability: Several UK retailers are offering heavy discounts on these models including Pauls Cycles

The competition: Other Bosch powered e-mtb brands that offer value for money in this generally very highly priced field are Canyon, Cube and Mondraker and Decathlon offer a cut price own brand Bosch-powered model.

Why buy? A combination of superb off-road riding and a bargain price will make the MMR X-Bolt irresistible to many looking for all terrain fun

TENWAYS CGO RANGE

Tenways CGO600 review | Cycling Electric

Review: Tenways CGO600 Pro | electric bike reviews, buying advice and news – ebiketips

Review of Tenways CGO600 Plus

I was lucky enough to be one of the first UK test riders to try out the original Tenways CGO600 and loved the quality if offered, the great value price and the light (16kg) weight – indeed it is still available as a direct from Tenways only special for £999.

It offers belt drive simplicity and only one gear – about as simply as cycling gets and as long you don’t need to tackle ultra steep hills it could make a perfect and affordable around town e-bike.

My original reviews are a few years old but the CGO 600 has now been joined by a more sophisticated Pro version and the multi-geared Plus version based on the same frame design and both get enthusiastic reviews.

Price: £999 – £1699Motor and battery: MiVice or Tenways rear hub motor with in-frame batteries of various typesWeight: 16 – 20kg

Availability: Direct from Tenways UK or one of their growing dealer network

Why buy? Tenways have established an enviable reputation for quality and value and their CGO600 range are the pick of their models in my opinion, offering easy and practical city and leisure riding. Look out for a wider variety of Tenways models arriving in the UK in 2026.

ENGWE N1 AIR

Engwe N1 Air review

Unusual in that this is a pretty light bike thanks to a carbon frame but it comes with a relatively lowly price tag when carbon has traditionally been seen as a pricey and premium product.

Another upside is the light and efficient MiVice rear hub motor – probably my favourite rear hub motor because of it’s quiet and silky smooth operation and the impressive range it usually delivers.

My review questioned the one year warranty on the frame and the lack of low gears for very steep hill climbs. Note there is also quite a bit of assembly for the end user to do themselves on delivery.

Still, overall great value for a lightweight e-bike with a carbon frame and wonderful motor system.

Price: £1299

Motor and battery: MiVice rear hub motor and Weight: 18.2kg

Availability: Direct from Engwe UK

Why buy? Engwe are known for coming up with e-bike designs that are often that little bit different that can be hit or miss. This bike offers light weight and a great motor system at a very good price so it’s definitely a hit.

CIKADA TOURING

Cikada Touring review | Cycling Electric

Although the Touring isn’t specifically touted as a cargo bike I think it does a pretty good job as one.

I loaded the bike up with 30kg on its huge rear rack and let the powerful mid-drive motor take the strain up some pretty steep Pennine hills.

In the crowded sub £2000 e-bike market it offers something a bit different in the form of its awesome power and carrying capacity.

It’s a hefty e-bike but that’s the price you pay for being able to load up the rear rack with a huge weekly shop – I used the excellent Decathlon 50 litre longtail pannier to transport all manner of things.

The only slight negative is that if you want to transport kids a cargobike with smaller wheels or even a bakfiets design is preferable to keep their weight lower down.

Price: £1799

Motor and battery: Bafang M410 mid-drive and Wh battery with 720Wh UL safety certified battery

Weight: 28.9kg

Availability: Currently directly from Cikada but they are working to set up a dealer network in the UK

Why buy? Want a functional and powerful load carrier at a great price? Look no further.

PEDIBAL MAXIMA

Review: Pedibal Maxima with throttle | electric bike reviews, buying advice and news – ebiketips

This is one of the few e-bikes out there that has an entirely legal throttle that will propel you all the way up to 15.5mph without the need to pedal.

It does so by taking advantage of a little used category of electric vehicles called 250W LPMs – with LPM standing for low powered moped.

Okay, legally speaking the Maxima is now a moped not an electrically assisted pedal cycle (EAPC), but throttle aside, it is much the same in all other respects.

It is restricted to a maximum speed of 15.5mph with a 250W motor and can be ridden anywhere a bike or e-bike can, including on bike lanes and bridleways (where other classes of moped are not permitted).

The Maxima is a good design to utilise throttle only power on; you get all the benefits of an electric fat bike such as comfort, load carrying and off-road ability without the awkward handling that can come with electric pedal only power on such designs.

Of course, with a massive battery and very sizeable fat bike motor the Maxima is very heavy. If you can live with the weight it’s a great way to enjoy the fun, practicality and manoeuvrability of throttle only power.

Price: £2320 as reviewedMotor and battery: Bafang 55Nm 250W rear fat bike hub motor and LG 48V 20Ah (960Wh)Weight: 39.5kg

Availability: Direct from Pedibal

Why buy? If you feel the need for pure throttle power and a super plush ride and can live with fat bike heft

JORVIK ELITE JET E-16

Jorvik Elite JET E-16 trike review | Cycling Electric

Electric trikes are great for older riders along with others who may be less mobile – in fact anyone who struggles with the balance and other skills required to use a two wheeler.

I generally ride two wheelers but if you regularly load big heavy loads then a three wheeler with a big and more stable load platform is also worth thinking about.

Just note that trikes ride very differently to a two wheeler so you may have a learning curve before you are able to ride in confidence, but once you have the knack it really is as easy as falling off a bike (except that it’s much harder to fall off a trike).

What sets the Elite Jet E16 is its small size, meaning it is more maneuverable than many trikes (it has reverse gear which helps) and its foldability – I managed to fit it into a medium sized hatchback car.

At just over 31kg it’s not overly heavy for a trike – there are two wheeled e-bikes heavier than this.

Price: £3,149.00Motor and battery: Bafang 250W rear axle motor and 36V 576Wh batteryWeight: 31.3kg

Availability: Direct from Jorvik

Why buy? If you struggle with balance or want to carry big loads then think about an e-trike

As with many microcars, it’s the look of the Microlino that grabs people’s attention; retro is an overused term in the design world but the Microlino has an unmistakable 60s vibe about it. It’s not just the super smooth curves of this bubble car inspired electric vehicle that are a real head turner; at only around 2.5m long and 1.5m wide it looks tiny, especially when parked next to modern cars, which are behemoths compared to their vintage equivalents.

The Microlino electric bubble car

I’ll cut to the chase here – as I happened to be passing one of the few locations in the UK where the Microlino is available for test drive (Oakmere Motorcycles in Prestbury, Cheshire) most readers will just want to know what it’s like to drive.

Most of all it’s great fun. It’s zippy, all the way up to it’s max speed – on paper that’s 56mph but I managed around 52 mph on a fairly flat, straight dual carriageway. It was really on the winding country lanes between Prestbury and Alderley Edge that it came into its own. As well as bringing the fun factor out as it zips along and corners remarkably well you don’t fear meeting an oncoming vehicle. Many of these little country roads are one modern car wide. No problem with the Microlino as it will squeeze past even the biggest Chelsea tractor on the narrowest road we could find.

It has a front opening door that’s practical as well as truly eyecatching – it can be parked front on to the kerb as it is barely longer than most modern cars are wide and it would be a piece of cake to park and access in a car park which are often full of cars with barely inches between their doors. Who needs side opening doors?

Simplicity of use is a virtue often overlooked and the Microlino is intuitive and easy to drive as it lacks the befuddling array of controls found in many modern cars. There is a conventional enough steering wheel, brake and accelerator and a dial with forward reverse and neutral gears and of course a handbrake. Despite the simplicity it has the essentials you would want for comfortable driving including heating and demisting. I was surprised at how roomy the boot was for a vehicle that looks so small from the outside.

Would I Buy One?

The short answer is that I’m currently thinking about it. It’s a superb drive for such a small vehicle and climbs hills pretty well, though as I live in an extremely hilly area of Yorkshire it would be good to give a longer test run closer to home.

There are negatives compared to other larger electric cars, outlined below – and some other microcars win over on price and have removable batteries that can also double as power packs to run other devices from.

But because this is a microcar that plays so well to the typical microcars strengths of small size with a huge fun factor I am very, very tempted to take the plunge…..

Pros and Cons

+ Brilliant fun to drive

+ Will squeeze through gaps most cars won’t and is easy to park in the tightest of spaces

+ High quality manufacture with non-rust aluminium body panels on a steel frame.

+ Plenty of leg room for both passenger and driver

+ 4 hours full charge from domestic socket

+ Low running costs compared most other cars, electric or petrol

+ Ideal for a motorhome runaround

+ Good suspension for a mircocar (but note low ground clearance)

+ Available now (some microcars have suffered from being always ‘coming soon’)

– No ability to fast charge

– Range doesn’t compete with bigger electric cars (Microlino UK say 58 to 114 miles depending on battery size, though as with many e-car stats these may be max figures in easy driving conditions)

– Pricey for a microcar (from £17,990)

– No road tax exemption; as from 2025 this is the same for all electric cars (first year rate of £10, £195 per year thereafter)

– Limited to two passengers (Microlino say ‘A child seat can be attached to a passenger seat using the available seat belt. Isofix is not yet available.’)

– There are not that generous legal payload limits for this class of vehicle; Microlino say 120 kg to 154kg depending on battery size. The vehicle itself weighs around 600kg and the legal gross weight limit (vehicle and payload) is 750kg.