Tenways Wayfarer review: One of the smoothest-riding commuter e-bikes I’ve tested in a long time!

Tenways has been steadily growing its reputation in the commuter e-bike world, especially in Europe, where the company has become known for sleek urban bikes that feel a bit more refined than their price tags might suggest. But even humble Americans have been able to enjoy Tenway’s e-bikes for years, plus with the added bonus of accessing higher speeds and power levels that bump models up into Class 3 territory.

The new Tenways Wayfarer continues that trend, while adding something the company hasn’t leaned as heavily into before: more comfort, more utility, and a more approachable ride for everyday riders.

more…​Tenways has been steadily growing its reputation in the commuter e-bike world, especially in Europe, where the company has become known for sleek urban bikes that feel a bit more refined than their price tags might suggest. But even humble Americans have been able to enjoy Tenway’s e-bikes for years, plus with the added bonus of accessing higher speeds and power levels that bump models up into Class 3 territory.

The new Tenways Wayfarer continues that trend, while adding something the company hasn’t leaned as heavily into before: more comfort, more utility, and a more approachable ride for everyday riders.

more… 

Tenways has been steadily growing its reputation in the commuter e-bike world, especially in Europe, where the company has become known for sleek urban bikes that feel a bit more refined than their price tags might suggest. But even humble Americans have been able to enjoy Tenway’s e-bikes for years, plus with the added bonus of accessing higher speeds and power levels that bump models up into Class 3 territory.

The new Tenways Wayfarer continues that trend, while adding something the company hasn’t leaned as heavily into before: more comfort, more utility, and a more approachable ride for everyday riders.

After spending time riding the Wayfarer, I came away impressed by just how smooth and easygoing this bike feels.

It’s not trying to be a super high-power monster e-bike or an aggressive “moto-style” machine. Instead, it focuses on comfort, refinement, and natural-feeling assistance.

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And I’d say that it accomplishes those goals really well.

At the heart of the bike is a 750W peak-rated rear hub motor producing 65 Nm of torque, paired with a Bafang torque sensor.

The battery is a fairly large 48V 720Wh pack using LG 21700 cells, and Tenways claims up to 85 miles (137 km) of pedal-assist range, though obviously that depends heavily on assist level, rider weight, terrain, and speed. There’s also a throttle mode with around 35 miles (56 km) of claimed range, which is important to know if you don’t plan on pedaling often. I’ve also got more thoughts on that throttle coming soon, since its unique in a few ways.

The bike ships in a default 20 mph setup, which helps keep it in either Class 1 or Class 2 mode (depending on whether you like the throttle), but riders can unlock a 28 mph Class 3 mode through the settings, or even an unlimited mode. Again, more on those classes and unlimited mode soon.

The biggest thing that stood out to me on the Wayfarer was just how smooth the power delivery feels on pedal assist.

Some hub motor e-bikes with torque sensors still feel slightly digital or delayed. This one doesn’t. The assistance ramps in very naturally and predictably, making the bike feel more like you naturally became stronger instead of like a motor is shoving you forward. That’s exactly what I want from a commuter e-bike, and it’s why I would choose a torque sensor bike to begin with.

The bike also tracks very nicely. It has a stable geometry that made it surprisingly easy to ride no-handed, which is usually a sign that a bike’s steering and weight distribution are well sorted out.

Even more impressively, the Wayfarer rides well with the power completely turned off. In pedal assist level 1, I found the ride so comfortable that I just turned the assist off to see what affect that would have. It turns out that the bike pedals so naturally that you can still ride it like a bicycle – not an electric bicycle.

Sure, it’s heavier than a pedal bicycle at 66 lb (30 kg) and you’re going to get a workout, but I found that I could still pedal it comfortably without assist. The rolling resistance is low enough and the riding position efficient enough that it doesn’t become a slog if the battery dies or you simply want some exercise.

The Wayfarer is very much designed around comfort.

The adjustable stem is one of my favorite features on any comfort e-bike because it lets you really customize the riding position. I personally raised the bars up higher for a more upright cruiser or Dutch-bike style posture, which makes longer rides significantly more comfortable. Adjustable stems do add a little weight, and some riders prefer fixed stems for maximum stiffness, but for a commuter bike like this, I think it’s absolutely worth it.

The step-through frame is another major plus. I’m a big believer that step-through frames make commuter bikes more practical for almost everyone, especially when you’re keeping the seat high for proper pedaling efficiency. Being able to simply step through the frame instead of swinging a leg over is underrated convenience.

The suspension seatpost also deserves credit. No, it doesn’t magically replace full rear suspension, and you’ll still feel larger potholes and sharp impacts. But for everyday road chatter, cracks, and smaller bumps, it makes a noticeable difference and adds a nice layer of comfort.

Up front, the suspension fork further smooths things out, making the bike feel more forgiving on rough pavement than a rigid commuter bike. I was glad to see the fork also uses a through-axle instead of a quick-release skewer, which is a more robust way to mount the wheel and also points to the company simply caring a bit more about the longevity of the bike. And with full fenders, a rear rack, and an LED light package, the bike gets a nice commuter load out at the same time.

And speaking of commuter comforts, the integrated Apple FindMy tracking is another added value feature since it gives me peace of mind that I can more easily track my e-bike if it ever goes missing (or I just forget where I parked it).

Not everything was perfect for me, though.

One thing I found annoying was how the throttle was a bit of a strange shape, more of a peg for your thumb than a paddle or lever.

It’s still a thumb throttle, but a strange style that I’ve not seen before. It’s effective, but takes some getting used to.

Next, I also found it a bit annoying how the throttle works in Class 3 mode, or rather, how it doesn’t work.

Once you unlock the bike to 28 mph (45 km/h) pedal assist, the throttle is completely disabled – even at lower speeds under 20 mph (32 km/h). I understand why Tenways did this, especially as states like California increasingly enforce stricter interpretations of Class 3 laws that prohibit throttles.

But from a rider perspective, it’s frustrating because sometimes you just want throttle assistance for starting from a stop or creeping through an intersection, and the long established ‘fairly legal’ trend followed by most e-bike companies has been to allow throttle operation up to 20 mph, then cut it out at faster speeds. Negating throttle use entirely when Class 3 mode is selected (i.e. when pedal assist works past 20 mph and all the way up to 28 mph) is a frustrating new reality to come to terms with, even if it objectively the way the laws are headed.

The good news is that you can bypass this issue entirely by using the bike’s “Unlimited” mode, which restores throttle functionality while still allowing pedal assist beyond 20 mph. So there’s a workaround for people who live in states that aren’t as strict as California, but it feels a bit clunky.

I was also initially unsure about the startup PIN code feature. Every time you turn the bike on, you can require a passcode before riding. Personally, I found it more annoying than useful. But thankfully, Tenways allows you to disable it entirely in the settings, which is what I quickly did. That said, I can absolutely see some riders appreciating the extra security layer.

The display itself, however, is excellent. It’s bright, colorful, easy to read, and packed with settings and customization options. It definitely feels more premium than the simple monochrome displays still common on many commuter e-bikes.

One thing that surprised me was the use of a fairly basic Shimano Altus drivetrain.

On a bike this refined, I almost expected something a bit higher-end.

But from my experience, it worked perfectly fine during my testing. Shifting was crisp and reliable, and sticking with Altus likely helps Tenways keep the price more reasonable. Sometimes chasing premium component badges doesn’t actually improve the real-world riding experience all that much.

The downside isn’t so much immediate, but down the road. An Altus just isn’t a high end piece of kit and so over time it’s more likely to need somewhat frequent adjustments, especially if you end up smacking it doorways or curbs with any regularity.

The Tenways Wayfarer feels like a very mature commuter e-bike, and priced at $1,999, it offers a very nice ride for the price.

It doesn’t try to wow you with absurd power numbers or flashy gimmicks. Instead, it focuses on making the actual riding experience pleasant, comfortable, smooth, and easy – and I think a lot of riders will appreciate that approach.

The torque sensor tuning is genuinely excellent, the comfort features are thoughtfully chosen, and the bike overall just feels refined in a way that many direct-to-consumer commuter e-bikes still struggle to achieve.

Sure, I’d prefer a more flexible Class 3 throttle implementation, and I could live without the startup PIN screen. But those are relatively small complaints on a bike that otherwise feels extremely well designed and executed.

For riders looking for a comfortable, upright commuter e-bike that feels polished and easy to live with day-to-day, the Wayfarer is one of the more enjoyable commuter models I’ve ridden recently.