Our new favorite trail running tool isn’t even a shoe

What You Need To Know

Where we’re going, we don’t need roads

TAYLOR: You know what’s really hard for me? The Myers-Briggs. There are too many “it depends” or “sometimes” answers that really don’t make me feel like I understand myself any better than I already did.

Is practical a personality type? I’m really good at flying by the seat of my pants too. Where does that place me on the character spectrum? I wonder how my wife would score me. Personality type: annoying.

What does this have to do with gear reviews? Well, until fairly recently, the practical side of me hasn’t really seen the need, connection, or even a curious desire to review something like an e-bike. What the heck does it have to do with running anyway?

Well, it turns out it has a lot more than my narrow mind allowed me to see. I’ve been absolutely ripping around on the Engwe E26 3.0 over the last month. Besides being fun, it’s been a practical tool that has reignited some creativity in my daily exploration. And I love exploring.

Instead of our typical review, I’m going to give a list of specs with a runner’s take on it, a couple of stories from my usage, cautions, and a conclusion. I’ve had a track record of spoiling the end of the story in my reviews lately. I might as well continue that now by saying I thoroughly enjoyed this bike.

Let’s talk tech

2,000w Peak Dual Hub Motors

This bike has All Wheel Drive, just like your Subaru. Both the front and rear wheels have motors to distribute power and speed as needed. Six settings distribute that power appropriately (ranging from no assist to level 5).

Those motors churn out far more power than I expected. The Engwe E26 3.0 has a 400-pound towing capacity, which is absolutely ridiculous! While I didn’t test that aspect, I did haul gear, firewood, and my kids on the back. Let’s just say 1.6 miles uphill on a 6% average grade with a 6-year-old in tow (helmets are always on, of course) took less than 4 minutes, and I literally didn’t break a sweat.

When nothing was in tow, 15% grades didn’t take much effort at all either, thanks to this dual-motor setup.

960wh High Capacity Battery

This is a battery you can depend on. The average range of an e-bike battery is somewhere between 25 and 70 miles depending on the terrain, speed, assist level, etc. The Engwe E26 3.0 boasts a battery that can take you up to 100 miles on mellow terrain with minimal assist (one active wheel motor) or up to 70 miles with both wheel motors active.

I live in the mountains on gravel roads. It’s actually hard to run for 30 minutes without finding 500 feet of gain/loss. This also means it’s battery-draining territory for e-bikes. I’ve found that the Engwe E26 3.0 has an accurate gauge of battery life. The only exception is that I ride around on level 5 (full assist mode) pretty much all the time, and I still get in the 30-50 mile range of use without letting the battery die completely. That is risky business based on the weight of this bike. Personally, that’s a solid two weeks’ worth of traveling to and from trailheads, visiting the neighbors, and hauling firewood around.

Full Suspension

Shocks! Pegs! Lucky! Actually, pegs are sold separately, but shocks are standard here. Both the handlebars and the seat contain a shock-absorbing system to take the brunt of forces from the terrain.

The tail shock can handle 750lbs of force, which would break your tailbone in two without it. This was another element I was impressed with, especially since I typically ride a no-suspension gravel bike. Golly, the comfort and consistency were fantastic. Even washboards at 27 mph were managed easily in part because of the suspension.

26” fat tire wheels

These things are fat and provide an SUV-like ride. I felt comfortable and confident on a lot of surfaces. Really, the wider the tires, the more contact you have with the ground, which, ultimately, means more control. I could literally roll over rocks and roots; sandy sections were simple, and a road/gravel feels like a stream of butter.

Other

The Engwe E26 3.0 has a ton of other important features, like dual disc brakes, a beautiful computer display, front/rear fenders, a taillight with blinkers, a powerful front LED headlight, a rear carrying rack, and a luxurious cruiser seat, but none of us have the time to dive deep into each of those specifically. Just know, they add to the already stout and promising ride in a way that’s simple to use and promotes getting out on the trail.

It’s personal

Practicality has been mentioned a time or two in this review, and I’m glad to say that the Engwe E26 3.0 is easy to reach for as a runner. While all the previously mentioned specs are nice to know, it’s more important to know that this bike performs as it says.

Honestly, upon assembly, I almost regretted agreeing to such a review because it’s a very big hunk of useless aluminum if it didn’t perform exactly how I wanted it to. Below are a few reasons why the Engwe E26 3.0 ended up being a worthwhile review for me.

Get out and explore

With practicality always on my mind, I often skip driving to a trailhead for the sake of time, sustainability, and personal energy. I’m a husband, a dad, and I work a full-time job. A lot of people can identify with that.

The Engwe E26 3.0 can’t give me more time, but it has helped me get out the door to local trailheads more often. Personally, that fills my soul. This e-bike has given me the opportunity to explore and be creative with my running because it takes care of a few logistics that typically prevent me from running anywhere but from my front door.

I could hop on my traditional gravel bike, but that takes energy and subsequent running time. I could drive my car, but that means figuring out parking and using gas.

Where I live, this bike is stout and quick enough to keep up with roadway traffic safely. It takes 10 minutes or less to get to three different trailheads. A few more possibilities open up in the 15-20 minute window.

Better yet, the Engwe E26 3.0 is so powerful and capable that I can easily rip up and down fire roads in comfort to access even more running options. When I get there, I’m not too worked, mildly warmed up, can stow my bike on the rack, feel good about my footprint, and be on with it!

The whole idea of endless possibilities by integrating a simple tool like the Engwe E26 3.0 was immediately more valuable than I thought it would be. And, again, if you happen to live in rougher terrain as I do, I’m not sure there is a better-suited e-bike out there.

Errands, errands, errands

I recently returned from a couple of weeks in France. In both cities and rural areas, there’s a biking culture that promotes a broad band of healthy living. There were more e-bikes in Paris than I’ve seen combined in the rest of the world! It was motivating to experience.

Honestly, I’ve been trying to embrace that a little more, even in my very rural neck of the woods with the ENGWE E26 3.0. Since I live in a hilly, gravel-filled area, this is a perfect fit for my needs. Going to get the mail on our quarter-mile driveway, meeting friends for a lunch run, grabbing a gallon of milk, whatever. Because of our location, a vehicle is almost always necessary. This bike has proven it can take on a lot of these tasks with ease.

With gas prices and increased environmental issues, it simply feels good to leave the car at home and still do what needs to be done.

For those who live in town, the Engwe E26 3.0 could easily become your school bus, grocery getter, daily commuter, etc.

Accessibility

I used to be part of the camp that dismissed e-bikes for really no good reason. Just grab a normal bike, right? Well, life would be nice if it were that simple for everyone. I think of some family members, friends, and neighbors who cannot even get out on a traditional bike right now. Reasons vary from injury to aging. I’ve been there too! An e-bike like the ENGWE E26 3.0 can provide the capability to still get out for fresh air or access places they wouldn’t normally be able to. I’m a big fan of that.

A word of warning

The Engwe E26 3.0 comes with very few outright negative aspects. The obvious has been the overall weight. It’s nearly 90lbs! It’s a tank in both positive and negative ways. The body itself has held up to an absolute beating. If you tip, take a tumble, or drain the battery (God forbid), it’s a monster to try to stand up or pedal under your own power.

The other caution is to simply take an afternoon and gather up your patience before putting this thing together. It’s not quite as simple as building out a traditional bike. The electrical components and very loosely directed paper directions made it a mildly frustrating experience to get together. Save yourself some time by watching this video once, twice, or thrice before assembling.

Get out there and ride

What I appreciated most is the Engwe E26 3.0’s versatility. It can be your daily commuter and/or a utility vehicle, no joke. Honestly, you should do all of that, then take the back roads and occasional single-track for exploration. One of my next objectives is to actually do a solo camping trip following Forest Service roads deep into no-man’s land with everything packed on the Engwe E26 3.0. I’m confident it can handle the load.