Dubbed the first compact e-bike with full suspension that can also fold, the L20 3.0 Boost landed on my doorstep quite some time ago. Given that it has some pretty beefy components onboard, I've had the chance to put it through its paces, both on and off-road. ENGWE has been cooking realistically priced e-bikes for several years now, and the L20 3.0 Boost continues that trend. The hefty specs mentioned come at a cost, that cost being weight, because this thing comes in at a little over 33 KG—certainly not something you want to manually pedal around in if the battery runs dry! There are two models in the new L20 range: the Boost, which is the one in this review, and the Pro. There are some differences between them, for example, the Pro has GPS tracking and other smart security features, just like the N1 Pro model I reviewed not too long ago. It also has a bit more range from its mid-mounted motor, which some would argue is a more desirable location for it than on the rear hub for reliability concerns on past e-bikes from other manufacturers. L20 3.0 Boost Specifications Colours Black, Champagne Material Aluminium alloy Motor 48V Hub Motor with Torque Sensor Torque 75 Nm Suspension Front: Hydraulic, Adjustable Lockout, Aluminium & Iron Rear: Fixed rate, 30 mm Travel Tyres 20" × 3.0" Urban Hybrid with 3mm anti-puncture layer Wheels 20", 12-gauge Spokes, 36-hole, Double-Wall Aluminium Brakes Dual-piston hydraulic front/back with 180mm rotors Drivetrain Shimano Tourney RD-TY300, 7-Speed Chain C8R8 Anti-Rust, 116 Links OBD display 3.5" LED Colour Display, ENGWE-Designed, Mid-Position, with Bluetooth Lighting Brake light: Automatically brightens When Braking or Shaking Headlight: Dual-LED, 30 Lux with Integrated E-Horn Saddle ENGWE Soft Saddle, 10-way adjustable Pedals Boron Steel, Non-Foldable Battery 48V 13.5Ah (648Wh), 21700 Cells, with BMS Battery charging time Up to 2 hours Charger 54.6V 8A Output Real-world mileage 74 miles (PAS 1) 62 miles (PAS 3) 52 miles (PAS 5) Features ENGWE app control (Bluetooth), GPS features only on the Pro model 5-level pedal assist IPX ratings IPX7 (Waterproof Wiring) IPX6 (Display & Lights) IPX5 (Motor & Controller) IPX4 (Battery Box) Load capacity 150 KG Rider height 5'1" - 6'3" (155 cm - 190 cm) Weight 33.2 KG Price €1399 ENGWE bikes are also available in the U.S., but currently, they are only offering the L20 2.0 for $799 (down from $1299). I have asked my contact when the 3.0 will go on sale and will update when I hear back. Fit and finish Just like with previous ENGWE bikes, the L20 3.0 Boost has solid built quality, though I think the gold paint on this isn't as finely treated as the matte textured finish on the N1 Pro. Overall, though, the quality and craftsmanship are very good and what I've now come to expect from ENGWE. Even at the rear end, where the suspension joins the frame arms together, there is no adverse play; everything is tightly put together. Cable routing isn't as neat as on the N1 Pro, though, but it is still organised neatly enough to be non-distracting. Yes, the tube is installed the opposite way round, this was corrected later The coiled cabling up front is still featured on the L20 update, and whilst the photos here show the riser bar post installed in the opposite direction (corrected after my photography was done), there is enough slack for suitable movement on end-to-end when turning. The design is also retro-modern, I would say. There's something about this step-through style that I quite like; it's easy to just hop into and ride. Components As with other recent ENGWE models, the L20 3.0 comes with Shimano components, and with this comes excellent performance all around. I put the Boost under extensive testing both on and off-road and found no problems with things like braking in wet and dry, which, to be fair, was expected considering the large 180mm rotors front and back, as well as the feel through the brake levers on the first ride. As this is a cruiser bike geared for comfort and vibration control, even the saddle has shock absorption. While this sort of saddle would not be my personal choice as someone who likes sporty saddles, I found it very comfortable and supportive on long rides. Once again, a fast charger brick and a bundled tool kit are standard. I have seen these on previous models, and it's nice that this continues. Navigating the controls is very easy with the button pad on the left; the grips did not get in the way, but the boost button was a little too low for my liking from the factory, though you can adjust positioning as you see fit later. It's also nice to see that ENGWE has chosen to adopt metal platform pedals. These are studded and provide a wide grip for my canvas shoes. The rear hub is considerably wider than previous models, this is to account for the fat wheels and tyres, the cassette is a regular Shimano Tourney providing 7 gears. These were all suitably indexed from the factory, and I only had to fine-tune the slack using the thumb dials on the derailleur after a few rides, allowing the mechanism to settle. Noise levels whilst riding were also at a minimum from the drivetrain; in fact, the electric motor seemed to be more audible than the mechanical system, not distractingly so, but still noticeable. The chain ring at the crank has a guard so trouser legs won't get caught in it. There is also a guard on the other side, meaning the chain will always remain on the ring—a nice touch. The front suspension allows suitable adjustment on both ends, these seemed to work well depending on the type of surface I was riding on and my preference for ride quality. The rear rack can be removed, but be wary that the integrated tail/brake light is hard-wired into it, so doing so compromises its use. The light is also connected to the brake levels, so when you are in motion and pull either lever, the brake light turns on. Best to leave the rack installed, then! The deal-LED headlights worked well and provided plenty of flood and throw. Since this light is mounted on the fork, it can be vertically adjusted to suit, unlike other models where the headlight is integrated into the frame or riser bar. It also looks like Johnny 5, doesn't it?! Even under strong reflections, the screen uses large fonts and a clear layout to make things easy to read at a glance. Brightness is also fine under sunlit conditions. Once again, my continuing gripe about the short-term trip being reset every time you power off the bike remains. It seems only the P20 had an option in the screen menus to manually retain or reset this value; models since then all reset it without giving you an option. This makes tracking mileage per charge difficult, as there is no additional info screen showing average charge performance metrics, which I would have liked to have seen. This is a folding bike, too. However, I had little need to fold it in practice; it can be done and reduces the storage footprint by almost half. Even without folding, I was able to get it into the back of a friend's modern Range Rover without issue; I just folded down the riser bar and slid the whole bike in. The rear suspension seems to do a good job of soaking up bumps, though it is not adjustable and only has limited travel. For its intended use, though, this is fine. Battery The battery slots into the lower frame and is once again secured using a key: It's a hefty battery, and ENGWE's claim of up to 74 miles seems reasonable based on my testing. I was able to get as low as 30 miles from a charge when driving on mixed terrain with assist modes, but sticking to PAS 1 only and riding on flat terrain resulted in around 60 miles on average, a bit short of the claim. Still, keep in mind that those paper specs were derived from absolutely perfect conditions. On the road As this is a UK bike, the maximum assisted speed is 15.5 MPH before the motor cuts out, leaving you to pedal manually. I found that gently pedalling at 15 MPH maintained constant electronic assist in any PAS mode, thanks to the torque sensor working effectively based on pedal pressure being applied, making cruising comfortably a breeze, even uphill. On smooth tarmac, the wide tyres and big brakes up front provide excellent grip, but just be warned that depending on the suspension fork setting you choose, you may find under heavy front braking that the front end can get destabilised fairly easily. This issue can affect all bikes with front suspension, though, and setting up the fork correctly for your riding conditions is important to avoid accidents. Off the road Speaking of accidents, off-road use is possible on the L20 30 Boost, though pay attention to the geometry setup of this bike, as it's not made for quick steering like you would normally get with a traditional bike frame design. Dramatic photography by @Tokyomagic What this means is that the front end gets caught up with you unexpectedly if you turn too quickly since the riser bar is already raked inward, even at the lowest height setting of the tube. I found this out the hard way during one session when this happened: Turning a little too briskly at slow speed led to the centre of gravity becoming unstable, and me coming off the bike. It's not all bad, though. With this lesson learnt, I was able to really enjoy off-road riding with the Boost. The key word is "Boost" because this function is a must when riding up inclines off-road. Even pushing it is extremely tough with over 30 KG of bike to haul up. The boost function makes riding up a breeze, or using the walking mode if pushing it up instead. Conclusion The L20 3.0 Boost has some additional features like Bluetooth connectivity for the ENGWE app. This offers some ride tracking stats, but beyond this, only the Pro has the smart connected options. You can also change the charging current if you don't care for Overall, this e-bike offers a range of functionality both on and off-road. It's fun and comfortable, but extremely heavy. For commuting and casual off-road use, it provides good value for money, given that it has some good components installed and solid build quality. Some of the tedious issues aside, such as short trip reset as mentioned, my wish for a future model would be to have USB-PD charging instead of the custom connector. ENGWE seems to use a new connector size on each model, too, so none of my other chargers work on this model or vice versa. Having a USB-PD connector simplifies this considerably, and we now have over 120W USB-PD charging out there. It's time to ditch non-standard compliant charging methods, I think. Nevertheless, it's a nice piece of kit offering versatility with the convenience of a quick charge when needed. The price is reasonable at this spec level, too, though some may wish to check out other models if this kind of weight, or full suspension, isn't desired. For example, I am still using the N1 Pro as my preferred choice of e-bike for road use, thanks to how smooth it is. Thinner tyres have lower rolling resistance, combined with the carbon fibre frame and fork, which offers a fun and sporty ride without compromising comfort. Whatever your preference may be, there is an option for you. The ENGWE L20 3.0 Boost is available for €1,399 on the official website (-€100 and 100 CAD with the NEOWIN promo code)and Amazon in several European countries. In the U.S., the 2.0 variant is available for $1,398 (with a $150 off coupon), and the 3.0 variant will go on sale in July. Other variants are available in Canada at $999 CAD and up. The following discount codes are also available to our readers when purchasing an ENGWE product: €200 off – ENGWEV200OFF (orders over €2000) €150 off – ENGWEV150OFF (orders over €1500) €100 off – NEOWIN (orders over €999) €50 off – ENGWEV50OFF (orders under €999) As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Verdict8Excellent ENGWE L20 3.0 Boost ProsAdjustable suspension forks Comfortable on or off-road Boost mode Under 2-hour charging Large and clear display Strong brakes ConsHeavy Short-term trip resets on power-off Can destabilise centre of gravity if not careful Price€1399 ReleaseApril 2025 Tags Report a problem with article Follow @NeowinFeed