When it comes to electronic bikes, the VanMoof S3 gives you the feeling you’re riding a bike from the future while managing that minimalistic look you love from your favorite traditional bicycles.
VanMoof’s S3 accomplishes that and then some, but is it worth its $2000 price tag? Here’s a quick guide to help you figure out if the S3 is right for you:
At first glance, you may not even be able to tell that the 46-pound VanMoof S3 is an electric bike. The S3 is definitely one of the best-looking e-bikes in the game.
While most e-bikes are bulky or have an easily visible motor, the S3 maintains the look of a standard bike as it hides all of the technology within. The gears are out of sight, the motor is discreetly placed, and the only visible wires come from the handle for the breaks. The S3s elegant design offers all the advantages of riding an electric bike without the downside of a bulky, unsightly look typical of many e-bikes on the market.
The S3 comes with both a headlight and a tail light. The central crossbar, parallel to the seat, extends slightly from the front and the back to hold these lights. On that same crossbar, near the handles, an LED display shows your current battery level and speed.
Unfortunately, unlike many other e-bikes, VanMoof’s S3 does not have a removable battery. Although the battery charges relatively quickly, this may make the bike an unpopular choice to those who live in apartments, as you will have to bring your S3 up to your home to charge it. For those who live on the ground level, getting up and going may be an advantage over having to mess around with a removable battery.
Additionally, removable batteries can be a theft issue that you don’t need to worry about with the S3.
The VanMoof S3 comes with built-in security features that are extremely impressive and rare for electronic bikes. Bike thieves who know about the S3 will stay away, and those who don’t will learn soon enough.
The S3 has a kick lock integrated into the bike’s side, near the kickstand, rendering the rear wheel immobile and activating the built-in alarm. When the bike is slightly tampered with, it will begin its first alarm phase: a minor warning to the intruder not to touch. If the intruder doesn’t stop, the bike will blare its alarm continuously until eventually the owner (and VanMoof) are notified.
VanMoof has an impressive team of Bike Hunters that will then find your bike and return it to you. They guarantee to have your bike returned to you within two weeks. If they can’t, they will provide you with one in equal or greater condition.
This service is free the first time you use it, but after that, you will have to pay for VanMoof’s “peace of mind” service: a 3-year theft package for $340. They also offer a maintenance service for the same price and duration, where VanMoof will regularly refine your bike’s condition. This peace of mind services can also be bundled for $590.
VanMoof’s S3 has lots of cool and exciting features, one of the most notable (and controversial) being the automatic electronic gear shifting, which the company calls an “industry-first.” It has four speeds and automatically detects which one you need. You can change when the gears shift through the app, depending on your speed.
The gear shifter can be controversial because many people like to manually choose their gear and fear the technology won’t correctly shift to what they need. But actually, it turns out to be a great, useful feature that lets you focus more on simply riding. Although you may feel the shift falter slightly every once in a while, it gets right back to its smooth ride.
The S3 also comes with its intelligent motor. While many electronic bikes may have loud, chunky motors to give you a boost, VanMoof stealthily places the S3’s motor in the rear wheel. The motor can help you reach up to 20 miles per hour and runs silently, almost tricking those around you into thinking you’re on a conventional bicycle.
The kick lock and alarm can be disabled through the app and by a code through the bike’s horn button. To disable, you’ll have to move your bike’s wheel within 5 seconds after you’ve unlocked it. Alternatively, you can choose to have the bike detect when you are near through your phone, so you will be able to ride away without worrying about taking your phone out or putting in a code.
For such a high-quality bike, the S3’s price is very reasonable, especially when compared to other electronic bikes.
The bike looks great and feels smooth. It’s stunning to have the technology packed into its minimalistic design.
The S3’s motor is impressively silent and can reach a satisfying 20 mph.
Providing out-of-this-world service through their Bike Hunters, VanMoof has changed the game to make sure your bike stays with you.
Yes, the price is a pro and a con. While the price is excellent for an e-bike, it still is a lot, especially adding the “peace of mind” services, which are limited to 3 years.
Although the battery lasts a while and charges fast, being unable to remove it makes charging the bike much more of a hassle.
Using your phone for your bike can be great, but it makes you depend on it even more than we already do.
The VanMoof S3 is an outstanding electronic bike. The S3 rides untroubled, almost eliminating the bumps in the road, and the price is affordable, depending on who you are. The bike comes with incredible features that keep it exciting and secure.
This bike may be a less popular choice among those who live in apartments due to the non-removable battery. That said, it still provides a tremendous range of value for its price. For $2000, it doesn’t get much better than this.
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