I must admit, I was a virgin electric bike. Sure, I had tried Jump Uber bikes and similar electric bikes, but they are more like normal bikes "with a little help". So when I was offered to try the new VanMoof S3, an electric bike that was literally built from the ground up, I was excited to see how different the experience could be.
Perhaps most importantly, I had a special task in mind for this. In the current COVID-19 pandemic, much has been done to transform cities into proverbial deserts, while traffic and pedestrians disappear. Now, with many cities emerging from isolation, governments have advised their citizens to return to work, desperate to shake up their economy. And they make cycling a viable alternative to public transportation, where the virus is more likely to be found. So what better time would it be to try an electric bike as a viable alternative to round-trip journeys to and from the suburbs of a big city?
Indeed, the British government has launched a package of £ 2 billion to create a new era for cycling and walking.
In the United States, New York recently committed to adding protected bike lanes to Manhattan and Brooklyn. Berlin extends some of its already extended cycle routes. And Milan will introduce a five-mile cycle lane to reduce car use after the lockout. New York City reported a 50% increase in cycling compared to the same period last year, and cycling in Philadelphia increased by more than 150% during the COVID-19 epidemic.
But most official advice is to avoid public transportation as much as possible, due to the near impossibility of social distancing.
So, biking being a viable option in many cities, but with distance remaining the old adversary, many consumers are considering electric bikes as a way to kill two birds with one stone. Not only can you get away from it socially, but you can also take the bikes on much longer journeys than is possible with traditional bikes and, dare I say it, traditional legs.
London is still locked out recently, I decided to try the new VanMoof S3 in the deserted streets, by bike from the deep suburbs of London to the empty center of the city.
The bike
To begin with, it is worth saying that the VanMoof S3 is a beautiful bike. As a significant upgrade from its previous version, it is similar in appearance, but what is "under the hood" is what matters.
The S3 is a full-size bike with 28-inch wheels. It has a 24-inch wheeled sister called the X3, which is more compact and therefore technically more "nippier" in the city; however, I found the S3 perfectly suited for London. In fact, its "chopper-like" handling was very reassuring on the bumpy and often overlooked roads of London.
Both the S3 and X3 cost $ 2,000. Both also come with a four-speed automatic gear change and hydraulic brakes. They are cheaper than the previous S2 and X2 models, which only had automatic gear changes and two-speed cable brakes. Although the frame construction is unchanged, VanMoof says it has saved money by making production more efficient. Bikes weigh around 41 pounds, which is very acceptable for an electric bike. You can get front and rear racks as accessories for panniers, trunks or a child seat.
The range per charge varies between 37 and 93 miles, depending on the power level you select on the smartphone app. Level 0 disables electric pedal assistance, leaving the bike heavy enough to pedal, and level 4 boosts the bike continuously. For my ride around London, I used level 4 all the time and managed to do 45 full and fast kilometers off the bike without even sweating, showing that even the heaviest users would be well served by the S3 . If you're concerned about your battery's charge level, it will appear at the top of the crossbar, which also tells you the current speed. It takes four hours to fully charge the bike, but just under an hour and a half to reach 50%.
The VanMoof is driven by a front hub motor and in "European mode" gives a continuous power of 250 watts. But to get more speed, you can select the American setting, check a disclaimer and get 350 W of continuous power, with a peak power of 500 W via the Boost button on the right handlebars. This means that you can take off at traffic lights very easily and quickly before traffic, while normal pedaling assistance will suffice for most needs. The Boost is particularly useful during the hill climb, which the S3 seemed to devour during my crossing of London.
Thieves will find this motorcycle frustrating. The rear brake locks when you press the button near the rear hub. All parts, except the handlebars and the seatpost, require a special tool to undo. The headlight and rear light are integrated into the frame. The tires are large and puncture resistant and covered with large metal fenders with integrated mud flaps.
If a thief tries to move the bike away when it is locked, he will immobilize the rear wheel and the belt a loud alarm. If the thief persists, a higher alarm sounds, the headlights and tail light flash, a notification appears on your phone and the bike refuses to operate. Only VanMoof can then reactivate the bike using the bike's integrated cellular data connection and Bluetooth. The bike will detect the phone in your pocket on approach, which will allow you to unlock the rear wheel - and the app will always display the current location of the bike.
VanMoof's $ 340 three-year peace of mind plan means it guarantees to find or replace your bike if it is stolen (assuming it has been locked). In the meantime, you will get a bike on loan, although this plan is only available in the cities where VanMoof is present.
A possible drawback of having the battery soldered inside the bike is the need to have to be near an electrical outlet whenever it needs to be recharged. This inconvenience will be limited to those who are unable to ride the bike in an apartment, or fear for the safety of the bike if it has to load outside a house. Yes, the wired battery may well be a safety "feature", but it may well be a deciding factor for many, forcing them to turn to other bikes with removable batteries. That said, you are likely to pay more for the bike in the first place.
The trip
Regarding my test around London, to put the bike to the test, I cycled from the suburbs to the heart of the West End. I would like to say that people asked me about the bike, but no one was there to impress! At the time of the test, London was in full lock and strangely calm.
Hitting the Boost button looked like the Punch it, Chewy moment in Star Wars as I walked away from traffic. Unintentionally, I cycled at level 4 all the way, which means that after about four hours and about 45 miles, I broke down on the last kilometer of the house. However, this was not a problem as I could cycle on the last leg, even if it was a bit difficult without any electrical assistance. Level 2 or 3 would probably have been a more ideal combination of power and range.
When you drive a Tesla, you drive differently, by zipping in and out of the tracks. Likewise with this bike, I realized that I could overtake "normal" bikes without effort. Overall, I would say it's a great electric bike.
VanMoof, which was founded in 2009 by Taco and Ties Carlier, two Dutch brothers, has now attracted a € 12.5 million ($ 13.5 million) investment from London VC Balderton Capital and SINBON Electronics, the Taiwan-based electronics manufacturer which is VanMoof's bicycle assembly partner. So expect to see this company step up its presence in Europe and the United States
Certainly, they are not the only electric bike supported by VC on the market. Cowboy, based in Brussels, is an electric bike startup that only appeared in 2017, but has since raised $ 19.5 million from Tiger Global and Index Ventures in London.
It seems that the electric bike wars have started.
[All pictures by Mike Butcher]
