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Review: VanMoof S3

9 comments

1 year 7 months ago

Made from the actual branches of the ugly tree!

2 years 10 months ago

Still not possible to recharge the battery without the bike? This was the reason I decided not to buy VanMoof and I can't be alone. VanMoof must be calculating that there are sufficient numbers of urbanites living in a flat with a lift and who keep their bikes in the hallway.

2 years 12 months ago

It looks like Van Moof have a great product let down by the size of their UK dealer network.  1 shop in London does not bode well.  They should be looking to franchise out the dealing and servicing to LBS's.

2 years 12 months ago

Seems strange that making the traction battery non-removable is key to the security of the bike. As the alarm and control systems should need a tiny fraction of the power needed for traction, it would be far more practical to make the traction battery removable for charging and replacement (the day will come), and have a secondary battery for the security system. It would be trivial to have the smaller battery charge from the larger.

It's amazing how these companies that want to sell a service think that limiting the life of the hardware is a good idea, and even more amazing that consumers fall for it.

2 years 12 months ago

Van Moof should be applauded for integrating credible security into the design of their bike. A well founded fear of having one's bike nicked is a big obstacle to their daily use. The car industry was hauled kicking and screaming towards better security over decades - let's hope the bike industry steps up to the plate more readily.

2 years 12 months ago

A service package that means you have to take the bike back to central London for service? Fail.

2 years 12 months ago

This does look a great bike. The only thing to put me off at the minute would be the recent reliability problems that have been reported for this bike for some people - and having to take it to their store isn't ideal for most people...else sending it back to Amsterdam really isn't ideal - do you have to keep the box it was in just in case?

 

another thing - the service package is around £300 for 3 years (the £550 you mentioned included the extra security thing where a team will go out and get your stolen bike for you, else replace it with another bike) but what happens after the 3 years? Will they still service it? Can anybody else service it? What about the integrated stuff? Will they still make spare parts after 3 years? Etc etc

 

They should make the integrated battery/electronics but that sits in the top tube removable for easy replacement / servicing - they could still make it secure but means youre not screwed if something goes wrong

2 years 12 months ago

Comparison with Apple is spot on. This is a bike for those who don't want to understand "how it works" or do any fettling themselves. Elegant form and "just works" in return for locking yourself in to a single supplier and probably locking out your LBS. I think VanMoof are definitely more towards the "mobility as a service" model.

I have been impressed at some of their previous innovations (minimal chain case with integrated chain tensioner). Their whole "anti-theft" / get it back / give you a new one is an interesting proposition. Unfortunately in the UK without it being obviously locked to something I suspect you could still lose it / have damage, and you could be without a bike for some time.

The key indicator of what this is for me is that - while you can get front and rear carriers, it doesn't come with them as standard. Think they're going for "swanky runaround".

It's a trade off. For me, the notion of a really non-standard bike for "general use", having to use a single particular expensive supplier and being limited as to what accessories you can fit - that's a no. Vanmoof aren't fly-by-nights but the whole "what do you get if you cross a bike with a computer" thing applies here e.g. that's the terrain of planned obsolescence at the speed of fashion. But I guess I'm borderline for e-bikes in general. I'd certainly take a Tern GSD if the government gets round to subbing some of the costs though...

2 years 12 months ago

It might be worth mentioning that the alternative model in the range the X3 has a different frame design and covers 5" to 6'5" which makes a lot more sense in the UK when the average height for a Woman is 5'3" and a Man is 5'9" unlike the willowy dutch (5'6" and 6'), and would fit many tweens/teens as well making it a proper family bike.

 

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