VanMoof X3 e-bike review: Transportation revelation

Treasure just some of the easiest user tech from the most reasonable potential decade, I didn’t know I needed an e-bike till I used to be on one, breezing down the bike lane contemplating my newfound freedom.

Sooner than in quest of a Nintendo Swap, I would maintain by no manner guessed how extra special a sweet-colored gaming console that I could well well come out of a dock and into my backpack for long flight would catch me with pleasure. An e-bike, severely this e-bike, the VanMoof X3, feels treasure that.

I reside in Portland, Oregon, land of mammoth bike lanes and naked bike rides. When I first moved right here, I biked in every single build, nonetheless that addiction slowly dissolved over time. First, I sold a automobile for weekend camping journeys, which slowly grew to turn into weekday errand running.

Just a few years later, I purchased recognized with a continual illness and chanced on myself extra special much less assured in what my physique could well well raise out and the build it’s going to very easily take hang of me. Over time, my bike would handiest peep a handful of rides a season on magnificent days, after I’d always remark and mediate I desire I biked extra — it makes me in point of fact feel truthful!

Sooner than attempting out the X3, I’d earn excuses to power short distances rather than riding my bike. What if I purchased tired and didn’t in point of fact feel treasure biking home? What if it begins pouring rain? What’s if it’s too hot? What if I’m too sweaty after I catch to the govt.center? Using an e-bike erases most of those concerns outright.

The X3 is an easy ample trudge that I’m in a position to restful zoom to work if it’s 95+ levels out. It’s swiftly ample that I’m in a position to catch out of a surprise rainstorm swiftly if want be. If I don’t are seeking to be sweaty at the begin of the day, I’m in a position to lean on sweet, sweet electrical energy to drag me away, rolling as much as my administrative center without breaking a sweat.

And it would’t hotfoot unspoken that going swiftly on a bike — the total time, with as extra special or little effort as you in actuality feel treasure inserting in — is de facto, in point of fact enjoyable. Whereas you occur to haven’t had a possibility to appear at out an e-bike, know that the sensation of without wretchedness zipping around, electrical energy map-imperceptibly humming beneath you, is stressful to listing and easiest skilled first-hand.

VanMoof’s truthful pair of excessive tech bikes, the X3 and its bigger cousin the S3, are some distance from the supreme alternate choices on the market, so just a few of their pluses would lend a hand factual for any electrical bike. But that doesn’t develop the VanMoof interchangeable either. The VanMoof X3 has a truly explicit explore, in point of fact feel and characteristic residing that will completely swimsuit a undeniable roughly rider (myself included) nonetheless other e-bike clients will restful are seeking to play the self-discipline. We’ll catch into that — right here goes!

APPEARANCE

I tested the VanMoof X3 over the S3 no longer by resolution — its geometry is barely wacky taking a explore in photos — nonetheless on yarn of I’m 5’4″. The X3, which inserts someone from 5′-6’5″, is barely smaller and no more mild taking a explore than the S3, which suits someone taller than 5’8″. The X3 has 24″ wheels in residing of the S3’s 28″ wheels and it has barely bungee-corded platform in the entrance the build presumably you need to well well presumably raise something, nonetheless I restful have not any belief what (You might want to well well be ready to furthermore take hang of an add-on entrance basket that slots in there and appears to be like very adorable.)

Treasure most e-bikes, the X3 is much, extra special heavier than a in model street or commuter bike. The listed weight is 45.8 lbs and also you’ll in point of fact feel every pound of it whenever you occur to ever maintain to raise it very some distance. I reside in a standalone apartment in Portland, Oregon and needed to raise the X3 down a truly short entrance step to trudge it — totally dazzling!

I aged to reside in a fifth ground walkup in Brooklyn and carrying it up or down that would were very unlikely. Whereas you occur to can’t retailer the X3 (or most any e-bike) around ground level with entry to a charger, it’s going to no longer be an even fit for you. (Repeat that in our photos, the petite platform above the chain location is the build an no longer obligatory external battery pack, talked about later, sits. The platform is detachable.)

Despite the indisputable fact that on paper I’d rob the explore of the S3, the X3 doesn’t explore peculiar in any appreciate IRL, whether parked or with any individual riding it. It’s adorable, futuristic nonetheless no longer conspicuous and gets quite a bit of compliments. My wife described its magnificent as “Death Significant person chic” and while I don’t totally know what that manner, she’s no longer atrocious. On the technique to my administrative center a sanitation truck driver rolled down his window to shout “HEY—THAT’S A REALLY COOL BIKE.” Thanks, my dude!

The present abilities of VanMoof e-bikes are covered in matte paint and also you need to well well take hang of from a normal, exciting matte sad or a pleasantly cheery matte mild blue. A previous version of the bikes aged shimmering coating, nonetheless apparently the matte is purported to be extra scratch resistant. The paint does appear quite stressful though it’s no longer totally bombproof. One arrangement or the other the handlebars picked up barely slash in the paint, though I restful have not any belief the build it came from or what did it (owls?).

Something fundamental to affirm their own praises is that neither the VanMoof X3 or S3 explore treasure e-bikes. They don’t maintain a nasty bulge jutting out from the frame and the head tube and down tube are each and every thick nonetheless uniform — and never so thick you’d mediate twice about it.

The digital substances are nestled away in the frame and even the drivetrain is tucked away and enclosed. And while there’s a deeply cool LED matrix affirm their own praises embedded in the head tube, handiest the rider in point of fact sees it. For somebody procuring for an e-bike that doesn’t snarl e-bike!!!! the VanMoof is one of the most most reasonable decisions if no longer the most reasonable resolution you need to well well presumably develop. It’s an big taking a explore bike — no longer appropriate an big taking a explore e-bike.

RIDING

The VanMoof X3 is a good-taking a explore bike — you catch it. But what about, , the biking? I’m in a position to confidently listing that from the first time you hop on it to your twentieth commute to work, the X3 is an absolute pleasure to trudge.

As an e-bike newcomer I had reservations. Would the electrical support cheapen the magic of riding a bike? Manufacture I in point of fact favor a bike doing the transferring for me? Because it looks, relatively the reverse and yes, fully.

The VanMoof X3 (and its sibling the S3) give you an electrical boost while pedaling — you’ll restful be pedaling nonetheless it feels enticingly easy and also you’ll hotfoot faster with much less effort. The bike furthermore points a Turbo Boost button on the real-facet handlebar that provides you a mountainous boost on top of the smoother in model digital support, as much as 20 miles per hour in the U.S.

You might want to well well be ready to take hang of the amount of lend a hand that you treasure to maintain. The usage of the VanMoof app, which we’ll catch to, or a physical button, you need to well well take hang of what level of vitality make it more uncomplicated to’d treasure from zero to four. Zero is you pedaling a heavy-ass bike alone with out a lend a hand (it sucks) and four makes the total lot in point of fact feel so easy there’s practically no technique to damage a sweat.

In my time attempting out the bike, I’d use “two” after I felt treasure getting a bit of a vow with extra pep in my pedal, four after I used to be in a high-tail to catch to my co-working location in the mornings and three the remainder of the time, treasure riding to brunch on a weekend. Being ready to take hang of the level of pedal support is a massive perk and it makes the bike in point of fact feel flexible for diversified makes use of.

Despite mode you’re on, the turbo boost button is a killer characteristic. It flattens steep hills and makes it in point of fact feel arrangement safer to zip all the arrangement in which by arrangement of busy intersections the build you’re unsure drivers are paying consideration. It’s enjoyable and awesome for safe, defensive metropolis riding.

It takes barely bit to catch aged to the automated digital transferring nonetheless that’s silky tender too. I at the birth assumed that, treasure many things that worked completely effectively sooner than having some extraneous “truthful” excessive-tech nonsense draped over them (fridges! lamps! vibrators!) the abilities would fail appropriate most frequently ample to be a nuisance.

After a protracted duration of attempting out, I’m in a position to listing that the X3 rides as tender and seamless as ever. Every from time to time I’d crunch down on the pedal or a gear received’t take hang of correct away nonetheless it’s big rare. You might want to well well be ready to even use the app to customise when the bike shifts up and down and it’s worth fooling around with that to earn something that feels appropriate correct.

What else? The X3’s maximum assisted tempo is in the U.S. is 20 mph (32km/hr), nonetheless someone in Europe will doubtless be puny to 15.5 mph (25km/hr). The U.S. tempo feels worthy and it’s painless to catch as much as 20mph and withhold that tempo with the X3 in a capability I’d maintain to extinguish my quads to rob an eye on in every other case, even on my zippy non-electrical street bike.

Beyond that, the seat is terribly at ease and the trudge is pleasantly appropriate form and natural. After riding the X3 for a while I had a exhausting time going support to hunching over on my (adorable) little Bianchi and pined for the at ease trudge I’d gotten so aged to.

VALUE

The VanMoof X3 is an pretty imprint, all things thought of as. The corporate has a peculiar addiction of tinkering with its pricing, nonetheless after a redesign and a gigantic imprint fall in 2020 ($3,398 to $1,998 at the time) the bikes in point of fact feel very effectively priced. Now they’re retailing for $2,298 — $300 extra than the previous imprint nonetheless restful a blinding deal for someone procuring for a truly corpulent-featured e-bike without spending extra than around $2,000.

That’s no longer that extra special extra than you’d consume on a typical new bike, sans electrical energy and VanMoof’s many, many cool bells and whistles. Whereas you occur to’re into bigger discontinuance bikes, it’s going to even be plenty much less. And realistically, it’s appropriate as doubtless that you’re in quest of an e-bike to depend much less on a automobile, public transportation or whatever else you’re paying for to catch around — no longer to exchange a gradual bike. (For something in the U.S. in the sub-$2,000 vary, review out Rad Vitality Bikes and Payment for some truthful alternate choices.)

VanMoof’s pricing is furthermore substantially lower than you’d pay for the excessive discontinuance tier of characteristic-rich e-bikes with high quality substances, nonetheless the company restful manages to compete with those on looks to be and points. Quiet, it’s roughly stressful that VanMoof is quietly messing around with the pricing with the bikes already out in the wild. It could well well suck to build of residing to take hang of one handiest to leer the imprint shoot up sooner than you’d pulled the trigger.

The corporate desires to be extra transparent about this, giving residing future dates for planned imprint changes. There furthermore seem to be updates within generations of the bikes, so an X3 you take hang of now could well well vary from an X3 you need to well well presumably take hang of in 2020. That’s confusing and all of it desires to be made clearer someplace obvious on the online page.

RANGE

One amongst the biggest concerns with an e-bike (or an e-something else!) is vary. VanMoof says the X3’s vary is 37 miles the usage of “corpulent vitality” and as much as 93 miles in economy mode. Whereas you occur to’re getting 93 miles out of the battery, you potentially aren’t even the usage of the pedal support in any appreciate, so that you need to well well appropriate toss that number out. The low discontinuance estimate of 37 miles could well well be barely generous for any individual who’s the usage of the bike on the fourth vitality support level and smashing the turbo boost assuredly, nonetheless 35-45 miles feels about correct from my attempting out (most frequently mode 3 or 4, from time to time 2, mild use of turbo button).

The vary feels truthful. Even the usage of the X3 most days out of the week, charging is rare ample to by no manner in point of fact feel anxious. In my case, that meant every day short rides (2.5-5 miles, most frequently) and the occasional longer trudge (10-20 miles). Whereas you occur to’re the usage of the X3 or S3 to commute to work someplace that’s farther away, you’re going to earn your self plugging in further. Even so, I by no manner purchased staunch into a pain the build I used to be concerned that I’d high-tail out of battery some distance from home. And even whenever you occur to raise out, you need to well well restful pedal the bike — it’s appropriate in point of fact heavy. Most folks will potentially imprint up overnight, nonetheless you need to well well catch up the battery in four hours whenever you occur to maintain to.

Something to affirm their own praises is that you’ll jog in a wall charger straight to the bike to payment it. For somebody who can’t imprint and retailer the X3 on ground level, know you’ll maintain to raise the total dang bike to an outlet. The lack of a detachable battery could well well be a strike in opposition to the VanMoof bikes for folk who reside in high-tail-u.s.or petite apartments, nonetheless for of us with someplace easy to retailer it, this wasn’t something I believed twice about.

Whereas the built-in vary is totally ample for quite a bit of use cases, VanMoof appropriate launched an external add-on battery pack for each and every the X3 and S3. The battery slots into barely platform, pictured below and mounted on our test bike, and it extends the X3’s vary considerably. VanMoof sells the PowerBank accent for $348. The state isn’t petite — it weighs six kilos — nonetheless VanMoof says it’ll give you any place from 28 to 62 miles of extra vary. Yet again, practically no one is going to hit the excessive discontinuance of this, nonetheless even at the low discontinuance it practically doubles the bike’s existing vary.

The PowerBank is mountainous and quite clunky. It doesn’t explore terrible, nonetheless it positively makes the X3 explore treasure an e-bike. It’s no longer clear treasure the detachable battery on the Cowboy, one other extraordinarily truthful e-bike, nonetheless it’s okay. If the total lot else about a VanMoof fits you completely nonetheless you’d like extra vary, it’s worthy to maintain the possibility, even whenever you occur to’ll be dispensing for it.

TECH FEATURES

The tech bells and whistles are something that in point of fact makes the VanMoof X3 and S3 stand out from the group. The X3’s imprint feels reasonable for a legit, worthy-taking a explore e-bike, nonetheless on top of that you’ll be getting an electrical steed with some quite sweet tricks:

• Matrix affirm their own praises: On the bike’s top tube an array of LED lights built into the metal shows your tempo, battery lifestyles and other worthwhile info. That is a killer characteristic, it’s extraordinarily cool!
• Scare. You might want to well well be ready to spark off an scare that will *literally growlat someone who jostles your bike. It’s intense and in point of fact loud.
• Kick lock. You might want to well well be ready to kick a petite physical button to scare the bike and lock the support wheel. Whereas you occur to reside in a metropolis with bike theft, any individual could well well restful toss the bike in a truck without problems so this isn’t a single security solution (I aged a in model mini Kryptonite lock and that worked worthy.)
• Ranking My on iOS. Whereas you occur to’re an iOS person you need to well well song your bike’s whereabouts without problems. It’s a good characteristic, though ideally if your bike is effectively-locked you aren’t going to be messing with this extra special.

• Lights. The VanMoof X3 has worthy built-in lights, entrance and support.
• App: Surprisingly, the app is de facto quite truthful. You might want to well well be ready to customise many of petite things (bell noise, scare on or off, transferring preferences), use it to song your rides and further. You furthermore don’t must be linked to the bike with the app to raise out primarily the most the biggest stuff, liking riding it, unlocking it and altering your level of electrical support. I had an occasional connectivity predicament with the app (most frequently on Android) nonetheless this was without problems resolved and by no manner kept me from biking any place, though it did imply some rides weren’t robotically tracked. Importantly, you need to well well furthermore song your bike’s whereabouts by arrangement of the app and VanMoof touts this characteristic blended with its scare plan and restoration group for serving to folks catch their bikes support.

Overall, something worthy about the X3 is that the tech points aren’t appropriate admire tricks — they in actuality give a take hang of to the abilities. And even so, they’re no longer obligatory. You might want to well well be ready to trudge the bike and earnings from the vitality support without the usage of the app. You might want to well well be ready to use a typical lock and skip the scare plan whenever you occur to maintain chose to, or use a physical button code to disable it manually. You might want to well well be ready to alternate the vitality support mode with the identical button. That is all enormous and enables you to use the e-bike how you treasure to maintain to. Individually, I’d by no manner take hang of an e-bike that required connectivity, a phone or an app to feature it; that’s appropriate inquiring for disaster.

OTHER CONSIDERATIONS

Transport and Meeting: The VanMoof X3 and S3 reach in the mail in a mountainous field. The assembly task was practically painless — other than for this one in point of fact fiddly bit you maintain to inch into one other fiddly bit which took me the higher phase of an hour and some taking a explore on the VanMoof subreddit (no longer the supreme one with this predicament!)

Further Increase: VanMoof provides three paid plans to rob your bike in working recount and in your possession. You might want to well well be ready to take hang of a 3-twelve months upkeep thought for $348, a 3-twelve months theft restoration thought for $398 or a blended thought for $690 (broken down by arrangement of VanMoof below).

Repairs: Where you reside desires to be a fundamental consideration when fascinated by in quest of a VanMoof. In my time attempting out it for reliability over a protracted duration, I used to be a great deal shocked by how few problems came up. I needed to fiddle with re-centering the entrance wheel sooner or in a while yarn of a brake pad was rubbing, nonetheless other than occasional app connectivity disorders, that was quite extra special it. Of direction, fundamental wear and trot manner any bike could well well earnings from a pro tune up from any individual who knows the model.

VanMoof has corpulent-fledged stores in Amsterdam, London, Paris, Berlin, New York, San Francisco, Seattle and Tokyo. Beyond its flagship stores, the company depends on an expanding community of carrier services and “certified workshops” to withhold its bikes, so make sure to appear at what’s map you. Individually, I’d are seeking to be map ample to a VanMoof retailer or as a minimal a carrier center to guarantee my $2,000+ funding and its many, many technological bits could well well be maintained in supreme health. No one desires to ship a bike support for repairs, especially a heavy, technologically advanced one.

Sooner than attempting out out the X3, e-bikes aren’t something I’d thought plenty about and I wasn’t in point of fact certain who they were for. I first heard of VanMoof just a few years in the past when a finish friend and some distance extra serious biker than me sold one for towing her canine (the goodest girl) on a protracted work commute. We rode to the farmer’s market together and I admired her VanMoof, nonetheless I used to be skeptical that something with so extra special abilities below the hood could well well affirm their own praises legit over time.

Bikes are mechanical and simple — that’s something pretty about them! Might perchance presumably also an e-bike in point of fact translate the ecstatic simplicity of biking into something extra special extra excessive tech? Because it looks, yes. After test riding the VanMoof X3 to catch a strategy of its reliability and the arrangement in which its points extend in in model day-to-day use, I be apologetic about my early skepticism.

I don’t know if I’m in a position to overstate how extra special riding an e-bike, particularly this e-bike, enhanced my lifestyles in petite ways for the higher while I tried it out. Biking extra — and e-bikes raise out catch folks biking extra — makes me happier and further healthy. Biking extra has helped me ease out of an intensely sedentary pandemic duration into new habits that develop me in point of fact feel extra linked to the enviornment around me. I’m seeing my metropolis with unique eyes, biking to new neighborhoods I’ve by no manner explored and appreciating the total little things I took as a staunch. My handiest e-bike be apologetic about is no longer hopping on one sooner.