VanMoof S3 test: the bike that wants to boost your daily life

A word of advice: buy yourself a torque wrench! It’s a bit pricey, but it allows for the perfect clamping force. There is also oil to lubricate the chain. You understand, who says bike bought on the net says hands in the sludge? You will see, at first, it can be scary, but you get used to it quickly, to the point of becoming fun.

A Design That Doesn’t Hide Its Origins :

This S3 is beautiful, even very beautiful. It’s not subjective since I’ve been approached more than once about him, my eyes full of admiration and, given the look I have right now, it has to be for him.

The S3 brings a touch of modernism to the traditional Dutch bike and for good reason, it is its origin.

Invisible when turned off, the display is also on when you are in direct sunlight, too bad.

On the other hand, the position is such that the saddlebags will be preferred over the backpack: with the latter, the force applied to the wrists is significant and quite annoying – and that makes the back sweat.

Incredible as it sounds, the S3 driving position is higher than that of an SUV.

The front light does not rotate with the handlebars. At the rear, however, the fire is clearly visible as long as it is not obscured by clothing.

Well-hidden and powerful, the loudspeaker sounds the alarm when the bike is moved while locked.

This idea is as simple as it is great.

The S3 has hydraulic disc brakes. This is a nice progression from the previous model, but unfortunately, they lack bite. For urban use, this is limited, because it forces you to anticipate dangerous situations. It’s always better than cable brakes, but it’s not enough. It will be necessary to avoid arousing the bike and to regulate the braking well on the slippery ground to avoid locking the wheels.

Of course, the hydraulics are an evolution from the previous model, but they are still entry-level brakes and not efficient enough, especially for a 19 kg bike capable of gaining 32 km/h.

The rigid aluminum fork is an excellent choice in my opinion. Of course, the vibrations go directly back to the handlebars and the saddle, which can be a bit disturbing on cobblestones, but a telescopic fork does not really make sense for 3 reasons:

• Most VTC forks are entry-level, inefficient, and need to be changed after a maximum of 2 years of cycling.
• These forks also do not allow you to adjust the hardness of the springs, they make the bike less agile and less responsive.
• Finally, springing means pumping and therefore absorption of energy. To overcome this lack, you must pedal harder or use the engine more, causing a loss of range.

In short, it’s rigid, and rigidity is good. Then the Schwalbe Big Ben tires are thick and attenuate the relief well.

Tires, let’s talk about it. They have excellent cushioning and are ideal for urban use. On the other hand, forget about walks in the forest or a little wild terrain which may cause annoying punctures. The fault was a smooth tread but sufficiently dug to evacuate rainwater.

The fork is made of aluminum. A carbon fork would not have been of much interest and the weight gained would have been minimal.

On a bike that wants to be accessible to as many people as possible, this is a point that I think is important to correct. You will have to be vigilant on dirt roads or sandy areas. I continue on this engine. Its torque is remarkable and towing a little over 100 kg at 25 km/h (and even 32 km/h) on a slope of 13% did not make it weaken (the “Boost” was engaged).

But this is a model that suffers from a syndrome specific to entry-level engines. As soon as the maximum speed is reached (25 km/h in European mode and 32 km/h in US mode), the engine no longer offers assistance and this is normal. But where new generation motors (like a Bosch Active Plus or a Shimano e-Steps) are “freewheel”, the VanMoof exerts a resistance force. This electromagnetic braking is characteristic of electric motors.

It is practical on scooters or cars, but on the bike, it adds an extra effort for the rider, in addition to dragging the 19 kilos. Cutting off assistance creates a brutal and unpleasant transition. Consequences? You will quickly increase the assistance to the maximum and graft your right thumb to the “Boost” button. Therefore, can we still talk about cycling?

The dot-matrix display is original, but unreadable in direct sunlight and poorly placed, forcing you to lower your head.

The S3 is therefore not a bicycle made for exertion, but for moving quickly and efficiently in an urban or peri-urban environment. In this role, the ride is pleasant, easy, fun, and the behavior of the bike is healthy. It forgives approximations thanks to a perfectly balanced frame, which is a small feat considering the height at which the battery is located.

Application, Security, And Legality :

Who says connected bike says application? Of VanMoof is rather ergonomic and does the job.

There you will find the answers to all the questions you can ask yourself via a kind of FAQ (for example the need to move the rear wheel a little forward if the “Lock” button does not work).

Once the account has been created and the bike has been registered, you will be able to configure the beast a bit: type of ringtone, lighting of the lights, the level of assistance, or even the gear stages.

You have a summary of your runs, total time spent and energy spent. But this is sketchy and you have no plots. Then if you forget to open the app – the bike can be unlocked without a smartphone – you won’t have a follow-up.

As written above, safety has been central to the design of the bike and the creation of the brand. And for good reason ! Bike theft is highest in the Netherlands, with 900,000 bikes stolen for 15 million bicycles.

It is also around this idea of ​​a tamper-proof bike that the S3 and its little brother the X3 were designed: non-removable battery, powerful speakers hidden under the upper axle of the frame, wheel locking system, nuts Standard anti-theft, alarm, but above all, geolocation with the possibility of finding your bike via a dedicated team.

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Indeed, in addition to all the active safety present, which by the way does not replace two good attachment systems – such as a duo chain + “U” for example -, VanMoof offers a service at 290 euros for 3 years. : in the event of theft, the brand will find your bike thanks to a dedicated team and geolocation within two weeks. Otherwise, it replaces it for you (up to 3 times).

The alarm can be deactivated from the app, which is not a bad thing when you find yourself stumbling at night on the charging bike, because it is placed on the path that leads from your bed to the WC, triggering the alarm and waking up the apartment (it’s a real experience)! But you will have to remember to activate it again afterward.

We end with the legal aspect. Indeed, it is possible to unleash the bike simply, via the official application, by selecting the speed limit on the US standard (32 km / h) instead of the European standard. Concretely what does this imply? Already the brand has allowed itself to add a little unofficial trick that gives it an edge over the competition. Then, it prevents it from restricting its customers via geolocation, which would obviously generate complaints (we are free, etc.).

Finally, at 32 km/h, in long, empty, secure cycling zones, you are not dangerous. But be aware that with a bike that does not comply with the legislation, if anything happens to you, your insurance is very likely not to intervene, forcing you to have to assume the financial and human consequences that This would result, including for yourself, even if it is not your fault.

Editor’s note: it is true that on an unassisted bicycle (called “dry” in the jargon), the speed of 32 km/h is often exceeded, and this, is without going beyond the legal framework. But in the case of an electric bike, it is the machine that achieves them, not the experience and skill of the rider. The perception of speed and the feeling of effort is therefore totally different.

Autonomy: Average Endurance

Finally, let’s talk about autonomy: with my 100 kg, on courses that go up and down a lot (400 meters of vertical drop in 3 short climbs), the bike allowed me to do 57 kilometers before saving money: the engine no longer works, but geolocation, lights, and doorbell still work.

By playing the “Boost” button galore, the range is not that much and despite my weight, I have always been able to reach 40 kilometers (42 to be exact).

The remaining battery life display lacks precision.

Finally, on a course with 3 good climbs, with the Boost button permanently activated, with 10 kg of the pack on my back and 100 kg on the bike, I did 51 kilometers.

This means that you cannot travel less than 40 km, even fully loaded and with the “Boost” permanently engaged.

For recharging, count 3 hours 20 minutes to go from 10% to 100%.

An Excellent Urban Travel Vehicle Is Not An Excellent Bike :

The S3 should not be seen as a bicycle but as an urban mobility vehicle. He is not meant to post his stats on Strava or progress in the effort. He is there to offer an easy and pleasant solution to those who want an alternative to their car or public transport. In this, he keeps his promise perfectly. But inevitably, it loses the clientele of pure cyclists.

Offering the choice to unleash your bike so easily on the app is not trivial and allows the brand to have this little unofficial trick in addition to its competitors, something that sounds like a cheap shot. When it’s dark and cold, and we’ll be exhausted with the only desire to go home with about twenty terminals to go, 32 km / h will be very tempting. The catch is that in the event of an accident, even if it isn’t at fault, it will give insurance a way to clear customs.

Then there is this “Boost” button. Very quickly we find our fingers grafted on to provide the minimum effort on the pedals. Because the S3 does not invite you to perform and the resistance of its engine, once the authorized speed is reached, has a lot to do with it. This, it reminds me more of an electric scooter than a bicycle.

But is this a problem? Not at all. Because, unlike a traditional VAE, you will be much less inclined to fall for your thermal vehicle when the conditions are not particularly favorable (or when laziness hits you) than with a standard VAE. Over a full year, your S3 will quickly cover more terminals than you did in the car. Finally, the security solution, combined with two good locks (chain and “U” system) should prevent your mount from disappearing as easily as another bike.

Finally, this VanMoof S3 does not target Strava cyclists, but others who are looking for a bike-like solution for their daily life. Those people who simply want to get to work with a reduced and regular commute time, in almost maximum comfort and with a smile and a well-thought-out safety solution. In this, the VanMoof stands out as an excellent choice. But if it’s a bike to get you high that you’re looking for, you’ll have to look elsewhere and even forgo the electric to go “dry”.

MOST ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT VANMOOF S3 :

– Is there a 100% assisted mode?

– Is a child seat possible on the VanMoof S3?