VanMoof X2 ebike: ‘Bad news for bike thieves’

Price £2,598 vanmoof.com
Weight 19kg
Gears 2-speed, auto
Range 40 miles, full power
Charge 4 hours
Top speed 15.5mph

“That’s one of those bikes that looks like it’s made of scaffolding poles,” scoffs my friend Richard. With its straight lines, strong tube work and uncompromising angles, I can see what he means. But I’m sure the design team at VanMoof, and the 11,000 customers who have bought the bike since reservations went live last June, would not agree. Anyway, setting itself apart from the crowd with its Marmite looks is just the half of it: VanMoof is determined to turn everything on its head, from safety to security.

VanMoof (pronounced VanMoaf) is the brain child of two Dutch brothers, Taco and Ties Carlier. The pair founded the company in 2009. To say they are ambitious is like saying Boris Johnson has a passing talent for publicity. Both have backgrounds in industrial design, but had a complete lack of bike-industry know-how. Many would see this as a drawback – but not them. They saw it as a strength, enabling them to flip the concept of the city bike on its head and come up with some radical new solutions to the old problems faced by cyclists the world over – like how to ride up hills without getting sweaty and how not to get your bike pinched. Taco and Ties see Tesla and BMW as competitors for their tech-laden cycles, not other bikes. And, oh yes, they are committed to “getting the next billion” people on to bicycles.

Two frames are offered – the S and the X – and these can be bought as regular bikes or as ebikes. It is with the electrified models, however, that the brothers really see their future. Starting from the bottom up, the team at VanMoof has reconsidered everything, from paint quality to how to make the seat more comfortable (under the saddle you’ll see a pair of air pads that look like they’ve been stolen from a pair of trainers). The frame is uncluttered. There is a minimum of gears, cables, buttons and levers. So, although it’s sophisticated, it feels and looks incredibly simple. It aims to do as much for you as it can to take the hassle our of riding. The lights permanently self-charge and activate themselves. There are integral mudguards, a luggage rack and the chain is fully enclosed. The brakes are super-effective discs and the tyres are thick and puncture-proof. I ride everywhere fully expecting to get a flat – this is a bike on which you never expect to have to stop. And then there’s the really clever stuff. The bike is controlled through an app on your phone and has a stealth lock concealed in the rear hub, which you can kick to activate, or apply by selecting the padlock icon on the app. The bike makes a range of sounds to communicate with you, from powering up to a nasty growl if you try to move it when it’s locked. You can control power, check its charge and even the bike’s location all from your phone. It’s as close as a bike can get to being unstealable. Even if it is stolen, VanMoof has a team of “bike hunters” who will use the bikes GPS to track it down and return it to you.

Powering all this is a 504Wh battery invisibly housed in the down tube. It drives a silent 250W motor in the front-wheel hub. It produces a legal max speed of 25 km/h (15.5 mph). It has a two-speed automatic transmission. It’s pedal assist, which means as soon as you start to pedal you feel a surge of power, almost as if you are being pushed along the road. It’s tempting to think of ebikes as being speed machines. They’re not. My commute time was the same, though it was a lot easier – and less sweaty. There is also a power boost button you can press if you want a short blast of speed to help you overtake or go up a hill more speedily.

The VanMoof is a real game changer. On the afternoon I showed it to Richard, about half a dozen people stopped and all wanted a go. For many it was the first time they’d tried an ebike and for all of them it was the first time they’d even considered riding in the city. For all it was a real gee-whiz moment.. The only duff note, literally, is the electric bell. It sounds like a broken microwave. But then it’s good to have something to improve next time round.

Cool kit