Anyone got a connected and/or electric bike? Maybe something that comes with an app/api to log trips etc? Or to track / immobilise when lost?
I’ve had a brief google and found the Vanmoof which looks expensive but brilliant.
Does anyone have any experience / recommendations?
I love electric bikes, but don’t wind up using them as much as I’d like. Lately that’s more to do with my reluctancy to go anywhere than anything else though, but they’re my second favourite mode of transport after walking. I’ve had a few different ones over the years but there is only one I would recommend.
Vanmoof is the way.
It’s expensive, yes. Not the most expensive though. It is the best value bike on the market though. It’s well engineered and well thought through, down to the tiniest details, which is probably why I like it so much. The attention to detail is impeccable, and in someone, surpasses standards set by companies like Apple and Tesla for that level of craftsmanship.
Ooh high praise indeed. What model do you have?
Mine is the X2 in black! but that’s because I’m short and don’t like the higher bar on the S models.
Vanmoof S3 is an exceptional piece of kit. My mate has one that I’ve had a few rides on. I’ll be buying one after I’ve finished Uni and started working in September.
My VanMoof is on order and should be with me soon 
It looks like they’ve made some recent updates to it too:
All the Vanmoof love! 
Is there a Starling to Vanmoof’s Monzo*? Keen to check out the market!
*I’m really gonna regret that analogy, aren’t I?
I did quite a lot of research into various brands and bikes and didn’t find anything which came close to VanMoof.
Their bikes appear to be engineered to the nth degree to the point that they don’t really look like an electric bike. This was a big plus for me because in theory it makes it less likely to be stolen.
They also offer the peace of mine cover for £270 where if your bike is stolen then they’ll either hunt it down within two weeks or replace it. To me that was a no brainer.
Price wise they’re pretty competitive too, and they offer a very good range for the price. The biggest drawback is that you can’t remove the battery for charging, but that’s not really a deal breaker for me.
I suspect it would be if you lived in a block of flats without a lift tho!
It certainly looks super impressive. Might see if I can get a test ride…
Also, I wonder if I can get it on our cycle to work scheme? 
That’s exactly what I was thinking. Don’t fancy spending £2k in one go. But with 40% off and payments spread over 12 months it’s much more palatable.
Looks like they’ve got most of the big schemes covered:
I got it on our cycle to work scheme 
It certainly looks like the way to go!
Aren’t you a remote worker?
Do you use it to cycle from the kitchen to the living room?
You could have a look at the Cowboy 3 for comparison. Both bikes have pros and cons…
https://uk.cowboy.com/
Have also discovered the Angell:
It’s expensive but it has the looks…
Being distributed doesn’t exclude you from the scheme (which seems a bit bizarre 
) but as I sold my car to take a pay cut to take the job at Monzo I’ll finally have my own set of wheels again
One of my main concerns with any of these bikes is whether it could be serviced locally. None of them have outlets in my home city and I cant see a local bike shop sorting the gears on a VanMoof S3…
I think that’s it - you basically need to live in London.
Are you based in London now, Dan? I thought that this was a London-only thing?
The bike cover is UK wide, but the servicing plan is London only.
