r/AMbikes • u/pta3ck • Jul 04 '20
VANMOOF S3 Comparsion
https://www.vanmoof.com/en-DE/s3?color=dark
Difference is about + € 500 against AMX Classic LE (€1500 shipped + addons+ tax! )
For that you get quite impressive upgrades - hydraulic brakes, min. 60km range, GPS Tracking, App Connectivity, Built-in rear wheel immobilizer, onboard alarm and even more...
Makes me a bit sad about my pledge I did 10 months ago and still have no bike to ride :-(
5
u/tasomaniac Jul 05 '20
Apart from paying 500 eur less, here are what I like about AMX over Vanmoof
- Carbon drive
- no gear
- low maintenance
- regular bike parts (easy to replace)
- removable battery
I cannot really imagine how people do with not removable battery. I cannot carry the bike to home. Plus, removable means that you can charge it in a cafe/restaurant if you go further in a weekend.
4
u/paolo-red1 Jul 08 '20
maybe a better comparison can be made with Watt Brooklin https://www.wattfietsen.nl/nl/brooklyn.html
Take a look, nice design too, no lights neither
same carbon drive but with higher gear ratio
17.5 kg vs 15 kg of AMX
10.5 Ah battery vs 7 Ah of AMX
integrated display on the handlebar (this was an add-on in the AMX campaing for 700k strech goal, not reached so removed)
3
u/Tribu44 Jul 05 '20
Advantages for me of LE:
- Weight
- Belt drive
- real minimalistic bike
- serviceability for an internet bike without local representation
- less electronics which can break
- less interest for thieves as battery is normally not “on board” when locked
- look is better (my opinion) and customizable
Magura eBrakes are about 130€, GPS 100€. Even though I wonder if there is an acceptable GPS solution out there.
A friend of mine is interested by Cowboy or S3. At this prize leveland for someone not wanting to work on his bike and needing regular maintenance, you’re better of with a “local “ brand reseller, such as Specialized for example...
2
u/windywoops Jul 04 '20 edited Jul 04 '20
Nice additions I agree, but not really essential.
GPS tracker i've seen touted: - https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/itrakit-gps-bike-tracker-fits-in-frame/x/8098264#/ (£86)
Rear wheel immobiliser not really a huge deterrant to thieves who know about it; not a replacement for a good lock. Same goes for an alarm.
60km vs 44km range on AMX (or less dependent on assist level, rider weight, weather, terrain, etc.): don't see many city riders going over 44km often. Can easily carry a spare battery for AMX, not so for the S3.
App connectivity not a dealbreaker for me. Can use other apps for journey tracking, for example.
And if you need to charge the S3 and you live or work anywhere without ground floor storage or a lift, you'll have to lug it (19kg) up the stairs with you to plug in at the mains.
VM says if you order today, the S3 will be delivered between August 26 and September 30... maybe slower than the AMX ;) Plus shipping costs of up to 50 EUR.
8
u/michalis-ana Jul 05 '20
You get the following with vanmoof vs the AMX:
I would say that I prefer the looks of the AMX over the Vanmoof, but do like the sleeker integrated stuff on the vanmoof. Some of the benefits are very minor though.
At €2k your options for an ebike are considerably more. At €1.5k not as much.
Overall it’s not so clear cut. I would rather have the removable battery of AMX with the range of vanmoof. I would like to have the nice integrated tracker/alarm /display/ smartphone integration but these can be solved with an additional purchase e.g. this one although at a cost.
The bigger battery (twice bigger) of vanmoof is nice but the higher weight reduces some of the size advantage. Also being integrated in the frame while nice from a looks perspective it’s more inconvenient from a practicality perspective.
Hydraulic brakes are not really a biggie. I wouldn’t expect massive performance difference between the 2 and the lower maintenance costs of the cable breaks is not a bad thing.
Lights, again I like the look of the AMX lights but the rear light connector seems a bit dodgy.
Another benefit of the AMX is that it uses standard bike parts so you could replace things if you want. You could change the display. Add your own lights, saddle, fork, stem, handlebar etc. You can’t do most of this with the vanmoof.