VanMoof returns to basics for its new, cheaper S4 and X4 e-bikes

VanMoof’s newest e-bikes, the S4 and X4, are two attempts at a mid-range e-bike. The company is trying to deliver its premium features and build quality, for substantially less money. At $2,498, that’s $1,000 less than the company’s top-of-the-range S5 and X5 bikes, but they’re still not exactly cheap.

VanMoof co-founder Ties Carlier said in a press release that this was an attempt at a “more simple, more accessible and more reliable” e-bike. One major simplification is the transition to adaptive motor support and a two-speed gear hub. The SX5 series had a three-speed gear system, and while it had a torque sensor to assist, adaptive motor support is new for these cheaper e-bikes. While the gear system may be different, the company expects the range to be equivalent to both the SA5 and older SX3 e-bikes, 60-150 km, depending on riding conditions and rider. There’s still turbo-boost on board, with a button on each side of the handlebars.

Security-wise (and where VanMoof has excelled in the past) there’s an integrated fourth-generation Kick Lock (SA5 e-bikes have Gen 5 lock), which locks the rear wheel with a tap. It’s still packed with anti-theft tech, including onboard alarms and location tracking, although there’s no integrated support for Apple’s Find My item tracking.

The design hasn’t changed hugely, but there are some differences worth noting. The team has nixed the halo ring lighting and USB-C charging port for the SX4, while the frame itself is closer, both in looks and height, to the older SX3 e-bikes. Possibly the biggest difference is a punchier range of colors: the SX4 will come in Evergreen, Sunbeam Yellow, Purple Fog and Foam Green – a far cry from the mostly monochrome of previous rides – and demonstrating different tastes to rival Cowboy’s latest e-bike colorways.

Both the VanMoof S4 and X4 are available to preorder now, at VanMoof’s official site. In Europe, the Evergreen model is on sale starting today, while it will go on sale in late May in the US, with other color options following after. Stay tuned for impressions once we get to test-ride.

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