Horizon
1 VANMOOF S5
● £2,298, vanmoof.com
The unique frame design and serious technological advancements of the VanMoof S3 made it, in some people’s eyes, the best ebike ever made; far be it for us to make an assessment before we’ve even put bum to saddle, but its sequel might just help the Dutch maker hold on to that crown. This is a company not content with simply producing: it is addicted to reinvention.
Admittedly VanMoof hangs onto the basic frame design of the S3 (mostly, at least – see ‘Stepping through’) but remasters it, raising the ride position and making the wheels slightly smaller while retaining the integrated lights. This is a structure that’s solid, strong, discrete and manages to turn subtlety into something stunning. Things do, though, get mixed up in the interface, with what VanMoof calls the Halo Ring system. These light-up bands hide next to each handlebar grip and offer in-your-eyeline info on battery, speed and
