VanMoof

VanMoof S5

Ranked #18 in Electric Bikes

0 LP on the category ladder what's LP?

The S5’s high price is not justified by its performance; reviewers report frequent software glitches, battery degradation after 18 months, and a lack of reliable customer support. Build quality issues such as loose bolts have been noted in long-term use.

Consolidated from 14 cited sources across 12 outlets

Where the cited sources landed, as we read them

5 positive sources
7 neutral sources
2 unconvinced sources

See the sources

Flagged as a product to avoid

2 of 9 research runs entered this as a product to avoid rather than a pick.

High price not justified by performance; frequent software glitches, battery degradation after 18 months, lack of reliable customer support, loose bolts noted in long-term use.
Flagged 27 July 2026

High price not justified by performance; frequent software glitches, battery degradation after 18 months, lack of reliable customer support, loose bolts noted in long-term use.
Flagged 27 July 2026
Premium branding but underwhelming features and service record make it a poor investment compared to budget options.
Flagged 27 July 2026

Why the boards include products to avoid

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Pros & cons

✓ Sleek design
✓ Integrated security
✓ Reliable performance

✗ High price for poor performance
✗ Software glitches
✗ Battery degradation
✗ Loose bolts
✗ Over-priced for limited features

The sources behind this ranking

We searched the web and YouTube for what has been published about this product, then read the articles, video transcripts and comments we found.

Evidence 5 articles, 8 video reviews and 1 community source

5 positive sources

Electric Bike Review Admin · reviewer · Jul 2025

VanMoof S5: Tech-savvy riders appreciate its theft-defense features and minimalist style.

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TommysTechReviews TommysTechReviews · 44.2K subscribers · Mar 2025

I could basically just repeat what I said two years ago, but I think we can shorten this a bit: the design is classically beautiful, and the workmanship looks good too. It looks good. I think the welds, which caused a bit of a stir back then, look much less noticeable in the darker version.

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Fully Charged Electric Bikes Fully Charged Electric Bikes · 22.8K subscribers · May 2025

It's got a fantastically distinctive look and that's what attracts a lot of people to this bike in the first instance. So if you look at look at the handlebar area, it's really sleek. There's very few buttons to worry about. You can just get on and enjoy the ride. There's low maintenance automatic hub gears. Very, very easy to ride and very, very easy to live with.

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DanMoof DanMoof · 275 subscribers · Dec 2022

Everything I've heard so far has been very very positive. And I'm very looking very much looking forward to it. So, what we're going to do, we'll break the video down into various sections. I'm going to start with an unboxing.

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Gear Shift Gear Shift · 39 subscribers · May 2025

These next general electric bikes are redefining city mobility with cuttingedge tech, minimalist design, and a smooth riding experience.

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7 neutral sources

Cycling Electric mark sutton · reviewer · Jun 2026

The VanMoof S5 combines elegant design with practical security features, making it perfect for life in the city, so long as you don’t need a motor with more performance or a fast-charging battery, which in this case takes six and a half hours to reach 100%.

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Bright Bright · 345K subscribers · Oct 2022

VanMoof grew like weed, maybe a little too fast, and they had quality issues with the previous models the S3. One of the comments on one of my VanMoof videos was: 'I hope the new model is better because I know all the error codes by heart'. I myself had a borrowed VanMoof S3 for three quarters of a year and I had no quality problems. But I do have a few complaints and my main complaint is the unna

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Stuff Tom Morgan-Freelander · reviewer · Apr 2026

Really, the only styling stumble – if you can even call it that – is the brake lines being external rather than stuffed into the handlebar and stem.

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Tinkr | Reviews & Guides Tinkr | Reviews & Guides · 141K subscribers · Apr 2026

If you're weighing an S5 you already own, and the shifting hasn't given you trouble, there's no urgent case to upgrade. So, here's what I actually think. If you're buying new, get the S6. The mechanical auto shift addresses the S5's real weak point.

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Bike Ev Article

Who should avoid: Riders in steep terrain or needing a removable battery

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ORBIT ORBIT · 46.7K subscribers · Apr 2022

What I didn't like is that you need a special smartphone case to use that smartphone mount. I don't know, man. It's really stupid when you have to have a custom case and it's not for every smartphone. They should have made just a universal mount. My favorite new feature is the torque sensor because it can see how much power you're putting in and then it enhances that power with the motor.

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Cycling Electric Myles Warwood · reviewer · Nov 2025

Motor feel doesn’t match the quoted 68Nm on steeper climbs

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2 unconvinced sources

F Facebook Sibs Roberts · owner

I have 2 VanMoof S5 from 2023, both of which aren't working and both of which need new ECU and batteries. Any suggestions as to how to sell them on now that ebay don't allow e-bike sales? Looking to sell as I have a new functioning bike.

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TommysTechReviews TommysTechReviews · 44.2K subscribers · May 2023

But it also brings a lot of problems with it. I already told you about this in one of my previous videos. A new power supply should have solved the problem of my bike not accepting power, but the saga did n't end there.

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