VanMoof launches new Smart bike series worldwide
- VanMoof Smart S & X remove common barriers to bike ownership – offering rider recognition and multiphase theft protection
- These high-tech city bikes are also available by subscription from £17 per month, making quality bikes accessible to a wider audience and improving urban mobility
London, April 24, 2018 – VanMoof, the innovative bike tech company set to disrupt urban transport and mobility, announces today its latest series of high-tech city bikes. The 2018 Smart series integrates new technical features such as automatic driver recognition and multiphase anti-theft protection. The VanMoof Smart is now available in VanMoof shops worldwide and online, and they can also be used via a VanMoof+ subscription starting from £17 a month.
These are the key features of the new VanMoof Smart series:
- Rider recognition – Thanks to secured bluetooth technology, the bike responds when the owner is near, automatically disabling the theft defense system.
- Ultimate theft defence – The bike responds with progressively louder warning sounds when tampered with.
- Comes with bodyguards – When the location tracking mode is activated, VanMoof’s Bike Hunters are notified, the lights flash SOS, and all functions are disabled.
- Tokyo-inspired X Frame – Originally a Japan exclusive, the unisex X-frame is now available worldwide in a Smart version, suited to all riders between 155 and 200 cm.
- Available on subscription – Unlock these high-tech bikes from £17/month, including unlimited servicing and theft protection.
- Smartphone app – Remembers your parking location, controls the lights and theft defense settings. Free, over-the-air updates mean the bike gets smarter over time.
- Self sufficient – These bikes are designed to be practically maintenance-free, and all the electronics are automatically charged by your pedal power.
- City proof – Features all VanMoof signature elements: integrated high-power lights, hidden smart features, and enclosed self-tensioning chain.
Theft defence perfected through smart interconnected features
Over the past ten years, VanMoof has put considerable effort into tackling bike theft. To complement its unique Bike Hunter service, the company has developed a theft defence system which has been integrated into the new Smart range. The new Smart S and Smart X offer several features specifically designed to this effect:
- Sound – When a potential thief tampers with it, the bike emits warning sounds – thanks to the world-first integrated speaker system – which gets increasingly loud and more conspicuous.
- Tracking – When reported stolen, the bike’s location is automatically sent to VanMoof Bike Hunters, who get to work tracking it down.
- Lockdown mode – If stolen, all vital systems are disabled and the lights flash SOS in Morse code (alerting others) until the bike is reunited with its rightful owner.
“Big cities around the world, including London, are struggling with a high number of stolen bicycles – we have tackled the problem at its root. With our intelligent technology we have created a bike that can take care of itself,” says Ties Carlier, co-founder of VanMoof.
High-tech bicycle also available by subscription
The monthly bike subscription plan makes it possible for anyone to ride a premium bike, worry-free and at low-cost.The Smart S and Smart X bicycles are the first to be available as VanMoof+ subscriptions from £17 a month. VanMoof+ subscriptions include unlimited repair and access to all-round theft protection as well as bicycle use in all VanMoof cities for you and a travel companion.
“We’re tapping into a need the world is asking for right now. We build our bikes to be extra robust in order to keep them on the road for as long as possible. With the VanMoof+ subscriptions we are proving that high-quality bicycles including theft insurance are cheaper in the long term,” says Taco Carlier, co-founder of VanMoof.
Immediately available
The bikes are available in S- or X-frame versions, with three or eight gears, in the colours Thunder Grey and Fog White. Sales prices start at £848 for the 3-speed model, and £1098 for the 8-speed bike (£80 discount on both till May 22) . The “Peace of Mind” theft protection can be booked for £100/£240 for 1/3 years.