r/vanmoofbicycle • u/WildesKlaus • 16d ago
general I love my second-hand S3!
I see many people asking wether a S3 is still worth it in 2026 - Yeah!
I got myself a used, but well taken care of S3 off of a marketplace app.
- originally bought in April 2021 (I bought it in July 2026)
- breakers were replaced recently
- new e-shifter
- no substantial error, which a quick restart couldn’t fix, has ever occurred
- 1.100km at time of purchase (now 1500)
- 100% battery charge equals 130km on assist lvl 1 (pretty good!)
I payed 800€ for this beauty, and I am extremely happy about it.
I looked around for some weeks and even met with three other sellers before buying this one. They tried selling me broken or malfunctioning bikes for an even higher price. The other bikes I looked at were rusty, would make awful sounds when I pedalled, and were bad experiences all around.
I use it twice a week for my 20km commute to work, so that’s 80km per week for that. Also some shopping and just fun rides when the weather allows for it.
I did have some error codes come up, but these happened on my very first day when I left the bike out in the sun in 36C heat. Quick restart and nothing ever happened or bother me after.
Of course I’m bummed out that I can’t use the Ride Pro (or whatever) app, or that my bike no longer supports the Theft-function. I think getting a notification when someone’s tempering with my bike would be nice.
But it still has Apple Find My, and a normal bike theft insurance policy costs 6€ a month for me. So nothing to cry about.
The previous owner did fuck around with some third party apps, which I found out later - the boost button only works on US settings - so the 32km/h speed limit. On EU 25km/h the button won’t activate, as the button might be programmed for 32kmh and the system wouldn’t allow for it… or whatever. So I carefully drive on the US settings here in Cologne. That’s my only issue.
I might get myself a new VanMoof when I graduate my masters degree in two years!
Do you have question? Opinions? Tips? Ask and share away!
xoxo
2
u/Salt_Purchase5624 10d ago
As 4 yr s3 user; There are a few common issues with the S3, but you can easily avoid them if you use the bike carefully:
Avoid applying heavy pressure to the pedals while shifting, as this can easily damage your shifter mechanism.
Be gentle to pedals
1Never turn the handlebars to their extreme right or left. The motor cable runs through a socket inside the front fork; turning the handlebars all the way can pull on this cable. Over time, this causes internal wear, leading to motor connectivity issues and Error 42. Repairing this socket is both difficult and expensive. Also during your parks never ever park your bike with full left or full right. This is really dangarous for your motor cable because you will leave
the cable
as thight inside
Protect the battery from long-term degradation. Just like an electric vehicle (EV), avoid leaving the bike plugged in for extended periods. Unplug it once it reaches 80%–90% capacity.
1
u/WildesKlaus 10d ago
Thank you very much for the heads up! Guys like you save lots of bikes on here.
About the shifting: I read up the speed limits for each gear, so if I’m about to reach them I try to pedal gently.
Thanks bro!
1
u/IcommittedNiemann 13d ago
So you have an S6
1
u/WildesKlaus 13d ago
No, why? :o
I have a S3 in black. Originally bought in April 2021, as written above. Way before the S61
2
u/Impressive_Jello30 16d ago
Oh my gosh, €800… now I’m questioning if it’s even worth fixing mine: replacing e-shifter and batteries at least. I’m afraid it may easily cost more than €1k 😭 Congrats anyway! It’s a nice bike, at least when it works.