I've seen a few of this company's products now, and the one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the amazing build quality of the frames, the welds on these things are absolutely perfect - which is very rare in the bike world. Sometimes I think that all of the worlds truly skilled welders are doing something other than welding bike frames, but whoever does the frame welding on these bikes is a true expert, it might seem like a small thing, most people think that "a weld is a weld" but it shows how much attention is paid to detail throughout the company. Kudos. Now, if I can rake together the money...
IanDinBC I agree this frame is near perfect. One thing to keep in mind this is a steel frame, whereas most bikes these days are aluminum. Steel joints are easier to keep clean and minimum when welding. Aluminum, especially hydroformed aluminum will always have a bigger bead, for strength.
My local bike shop got me on one of their electric bikes. That thing was awesome, I couldn't believe the torque. Two things need to happen though, one, the price needs to come down and two, the range needs to increase. Those two things are what it'll take to get me to buy one.
I really like this bike! I wasn't a fan of their motorcycle looking bikes, this bike looks like a bike and a quality bike at that. Court you look like you really enjoyed this build more than others I've seen you review. At one point while cruising you just said "nice". Says it all, nice!
Their bikes look awesome, the red is my favorite to look at in pictures but I love the bronze in person, it reminds me of a classic car... just beautiful
Yes, I agree. There is something about their bikes that just screams quality. Im in the UK and only recently got into e-bikes, the offering here is much more limited at the moment. That said, I'm loving my KTM that I recently bought and have gone from a non cyclist to around 15-20 miles a day in just a few weeks. So much fun especially where I live on the coast.
Very tastefully styled. I would take that thing everywhere! I'm aware of the speed regulations in California but I seriously wish many E-Bikes were not built with speed restrictions as a central theme. Meaning I'd rather see these bikes with enough power from the 'factory' to achieve speeds of 50+ MPH, even if they are restricted by gearing or other methods to govern it to 28. Also, some foot pegs and/or a pedal-less mode would be cool.
Hi Dan, Vintage Electric does have some other models that can reach ~36 mph in off-road mode. They still have pedals and stuff, Zero Motorcycles makes electric motorcycles that are pretty cool and I've seen them for sale used in the $5k range. Not bad if you don't mind getting a license and insurance, and having to ride on street vs. on paths and stuff with a bicycle styled product like the Cafe
Do you know if this bike has an IPX rating? I just ran into a guy who bought a new bike and literally just rode it home in the rain and it stopped working!
The cafe racer is an amazing motorcycle. And this bike seems up to the name... nice. I really like the curves... Also guys. If anyone in the comment section is interested I also started to do some videos on MTB and Nature.
I've followed this company since his appearance on Jay Leno's Garage, and I really, REALLY like these bikes. The design is spot on, and aesthetics play as much a part as function. Whenever I finally do buy an ebike, it'll be one of these. Thanks for the video. Gives more specs and details than the Garage episode.
For sure! Glad you enjoyed it, I try to dig in and really explain what I see (or at least provide some good angles in video that can help you come to your own conclusions)
ElectricBikeReview.com Love to see you do a review on their other models, or an overview of their store. There were a lot of neat bikes I'd like to have seen closer. Still, great job on the review. You do very good, unbiased reviews. Some of the videos are a little too positive, but if people pair your website with the video they'll get a very rounded opinion.
Right, I try to be constructive... my approach is to study the details in person and record them on the site, then film, then I edit and do all of the pro's and con's after the bike has really sunk in, and then I do the writeup. There's a lot of value in the writeup and my feeling is that if someone is about to spend thousands of dollars, they may end up at the site just reading through and then get the full marinated opinion vs. just the video. But the video also lets them see for themselves and maybe notice something I didn't speak to and then make a comment here or in the forums. It's an approach that I am still working to refine every day :)
Hi Ed! Anything is possible, but this is not going to be easy or affordable at all. The systems would probably have to be custom wired together and might not operate at the exact same voltage, and the controller might not match. This is not going to be easy and I'm not sure that Vintage Bikes would sell you their battery box
Just wondering are throttle e bikes100% legal to ride on the city streets? When you say throttle I hear you say off-road a few time on this video. With electric skateboards they all feature remote hand throttles and they are being ridden on city streets. Seems throttles should be a100% legal for e bikes. Gr8 review on the Cafe bike.
If an ebike has a throttle, in the USA it is classified as Class 2 and is legal on streets most of the time. The whole Class 1 thing is for certain popular mountain biking trails where electric bikes can go but should be pedaled for fear of damaging the dirt... and in part this is based on some European regulations that some big bike makers are following and trying to extend perhaps as a competitive advantage here? There's a lot of complexity in the Class thing, and Class 3 is for 28 mph "speed pedelecs" which are also usually allowed on roads in the USA but require a license in parts of Europe.
Wow! That really IS quiet! Even with the camera mounted to the frame, where it picks up a lot of sound by induction, it seemed that most of the sound was gears and chain, not the motor so much. Now I have to try to find Andrew on Jay Leno's Garage show! Thanks for another great review!
What a fabulous review on one of the cleanest, sleekest, Neatest, finely built ebikes I've ever came across.! Gotta have one.!! Thanks to the company that has put so much into building such a high quality machine.!! The review gets 10 out of 10 from me..Thanks..👌
Awesome review as always...about the bike...4k us and i still have to pedal and no shocks or springs of any sort......garbage......are these guys high? I have a 500 w greaser..... so far this is one of the best bikes out there, springer front fork and rated for higher weight capacity (super heavy duty frame). Even it has a few short comings, no anti-theft stuff at all or a usb port. i upgraded the brakes.
I have vintage Santa Barbara bike,inside battery pack ,only red and black wire to hook to battery,black wire broke,plus I need to go ahead and hook up my new batteries.im trying to find a phone number of Santa Barbara electric bike,or diagram for inside the battery pack I do not want to hook up the wires wrong can anyone help me
Thank you for your review, I can feel your passion in the video and your insights are really useful. I fell in love with the look of the Vintage Electric Bikes. I am looking for a pedal assist electric bike to use in the countryside road in France. I don’t know what to chose between the tracker and the cafe. The tracker 2018 edition now has different level of pedal assist, like the cafe. However I don’t know if the riding position would be good for pedaling, it does not have shifting and is heavier. But the tracker has a bigger battery, and a better look (IMHO) ! What would be your choice between the two ? I am not able to try these bikes in France... Thank you !
Well, they have a store, a bunch of employees, they service the warranty, and I am positive that the production cost is way more than 700 USD before it goes out the door. There needs to be a profit margin for dealers too, which is a big service to customers who want a finished products. It's true, you can get some electric bikes for $700 off of Amazon but they don't seem as polished or well supported as this. Here's an example I reviewed a while back: electricbikereview.com/watseka/xp/
I've seen a few of this company's products now, and the one thing I haven't seen mentioned yet is the amazing build quality of the frames, the welds on these things are absolutely perfect - which is very rare in the bike world. Sometimes I think that all of the worlds truly skilled welders are doing something other than welding bike frames, but whoever does the frame welding on these bikes is a true expert, it might seem like a small thing, most people think that "a weld is a weld" but it shows how much attention is paid to detail throughout the company. Kudos. Now, if I can rake together the money...
IanDinBC I agree this frame is near perfect. One thing to keep in mind this is a steel frame, whereas most bikes these days are aluminum. Steel joints are easier to keep clean and minimum when welding. Aluminum, especially hydroformed aluminum will always have a bigger bead, for strength.
computers do a great job welding.....
My local bike shop got me on one of their electric bikes. That thing was awesome, I couldn't believe the torque. Two things need to happen though, one, the price needs to come down and two, the range needs to increase. Those two things are what it'll take to get me to buy one.
I really like this bike! I wasn't a fan of their motorcycle looking bikes, this bike looks like a bike and a quality bike at that. Court you look like you really enjoyed this build more than others I've seen you review. At one point while cruising you just said "nice". Says it all, nice!
That red one is stunning fair play.
Their bikes look awesome, the red is my favorite to look at in pictures but I love the bronze in person, it reminds me of a classic car... just beautiful
Yes, I agree. There is something about their bikes that just screams quality. Im in the UK and only recently got into e-bikes, the offering here is much more limited at the moment. That said, I'm loving my KTM that I recently bought and have gone from a non cyclist to around 15-20 miles a day in just a few weeks. So much fun especially where I live on the coast.
Love this guys reviews.
Very tastefully styled. I would take that thing everywhere! I'm aware of the speed regulations in California but I seriously wish many E-Bikes were not built with speed restrictions as a central theme. Meaning I'd rather see these bikes with enough power from the 'factory' to achieve speeds of 50+ MPH, even if they are restricted by gearing or other methods to govern it to 28. Also, some foot pegs and/or a pedal-less mode would be cool.
Hi Dan, Vintage Electric does have some other models that can reach ~36 mph in off-road mode. They still have pedals and stuff, Zero Motorcycles makes electric motorcycles that are pretty cool and I've seen them for sale used in the $5k range. Not bad if you don't mind getting a license and insurance, and having to ride on street vs. on paths and stuff with a bicycle styled product like the Cafe
Cool how the battery looks like a motor
Yeah, they did a great job with form and function for the battery pack here, it looks a lot nicer than most of the other packs I see
Do you know if this bike has an IPX rating? I just ran into a guy who bought a new bike and literally just rode it home in the rain and it stopped working!
The cafe racer is an amazing motorcycle. And this bike seems up to the name... nice. I really like the curves...
Also guys. If anyone in the comment section is interested I also started to do some videos on MTB and Nature.
Cool, I subscribed, thanks Daniel!
ElectricBikeReview.com nice.... what electricbike you you reccomend me for mtb usage up to 2500 USD?
A last-season Haibike with Bosch, you can get them from several dealers around the US right now including the Electric Bicycle Center and Motostrano
I love the look of Vintage Electric bikes. Makes me want to check out their location. Thanks for the review, Court!
For sure! You're super close, would be worth the drive ;)
I've followed this company since his appearance on Jay Leno's Garage, and I really, REALLY like these bikes. The design is spot on, and aesthetics play as much a part as function.
Whenever I finally do buy an ebike, it'll be one of these. Thanks for the video. Gives more specs and details than the Garage episode.
For sure! Glad you enjoyed it, I try to dig in and really explain what I see (or at least provide some good angles in video that can help you come to your own conclusions)
ElectricBikeReview.com
Love to see you do a review on their other models, or an overview of their store. There were a lot of neat bikes I'd like to have seen closer. Still, great job on the review. You do very good, unbiased reviews. Some of the videos are a little too positive, but if people pair your website with the video they'll get a very rounded opinion.
Right, I try to be constructive... my approach is to study the details in person and record them on the site, then film, then I edit and do all of the pro's and con's after the bike has really sunk in, and then I do the writeup. There's a lot of value in the writeup and my feeling is that if someone is about to spend thousands of dollars, they may end up at the site just reading through and then get the full marinated opinion vs. just the video. But the video also lets them see for themselves and maybe notice something I didn't speak to and then make a comment here or in the forums. It's an approach that I am still working to refine every day :)
you really should check out some others....there are way better bikes out there for less.........these are garbage
I like the battery pack. Do you know how much they sell those for separately? I like to put it on my Radrover.
Hi Ed! Anything is possible, but this is not going to be easy or affordable at all. The systems would probably have to be custom wired together and might not operate at the exact same voltage, and the controller might not match. This is not going to be easy and I'm not sure that Vintage Bikes would sell you their battery box
Just wondering are throttle e bikes100% legal to ride on the city streets?
When you say throttle I hear you say off-road a few time on this video.
With electric skateboards they all feature remote hand throttles and
they are being ridden on city streets. Seems throttles should be a100% legal for e bikes.
Gr8 review on the Cafe bike.
If an ebike has a throttle, in the USA it is classified as Class 2 and is legal on streets most of the time. The whole Class 1 thing is for certain popular mountain biking trails where electric bikes can go but should be pedaled for fear of damaging the dirt... and in part this is based on some European regulations that some big bike makers are following and trying to extend perhaps as a competitive advantage here? There's a lot of complexity in the Class thing, and Class 3 is for 28 mph "speed pedelecs" which are also usually allowed on roads in the USA but require a license in parts of Europe.
Where can I purchase the bike and the battery pack?
Wow! That really IS quiet! Even with the camera mounted to the frame, where it picks up a lot of sound by induction, it seemed that most of the sound was gears and chain, not the motor so much. Now I have to try to find Andrew on Jay Leno's Garage show! Thanks for another great review!
I linked to the video from my full writeup, it's fun, I watched it again just last night when I was working on this review :P
What a fabulous review on one of the cleanest, sleekest, Neatest, finely built ebikes I've ever came across.! Gotta have one.!! Thanks to the company that has put so much into building such a high quality machine.!!
The review gets 10 out of 10 from me..Thanks..👌
Awesome review as always...about the bike...4k us and i still have to pedal and no shocks or springs of any sort......garbage......are these guys high? I have a 500 w greaser..... so far this is one of the best bikes out there, springer front fork and rated for higher weight capacity (super heavy duty frame). Even it has a few short comings, no anti-theft stuff at all or a usb port. i upgraded the brakes.
I have vintage Santa Barbara bike,inside battery pack ,only red and black wire to hook to battery,black wire broke,plus I need to go ahead and hook up my new batteries.im trying to find a phone number of Santa Barbara electric bike,or diagram for inside the battery pack I do not want to hook up the wires wrong can anyone help me
Thank you for your review, I can feel your passion in the video and your insights are really useful.
I fell in love with the look of the Vintage Electric Bikes. I am looking for a pedal assist electric bike to use in the countryside road in France. I don’t know what to chose between the tracker and the cafe. The tracker 2018 edition now has different level of pedal assist, like the cafe. However I don’t know if the riding position would be good for pedaling, it does not have shifting and is heavier. But the tracker has a bigger battery, and a better look (IMHO) !
What would be your choice between the two ? I am not able to try these bikes in France...
Thank you !
Please do a Vanmoof S3 review
Love the golden gate variant
Yikes! Too heavy! How is my full suspension ebike over 10lbs lighter??
Wow very smooth and quiet. I'm impressed.
new again!
Looks like a solid bike.
Yeah, it seems to be very well made, and it rides quiet and solid, just beautiful :)
Won't the m button be mode
That crossed my mind when editing... probably is a mode or menu button, but it also acts as a power switch
Just amazing!Soo cool...
great vid, Im sold
Was ein Schinken; )
I don't know what that means... I tried to translate with Google and it said something about ham?!
beautiful bike!
I completely agree, it's gorgeous
The Tracker and the Cafe by Vintage Electric are far the best looking E-bikes on EBR. The rest look like they could be bought at Walmart.
4k USD for not suspension bike? Production cost 700usd total. The rest is marketing.
Well, they have a store, a bunch of employees, they service the warranty, and I am positive that the production cost is way more than 700 USD before it goes out the door. There needs to be a profit margin for dealers too, which is a big service to customers who want a finished products. It's true, you can get some electric bikes for $700 off of Amazon but they don't seem as polished or well supported as this. Here's an example I reviewed a while back: electricbikereview.com/watseka/xp/
I would rather go with an Ariel e bike vs this bike half the price and better design.
I do like the Ariel Rider models too, they have targeted that classic vintage style and offer a decent product