2019 Blix Vika+ Review - $1.6k
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- Опубліковано 25 лип 2024
- The 2019 Blix Vika+ is an elegant folding electric bike with tons of new accessories, upgraded 500 watt motor, powerful and long lasting 48v 14ah battery, disc brakes, thicker tires, can fit a Yepp child seat, and new aluminum paint matched fenders. 2” wide tires with reflective sidewalls for increased safety and stability, battery integrated headlight and rear light for visibility. Fast folding design with magnetic clasps keep the bike from unfolding on the go, you can trolly the bike around when half-folded, canvas carry bag with shoulder strap makes transport clean and easy. Bike is a little twitchy due to the narrow handlebars, you definitely want to keep both hands on, display is not removable, and it is a little heavier than other folding bikes.
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Inspired inclusion of sweet pea, sharing the her experience from the child’s seat. She didn’t look at all worried out on the road which is definitely an aspect of cycling you could push on this channel to coerce more parents off their car seats and on to their bike bike saddles. IMHO.
Beautiful scenery too. Well done.
Really liked the Blix bike review. It seems like a quality made folding bike. I was impressed with the child seat and how well such a small bike handled the load. Sweet Pee spiced up the review to a new level that will be hard to beat. Yes there are cheaper and lighter folding bikes but with what Blix has given the market is a well made quality bike that exceeds many others in a the market place. This bike has a low center of gravity which to me is a great safety point, especially for older riders as well as for the younger set.
I own 2018 model. It is overall a solid, pretty sturdy bike. It was a bit overpriced for 2018 model that I have, no disc brakes, weaker engine/battery, but for 2019 I think it's a fair price. I generally enjoy riding it and hope it lasts. There were some technical issues when I received it, but all of them were due to incompetent local dealer who failed to check it properly as they received it. Blix support was always responsive and helpful and as soon as I went to another bike store to check on those issues, all was resolved.
Here are few fair criticism points to consider:
1) It's pretty heavy, carrying it around folded is nearly impossible as no magnets or cords can hold it together tight enough and it's also bulky. 2018 model is lighter at 49lbs, now it is even heavier. You can totally fold it for storage purposes though.
2) Gearing ratio is a bit off when you are on max pedal assist going 18-20mph. It relies heavily on throttle use in that case and if you just pedal, you would need to spin it pretty fast. If you use lower assist modes, it's not an issue though.
3) That saddle metal lever is really unnecessary to be that long. If you decide to replace a saddle, it will be in the way of many spring bars, preventing you from lifting a saddle up or locking it down. I had to saw off half of that lever to be able to use Cloud9 or Selle Royale saddles.
I said it before, never thought anyone could present as well as Cort, you proved me wrong, well done..
can you suggest any compact portable batteries that can charge an electric bike battery if we get stuck somewhere away from home without access to a wall outlet. Not a replacement battery but something can charge the original battery.
Good review and adding Sweet Pea was a plus. 👧
Looks like a higher quality foldable ebike but apparently it's on the heavier side for a foldable. Hard to find that right blend of quality and features while keeping the weight down.
Depends why you need to fold it. To store it - then it is perfect. To carry it around - then of course, Blix is not the best.
@ 22:53 kid was like whoa...welcome to ebiking kido...
She is so cute! She almost sold the bike and my kids are almost 30 years old!
Blix knows no age! I'm sure your kids would have just as much fun :)
It should be noted that the folded size of this bike looks to be considerably larger than the Brompton Electric.
However, the caveat with that bike in the US is that it is limited to 15.5 mph due to it being designed for EU regulations, and there is no US variant. Also, the Brompton Electric has no throttle. Also the Brompton Electric is $3500, and the Vika+ is $1600. So...
Did he demonstrate or even point out that it has a TRIGGER THROTTLE? No. Kort doesn't either. I don't know why. So strange.
what a cutie!
Are there any other folding bikes you can recommend that fit the Yepp without modification?
Hi Justin! Rear carriers are compatible with all Blix bikes. We recommend the Thule Yepp Nexxt Maxi & Thule Yepp Maxi seats in conjunction with Thule’s EasyFit adapter. While these seats are compatible with all Blix models, we recommend checking out each bike's child seat articles which contain specific recommendations as to the height and weight of child each bike can carry.
Is it just me, or does the shade of green doesn’t look as bright as it used be in the earlier models? Plus I miss the silver accented rear rack with the spring clasp on top as well? Plus I looked it up, and the battery costs $500.00 and Green Bike USA has Samsung Batteries that are a lot cheaper so.... don’t buy unless you don’t mind paying a five hundred dollar battery for when it does need replacing and like I said.... it looked more enticing when the bike had a brighter shade of green on it, then a darker one.
Very good
Great spacial footprint for the mileage and tow-ability. Would like to know more about the amps the controller can handle and for how long (up hills under load).
I think I can throw in a "for instance" here....my bike www.belizebike.com/english/dash.html.....only has a 250W motor and a 10A battery....and it will go further than I ever want to go on a bicycle, electric or not!...my usual trip is under ten miles (leave house, run around town, back home) and a third of it is uphill. I forgot/screwed up one day and it didn't get charged...I ran my usual circuit and it went dead a couple of blocks away from my house....so 10A is almost DOUBLE my particular need range wise....
the bike reviewed is 500W and 14A battery....all sounds good to me (adjustable front stem is good too)...but I think I would miss the front suspension on mine...you can't have everything
oooops the link don't work with the "....only" that got added
here it is again www.belizebike.com/english/dash.html
@@francoislepine4698 ok so we're talking maybe 15 to 20 amp max controller.
@@ajemohaltom3560 what's the fixation with the controller??? you building your own bike????...if the Blix has a 500W motor....and if W=VxA ....that tells me that with a 48V battery....that's 10A and change.....NO???
That's a question...I'm no electrical engineer...that's for sure
Personally i dont know why some people are asking anything below 1k with a 48v 14ah battery 500w motor!, do you even know how much range that is???... this ebike is definitely very elegant and blows the Magnum Premium at near 2k except for the front suspension, i wished they made it with front suspension, its not fun to hit those potholes without it. I think it should actually be in the 1200--1500 range which is Radbikes territory with slight better parts. The design and the elegancy is superb but i heard that the company customer support is horrible... so i dont know if they fixed all those things theyd grow as good as the Radbikes company
Wolf6 gc - Well, someone heard you. In 2020 they're charging $1,599 for the bike.
A skilled rider can usually avoid potholes. User error, perhaps.
Daughter is so cute
Is it better than the mini rad?
we think so ☺️
This is first e-bike that you can hear the motor when you pedal. That’s the only down side I see
The Lectric XP has same features, fatter tires, costs almost half as much as this.
Yes but it's over 10 pounds heavier and fewer watt hours. Also not nearly as pretty, and you still can't actually get one until June
Is it delivered to India?
And what about the cost?
at this time we only ship to the continental us!
Unfortunately at this time we only ship to the continental US.
constructive criticism: buy a tripod and use it....really wanted a good look at the bike but your camera is ALWAYS moving around so much it makes it impossible....we don't need to see you talking...we want to see the bike....It would have been nice to see a shot of somebody actually folding the bike (with two hands)....and we don't need to see the ducks either!
That looks more like a $700 EBike wtf there charging way to much for that
Are you kidding? This bike is like a direct competitor to the Brompton Electric, a $3500 USD bike.
@@ex0stasis72 and it's still A con lol
@@SamusWorth Why? Is it because of the smaller wheels? Smaller wheels at speeds under 15 mph are actually more efficient and are easier to accelerate faster. Smaller wheels beteen 15 mph and 30 mph are about as efficient as larger wheels.
If it’s about the frame being small, that’s the part of what you are paying for. It’s a folding bike, so it can fit into smaller spaces.
Is it because it’s limited to 20 mph? Well because it’s not trying to reach 28 mph, the manufacturer can focus on giving it higher torque for steep hills. Torque determines acceleration. So if you live in an urban environment with lots of traffic lights, this ebike is punching above its class for acceleration.
But by all means, tell me about a $700 ebike that competes with tiki lair features and specs as this bike.
@@SamusWorth Oh also, the head light and the tail light both connect with the rechargeable battery through hidden wires. That way you don’t have to deal with separate batteries for those.
@@SamusWorth and the Tern Vektron S10 is $4000. The Vika+ is far less than half that price.
That’s really bulky and looks heavy folded. It kinda defy the purpose of a folding bike.
Its the same weight folded or not.
depends how you use or want a foldy...mine is for taking on camping trips...I carry it in the back of an suv (towing a 17 foot trailer)...I use it to scout out roads in the bush (making sure I can get turned around with the trailer)also use it in regular campsites to scout out the area, go shopping (not having to unhook suv from trailer all the time)....works great for that.....otherwise at home it's chained up on my covered deck....I'm retired...only use my car once a week now to do groceries...if it's not raining I'm on the bike....here's the bike (not available anymore I think) www.belizebike.com/english/dash.html
53 pounds.
@@metamorphicorder Actually it can be less weight when folded (not riding it) if you remove the seat and battery. It fits in a trunk or backseat of subcompact cars and can be lifted and stored on a higher shelf in a garage or at work near a desk if you can lift 50 lbs over your head--so not for everyone but fairly useful for most folks. The one downside is that it can't be wheeled easily when folded--that would make it easier to bring on transit systems (trains and subways) when there are restrictions for bikes but not for "packages" or luggage. The bike becomes "luggage" when folded and it's great if you have to subway part way home because of a change in the weather. (full disclosure, I've had one for 3 years and used it through the winter with no issues other than maintenance for brake pads in the earlier model).
A cheap Walmart derailleur on a $1700 bike?? No thanks!
You can definitely get a better foldable E-Bike at Green Bike USA on their site, for a few hundred dollars cheaper for a lot of great features such as suspension on the wheels, rear indicator lights with brake lights, a free smart phone charger along with cheaper replaceable batteries. Don’t take my word for it, check the site out for yourself, on Green Bike USA.
It's electric. It really shouldn't need gears or a derailler. You turn on pedal assist and never shift.
@@JohnPowell6 When you see an e bike with so many gears, it usually means it started out as a regular bike.
@@JohnPowell6 if you run out of battery on a long trip that you didnt calculate, the gears will definitely help, they are always there in case anything happens, plus on highest gear you could push more than 20mph if you want
DO NOT BUY FROM THIS COMPANY. They have terrible customer service. I have a 2014 Vika and when parts broke and the replacements were not doing the trick, their answer was "Well you got 5 years of use out of it" . Classic case of slick design with cheap Chinese parts that WILL be outdated.
Sia this is your honest opinion? When we talked on the phone it didn't sound like this at all. The 5 years use you refer to is for a specific part, not the bike. It's relevant to mention that you bought your bike as a 5 year old second hand and not from Blix. Blix support confirmed that the bike you have seem to have a few different things damaged from use or parts switched out, and that you were even given a replacement part for free to help you out..
@@markg3950 I think blix is known for amazing service and from personal experience I couldn't agree more, they've been around for long now and are very reliable. I also think it's really great when companies are active on youtube to connect with users and something to encourage more!
I can buy a mountain fat tire schwen for $129 at walmart and a 1000 watt conversion pack for $200! $329!
There is not a ebicycle in the world worth more than $400! And even that is pushing it!
I urge all readers to boycott any company charging more than $400!
You dont know what you are talking about. That bike you built will be junk in a year without serious upgrades and even then the e componenets will likely not last.
$400 doesnt buy a decent bike much less an ebike. Just because you can do it cheaper, doesnt make it better. Quality makes a difference.
200$ conversion does not include the battery. And if it does its a crap battery.
Oh wait, you didnt even build one, you just looked at the prices. Lolz. You really dont known what you are talking about. Conversions take a lot of work to be good. If you had built one or really looked at it you would known this.
@@hamtataclone if its a previous year model on a clearance sale then yeah. Maybe. The lowest you will find a decent entry level prebuilt ebike for will be about 1.2k.
Building your own or using a conversion kit CAN be a good way to go. But its really not all that much cheaper than buying one. You have to consider the labor involved in putting it all together.
A lot of ebike companies pick extant frame designs and buy a few and then they source a variety of parts for the e componenets and then they source a set of bicycle components and they build a prototype bike. They then make modifications to the frame so that they can put together a a build sheet to have that frame modified en masse by a factory so that the entire end product works together seamlessly. For instance a frame as it sits may be strong enough generally, but they may need thicker dropouts on the rear that have a hole drilled at a certain point so that something like a torque arm can be bolted in securely. The drop outs on a frame may be horizontal, and while the frame is good, they may need them to be vertical or canted to a certain degree so that the end user who may not be familiar with how to align a wheel in horizontal dropouts can reliably change a rear flat without having a rear wheel canted off center and stressing the axle and wheel.
The performance of a certain hub motor may be what they want but the bulk supply might be laced into single wall wheels with 13 or 14 guage spokes. This is not a good execution. They may need to get just the motor in bulk and then source 12ga spokes cut to length and then further source a double wall rim to lace it into.
That means that the factory will need a wheel builder team to build the wheels. This means that they will have to build a prototype of THAT and produce a build sheet with precise measurements such as dish value and spoke tension values.
So the idea that you can just build a ebike that is cheaper than the mass produced ones IS true. It will be cheaper in cost but also in quality.
Additionally not all frames and builds are suitable for the speeds that you can achieve on ebikes, especially if you buy something that is unregulated or you mod it for speed or torque.
For instance bolting a high speed kit onto a lower end road or gravel bike can resukt in a bike thats capable of speeds that it simply isnt equipped for. The wheels could break. The tires could slip off the rim. The torque transfer device could gall out the dropouts or even break then altogether. Not the first time you use it, but over hundreds of miles.
Using a mid drive kit could result in frame bending or even buckling. And using a chain and or derailure system thats not built to handle that much torque could result in a chain snapping and slapping your heel or leg and the derailure slamming into the spokes. This ends in a bad day for the person riding it.
So yeah you CAN build cheaper than you can buy. But its not equivalent or better.
Building to similar quality specs even ignoring ergonomics for the moment, you will find that your decent quality home built ebike is nearly the same cost as one you could purchase. If you actually factor in the time you spent planning, ordering, waiting and finally building you wont come out ahead. Ive been messing around in ebikes and gas bikes for a while and i really know the cost comparison between premade and handmade.
There are situations in which you can build something cheaper than a premade. But this usually involves already having or being able to acquire a major cost component at a very low cost or free. So if a distributor was going out of business and offered high quality hub motor conversion kits already built into wheels for 50% or more off retail, then that might be a starting point, if you also had a bike thats suitable. Then you just need a battery. You can kinda splurge on the batrery at this point because of having a bike and cheap motor kit.
In the end you will likely end up with something that costs nearly as much as a quality premade ebike that has much less range.
But this is a pretty rare situation.
You just have to remember that makers are dealing with economies of scale and that both your e component and bike component have to be decent quality and then have to be meshed in a quality way or you wont have a good product. You will have crap. Ive done this.
1.5k today buys you an ebike thats 2x the quality that 1k bought you 19 years ago. Stuff that costs 4k today literally didnt exist on the consumer market ten years ago and while some stuff being sold for 4k is way over priced, the vast majority of it is really good stuff.
But the 1.5k to 2.5k is really where the price to quality is gonna be at for most people. Trust me maybe in 5 or 10 years there will be generally good ebikes off the shelf for less rhan 1k, but they will basically be what you are buying today for 1.5k. And what you will be abke to get for 1.5k then will be about what you are getting for 2.5 to 3k today. It will still be worth it to spend the extra and buy the better build.
@Allen Tatum upon further reading your comment, there are more ways you dont know what you are talking about.
$129 'schwen' fat tire bike from walmat.
LOLZ. Ok. Schwinn may be a brand that you have fond memories of or have heard good stories from the old timers. That bike company doesnt exist anymore. Literally. Its a badge for pacific cycles. One of the largest producers of bicycles in the world. They make bikes for walmart. Along with huffy and roadmaster and mongoose and literally dozens of otber brands they bought up over the years.
They make the cheapest bikes they can. The parts are crap and they are not built strong enough to motorize and ride hard for more than about a year without a major failure. Its also schwinn by the way.
A 200$ motor kit for an electric bike will not include a battery. Decent ebike batteries cost about 300 on sale and typically start at about 4 to 500. So before you even buy the bike, you are at about 5 to 700. The bike puts it at nearly 900 for something that is gonna start out sucky and get worse fast.
A 200$ motor kit will be about 350w. Thats very very meh for power and speed. Thats gonna be 350 peak. Its gonna be about 250 nominal. It will not be something you can operate at peak for long stretches because thats its actual peak. Not a limit imposed by a controller on a more capable motor. Its gonna be really stressed at 350w.
It will literally be very similar to what comes in lower end razor escooters today. It may be shaped different but its gonna be similar in quality and performance.
You just arent gonna out do a company that can scale their costs across thousands of units buy buying retail from companies that are scaling their cost across throusands of units. Thats a fools errand.
Your end product will be clunky and junky and wont work as well as the purchased product will.
As to your assertion that we should boycott companies charging more than $400,
LOLZ again.
There are currently no ebike companies selling any ebike that is of recent tech for anywhere near $400.
400$ is the lowest price you should expect to pay for a new bike that is even somewhat decent in quality and components. Just a bike. Not an ebike. And as to a kit, you should be spending about 500 on a kit and about 400 on a battery. So we are still around about 1.5k, a little less but once you figure in labor which is part of what you pay for in a bike, it puts you right about in the ball park.
I really wouldnt expect that someone who thinks a $129 schwinn fat tire from walmart is a good basis for an ebike as it stands to know all this.
And by the way. A fat tire conversion kit for $200 is a total joke for quality. Deceny fat tire rims alone are 80 to 100 each. Every part of a kit has to be sold at a retail markup for the kit to make money. Sure it can be a lower markup than selling that part by itself. But not much.
Please dont tell people they can build a usable ebike for 400$ that compares in any way with something they can buy. Seriously what you will end up with will be less than the 7-800$ crap ebikes you can buy on amazon. Seriously a 400$ investment is a entry level battery. Its a decent motor. Its an adequate bike that may still need some parts swapped out.
Its not all of those things together.
You and the other bounce around so much you are hard to follow. You also say a bunch of stuff that contradicts yourself. In addition, you says things that are not exactly true. I wish you would do better.
Before I purchased the bike I consulted with them on brake options and what kind of bike I was going to get. They explained the difference between the hydraulic and mechanical brakes. They upsold me on the hydraulic brakes and explained that it would a couple more weeks and I would get the bike toward the end of September instead of the beginning.
On August 17th I ordered and paid $1,983.00 for the Nu Cream Vike-Flex bike with hydraulic brakes.
I was contacted by Blix September 30th stating they had sold out of the bike with hydraulic brakes. They offered me the bike with mechanical brakes instead.
They never gave me a refund for the difference in price as the hydraulic brakes were $100 more than the mechanical.
The bike arrived October 6th damaged. I emailed Blix’s support team.
October 12th the brakes started squeaking. I reached out again.
October 13th I received an email that they are busy and they will get back to me.
October 15th the bike would not turn on. I charged it the day prior and troubleshooted with their website and the bike still did not turn on.
I called Blix and left a message as they said they were busy and would get back to me.
I am at a loss with what to do to get my bike up and running again. I have not yet heard back from Blix about any of these problems. I’ve had the bike for 9 days. I dropped $2,000 on a bike that does not work and the company cannot bother to assist me.