yookoala

Just wonder if anyone actually owns one? Either from Kickstarter of purchased lately.

I am considering to buy a Vello bike (not the electric one) but I didn't find any review of actual users.

Website: vello.bike

Blackstrida_A_

Not yet because I want to wait for the Titanium version but I tried the elder frame version (non-foldable fork) and the electric one already.
Naturally is this bike something special for me - it's manufactured in my hometown

Here is Bill's review:
https://stridacanada.ca/review-vello-folding-bike/

yookoala

Thanks a lot for your reply.

I have read that review before. But I still want to know more about the experience riding it or carrying it around. I was considering to buy a Brompton for commute. Now I'm considering to buy a Vello instead. I just need some more first hand experiences for reference.

I knew Vello in its Kickstarter campaign when it was not fully foldable then. And I wanted (still want) to have something more compact to put in my small apartment. I'd also want to be able to really carry my commute bike with me when not riding. I don't want to hesitate to use it on days where I have other social engagement (that requires me to take my bike to public transport / restaurant / cinema). That way I get to plan more sports into my daily routine.

Blackstrida_A_

Thank you, sorry that I'm not qualified to report anything meaningful about the riding experience; much too short were my test rides.
At this time you will find most likely more about the Vello in German language but I guess that'll change soon.

However...I'd really recommend that you - totally independent of the brand - should test ride the bike before buying.

Perhaps you could combine that with a short holiday?
Jump in a plane and enjoy a few days in my beautiful hometown Vienna - surely we'll be able to arrange test rides for Vello as well as for Brompton.
Settled in time we could even visit the Vello team at their studio I'm pretty sure
A Taste of Vienna

yookoala

Thanks for the advice, mate.

But Vienna is a long way for me. I'm afraid I won't be able to go there in a while.

StuartB

I purchased a Vello Bike+ via the authorised UK shop rather than via their Kickstarter / Indiegogo campaigns. I purchased the steel version with carbon drive and disc brakes, and a longer seatpost and stem. I also purchased the gear changer and front luggage rack

I also have a Tern P18 non-electric folding bike and for one month I had a Dillenger Opia 2.0 (I really would NOT recommend that bike!!!!)

Overall I love the Vello Bike+:-

• Beautiful bike
• It handles very nicely - erring more to lean to steer
• Supplied with Marathon+ tyres - manages grass and grit cycle paths fine
• Feels like a comfortable size for me - at 6'4" (193cm) that is impressive
• It is lightweight and compact for carrying - longer but thinner than the Tern non-electric
• The motor is smooth and gives a useful amount of extra power - it is a direct motor, though, so doesn't give as much kick as a geared motor
• If you use a saddle bag you can leave that on when folded - just turn the saddle round so it faces inward

My range estimates, on hilly roads (100ft ascent & descent per mile) with 85kg cyclist+luggage, sometimes using regenerative braking on descent:-

• Turbo - 25 miles
• E-bike - 37 miles
• Range +++ - 60 miles (not exhaustively tested yet)
• I haven't tested Range ++ or Range + enough yet
• If it is running low on power, I switch to Bike+ mode and it does slowly recharge while cycling, without any obvious negative effect

Max. ascent slope:- up to 19% once moving but couldn't manage 12% from standstill

I have used the bike in and around Edinburgh, Scotland, for commuting by bike, commuting by bus+bike, biketrekking, and bus+biketrekking. For testing purposes, I used the Queen's Drive circular road in Edinburgh and the Roslin to Gilmerton/Sheriffhall cycle path.

Things I don't like so much:-

• Albeit good quality, the saddle was too uncomfortable for me, so I swapped it out for a more comfortable Selle Royal Respiro
• It is fiddly to fold - the magnetic folding closure is not strong enough, causing the bike to spring open at inopportune moments - can be fixed with stronger magnet and/or a lot of care when handling
• Also fiddly to push around on wheels when folded - if you push it the wrong direction the pedals turn and jam
• The app isn't great and sometimes the bike doesn't connect with it - Vello are aware of this and apparently they looked into creating their own app but I doubt that will happen
• Mine was supplied with all-plastic pedals rather than the specified all-aluminium pedals - I am trying to get these swapped out for the correct pedals
• Neither the front rack nor the gear changer have been supplied to me yet
• If you need to start a new journey uphill then you need to cycle downhill first in order to get enough speed up to switch the motor on

riverwave

joaomoura

Hi Stuart, thank you so much for your detailed review.
We can't find many review on the bike yet, this is very interesting.

Specially when the test was in hilly Edinburgh.
I'm living in Edinburgh as well, so that's a shame we've never crossed.
I ordered the vello bike+ but it's taking time to get delivered and I'm eager to test it.


It would be great if we could meet up for a wee bit in one of your trips around the centre of Edinburgh, for me to check it out.

One of the things that I'm concerned is in fact how the bike will handle some of Edinburgh's hills.
I didn't order the extra gear, but this gear is for speed so it wouldn't solve much my concern.
Which roads did you find that the bike struggled to keep up?
Do you find that in flat road the pedal cadence is not comfortable and that you need an extra gear?

Thanks again for the review.
​​​​​Cheers

yookoala

Thanks Stuart. A very detailed review :-)

I originally wanted to ask about the non-eletric ones. But I guess they have common physical structure and thus my question is still relevant.

Do you often push your bike when folded? If so, is it smooth and easy to do so? Would that be hard to steer around?

Thanks.

StuartB

First of all, the bad news... The front rack isn't very useful if you intend to fold the bike, because it cannot be easily removed. DOH. I opted for the KlickFix Universal-Träger Vario-Rack instead.

In regards to hills; the actual position where I find the bike struggles to go up a hill from standstill is on the Dalkeith to Penicuik cycle path, at the former Roslin Castle Station (which is near to Roslin Gunpowder Mill, not really that close to Roslin Castle). At that position, you need to turn off at a sharp uphill bend and the bike cannot cope with that ascent from standstill. I just get off and push it up.

However, a better example is Queens Drive. I cycled Queens Drive six laps and I believe the bike could manage at least another three laps, possibly four laps. At the steepest part of that, as you come to the second loch, you may need to stand on the pedals a bit but you can get the bike going even if you stop.

I have also received the Schlumpf Drive at long last. I had to take a trip by train down to London to have it fitted. It works very smoothly and the extra weight isn't that noticeable (it weighs 700g-ish but I've not weighed the part it replaced). You can change gear even while stopped. You can start off in the top gear provided you have at least a gentle downhill slope but definitely not if you're going uphill - but again it is really easy to change down gear. I agree that Edinburgh is a wee bit too hilly for the changer to be very useful - oops - but at least it gives me a higher level of fitness to aim for.

I did ask at Bikefix if it would be possible to swap out the gearing to a lower gear option but apparently the whole changer part would be different.

Did I miss any questions?

StuartB

The important thin to remember when pushing it around is that it can only be pushed forward. If you push it backward then the pedals turn around and get jammed up, which takes a while to unjam. To push it around, you need to lift the seat up a bit, so raise that to its highest setting (higher even than you'd use to sit). If you don't raise the seat then the folding magnet drags along the ground. You only need to pivot the rear up by a few cm, so in theory both tires could still be rolling, however I find that causes the bike to swing to the left, whereas if I lift it a little more then one tire lifts and it goes forward.

The seat is easy enough to lift and once you get used to it then you can even navigate Kings Cross Train Station during rush hour.

StuartB

I've not come across a hill yet that it hasn't managed tbh. It just doesn't have as much kick as some of the much heavier e-bikes with geared motors.

I am usually in Edinburgh on Sundays, cycling across the Meadows around 11am, but I could possibly come in earlier and go to Holyrood Park first.

The only reason the speed gear is useful is for when you hit or get close to 15mph. This bike reduces the electric power as you get closer to 15mph, so getting beyond that speed with the default gear is tricky. Once, I noticed another cyclist gaining speed by pedalling while we were both going downhill, whereas for me that was futile, however I caught them up again quickly when we were both going uphill again.

My intention with the extra gear is to get more fit, and when I'm bikepacking then I may use it over level / downhill, faster roads. Within Edinburgh's 20mph zone I don't think it will be that useful, albeit I did use it when going through the Meadows, as it allows me to regain lost speed more quickly.

StuartB

I have been gearing up for that type of travel, and it is important to note that the more weight you carry the harder these bikes are to use. The Vello Bike+ has a 110kg load limit. So this is what I've come up with:-

• You need to distribute your load between the front, rear, and middle of the bike. I don't know whether the Brompton E has mounting for a front rack but I very much vouch for KlickFix Universal-Träger Vario-Rack, preferably using the KlickFix Headtube Mounted Bracket. The advantage of that set up over a handlebar bag is that it doesn't interfere with your steering. It also has awesome straps. I use that with a 20l Airlok Xtra dry bag from Alpkit; it has a shoulder strap and also fixings points that work well with the rack.
• Likewise, without a rear rack, you need a saddle bag. I got the Wildcat Tiger Drover and a 13l Tapered Dry Bag from Alpkit. Always put the heaviest, smallest item in first.
• Without a V shaped frame, most normal frame bags are redundant. I got two 5l Airlok Xtra bags and strapped them to each other, around the two flat frame bars. The only hassle therein is you need to remove them to fold the bike; I think velcro straps would be faster to remove. Once removed, you can clip the bags onto the front rack and carry it all by the one shoulder strap.
• The above frame bag solution blocks the bottle rack fixings on this bike. I solved this by adding a bottle rack to the top bar using two DMR Hinged Clamps (padded with tape to avoid scratches to the frame),
• I keep clothes in the front dry bag, bulky but lighter stuff either in the front dry bag or else my daysack (keep weight low unless you want to kill your back), foodstuffs in my frame dry bags, and heavy but small stuff (e.g. cooking) in the rear dry bag.
• I recommend getting a lighter tent, sleeping bag, sleeping mat, and daysack. Alpkit, Ultralightoutdoorgear, and PHDesigns are my favourite shops. Aim for <1kg per item.
• Make sure every single item of clothing counts - but remember that when you stop you get very cold, very fast - more so than when hiking, I find.
• Get a water filter and never carry more than 2l of water.

joaomoura

Hi Stuart, thank you so much for your reply.
I still haven't received the bike and hence I'm still undecided about if I should get the extra gear.
I don't intend to do many miles, and will use it more for commuting around the city centre, but as you mentioned there are some paths that an extra gear might be useful.

Great that you go to the Meadows on Sundays, I am never far from there (I work next to George Square and live 10 min by bike from there).
Next Sunday I will go to the Meadows a bit before 11 to see if I can find you.
I wear a very orange jacket and glasses, but if you don't see anyone signalling, just carry on with your cycling.
Hope to see you around.

timorez

timorez

riverwave

bikiola

A little offtopic to the original subject but if you indulge me - this rack looks wonderful, but I'm in the US and the shipping is a *lot*. However it seems like the exact solution I want for my bike and my partner's bike as well. Do you have any more thoughts about it before I jump on it?

timorez

bikiola

Cheers! I didnt realize you had to be the kickflix attachment AND the rack. that adds up a bit, but it does look great. thank you!

linberl

Thor USA carries it, scroll way down the page to the non-dahon version. Dahon Bags and Luggage

timorez

Zonker

I am interested in the Airborne 11 version. A titanium version is coming, but there is a steel version out already. has anyone tried or seen this version?

timorez

riverwave