One year of putting riders first: How we kickstarted the new VanMoof Revisiting our commitments, one year on.
A year ago, we started a new chapter at VanMoof. Our mission? To get our riders moving. And our commitment? To put riders first – in every single decision we make. We took stock, made a plan – and moved forward. And we’ve not stopped since.
In 12 months, we’ve onboarded 166 partner locations across 8 countries; delivered over 18,000 spare parts; released 7 new app updates; designed 68 new components and refined our best e-bikes yet.
It hasn’t always been easy. We’ve faced unexpected challenges, tough decisions – and learnt countless lessons along the way. But through the hills and headwind, we’ve become all the more determined to put our riders first. So, before we look ahead to what’s next, let’s revisit the commitments we made, one year on.
Re-engineering how we ride
Let’s take it back to a year ago. In September 2023, we were just at the start of the journey. But from the get go, our vision for the new VanMoof was clear. We were there to push things forward. To create a world where movement in the city was freeing and joyful as the buzz of the city itself. And to create an entirely new rider experience – one that our riders deserved.
First, we took a step back. We re-examined the blueprints from every part of VanMoof. We secured and improved our IT systems. We put together the lean, energised teams and opened new offices in Amsterdam and London. We listened to our riders. We made commitments: to get riders back on the road, deliver on reliability and stay true to VanMoof’s innovative spirit. And we got to work.
Getting our riders back on the road
After the old VanMoof’s bankruptcy, many of you were stuck; unable to access the service you needed for your bikes. Our first priority was to get you moving again. We re-imagined our servicing and retail model entirely to a new, more sustainable strategy that put riders first. We built a network of partners so more of our riders could get the help they needed faster – and closer to home. With new and improved Support channels, we were able to connect with more riders than ever.
We supplied our partners with the training, tools and parts they needed to service our bikes. Today, we’ve delivered over 18,000 spare parts to 166 VanMoof partners across 8 different countries – from Haarlem to Dublin. And our riders are certainly moving. Together, you’ve made over 12,666,238 rides and covered more than 37,941,784 km since. That’s like riding around the Earth about 947 times.
And we didn’t forget about our older models. To help keep these bikes on the road, we made repair manuals and technical drawings for legacy models publicly available for the first time in the VanMoof Archives.
Take quality testing to the next level
Riders, we listened to your feedback and we promised to improve our reliability – and be open with you while we were at it. So, did we deliver? Well, thanks to our refinements to the VanMoof S5 & A5, we’ve improved reliability by 500%. For our existing VanMoof S3 & X3 riders, we restructured and kick-started our supply chain to make our current models more robust – and easier to service. And for all new riders, we’ve introduced an additional quality check in the Netherlands – so VanMoof technicians thoroughly vet your bikes before we ship them. We’re proud of the progress we’ve made, but we also know reliability isn’t a box we can tick once and forget – it’s an ongoing journey. So, rest assured we're committed to making improvements as we move forwards.
To make sure you knew what was going on behind the scenes, we showed you exactly how we test our bikes to make sure they can handle even the most extreme conditions. Keep an eye on our Inside VanMoof series to get eyes on everything from our operations to our product updates, too.
A new and improved rider experience
Innovation is built into our DNA at VanMoof. And in our new chapter, it’s no different. Our most advanced ride yet, the newly-refined VanMoof S5 & A5 is out on the roads – and better than ever. But how did we improve it? Well, aside from the mechanical improvements, we developed new firmware to refine the complete riding experience, improving everything from E-shifter calibration and Bluetooth connectivity to power consumption and Halo Ring functionality.
Since September, we’ve released 7 new VanMoof app updates. Our latest development? A complete redesign of the Garage section. That means improved usability – making it easier to find and adjust bike settings, with added smooth animations and quirky details. Like our bikes, the app is a work in progress – we’re always looking for ways to make it better. Rider feedback drives these changes, so keep telling us what you need. And watch this space.
One of our riders’ biggest concerns? Bike theft. So, we introduced VanMoof Theft Proof. Our new service guarantees that if your bike is ever stolen, we’ll replace it in 14 days (if our Bike Hunters can’t find it first, that is).
Looking forwards: what’s next?
Phew. That was 12 months working to our commitments at the new VanMoof: getting you moving, delivering on reliability, communicating transparently and staying true to our innovative spirit. None of this would have been possible without the support from our riders and the collaboration of our new partners. So thank you.
And this is just the beginning. With 68 new components designed, our R&D team is constantly uncovering new ways to push the way we move forward. To set new benchmarks, break new industry standards – and most importantly, delight our riders over and over again. So, stay tuned for the year ahead. We’ve got some revolutionary changes on the horizon – and will continue to put our riders first, every single time.
