Oliver Reichenstein

“If VanMoof becomes unable to cover its server costs, these keys might be lost forever, leaving countless bikes as electronic waste with no means of retrieval”

Slow clap.

https://www.theverge.com/2023/7/12/23792143/vanmoof-e-bike-payment-suspension-bankruptcy-sale

Exclusive: VanMoof explores sale under court protection because it can’t pay bills

Electric bike maker VanMoof has turned to the Dutch courts for legal protection in order to give the company time to pay its bills. The company is exploring all possible routes out of its debt, including a possible sale.

The Verge
Jul 13, 2023 at 3:31pmMastodon for iOS
Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 13, 2023
A friend of mine got a VanMoof, years ago. I was impressed a first. He told me that it cost 4000 bucks but then, as far as I remember, he had to pay them a subscription for the key, it couldn't get stolen, but that technically the bike was not really his either or something like that. Since then, part of me was always a bit worried about him. Not essentially worried, I felt a discomfort similar to that unanswered email rents a tiny space in your mind. I guess I can archive that mail, now.
Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 13, 2023
It was interesting how learning about the business model and how it subjected its customers to pay both a high price and withhold ownership changed my perception of its original, minimal, stable design into a useless, dumm, and unnecessarily decorated, heavy, constructed piece of crap. Not sure if I misunderstood and still not sure if I misunderstood or misremember that you have to pay both a lot of money and a subscription and in the end you don't own it. It seems too preposterous to be true.
Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 13, 2023
I thought: "Oh, so now I can't just buy a cool bike and a lock? I need to pay 4000 bucks, download, install and update an app, hand out a monthly subscription and make sure that my phone doesn't run out of batteries to not get fucked by my bicycle somewhere out in the sticks late at night? Also, I can't repair my bike or bring it to my mechanic of choice anymore because it's not really mine and I have to follow a set of enslaving rules to ride my bike."
Show threadChristian TietzeJul 13, 2023

@reichenstein Ooof there are so many weird hoops a buyer needs to mentally, well, glide over?

If the baseline is: buy a bike, buy a lock, maintain air pressure and clean it from time to time -- how is any of the tech tricks an improvement, and doesn't this feel like deferred shooting in the foot for prospecitve buyers?

Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 13, 2023
@ctietze yeah, and if you absolutely need to track your bike, put an AirTag in the frame or under the saddle.
Show threadChristian TietzeJul 13, 2023
@reichenstein Exactly. Not the first theft solved this way
Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 13, 2023
@ctietze it's particularly upsetting to create so many dependencies with a bicycle, a symbol of independence. I got an e-bike two years ago, because we moved to a place with 200m of height difference to the city. It's almost a necessity unless you're a sports enthusiast. It's great to be able to ride uphill without a physical limit experience. But the charging cable tied to a bike, the heaviness, the knowledge that I'm trapped if I run out of battery, it's destroying the beauty of the bicycle.
Show threadChristian TietzeJul 13, 2023

@reichenstein Can relate.

We only have 55m uphill from city center back home, and I am soaked when I'm home.

If it was the other way around, I couldn't meet with anyone in town.

I'm no bike expert or enthusiast, so I don't know, but folks have told me I might need to deviate from standard bike gears and customize the combinations to account for short but tough elevations and the longer ones.

Bike at 60rpm they say, it's easy they say. Hm.

Show threadFighenJul 13, 2023
@reichenstein This make no sense in any way you think of.
Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 13, 2023
@Fighen Without investors they wouldn't have gotten further than a couple of meters with this idea.
Show threadMatthiasJul 13, 2023
@reichenstein my professional bike mechanic neighbor told me how he recently replaced the lighting cables on a VanMoof. It was so complicated that they would’ve had to charge 300 Euros for their time alone. They charged less and opted for never accepting a VanMoof for repair again.
Show threadpirquinJul 14, 2023
@reichenstein When I bought a new bicycle a few years ago, I briefly considered a VanMoof but eventually choose another brand, because they use so many proprietary parts. They make bikes with all the drawbacks of car ownership, and even manages to sell these as USP's.
Show threadBart van de BiezenJul 13, 2023
@reichenstein there is no subscription. You only pay extra for theft insurance. And that is for 3 years max. The S3 was around 2000 euros when launched.
Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 13, 2023
@bartvandebiezen That was in Japan, I'm quite sure it was close to 4,000 (it's 375,000 Yen now) which at the time was 4,000 and I am quite sure that when pressed he said that technically in one way or the other it wasn't his like a regular bike (no own or 3rd party repairs, no unpairing it from the app, and bricking if the company goes belly up or something like that).
Show threadBart van de BiezenJul 13, 2023
@reichenstein Yes, true. The €2000 was in The Netherlands. What a price difference! I have the S5 🤪🥺
Show threadBart van de BiezenJul 13, 2023
@reichenstein I tried the Cowboy, but the ride on a VanMoof is just so much better.
Show threadjsjJul 13, 2023

@reichenstein Some exotic cars, Ferraris in particular, are “sold” this way. You “buy” the car, but Ferrari keeps it. When you want to drive it, they deliver it to the track of your choice, you have your fun, and then they take it back.

When you have that kind of money, I guess it makes sense?

Show threadManfred Linzner-ScherfJul 13, 2023
@reichenstein leaving the business model aside: VanMoof is a perfect example of setting the wrong focus for years. Ever single owner could you tell story after story about things failing or not working at all. Instead of fixing any of those issues they opted to ignore and release a new bike with new features and new bugs. One of my favourite: an electric bell that was prone to short circuits (and therefore repeated jingling) when the bike was parked in the rain. A bike developed in 🇳🇱!
Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 13, 2023
@mlinzner OMG. Never heard about that. Again, only possible with investor money. If you try this with a product that needs to pay for its production and operation you fail very quickly.
Show threadManfred Linzner-ScherfJul 13, 2023
@reichenstein so true!
Show threadRoger SheenJul 15, 2023

@reichenstein You can save those keys with this app:

https://bikey-app.cowboy.bike/

Bikey app — Save your VanMoof bike digital key on your phone

Brought to you by Cowboy

Bikey app — Save your VanMoof bike digital key on your phone
Show threadOliver ReichensteinJul 15, 2023
@infotexture I've seen that. Will forward it to my friend, too, just in case.