VanMoof alternative Netherlands 2026
VanMoof alternative Netherlands 2026: the best lookalikes, and what to do with an old Moof
Prices and availability checked 28 September 2026 · Dutch market
VanMoof went bankrupt on 17 July 2023, but the brand lives on under Lavoie (McLaren Applied) and sells the S6 for €3,298. If you want the look with less risk, our shortlist is the Tenways CGO800S (€1,899, best value), Veloretti Ace Two Lite (€2,599, easiest to service), Lemmo One (from €2,590) and Cowboy (Classic €3,299, sold out when we checked). One myth first: every VanMoof uses a chain, not a belt. Belt drive is what most rivals add. Already own a Moof? Independent repair keeps most of them alive.
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Search “VanMoof alternative” in the Netherlands and you’ll find two groups. One loved their S3 or X3, watched the company collapse, and wants the same clean, connected city bike from a brand that will still exist in five years. The other already owns a Moof with a fault code and no clear answer. This guide is for both.
We’ve priced the shortlist in euros, checked each brand’s own Dutch pages, and looked at what happens to an older VanMoof in a repair shop. If your budget is well below these figures, start with our best budget e-bikes under €1,500 guide instead.
Is VanMoof still in business?
Yes, but it’s a different company. VanMoof grew from an Amsterdam bike-lock startup into the poster child of smart city e-bikes, including a $128 million funding round in 2021. Then breakdowns, slow repairs and expensive warranty promises caught up with it, and on 17 July 2023 the court declared its Dutch entities bankrupt. On 31 August 2023 Lavoie, the e-mobility arm of McLaren Applied, announced it was buying the brand.
The rebuild has been practical rather than flashy. Upway, the refurbished-bike marketplace, opened a VanMoof repair programme in September 2023 (€89 collection plus parts). In February 2024 VanMoof published repair manuals and technical drawings, but only for bikes released in 2018 and earlier. That leaves S3, X3 and newer owners reliant on partner workshops. In 2024 it also offered a €1,000 code to customers who had paid for a bike that was never delivered (valid until 31 December 2027). The S6 arrived in 2025, on sale in the Netherlands from August.
So 2026’s honest picture is not “VanMoof is dead.” It’s “VanMoof is a smaller company selling one bike family, while a large fleet of older Moofs depends on partners and independents.”
The 2026 lookalike shortlist
What makes a VanMoof a VanMoof? A sealed, integrated frame, hidden cables, built-in lights and lock, app unlock and theft tracking. Its drivetrain is a chain, though: the S6 pairs a front hub motor with an enclosed chain and a three-speed automatic hub. Most rivals below swap the chain for a Gates carbon belt, which means less maintenance but a different bike.
| Model | Entry price | Drivetrain | Battery and motor | Buying and service in the Netherlands |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| VanMoof S6 / S6 Open | €3,298 | Enclosed chain, 3-speed automatic hub | 487 Wh, built in; 250 W front hub, 68 Nm | vanmoof.com delivery, or sales and service partners; 3-year warranty |
| Tenways CGO800S | €1,899 | Gates belt, single speed | 460.8 Wh, removable; 250 W rear hub, 40 Nm | Online, ships from the Netherlands; 2-year warranty, 5 on the frame |
| Veloretti Ace Two Lite | €2,599 | Gates belt, single speed (Pro €3,299: Enviolo) | 540 Wh, removable; Bafang 250 W mid-drive, 70 Nm | veloretti.com and partner stores; free test rides |
| Lemmo One Collab.Ride | from €2,590 | Chain or belt option | Removable Smartpac (battery and controller); hub motor | Direct from Lemmo (Berlin); sold in the Netherlands since 2023 |
| Cowboy Classic | €3,299 (sold out) | Carbon belt, single speed | 360 Wh, removable; 250 W rear hub, 45 Nm | Online; free test ride they bring to you; 2-year warranty |
| Ampler Curt | from €3,690 | Gates belt, or 11-speed | 336 Wh, built in; 250 W rear hub, 45 Nm; 14.1 kg | Online; 4-year warranty |
Tenways CGO800S: the value pick
Gates belt, a quiet hub motor, a fully integrated display and 19 kg without accessories for €1,899, delivered with VAT and shipping included. It’s single speed and Tenways rates it for flat roads, so hilly areas suit the chain-driven CGO800 Plus (also €1,899, 8-speed). Most owner reviews on Tenways’ own page are positive, but a few long-term owners report motor overheating and battery cut-outs after two to three years. Set aside the cost of insurance, which Tenways offers through Laka at checkout, and contact Tenways support before visiting any workshop.
Veloretti Ace Two: the easiest to live with
An Amsterdam brand with genuine design pedigree. Both Ace Two (step-over) and Ivy Two (step-through) use a Bafang 250 W mid-drive with 70 Nm, a Gates belt and a removable 540 Wh battery. The Lite versions (€2,599) are single speed and weigh about 25 kg; the Pro (from €3,299) adds Enviolo stepless automatic shifting, the closest thing here to a VanMoof’s automatic gears. Veloretti sells through its site and selected partner stores in the Netherlands, and offers free test rides.
Lemmo One: the two-bikes-in-one option
Lemmo is a Berlin brand, and its trick is the Smartpac: a detachable unit holding the battery, controller and connectivity. The motor can disengage, so the bike rides like a normal bicycle without it. That sidesteps the sealed-battery problem, but Lemmo is a younger brand with a smaller service footprint, so ask who will repair it near you.
Cowboy: closest in spirit, but check the small print
Cowboy no longer sells the C4 under that name. Its range is now Classic, Cruiser, Cruiser ST, Cross and Cross ST. The Classic keeps the formula: carbon belt, removable battery, GPS tracking, crash detection and a bike that locks itself, with a 2-year warranty and mobile technicians in 40+ cities. The catch is the brand’s history. Cowboy came close to insolvency in 2025 and was taken over by France’s ReBirth Group in December 2025, with production restarting in France. It’s a healthier position than a year ago, but not a boring one.
Ampler Curt: the premium lightweight
At 14.1 kg with a belt, GPS tracker, USB-C charging and a 4-year warranty, the Curt is the featherweight here. It costs more than a VanMoof S6 and its battery is built in, so it suits riders who value weight and design over battery swapping.
VanMoof S6: the badge itself
The S6 keeps the shape and adds a mechanical three-speed AutoShift hub, GPS plus cellular tracking, Apple Find My and a three-year warranty. It weighs around 23 kg. Just remember you’re buying from the successor company. Quick picks: value, Tenways; service, Veloretti; app and theft tech, Cowboy (if in stock); lightest, Ampler; same bike, new owner, S6.
Entry prices compared
Entry prices in euros including VAT, from each brand’s own site on 28 September 2026. Sale prices and stock change often.
Two things stand out. The “VanMoof experience” no longer needs €3,000: Tenways gets you a belt-drive city bike for well under €2,000. And Cowboy’s Classic now costs about the same as an S6, so its old price advantage is gone. For what a dealer-supported mainstream bike costs, see our guide to e-bike costs in the Netherlands.
If you already own a VanMoof
Don’t panic-sell. Plenty of Moofs on Dutch streets are still good bikes. Your realistic repair routes are VanMoof’s own service partners, independent workshops and Upway (which also sells refurbished, serviced VanMoofs). The hard cases are firmware- and app-dependent faults on older hardware, and the built-in battery.
Price a battery before you decide anything else: our battery replacement cost guide shows what packs cost in the Netherlands, and how long an e-bike battery lasts helps you judge whether yours has honest life left. If the bill nears half the bike’s used value, move on. VanMoof also ran a time-limited 2026 Up-Trade (€500 off an S5, A5 or S6 for a traded-in S3 or X3), so ask a partner whether another round is open.
Selling? A private sale (Marktplaats is the obvious route) usually beats a dealer’s offer, and being upfront about the brand history sells faster than hiding it. Keep your frame number and proof of purchase, and read our e-bike insurance guide before you ride off. Buying used? Our second-hand e-bike buying guide comes first, and test every app function in person.
A working VanMoof in 2026 is a good bike with a complicated biography. Keep it if it’s healthy, fix it if the fault is cheap and mechanical, and replace it if the fault lives in software or the sealed battery.
The ‘next VanMoof’ checklist
Before you buy any smart e-bike, including the ones above, run these six checks. They’re the questions VanMoof owners wish they’d asked in 2019.
- Does it ride without the app? If the phone dies or the company disappears, you should still have pedals, assist and a lock you can open.
- Can the battery be replaced? Sealed batteries turned repairable bikes into expensive paperweights. See the 2027 EU rules below, but don’t wait for regulation: ask what a new battery costs today.
- Are the wear parts standard? Gates belts, common tyres and mainstream brakes are fine. Proprietary motors and controllers are where orphaned bikes go to die.
- Who in the Netherlands can actually repair it? A partner workshop beats a beautiful web shop. Count the ones near you before you pay.
- Is the company financially boring? Two minutes on the Kamer van Koophandel register shows whether a Dutch entity exists, since when, and what it files. Also search for recent rescues or recalls.
- Are you paying for a bike that exists? Around 5,000 VanMoof customers had pre-ordered bikes that never arrived. Avoid big pre-payments and pay by a method with buyer protection.
App-locked vs repairable: why it matters more than the spec sheet
Integration is seductive: hidden cables, auto-locking, theft alerts on your phone. But when one company controls the motor, battery, firmware and unlock server, one bankruptcy can stop your bicycle being a bicycle. VanMoof and Cowboy keep the app at the centre and both have needed rescuing. Veloretti, Tenways and Lemmo keep more of the cleverness in standard parts, such as a Bafang mid-drive, a Gates belt or an Enviolo hub, so a competent workshop has more to work with. Neither camp is wrong; know which risk you’re buying, and pair any app-lock with real hardware. Our best e-bike lock guide explains why software has never stopped a thief with a van.
E-bike batteries count as light means of transport batteries. Under Regulation (EU) 2023/1542, new products placed on the market from that date must let an independent professional remove and replace the battery (and its cells), and batteries need a digital battery passport. Spare batteries must stay available for at least five years after a model leaves the market. It doesn’t force user-removable batteries, and it isn’t retroactive. Details are in the European Commission’s guidelines.
Where to test-ride in the Netherlands
You can settle most of this in an afternoon. VanMoof sells online with home delivery, and its sales partners offer test rides and on-the-spot purchases. Veloretti offers free test rides and partner stores. Cowboy will bring a test bike to you, though the Classic was sold out when we checked. Tenways is mostly online, so use its store finder for hands-on time. To compare several bikes in one trip, keep an eye on our deals page.
All the bikes here are 25 km/h, 250 W pedelecs, so in the Netherlands they need no licence, plate or compulsory insurance. Ride each candidate with your phone in your pocket and your scepticism switched on. Ask the shop what happens, step by step, if the battery fails in year four. A good dealer answers in seconds.
FAQs
Can you still buy a new VanMoof in the Netherlands in 2026?
Yes. VanMoof is now owned by Lavoie, which is backed by McLaren Applied, and sells the S6 and S6 Open for €3,298 with a three-year warranty. You can order online for home delivery or through a sales partner for a test ride. It is not the company that went bankrupt on 17 July 2023, so owners of older S3 and X3 bikes rely on partner workshops and parts supply rather than the new-bike warranty.
Is a second-hand VanMoof worth buying in 2026?
Only at the right price and with your eyes open. The bikes ride well, but many parts are proprietary, some faults depend on app and firmware support, and the battery is built into the frame. Ask for a battery health check, test every app function in person and budget for a possible replacement. A refurbished, serviced bike from Upway is a safer route than a stranger’s listing.
Which VanMoof alternative feels closest to the original?
For the app and theft-tracking experience, Cowboy is closest, but check stock and its post-rescue service first. For a Dutch design bike with local test rides, Veloretti’s Ace Two is the safest bet, and the Tenways CGO800S wins on value at €1,899. None is a like-for-like copy, and every VanMoof uses a chain, not a belt.
The VanMoof story isn’t really about one company failing. It’s about what happens when a bicycle becomes a service. The best alternatives in 2026 are the ones that learned that lesson, whether by keeping the app clever and the hardware standard or by skipping the app theatre and building a belt-drive bike any workshop can fix. Pick your camp, run the checklist and go for a test ride.
