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Belt drive, removable battery, smooth automatic shifting, and built to be serviced anywhere. This Dutch e-bike checks all the boxes.
First, let me apologize: most readers of The Verge can not buy the latest electric bikes from Amsterdam-based Veloretti. But for everyone living in the Netherlands, Belgium, or Germany with €3,299 to spend… well, congratulations because you can buy one of the best e-bikes available at any price and far and away my favorite ride of the year so far.
I recently reviewed the top-of-the-line (€3,498) VanMoof S5, in which I longed for a removable battery, simple belt drive, and smoother automatic shifting. That’s exactly what you get with Veloretti’s new Ace Two and step-thru Ivy Two e-bikes — the “Two” signifying their second-gen status.
Each new Veloretti comes fitted with a 250W mid-drive motor and 540Wh battery from Bafang, a rugged carbon CDX belt drive from Gates, MT200 hydraulic disc brakes from Shimano, a front light from Osram, and a comfortable saddle from Selle Royal. In other words, Veloretti — a company purchased by transportation behemoth Pon Holdings at the end of last year — is using off-the-shelf parts that most bike shops can replace or repair. That’s important because things are guaranteed to go wrong eventually on any high-tech commuter e-bike ridden daily in sun, rain, and snow.
So, if you’re a fan of premium e-bikes built with Dutch know-how but distrust VanMoof’s specialized parts and history of service issues, then you’re going to love the new second-generation Ivy and Ace electric bikes from cross-town rival Veloretti.
