The bike also has a front fork with 80 millimeters of suspension, so accidentally piloting all 60 pounds of it into a pothole won’t pitch you head over heels. It’s fully loaded, with integrated lights, fenders, and a kickstand. And finally, the Vida E+ is UL-certified, so it won’t catch on fire while charging in your garage. The RideControl app lets you check your bike’s electronic systems for problems, lock your bike, and, if you have a bike mount, use it for rudimentary navigation.
Quality Components
Riding the Vida E+ feels like riding a couch, but in a good way. This is a bike that will do everything for you, without your having to think about it very much (unless you’re trying to maneuver it between two cars in your driveway). The step-through frame makes it easy to get on or off. The sit-up geometry and ergonomic handlebars are incredibly comfortable; I can ride with one hand, slowly pedaling at 9 mph while biking my kids home from school, and they blabber on about whatever.
Photograph: Adrienne So
Because this is a bike made by Giant, the components are very nice, for a reasonable price. I can easily read the display in high-glare natural sunlight. The fork is made by Suntour; while I would definitely not take this bike on trails, I hit many potholes, both on purpose and not, without dumping myself. The brakes are high-performance Tektro four-piston hydraulic disc brakes, which is also a little unusual at the price point. You don’t have to worry about being able to make quick stops on hills or with a heavy load.
The Shimano shifters work well with the SyncDrive motor to climb steep hills. I did find that the buttons are not terribly easy to push, and I also tended to mix up the headlight and power buttons at the top, which my kids find annoying when they’ve taken off and I’m still struggling to get a 60-pound bike moving without assistance.
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