This is the second round of Blix Vika+ folding electric bikes I’ve seen and tested in the USA and it seems like they’ve improved on everything. You get full length fenders with mud flaps, a beautiful silver carry rack that matches the upgraded brake levers, chainring guide, folding pedals, stem, bars and seat post. The rear rack especially makes it more useful for commuting and a larger battery pack with higher quality Panasonic cells will go greater distances… and you even have the option to upgrade from 11 amp hours to 14.5 or 17.4! That’s amazing for a folding ebike and I love that the pack itself was refined so you don’t have to leave the key in while riding… just be careful unlocking it and sliding up because if you leave the key in then, it could hit the left seat stay and get bent.
The Vika+ Folding comes at a decent price considering the slightly above-average motor power and battery capacity. The downside of all the accessories mentioned earlier is that the bike isn’t especially light. Weighing in at ~51 lbs I’d definitely take the battery off before lifting (it weighs ~6.6 lbs) and one other gripe relating to transport is the lack of some sort of rubber band or magnetic clasp to keep it folded. In the video review above I discuss this and show the folding sequence which is fairly standard. There is a plastic cover lock that keeps the main frame latch from coming undone while riding. Unlike the E-Joe Epik and similar folders, the Vika+ design places the battery behind the seat tube vs. inside the downtube and this makes the bike more rear heavy and less stealthy but the pack is easier to remove and you can get those larger sizes.
The smaller 20″ wheels on this bike are extra strong with double walled rims and 13 gauge spokes. The tires are fairly standard with 1.75″ diameter but I love that they are upgraded Kendas with puncture protection and reflective sidewalls to keep you visible in traffic at dawn, dusk or night time conditions. Adding to the reflective tires is the option to get a cream colored frame (vs. darker black or green) and the two fully-integrated LED lights! These are high quality lights from Spanninga that run off the main battery pack and are controlled with a light sensor and the main LCD console.
Activating and operating the bike is intuitive but requires the pack to be pressed to “on” with a little rubber button at the top and then on again using the display panel+button pad near the left grip. Speaking of left grips… the grips are ergonomic and classy looking in faux leather (that match the saddle) and all of the electronic controls are on the left side, including the trigger throttle. I love that the throttle overrides assist at full power and that it can operate in zero for “throttle only” but prefer it to be mounted on the right and swivel down vs. up/forward. Blix probably chose this design so they could use more standard trigger shifters on the right that hang down below the grips. Many other folding ebikes in this price range use a cheaper SIS index shifter that sticks above the grip and provides more room for throttles including half-twist designs. Not a huge deal…
The bike offers seven gears with Shimano Acera components… pretty decent, and you get four levels of assist with level one reaching ~8 mph and level 4 hitting ~18 to 20 mph depending on your weight and conditions. I was amazed with the climbing ability of the bike using throttle only, it took me up some very steep hills in Laguna Beach. Pedal assist activated quickly and also cut out fast when I stopped pedaling thanks to its 12 magnet cadence sensor disc and you also get brake lever motor inhibitors that stop everything when pulled. The brakes themselves are more basic linear pull “v-brakes” from Tektro and they get the job done but squeal a bit more and could grind dirt into the rims if it’s wet outside. In closing, I love the metal folding pedals they chose from Wellgo and the integrated fenders. This bike will keep you clean and thanks to the plastic chain guide it should stay rolling even in rough conditions… but there isn’t a suspension shock so I’m glad that the saddle is sprung because otherwise the smaller wheels can feel pretty stiff when riding at higher speeds over cracks and bumpy paved streets. the 2016 Vika+ model reviewed here is capable of going faster than the 2015 version and now with the larger battery options you could end up going further so the saddle comfort is a big deal and even a seat post suspension with 27.2 mm diameter could be worth considering, just make sure it doesn’t land the saddle onto the top of the battery or pivot into it (if you use a long travel Thudbuster, consider the short travel version like this and really crank the seat tube collar down so the post doesn’t slide).
Pros:
- Great visual presence thanks to integrated front and rear LED lights that run off the main battery pack… convenient and more reliable, as well as reflective tape on the sides of the tires
- Handsome design elements including matching faux leather saddle and grips, silver highlights on the rack, pedals, crank arms, chainring, stem, handlebar, spokes and rims and three frame colors (green, black and cream)
- Even though the brake and shifter cables and electronic wires aren’t integrated through the frame, I like the plastic wrap they used more than the mesh I’ve seen on other models… same thing with the battery pack, it’s not in-frame but it looks nice and is still kept low and center for improved balance
- I’m a huge fan of the optional battery upgrades going from standard 11 ah to 14.5 and 17.4 for $100 and $200 extra respectively, great for extending range and they all fit in the same spot… also they are using high quality Panasonic cells
- Strong 13 gauge spokes compliment the smaller wheels (which tend to be tougher) and even the folding pedals (which are metal) should hold up well if the bike tips or is tossed around during transport, larger platform pedals transfer more power due to stiffness and aren’t as slippery in wet conditions
- Intuitive folding mechanisms with secondary lock features to avoid accidental loosening during operation
- Integrated “balance bar” that supports the middle of the bike when folded, protects the front chain ring and keeps the unit stable
- Impressive climbing ability thanks to the 350 watt geared motor being mounted in a smaller diameter 20″ wheel
- Efficient hybrid tires should extend range and smooth out cracks given their large diameter but aren’t so thin that you miss out on some cushion at 1.75″ wide
- Blix electric bikes have been available now in the US for a couple of years and they offer a pretty good warranty and seem to work well with shops
Cons:
- The price of the Blix Vika+ Foldable electric bike rose a bit since 2015 when I first reviewed it, likely due to the upgraded battery design which is more streamlined, the higher quality Panasonic cells and the extra amp hour of capacity (11 vs. 10 before)
- I love that you don’t have to leave the key in the battery pack now to operate the bike but be careful when removing the pack because if you leave the key in the locking point near the base and slide up, it could bend the key or break the core, turning the bike on is still a two step process (battery on then display on)
- It’s great to have pedal assist and throttle mode on this ebike but I’m more used to the throttle being on the right side and pushing down vs. up (this bike has the trigger on the left and you push forward for juice)
- Given the larger capacity battery and more powerful motor on the Vika+ along with the fenders and rack it isn’t especially light weight and you don’t get a suspension fork… usually that adds even more weight, consider a seat post suspension fit to 27.2 mm diameter to improve comfort for long rides over bumpy terrain (just make sure the edges of the post and saddle don’t come down on top of the battery when you’re bouncing up and down)
- The seat tube clamp kind of collides with the battery pack so I had to swivel it pointing up or down to get it fully locked in, the area is just a little crowded
- There are no bands or magnetic clasps to keep the bike together once you’ve folded it down, consider using your own bungee cord or other straps to keep it from rattling and clunking around during transport
- Lack of suspension fork or seat post shock can make the ride a little stiff given the smaller 20″ wheels which tend to fall into cracks and potholes rather than spanning them, the sprung saddle and padded grips helps
Resources:
- Official Site: http://blixbike.com/collections/bikes/products/vikaplus-foldable
- More Pictures: https://goo.gl/photos/BNAYhpg3uBgr6epz8
Don Hall says
I bought this bike in mid-June 2016 to help with my commute in Seattle. At the end of my work day I have a long uphill ride back home that used to take me 20 minutes and really wear me out. Now I make it home in less than 10 minutes and I’m full of energy for the evening! Worth it just for that but now I’m even riding on the weekends and exploring the city.
This is more bike than I need for my 10-mile total daily commute. I usually only use 1 bar or 20% of the battery but I still recharge nightly. I hit the 17 mph motor cut-off at pedal assist level 3 and 7th gear on flat ground. Level 2 and 3 pedal assist are the fun gears where I feel the boost from pedal assist. The ride is a little bumpy but not bad at all. My top priority is making it up long hills with ease and this ebike delivers!
A couple of refinements I would like to see:
I love this bike and like sharing how fun it is with my friends and family. It really makes getting around fun again and I’m 52. Folding takes less than 2 minutes and it fits easily in the trunk of my Nissan Sentra. Court’s great review really helped and I got this great ebike at Seattle E-Bikes next door to CenturyLink stadium. Very nice people there!
Court Rye says
What a wonderful writeup Don! Thank you so much for taking the time to drop by and share. Your suggestions to the company were great, I’d welcome you to share how you reset the trip meter etc. and anything else that comes up in the future. Have a blast out there and ride safe :)
Don Hall says
Resetting the trip meter from the Blix team: Resetting the trip meter is an easy process, we’ll add this to our website shortly as we’ve seen some user manuals missing this piece of information.
Follow the steps below and it should take care of it:
Please let us know if there’s anything else we can assist with! Sincerely, The Blix Team
Court Rye says
This is great information, thanks for posting it Don!
Don Hall says
Blix Vika+ 90-Day Review. I have put 500 miles on this bike since mid-June and about to bring it in for its first tune-up. I have a 10-mile total daily commute to work and the bike is perfect for what I need. I love this bike. That said, here were my initial problems with the bike:
The motor is supposed to cut off around 17 mph but that is a very loose speed level. Sometimes the motor cuts off around 15 mph. The bike is most comfortable to ride (no stop and surge) between 15mph and 17mph. It’s a much more pleasant ride when I don’t try to push the bike too hard. So I’m often passed by regular bikes on flat ground, but only super strong riders pass me on any significant hills. This bike is still perfect for what I need – a boost uphill to my home at the end of the work day. I have much more energy for my evenings with this eBike.
In the meantime I have tried several other eBikes including the Kalkoff Sahel Compact, RadMini and RadWagon, Kalkoff Agattu 7, Easy Motion Xenion, and Cube Hybrid Touring 400. All very nice eBikes but I still prefer my Blix Vika+ for what I need. As I get in better shape and go for longer and longer rides beyond commuting I would definitely go to a mid-drive motor and 26″ to 29″ wheels.
I hope the tune-up sets the Blix Vika+ up for a long stretch of reliable service. The good folks at Seattle E-Bikes have done their best to fix my initial problems with the bike and I really appreciate their customer care. The quality of the shop adds so much value to your eBike experience. I’ll follow up with another review at the 1 year mark. Again, I love this Blix Vika+!
Court Rye says
I enjoyed your overview Don, very fair but detailed about what feels right and what needs extra attention. I look forward to your next update :)
Don Hall says
Blix Vika+ 6-month review. I have 1500 miles on the bike now and it is performing well and reliably. I know that rim brakes aren’t the best in wet weather but that liability is amplified by the 50 lbs. of this bike (and not my 190 lbs. :)) October featured a record 10 inches of rain in Seattle so I was pretty much riding the brakes all month and easily wore the original brake pads out. I upgraded my brakes to Avid SD-7s ($80 for the pair) and they are much better but not as good as disc brakes in the rain. It would be great if Blix could go to disc brakes on future models or come up with a way to get them on my bike.
Speaking of upgrades, I also changed the grips to Ergon GP1s ($30) and the saddle to a black leather Brooks Flyer ($135). These make the bike even more comfortable and cooler than it was. Most of my bike service and all of my upgrades were through my regular bike shop, Alpine Hut, three blocks from my office. Any motor issues need to go to Seattle eBike, but so far so good.
I was in Portland over Thanksgiving and tried a Brompton folding bike at Clever Cycles. Great store and a great bike but it is so hard to go slow again once you get used to an eBike. I think this Blix Vika+ is going to suit me for several years. Of course in two years eBike technology will probably change dramatically. Even Brompton is coming out with their eBike in 2017.
For my current 10-mile daily commute and hilly terrain, the Blix Vika+ continues to deliver more than I need. I never come close to draining the battery. The Blix Vika+ is a beautiful bike in my opinion. Every week I see more and more eBikes on the ferry during my commute home. Last week three eBikes passed me on the way home and we all laughed since the regular bikes were still humping up the hill. We’re usually the first ones home with no sweat.
I don’t fold the bike up very often since I’m able to park it in a secure bike storage room in our company’s garage. However, it was certainly handy on our Thanksgiving trip to Portland fitting easily folded up in the trunk of our car. For such expensive bikes, I think the best security is to fold it and keep it close by.
On a final note, I’ve fallen off the bike three times through stupid decisions (like trying to cross wet trolley tracks). Luckily no injuries to speak of but the bike is solid and absorbed the mini-crashes with no problem. I’m trying to be more careful.
These six months on the Blix Vika+ flew by and I’m still learning how to get the most out of this great bike. I’ll try to post one last update next June at the one year mark. Safe riding all!
Court Rye says
Great update Don! Enjoyed hearing about some of your upgrades and the shops you visited (and added some links to them). Definitely watch those train tracks… wet or otherwise, I’ve been nearly tipped myself crossing with ebikes on several occasions ;)
Eric S says
Thanks for the original review and 6-month update. By now you’ve had yours for nearly a whole year, and I hope it’s still going strong.
As someone who prefers not to drive to the point he doesn’t have a license, I’ve been looking forward to getting an e-bike of my own for the last coupe months since I found out they existed when trying to figure out a reliable way to get to work and stores in my public transportation-less neighborhood without mooching a ride off someone else.
I’d used this site and a couple others (wish I remembered their names right now, I’d like to recommend other sites too with e-bike reviewing sites being so few and far between) and after all my research, I’d decided the Magnum Premium was the bike for me- throttle, pedal assist, good range, folding, and aluminum frame in case of rain. Couldn’t find it though, no matter where I looked, so I never got to ride one.
I did, however, get to ride a Vika and a Magnum Mi5 at an e-bike shop in a nearby town, and decided if I couldn’t have a Magnum for one reason or another, I’d keep the Vika in mind.
Come this morning, I get a call from another bike shop I’d been waiting on to get a shipment of Magnums. Something about quality issues and dropping the brand, but recommended “Blix Plus or Traveler.”
Whaddaya know, those are both Vikas, and I know a place with several of those.
“Tomorrow, we ride!”
Looking forward to it. Gonna look into those upgraded batteries though- this’ll be my primary mode of transportation. (The folding is needed if I’m going to take it to a bus or train station.)
Don Hall says
Hi Eric,
When I got the Blix Vika+ I did like the fact that it folded. But over the course of a year I have only folded it 3-4 times. In fact, tomorrow I’m upgrading the folding pedals to something more substantial that doesn’t fold – Shimano Saint mountain bike platform pedals.
It is a great bike for my currently short commute to work (with a ferry ride in between). It has plenty of zip and battery capacity for my 10-mile daily ride. So if you’re going to use multiple means of transportation (trains and buses) a folding bike is the way to go.
Knowing what I know now about my riding habits, I would go for the Rad Power City bike instead. At $1500, it’s $200 less than what I paid for the Blix and is a full-sized bike with disc brakes and a more powerful motor. Disc brakes very useful here in the Seattle rainy season and full sized tires just roll so much smoother than my bumpy little Blix with its 20-inch wheels.
I still love the Blix and it definitely thrills everyone who tries it out. The 2017 Vika+ models now have a magnet that keeps the wheels together when folded and the high-range battery that gives you up to a 60-mile range is pretty cool. Good luck with your purchase and I hope you enjoy this bike as much as I do.
Don
Don Hall says
One Year Review: May 2017
I’ve put just over 3,000 miles on my Blix Vika+ since last June and the bike has required several repairs including a recent controller and display replacement but is working fine now. I’m bringing it it for an annual tune-up this Friday for a complete service including chain replacement, cable replacement, and whatever else it needs to make it as good as new.
The battery still has plenty of charge left in it after a year and I have been topping it off every night even only after a 10-mile daily ride. I used to take the battery off the bike each night to charge it but it is so much more convenient to charge the battery on the bike so I’ve been doing that for the last month.
I have tried several different saddles on the bike including a Brooks leather saddle and guess what? The original Velo plush saddle is by far the most comfortable for me on this bike. I put mountain bike platform pedals (Shimano Saint) on the bike and that really made pedaling more solid versus the original aluminum folding pedals. The bike still folds well despite not having the folding pedals.
So I love this bike but after a year of riding it I’m switching to a regular bike (Specialized Sirrus hybrid) for commuting. Why? I’m a kidney transplant recipient with limited energy and when I started commuting on a regular bike before the Blix I was suffering on the ride home at the end of the day. After a year and 3,000 miles on the Blix my fitness is now strong enough to move to the next level on a regular bike. The Blix has been a bridge to getting my strength and stamina back and now I want to continue building on that.
The Blix will now move to a back-up role for days when my regular bike is out of commission and as an extra bike for visitors. This bike has easily paid for itself in terms of commuting cost, and more importantly, time saved not having to take public transportation. It was also a great way for me to get back into cycling after 35 years.
I had the pleasure of meeting Pontus Malmberg, head of Blix US at the Seattle Bike show in March and told him I appreciated how responsive the company was to my various minor issues with the bike. I am a big fan of both my bike and the company behind it.
Court Rye says
Hi Don, I enjoyed reading about your experience with the Blix Vika+ and congratulations on building up your health and transitioning back to a traditional pedal-power bicycle. I love how light regular bikes feel after being on an ebike for a while. The Specialized Sirrus Hybrid is one of my favorite models, I used to own one for commuting to work. Anyway, ride safe and thanks again!
Don Hall says
Hi Court,
Well after two weeks of commuting on my new Specialized Sirrus hybrid bike guess what? I’m back on the Blix!!
I was certainly getting more exercise but it turned my commute into work instead of fun. I will just have to exercise in the mornings and weekends with my regular bike.
Best regards,
Don
Court Rye says
Hey Don! Well, I’m glad you’re on some kind of bike ;) the thing about electric is that it still gets out outside, improves balance, and is social. If you pedal a bit, even just for stretching, you still raise your heart rate and can burn some calories. Don’t be too hard on yourself, enjoy life :)
Jim says
I like my Blix Vika+. Been riding around 16 months … 4,ooo miles. Problems with the stem keeps coming loose every 1-2 miles. Hit big bumps seat moves back, must stop and fix. Range is barely 9-10 miles, which is a huge disappointment … !!! Even with pedal assist level 2, range is only 11-12 miles.
Court says
Oh man, thanks for the real-world feedback about range, Jim. Do you mind sharing a bit about the terrain, your weight, what levels of assist or throttle you use so people can better relate.