Tern Vektron Folding eBike Review

The Tern Vektron is one of only two bikes that we offer that falls into the category of Folding Electric. It's packed with lots of features that you may not expect, which come together to make a unique bicycle. Find out more about who this bike is suited for and what it's capable in the full review below.

 

What's it made for?

This bike is made for anyone who needs a compact ebike, but wants the capabilities of a full size ebike. By integrating the Bosch Active Line Plus motor system, this bike offers a fully powered ebike experience comparable to any other ebike in our line up, for all of your recreational and commuting needs. with it's high volume tyres and stable handling, it's able to tackle lots of riding varying from gravel roads to full tarmac. It's great bike to share with others too, as it's designed to be highly adjustable to fit a range of people. On top of this, this bike offers Utility bike capabilities. It's integrated rear rack is strong enough to carry a child and there's the option to attach a frame mounted front rack for further cargo capabilities in the front.

 

     

A view of the cockpit of the bike, where you can see the unusual stem design, which allows the height of the handlebar to be easily adjusted to fit riders of different sizes. You can also see all of the usual ebike controls, including the Purion display for controlling your pedal assistance on the left, the switch for turning the lights on and off in the middle, and the bell/gears on the right.

 

 

HOW DOES IT RIDE?

One of the best features of this bike is considering how small it packs down to, it feels very similar to ride as a regular bike! The Bosch Active Line Plus motor system offers smooth, responsive and natural power delivery through the gears, and the positioning of the motor and battery means that the bike is very balanced in its handling. The 20" wheels are small and it is noticeable, but paired with the wide tyres the bike feels stable and planted on the ground. The wide tyres also mean the bikes happy to roll over some light off road trails without any issues. The smaller wheels also allow the bike to have a lower centre of gravity, making the bike handle predictably even with a load attached. It's on the lighter end of the spectrum for fully powered ebikes as well, due to its compact frame design, which means ride-able without the assistance on flat sections of road, and is easily able to be picked up and put in a car boot.  

 

     

The Vektron comes with nicely integrated lights front and rear which you can turn on via the switch on the back of the headlight.

 

WHAT MAKES IT SPECIAL?

What sets this bike apart from its nearest competitors is its ability to carry stuff, for city and touring use. Its design as a utility cargo bike makes it extremely capable, whether you're wanting to take it away with you to ride some rail trails or you're just wanting to get the weight off your back for your morning commute. This is seen in the integration of the reinforced rear rack that's able to take up to 27 kilos and the inclusion of a frame mount to allow you to attach a front rack, as seen below. This further increases the practicality and capability of this bike, especially for running day to day errands. As we touched on above, it's high adjustability in the seatpost and handlebars means it can fit people between a stated height range of 147-195cm, which is a massive range for any given bike. 

 

HOW DOES IT STACK UP?

This bike is pretty much in a class of its own, both in terms of practicality and performance. In the limited market of folding ebikes, there are very few options that come with good, mid drive motors, let alone a Bosch system. Bosch are known for their quality control, and these motors are designed to last well into the future and will hold great resale value. On top of this, if this bike also needs to be able to carry a child or a big load of groceries - then this is one of the best bikes you can get. This is why we love this bike, as it packs so much into such a small package, and comes in at a price point that isn't even much more expensive than our entry level ebikes. If you live in an apartment and need to get your bike up an elevator, don't have suitable parking for your bike at work or simply want a bike you can take away on holiday with you in your campervan, then we recommend you pop in a take this bike for a spin!

 

For more information on our electric folding bikes and the Tern Vektron, click the button below. Thanks for reading!