Ebike Industry Updates

The subject of ride quality is less measurable than the performance highlighted by our previous test sections, but it is no less important. We use the term to encompass all aspects of the bike that contribute to its feel and operation. Overall, the Vika X’s ride quality was excellent, but let us break down the details below.

As with most folding e-bikes, the Vika X is offered in a single frame size with a wide range of accommodation for riders of different heights. Blix advertises the bike as suitable for those from 4’10” to 6’2”; it features 12” of adjustment in saddle height and 6” in handlebar height to adapt to its rider’s size and preferred riding position.

At 5’11”, I am near the top of the bike’s recommended height range. The bike fit me well with room to spare; I had great leg extension and a comfortable handlebar height with a roomy-but-not-too-stretched reach. The bike’s saddle and grips felt cushy and enjoyable to use for long periods of time.

Due to its torque sensor, the ride experience felt natural and responsive. The bike’s handling was quick and had an airy quality that I attribute to its low weight and minimalistic frame. Bumps were noticeable due to the absence of a suspension, but the bike’s 20×2.4” tires provided stability, grip, maneuverability, and a small bit of cushion.

One tradeoff of the light frame to be aware of is the Vika’s somewhat modest payload capacity. At 312 lbs, it is still substantial but somewhat less than we have seen on some other recent folding e-bikes.

At this point, I’ve talked ad nauseum about the bike’s power, so let’s focus on comfort, handling, and value.

The bike was a pretty comfortable ride, which is impressive given that I rode nearly exclusively on rocky, bumpy, sandy trails. The terrain was anything but easy breezy, but the bike kept me comfortable the whole time. That’s thanks to a combination of the frame, suspension, and tires.

The long wheelbase feels planted and stable. Overall, it’s nice, but it’s almost excessive. With the significant spacing between the rear tire and the linkage, CYKE could afford to shave down an inch to tighten the backend up just a bit with shorter chainstays and seatstays. That would help reduce the chain slap and make the bike a touch better when handling corners, but consider this an area of suggested improvement rather than pointing out a problem.

The geometry is fairly slack, and the body posture felt comfortable as a result. It’s in line with today’s frame geometry standards.

The 4.8″ MAXXIS tires have held up nicely throughout our testing. Even the sandy, washed-out areas I typically steer clear of on an eMTB weren’t an obstacle for this bike. The extra tire width helped me float over them more easily.

Ride quality encompasses many aspects of the Turbo Vado SL 2 and how it feels to ride. We found its overall ride quality to be excellent, but I will break down each element of the ride in detail; this will likely be one of the longest sections of the review.

The bike is offered in 4 frame sizes (S, M, L, and XL). We did not receive information about the recommended height ranges for each, but we think it’s safe to assume that they should not deviate much from the original Turbo Vado. As such, we could expect the height ranges to be 5’1-5’5” (S), 5’5”-5’10” (M), 5’10”-6’1” (L), and 6’1”-6’4” (XL).

We tested the Large frame, which felt sized properly for me (at 5’11”) and our other test riders, who are between 5’10” and 6’1” —as expected based on the original’s sizing.

In terms of contact points, I appreciated the 680-mm handlebars and ergonomic grips. Saddle shape and style are largely up to personal preference; I initially liked the standard saddle but found it firm after roughly an hour on the bike, so I would likely trade it for something different.

I appreciated the fact that pedals were included on a bike of this caliber; many bikes in this price range often require them to be selected and added separately. The included pedals generally worked well, but I would likely still replace them with something with more grip and a larger platform.

It isn’t quite as fast on long, sustained climbs on double-track roads, but it shines in a way unique from many other esteemed mid-drives in its low cadence capabilities. If you’re ever guilty of bad shifting habits and not downshifting properly, this is the type of motor you’ll love as it’ll make up for those tendencies. You’ll also notice it if you lose some momentum before starting a climb; that’s where you’ll really appreciate the power this motor has.

This differs from other motors where it seems like power levels build up and peak in the high cadence. It’s somewhat an inverse of expectations, but it gives it a unique property we liked once we adapted to it.

The motor has five different assist modes: ECO, Standard, High, MTB, Extra-Power, and an adaptive mode that’ll try to assist you by spanning across the middle three PAS levels.

Personally, I didn’t sync up too well with the adaptive mode and largely used the same two or three settings on most of my rides, but it’s worth playing with to see if it works better with your pedal cadence.

Each assist level feels distinct with nice, incremental improvements to work with. The motor itself has a little quirk to it, it feels a bit twitchy when doing trackstands. You can feel a bit of a vibration through the cranks as the motor wants to engage. It’s something you quickly get used to, but it might catch you by surprise on your first couple of rides.