The Van Mouf X3 is a commuter's dream if you dream of riding to work on a turbo boost and making sure your bike doesn't get stolen at any stop In addition to being fast and anti-theft, this bike looks great and is loaded with smart features not found on other electric bikes

I rode the VanMoof X3 around almost the entirety of Governors Island in New York City, biking straight roads along the waterfront, curvy turns, and a few hills As a traditionalist when it comes to bicycling, who likes to close the ring on my Apple Watch during a ride but welcomes help on the hills, the X3 strikes the ideal balance for me

Much of my experience is similar to what my university wrote in its review of the VanMoof S3 In this hands-on VanMoof X3 review, I'll discuss my other takeaways and everything else you might want to know about this city-certified, Dutch-designed e-bike

The VanMoof X3 is available now for $2,448, the same price as the VanMoof S3 In terms of features, the X3 and S3 are virtually identical, but they have different frames for different compatible height ranges The X3, which I rode, is for people 5' to 6'5" tall; the S3 is preferred by people 5'8" to 6'8" tall

The design language of the Van Mouffe X3 is obnoxiously Dutch, but that's not a bad thing The clean lines and matte black frame were incredibly cool It's hard to describe my taste on the Internet, but this e-bike is definitely my style

When powered on, a matrix display appears on the frame, allowing you to glance down while riding to check your speed or check the battery level Meanwhile, the buttons on the handlebars (horn on the left, turbo boost on the right) blend in so well that you don't notice them at first

The mudguards and kickstand also blend into the X3's design This is not much of a problem in paved city streets, but would be difficult on my local gravel roads The pedals are more firm and I found them large enough to stabilize my feet when I stood on them while riding I was not wearing my most athletic sneakers

The Van Mouf X3 can be used in pedal assist mode or you can press the throttle button when you want the bike to do all the work The maximum assist speed is 20 mph, which is the legal speed limit in the US, but too fast for quiet Governors Island But too fast for quiet Governors Island I drove smoothly at around 10 mph most of the time, except when I activated the turbo boost to go up small hills

Adding gears automatically adjusted the balance between the assist and my effort The app allows you to manually adjust to your preferred gear The app also tracks your ride and tells you how far the battery has to go before you start pedaling on your own; the X3 promises a range of 93 miles, but I was unable to test this on my ride

During the demo, I did not get to explore the most app features, but I did learn about a few that are relevant to my interests For example, I can lock and unlock my bike with my Apple Watch, which is useful when I have my phone tucked away in my bag I am always looking for new ways to use the Apple Watch, and since watchOS 8 tweaked the outdoor cycling algorithm to better evaluate e-bike rides, I was as interested in fitness tracking as the X3 itself

We also learned about anti-theft measures Not only is this bike integrated with Apple's Find My network, but it also has an alarm that goes off if the bike is moved after the Kick Lock is activated This is important for e-bike riding in the city

I look forward to spending more time with the VanMoof X3 for a review I didn't have to worry about assembly, charging, or battery depletion during the demo ride, but these user experiences are probably important to know before purchasing But when it comes to having fun, getting around quickly, and caring about style (which I do), the VanMoof X3 looks like it could be an attractive e-bike