Cafe

2nd year with my cafe, commute is still a blast. I wore through the original tires, tried slightly knobby, big mistake! A huge reduction in battery range. Put on some Schwalbe Marathons, and the battery loves them. Earlier, I had an issue with the original battery, I think. Vintage was awesome about taking care of it.

I bought it in January and started riding in February. Now my commute is a high point of my day. It's 22.5 miles, a 45-mile round trip. There's a 1400 ft elevation gain on the homeward leg and a 1000 ft elevation gain in the AM. I use levels 1-3 on the way, and 1-4 going home. Each way I run through at least 60% of the battery, so I bring the charger. I can get to work in 70 minutes, and 90 minutes going home. I do this twice a week. I'm 61, 6'1", 195#, so I bought the large. I'm right at the minimum insertion line, so I wish the seatpost were a little longer. So will you if you are taller than 6'. An aftermarket post won't cut it, I like the rear light. Is there a way to keep the lights on even in daylight? There seems to be an automatic shut-off. You've got to understand, this is the most fun I've ever had in my long history of commuting by bike. You should buy one of these.

Just so happy I got one..

Loving the Cafe- took a leap of faith since I couldn’t test ride and couldn’t be happier. It’s every bit as beautiful in person as in the pictures and an absolute joy to ride for my bike commute. Seeing as how I’m nowhere near a dealership, the team in CA was able to help me with sizing and accessories over the phone and responded quickly when I had a minor issue with the charger, overnighting me a replacement. The bike was delivered to my doorstep in perfect condition thanks to the good folks at Kitzuma. Great experience all around.

I purchased a Cafe because I wanted to get back to riding a bicycle. I'm an engineer, getting upward in age and I gave up on riding regular bicycles. When I purchased this ebike it changed my lifestyle. I ride almost every day. My neighbor bought a Cafe and we both are hooked on riding. It' nothing but fun to ride. This bike is well engineered for stability and speed, and looks cool to boot. I've had it for 1-1/2 years and it got me through Covid. Like the Vintage brochure says, "it has smile inducing speed'. And the controller combined w/ torq/cadence sensor is the best on the market for a rear wheel drive in my opinion. It's very adjustable and senses when you want to back off on power to get more exercise, or if you are wanting to add power to help climb hills or cruise along for the enjoyment of riding. My only suggestion for improvement, which is minor, is possibly increasing the battery size, although I rarely exhaust a full charge.

And the components hold up extremely well. Vintage backs up their bicycles with their warranty and service department. I have only changed brake pads and rotors so far and they were very responsive to my needs.
My hats off to Vintage for a great product.

Back in December I got a full knee replacement and I'm just on the tail end of a long a painful recovery. I still limp occasionally and cycling has not been an option for me .. until now.

I've been looking at e-bikes for a while and finally pulled the trigger. This morning I rode the entire greenway and it was awesome. My bike doesnt have a throttle, like some models, but only "pedal assist" .. level 1 is all I need to help my knee out a bit. Level 3 is super fast. Level 5 is just nuts and a bit scary.

This is an excerpt of my email to "Eddie" @ Vintage after he sent me an email asking how I liked my bike:

First, wow. Buyer's remorse: LEVEL ZERO. Love this thing already. Thanks for putting together a great product.

Second: Matthew at Kitzuma delivered my bike. What a great ambassador! You guys definitely chose the right partner to represent your brand.

Third: This email you just sent me as a follow-up says a lot about your culture. Can't wait to recommend your products to my friends.

Loving my new Vintage Electric Bike!

I could tell you about the superb construction, fit and finish of the frame. Or the fact that Vintage uses quality components throughout. Or, on level 1 assist I can cruise at 22-24 mph, and Level 3 has more power than I’ll probably ever use. I could tell you that the customer service is excellent, real people answer the phone and they deliver your bike to you, assembled and ready to ride. All this is true. But what really matters to this 62 year old former competitive cyclist is how this bike makes me feel: cruising open roads in the morning, riding thru the city to my favorite diner, biking to work instead of driving the car. I come home grinning like a kid at Christmas. It’s an absolute joy to ride.

As a long time biker who took a chance on its looks and it's performances I could not have done any better with any other choice extremely well made and so much fun to ride and to be made to feel like a part of a family from the guys who came up with this bike made it a pleasure to purchase it this vintage electric bike is worth every Penny!

I purchased the Cafe as a commuter bike to work (6.9 miles each way with several significant hills). Being 67 and have not ridden a bike in 3 decades, I knew that I need a bike that could give assist when needed and yet let me do the work so that I am getting real exercise. I am happy to stated that the the Cafe not only meets my criteria, but exceeds them by a wide margin. First is how smoothly it transitions to different power levels. After a few minutes of riding I quickly mastered the assist. Next came the hill climb, I would estimate at 15%. Frankly, I was scared but as the bike slowed down, I just cranked the assist from level 2 up to 3, then 4, then 5. I was dumbfounded that I was actually accelerating up the steepest hill in Red Wing. Next was the speed test. I have hit 30 on level ground but found sustainable speed to be about 25-26 mph on level 5. Ironically, level 1 speed is about 18 to 22 mph, and boy does that extend your range. Range is about what they suggest, but a bit on the generous side. However, if you wait a few hours, the batter perks up a notch or two. For the last two weeks of my daily commute, 90% of my assist is at level 1, with 5 % on downhills, and 5% on uphills, typically averaging 20 mph. Handling is excellent. Three weeks later, I have 130 miles. and no regrets. Vintage team was spot on, and most helpful with excellent communication. Bonus, you will get more compliments than you ever imagined. Cons? Sorry, I have only praise.

After riding nearly 1,500 miles since last June -- I love my Cafe. The Cafe makes my daily 30 mile roundtrip commute an enjoyable ride. The Cafe's versatility gives me the option of a workout or an easy cruise -- and sometimes at the same time! And my wife loves her's too! Great bike and great company -- thank you for crafting such a great machine.

This bike is a winner. Well made with extra touches that go beyond expectations. Nuts and bolts far better than what the competition uses suggests a higher quality and trouble free structural performance. Protective tape where scratches are most likely to occur will prevent a lot of accidental scratches. Materials in the seat, paint, handlebars and assembly that say quality was as important as profit. Customer service that sets a world standard. In every way the company and its products are every bit as good as one might expect at any price. When it comes to performance, how do I slow it down? Even on the lowest power it screams down the road in bike terms like my Porsche is to a sports car. I wish the company success; they have put in the effort to make their customers happy and deliver a great product.

I saw on my Apple news app a piece on the Vintage Electric Bikes that peaked my interest. I wrote to the company asking them a total of eight questions on a specific model I had in mind. Eddie responded to each question and actually answered the questions with real answers. Obviously, Eddie won't be running for public office, but let me go even further, I expressed the model that held the most interest and he said that he would like for me to call him. First time I called, I got him and he shared why a less expensive bike was a better choice. Not only did he answer my question, he went further and explained in detail why this less expensive bike was the better choice. In fact, I could almost buy one for me and one for my wife for the savings from my first choice. Anyway, I have not purchased a bike yet, but I can tell you that his recommendation is now tops my list when MN thaws out next spring. My take is this, Vintage has my best interest at heart, what more could I hope for from any supplier of eBikes. Thanks Vintage.

I have had the Cafe in it's vintage red livery for a few weeks, and this bike is absolutely AMAZING! I have three other e-bikes--all of which have equal or higher price tags--but the Cafe is the bike that I choose to ride over the others. It is just so fun to ride, and so cool looking. And I assure you, this bike has some power! Level 5 is almost too powerful, so I spend most of my time in level 3 to preserve the battery life. You can still easily hit full speed on level 3, and even level 2. This bike is rock solid as well--no squeaks or rattles. Excellent build quality. Eddie was extremely helpful when I called, so purchased it on the spot, site unseen! WELL DONE guys!

I love my Café! I love to jump on it … and just go. Savor the simple joy of riding a bicycle. It helps that the bike itself is beautiful. And part of that beauty - for me - is the intelligent design and engineering. The electric assist is a game-changer for an older guy like me. I can attack hills and long rides without hesitation. In a way, Vintage Electric has enabled me to feel like a kid again.

I'm the proud new owner of a Cafe pedal assist electric bike from Vintage Electric.

Some background: I've spent a good part of my (longish) life on a bike. Paper route as a kid/preteen, triathlons in the 80s/90s, mountain biking since the late 80s, bike commuter for the past 6 or 7 years, basically do as much travel on a bike as I am able to. I've currently got four of my own bikes, all of which I ride for different purposes.

The Cafe is not only a beautifully performing bike, it's also just plain beautiful. This bike looks like a retro cruiser but performs like a race car!

This is a pedal-assist electric bike - you have to pedal to make it go. You have 5 levels of assist to choose from and even though I'm an experienced road and mountain bike cyclists, levels 4 and 5 go so fast, I'm a little nervous about using them. The battery is removable in case you need to lock up for a while in a public place.

I'm currently doing a 24-mile round trip commute on this bike and couldn't be happier.

The sales and development staff were awesome during both my test ride visits.

If you're in the Bay Area and in the market for an ebike, and if you love bikes, I definitely recommend you checking out VE!

Customer service is quick and efficient, you always get a person. been commuting 15 miles round trip for the last 2 weeks on a sleek new Café model. it's my only experience with e-bikes but they've set a pretty high bar with ease of use, style, and power. hills are a breeze and cruising is effortless.

I have been living in Brixton in London Uk for the last 30 years and I am also a very happy (non driving) cyclist and cycling instructor. In April of this year I started to look online for another ebike with a view to buying a machine with a more road orientated ride style and commuter friendly package. I was immediately drawn to the Cafe with my online searches and was delighted to find that it is stocked in London by Fully Charged at London Bridge. After a visit to the shop and much more research online the Cafe became a total 'must have' for me.
The first 20 mile ride was pure joy and adrenalin and I was pleased to see that in power setting 3, I managed 17 miles distance with only half of the battery used...London is largely flat apart from the bridges and the north and south rims of the basin.
I've only taken the Cafe out twice so far, but I can already see that this bike is absolutely the best thought-out, designed and made bicycle that I have ever owned...everything is perfect! Just to add here that at 55 years old I do not hold a driving license - and am in no hurry to hold one or have the stress and costs of running one of those metal box dinosaurs in a large city like London - and that I am able to run a construction business from a bicycle...cargo bicycles next!!
If you've been looking at this bike and reading reviews and trying to decide whether it's worth it?...it sooooo is!! Just buy one...life is way too short to not have ridden a Cafe xx

I live in Vancouver Canada and saw a Vintage Electric Cafe at a local park, so talked to the owner and he referred me to the Canadian distributor, Vintage Iron Cycles here in town. I knew right away after a test ride that this was the right e-bike for me, so my order went in the next day... medium frame Cafe in Skyline Bronze.

Here in Vancouver the cycling infrastructure here has improved to the point where cycle commuting and recreational riding make a lot of sense. It's a city of lots of hills, so the electric assist is great to smooth them out and make cycling fun and easy. I use the five levels of electric assist in conjunction with the ten derailleur gears to balance out self-propulsion with assisted propulsion... that way I get the exact amount of exercise I want without strain, sweat, etc. I've been using it for commuting 12 km each way, and arriving fresh in my business clothes. The cross-town trip on bike routes is often faster on the Cafe than it is by car. And more fun.

The aesthetics and build quality of the bike get lots of compliments. It's a great bike!

I'm a boomerang Boise resident (left and came back) and one of the things I love best about my town is how bike-friendly it is. That said, its also growing like crazy and we bought a house about 9 miles from downtown. There are a LOT more cars on the road and parking is a pain....so suffice it to say that the CAFE is my Boise transportation choice. And I love it so much. I ride it work, I ride it to BBQs, I ride it for fun, to the gym, to the grocery store.... you get the idea. Barely ever to I go above level 2 assist unless I'm in a hilly part of town or need to catch a light as I love to pedal and get my heart rate up a little- but still- I average a speed that exceeds what other e-bikes do. And I definitely make it work faster on the cafe than in a car. And I have WAYYYYYY more fun, to be sure. Also- I work at a bike shop and I work with some the best mechanics anywhere and they are in awe of this bike. Each of them admires it for their own reason, but overall- they love that it is built with care and well-thought-out in every detail. I am proud to ride this beauty. I'm not even going to tell you how fast I have gone on this bike, because, well, its crazy fast.... If you are thinking about getting a Cafe- just do it already. Compared to what else is on the market in the price range- it is a no-brainer. DO it.

Wasn't around when the shirt pocket or the bread slicer was invented, but sure glad I'm around to see the Cafe' bike from Vintage! It's amazing! We live in hilly Jefferson City, MO and were somewhat limited to riding the greenway and other flat trails around town. This thing changes all that! My wife and I can go anywhere and get all the exercise we want. A friend bought one last fall and put me on to Eddie at Vintage. When spring came, Eddie sent me a reminder, we ordered, got the bikes in about two weeks and have been enjoying them ever sense. We're both mid sixties and the Vintage Electric Bikes let us feel 30 again! It's an investment no doubt, but to us, it's well worth it. Thanks Eddie!

I have used the Café for one year and over 1000 miles. The construction is rock solid and the performance spectacular. The bike is very good off road/on dirt. The Café is an excellent value and will meet high expectations. The customer service has been excellent.

just picked up my VEB Cafe from my local bike shop and all the guys came out to tell me what a quality bike it is, and how much i would love it.
I rode it a bit, felt like a dog with his head out the window!
but then had to share my excitement with Eddie from Vintage, who had helped me and practically guaranteed me that i would be excitedly writing him back when i got it.

just get the thing

San Diego has lots of hills ... some small . Some pretty steep
Took a ride to Little Italy
Really steep long hill coming hom
Used 3 level power (1 to 6)
No problem for this baby!
Still had most of battery after the 8 mile round trip
Had some technical question ... called and got answers from zAch others at the shop
Not “jumpy” at stArt or stops
I forgot how much it cost after the first rude 😎