GoKawiilIt’s important to get a wide range of testers on every electric bike we test. While I was wheeling the Momentum Vida E+ out of my garage to bike with my kids to school, I made an audible “oof” sound. “Mommy?” my daughter asked, perched atop her very light and maneuverable Woom 5 Explore. “Is that bike really heavy?”
At almost 62 pounds, Momentum’s commuter bike is pretty heavy. Weight matters less to my fellow testers, who are over 6 feet tall and have ridden comparable bikes like the Aventon Level 3. For them, a bigger bike that can carry a heavier payload is more important. But for me—5'2" and 115 pounds—a lighter bike is not just more comfortable, it’s also safer. It’s harder for someone of my size to get 80 pounds of bike and assorted gear moving. It would also hurt a lot more if it fell on me when I misjudged a curb.
All that is to say, if you’re an entry-level biker or a not-extremely-large person, I would still recommend something lighter, like our top electric bike, the Trek FX+ 1, or even Momentum’s own Voya line. Still, size aside, this bike has quality components and is very comfortable to ride. It has a lot to recommend it.
Motor Mania
Photograph: Adrienne So
Momentum is Giant’s lifestyle ebike brand, the same way that Trek owns Electra Bicycles. (I also like recommending long-time bicycle manufacturers like Giant, Trek, and Specialized because it tends to be easier to get your bike repaired in their dealer networks.) For this latest update, Momentum switched from the original mid-drive motor to a new 500-watt SyncDrive S rear hub motor.