Vamos Bikes El Rapido

A great first e-bike option with decent range and power – This is Vamos’ most popular electric bike and it’s designed with first-time e-bike riders in mind. I wanted to test my very first e-bike with this exact model. Vamos sent the bike over to me, I took delivery, and built and lived with the El Rapido to see if it really is the ideal choice for those looking to electrify their cycling commute. … Read more

There are two models of El Rapido to choose from: a 50km+ range El Rapido which is priced at $1,995 and a 65km+ range model priced at $2,195.

Having a quick look across what else is available at this price, this is a fair starting price. Sure, it’s a little more expensive than a regular e-bike, but there are plenty of features here that help justify that price.

The bike comes mostly preassembled, requiring only 30-40 minutes of your attention to finish the build. It comes with a bell, inbuilt lights and mud guards, disc brakes, a Shimano gear set, inbuilt mud guards and chain guard, seat suspension and adjustable front suspension.

You can’t forget that Vamos thoughtfully includes a bell and keychain to keep all four keys to this bike’s battery pack together too.

It certainly feels like a complete bike, making it a great ‘out of the box’ starter commuter bike.

The El Rapido features a 250W Bafang electric hub motor found on the rear wheel. Depending on whether you opt for the standard or long range battery, you’re getting a 13v/10.4ah or 13v/13ah Samsung battery pack.

You’ll easily have enough range to commute to and from the office. And in case you don’t, it’s easy to remove the battery pack and take it into your office to charge back up.

The charger was just a bit too bulky for my liking, meaning it’ll take up a bit of space in your backpack if you plan on carrying it around with you.

Charging will take up to 4-5 hours for a full charge.

That 250W hub motor provides plenty of push for the daily commute. You can cruise at speeds of up to 29km/h as indicated by the LCD display, with the El Rapido requiring little effort on flat surfaces.

However, if you want to rely on the motor alone for steeper inclines, you’ll be a bit disappointed there. Instead, you’ll need to rely on the pedal assist feature to get you to the top.

The build process was fairly effortless. The bike was covered entirely in zip ties, and removing these takes the bulk of your assembly time.

I’d highly recommend watching the build video before commencing, as it’ll lay out everything you need to put it all together, and will help you avoid any awkward interruptions to make trips to the local hardware store.

I bought a commuter bike a few years ago, and found it a bit stiff in comparison to this bike. Honestly, if you need to ride in every day to work and don’t feel like changing and showering afterwards, the El Rapido offers a halfway solution.

If your commute is relatively flat or you’re okay with a slower ride, you can avoid the sweat. But if you’re heading up hills, you’re still going to need to pump your legs for that pedal assist. I can tell you now, it’s still far less of a workout than your traditional push bike.

I found the El Rapido to be extremely comfortable thanks to seat suspension and adjustable front shocks. I especially loved being able to keep a cruising speed with the throttle and then quickly build speed.

I rode the El Rapido through a dense rain storm and found it to still provide plenty of grip and live up to the claim that it’s weatherproof.

In comparison to the bike I bought in 2020, I’d easily say the El Rapido is worth the extra $1200 if you commute most days with a bike.

I can see why this bike gets overwhelmingly positive reviews: it’s so simple to operate and is a proper commuter entry-level spec e-bike.

I wouldn’t say this would be the best solution for those looking to spend upwards of $5000 on a more refined and powerful e-bike. Rather, it’s a great option for those 'umming' and 'ahhing' over whether to jump on an electric powered two-wheeler.

Sure, it’s not the coolest looking e-bike you can buy, but it’s function over form in this case. If you’re looking for an ideal commuter bike that’ll require nothing more than just just a simple assembly, the El Rapido fits the bill.

*Disclaimer - I work for ProductReview as their independent car and motorbike expert. I borrow new cars and motorbikes from manufacturers and owners to review. I am not paid or incentivised by these brands to post reviews. I write and create content to provide insight and information about any new or used vehicle I can get my hands on. Or in this case, an e-bike.

Even kookaburras like to ride a Rapido – In my research during the first Covid lockdown, I kept on coming back to the Rapido as the best quality-for-price “town” eBike even though it wasn’t then in stock. Although I have a much loved Giant 880 front suspension mountain bike, which I rode across Spain following the Camino de Santiago, my view was a different form of bike was needed in… Read more

response to the pandemic (i.e., avoiding public transport; being able to cycle in good clothes; rack for bag/shopping …).

I’m so glad I joined the list and waited for the new model with front suspension to arrive in the country.

Vamos Bikes Rapido 2021 ticks all the boxes for being the perfect “town” bike, and Conrad and Michael’s approach to customer service is just great.

It has been almost a year since taking delivery and zipping about on my red Rapido continues to bring much joy.

And as discovered at a recent picnic in Centennial Park, even kookaburras like to ride the Rapido 2021!