Tinker Vario vs Vektron s10

[Pcm]

Hi all,
I’m the happy owner of a Tern GSD for kid hauling. I’m looking into purchasing a second E-Bike, either folding or compact (must fit into a car trunk). folding would be nice but I’m not sure it’s an absolute necessity - that said, I’d be interested to hear from Vektron owners as to how often/in what circumstances they fold their bikes.
There is a good deal on a demo tinker nearby. The bike would be ridden throughout the winter (snow, salt). I tried it out and enjoyed it, but think I felt some drag - I was surprised that with the Cx motor, it wasn’t much peppier than my GSD (PerformanceLine).

Thoughts and opinions are welcome

 

[Pcm]

@Over50 , @dblhelix any thoughts? how often do you use the folding function, and how is the speed?

 

[carneyj725]

How much is Tinker ? I own Ariel M-Class which looks like Tinker and I seldom wish I could fold it. Especially after trying some folding bikes I feel I made the right decision by not buying a folding e-bike. If you need to carry your e-bike a lot (such as you do RV) then being foldable is a big plus. Otherwise really buy a compact e-bike.

 

[Pcm]

The Tinker would be the same price as the Vektron (its a demo). I have slight concerns with the N380 hub reliability but perhaps this is not a real issue.

 

[dblhelix]

@Over50 , @dblhelix any thoughts? how often do you use the folding function, and how is the speed?

It’s the ActiveLine Plus motor on the S10, not the Performance Line or CX. This should explain your ride experience. I don’t find that I need ”more torque” on the Vektron, FWIW.

I don’t fold it frequently, but I’m grateful for the folding capability when I need it. Real-life examples:

grocery stores (DC metro)
car trunk - to get over “no bikes” Chesapeake Bridge in MD. No rack needed, no hassle.
university library - left under table
various dining - ny/dc when I don’t like my odds leaving it outside

increasingly, places are disallowing ebikes indoors due to lithium concerns, I’ve found. I Put the battery in my backpack, fold up bike to smaller footprint and make the case for stashing it discreetly.

Ebikes are large. I have no flexibility with my R&M (Nevo). I’ve almost never had a problem making a case for the Vektron as needed. I am always happy to relax and not worry about theft because it’s nearby. That’s the value for me.

 

[Pcm]

Super helpful! What I meant actually was that I was surprised that the Tinker was not as zippy was I’d expected it to be. I won’t be able to try the s10 as nobody carries it here.

 

[dblhelix]

Super helpful! What I meant actually was that I was surprised that the Tinker was not as zippy was I’d expected it to be. I won’t be able to try the s10 as nobody carries it here.

Sorry, I misunderstood. The Tinker feels sluggish to you bc of the envolio hub, which I used to own on an R&M Charger. I love the belt on the Tinker you are considering, less excited about the envolio. The smooth twist-shifting is nice, but the range is somewhat limited depending on your terrain. The hub definitely makes for a ‘draggy’ riding experience as compared to derailleur/chain setup.

 

[dblhelix]

Super helpful! What I meant actually was that I was surprised that the Tinker was not as zippy was I’d expected it to be. I won’t be able to try the s10 as nobody carries it here.

Another consideration for you. The current S10 has the latest ActiveLine+. While less torque than the CX, the Tinker has the older Gen2 motor. The Vektron is easier (less motor resistance) to ride if you’re not using the battery.

 

[Pcm]

Great. Very informative! Did you get rid of your Charger due to the hub?
if there were an issue with the enviolo in a few years, is the hub replaceable by a different type of hub? I can’t imagine that they will continue to manufacture the enviolo for years to come.
I love the belt drive (particularly as I intend to ride in the winter) but like you, am not sold on the enviolo.

 

[dblhelix]

Great. Very informative! Did you get rid of your Charger due to the hub?
if there were an issue with the enviolo in a few years, is the hub replaceable by a different type of hub? I can’t imagine that they will continue to manufacture the enviolo for years to come.
I love the belt drive (particularly as I intend to ride in the winter) but like you, am not sold on the enviolo.

Yes, but note that I do a lot of touring with a loaded bike. The envolio was just missing on the low end, imo. I looked into switching to a Rohloff hub at the time, and it appeared to be very complicated and somewhat hit-and-miss.

The predecessor to the current iteration was called NuVinci. The branding has changed bc the original manufacturer went bankrupt. A Dutch company picked up the remains, changed the hub a bit, and slapped a new name on it while the NuVincis went on sale overseas at a good price, as I recall. If a new model hub comes out, the same thing will happen: you could pick up a spare at a discount. I don’t think spares would be my chief worry.

incidentally, there’s at least a 10-l15lb difference between the Vektron/Tinker, if that matters to you.

 

[Over50]

@Over50 , @dblhelix any thoughts? how often do you use the folding function, and how is the speed?

Prior to Covid I was folding the bike alot. I used the Vektron frequently to do a 1/2 work commute wherein I would load the Vektron in the back of our Hyundai Ioniq or Subaru and carpool with my wife to work. Her office is 2 miles from mine. Then I would do the full ride home or about 20 miles total. To me, 20 miles is about as much as I want to do on the Vektron in a single ride. I could handle 30 with a good break in the middle. To me it is ideal for the scenario I described of carpooling with my wife and then riding home. But it isn't great as a full-on commuter for a long distance commute imo. My full commute would be about 33-35 miles on average and I have done it on the Vektron and on the GSD. The GSD is more comfortable. But my preference for the full commute is a full-size bike. Post-Covid I have been work-from-home and have not needed the folding capability of my Vektron. I have ridden it quite a bit on just around-the-neighborhood rides of 10-20 miles per ride.

 

[Pcm]

Thanks @Over50 , this is helpful! Why would you opt for the full size? I find the GSD remarkably comfortable but will be in the same work/carpool situation so would like a compact or folder to fit in a trunk. I only have experience with 20" tires so am curious as to what a full sized bike would offer that a compact bike would not.

 

[Over50]

Thanks @Over50 , this is helpful! Why would you opt for the full size? I find the GSD remarkably comfortable but will be in the same work/carpool situation so would like a compact or folder to fit in a trunk. I only have experience with 20" tires so am curious as to what a full sized bike would offer that a compact bike would not.

Yes the GSD is plenty comfortable for a 40 mile ride. Sometimes on large potholes though it can feel like a rodeo horse. I just think a commuter bike with 650b or 700c wheels particularly if they are a wider than about 40s provides a more comfortable ride for longer distances (in addition to a faster ride - particularly if its a class 3). Probably a more efficient ride too if the ride position isn't as upright as the GSD's. My routine for commuting in summer was a couple of days per week on a regular commuter doing the full roundtrip and then 1 day per week on the GSD, Vektron or even my non-electric for a 1/2 commute. I always did full commutes on the GSD and usually on Fridays when I could take more time. I used the Vektron moreso at the end of the commuting season and at the beginning. This is because after October and prior to about April it would be dark (and perhaps very cold) going both directions. So I preferred the carpool to avoid at least one trip in the dark.

 

[Pcm]

So I preferred the carpool to avoid at least one trip in the dark.

Exactly my situation. Thanks so much for your input.

 

[Zenusb]

Hi there,

I have been looking for a folding e-bike and was about to get the S10. Just before ordering I still went to another shop and tried the Tinker a week ago.

I am now completely sold on the Tinker!! For the price difference, you get so much more: suspension, adaptability, higher torque, display, lock, nice style etc... The folded S10 is a cumbersome beast, while the Tinker is very slim when the handle is down. In addition, my posture on the S10 wasn't great (I am 6'4).

The only issue for me would be the CX motor which has a reduction gear, and would not be efficient at higher speeds. I am thus thinking about getting the High Speed version, even if this means having a regular chain. Alternatively, I may wait for the September model to see if they upgrade the motor.