Category: VanMoof

I do not guarantee that the steps shown here are correct and complete. This is not an official guide, but merely an aid documenting my experience.

As I couldn't find any instructions on the Internet on how to remove and replace the fixed battery on the VanMoof Electrified S1, here are some brief instructions on how to proceed.

When taking a closer look at the bike, many people usually try to remove the lower cover on the frame and simply pull on the battery. However, unlike later VanMoof generations, the cabling on the S1 was primarily implemented with fixed plugs, so simply pulling on the battery can quickly lead to damage such as a cable break in the frame of the bike.

Tools required

Fortunately, you don't really need any special tools for disassembly:

A simple bit set like this one is all you need. Important: You will need safety Torx to loosen the existing screws

WORKPRO screwdriver bit set 43 pcs. with mini reversible ratchet 1/4″ drive, reversible ratchet 60 teeth, screwdriver bit set with ratchet and quick-change bit holder for gadgets, cars, houses, machines

• 𝐒𝐜𝐡𝐫𝐚𝐮𝐛𝐞𝐫𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐳 𝐦𝐢𝐭 𝐮𝐦𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐭𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐞𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐭𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞- The 9cm long mini reversible ratchet with 60 teeth works at a 6-degree operating angle, enabling a greater reach, is perfect for tight work spaces. And the changeover lever moves smoothly and allows easy directional change for left and right rotation.

18,99 EUR

Buy at Amazon

Letzte Aktualisierung am 14.12.2025 / Werbung / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API

Tweezers or other tool to grip the plugs and cables in the narrow space of the frame

SPEEDWOX needle nose pliers, 6″, mini needle nose pliers, extra long tip, precision pliers, thin flat jaws, micro-functional precision wire loops, fine pliers with spring, jewelry making tool

• Tips: 54 mm conical jaws can be used for working in hard-to-reach places and tight spaces. Please confirm that the size of the tips is suitable for your work before purchasing.

7,89 EUR

Buy at Amazon

Letzte Aktualisierung am 14.12.2025 / Werbung / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API

Optional: An endoscope camera

A really practical tool for locating plugs and cables in a confined space. Not absolutely essential, but now so inexpensive that it was worth buying for this and future projects.

Offer

1920P HD Dual Lens Snake Inspection Endoscope, Pancellent Type C Endoscope, Scope Camera with 8 LED Lights for Android and iOS Smartphone, iPhone, iPad, Samsung(5M) YP105-TWO

• [Wide compatibility] The latest version of the endoscope works with Android 4.4+ and iPhone with iOS 9+ system. With iPhone/micro USB adapter. Important note: Only suitable for Android smartphones/tablets with OTG and USB-UVC function. It is recommended to install the free app "USB OTG CHECKER" to check OTG before purchase. iPhone simply plug in and go. Not suitable for computers.

26,64 EUR

Buy at Amazon

Letzte Aktualisierung am 14.12.2025 / Werbung / Bilder von der Amazon Product Advertising API

How to remove the battery

1. remove display

The first step is to remove the combination of charging socket and power button on the underside of the frame. At the same time, the display on the top of the frame also comes off so that we can remove both.

Attention: There is an antenna cable on the display, which must be removed with particular care!

After we have removed both, some plugs and cables become visible in the frame.

2. loosen all plug connections

Before the connectors can be disconnected, we need to pull them out of the frame through the lower opening so that we can access the connectors more easily. To do this, use long nose pliers or, like me, tweezers.

Tip: You can carefully push the SmartUnit a few centimeters backwards in the frame, which will give you a little more space in the front area to loosen the plugs or even get them out of the frame. But don't push it too far back so that you can move it back into the correct position later.

And another tip: Mark the plug connections with a highlighter or felt-tip pen so that you can clearly assign the plugs again later.

With a bit of fiddling you can get all the plugs down and out of the frame:

If you were able to disconnect all connections, the result should look something like this:

3. remove the handlebars and front fork from the frame

In order to have enough space to remove the battery cables, we recommend removing the front fork. In doing so, we also pull the motor cable out of the frame. The battery cables run very close to the handlebars, which is why I think it makes sense to remove the entire fork with the handlebars. This is the only way we can be sure not to damage any cables when removing the battery later.

To remove the fork, first remove the handlebars. To do this, loosen the top screw:

Please use a ratchet for this 🫠 Unfortunately, I didn't have one to hand at the time

Next, loosen the handlebars:

The rings can be easily removed from the top:

We then remove the front brake calliper to separate the front wheel from the handlebars:

To access the cables in the frame from the front, we also remove the front light:

The fork can then be pulled downwards out of the frame with a lot of back and forth. As mentioned at the beginning, the motor cable is also pulled out of the frame. So be careful here too, so as not to damage any of the cables. In my case, the cable initially got caught in the frame and I had to help a little. It might have been easier if I had turned the bike over first. Sooner or later, however, both can be separated, as can be seen in the video:

4. deflate the rear wheel

The battery needs enough space so that it can be pulled downwards out of the frame. Unfortunately, without letting the air out of the rear tire, it is in the way:

5. remove battery cover

The battery cover is located on the underside of the frame. There is a screw on the right and left, as well as in the middle. Once these have been removed, the battery is revealed:

6. pull the battery downwards out of the frame

In the last step, we can now carefully pull the battery out of the frame with a little patience. Make sure that the cables in the upper part of the frame move downwards without resistance and help a little if necessary:

Now you can start with the repair or replacement. As always, reassembly is carried out in reverse order. You have to be even more careful with the cables when reassembling and guide them skillfully through the frame so that they end up back in their original place. This is where the endoscope camera I mentioned at the beginning helps enormously.

Do you have any questions or tips for installing and removing the battery? Please write them in the comments below and I will add them to the article.

This is what a Bafang G313.250 from a 2017 VanMoof Electrified S1 looks like from the inside.

This engine was driven for approx. 11,000 km and was still ready to drive without any problems. However, as I had problems with the speed measurement via the integrated Hall sensor in the meantime, I dismantled it.

🚨 The article is constantly being completed and updated.

After my first-generation VanMoof from 2017 provided motor support for a short time after setting off, but then unfortunately continued to ride without support after a few seconds, I started my research to repair my bike.

During my research, I noticed some differences between the 2016 and 2017 generations, which I would like to list in this article for all people who are also trying to repair their first-generation VanMoof.

Feel free to write a comment telling us what other differences you are aware of so that we can compile as complete a list as possible.

Which generation do I belong to?

To know which spare parts you actually need, it is good to know exactly which generation you have.

Unfortunately, the VanMoof app only shows very little information, especially for the first generation. This is why it is necessary to use an online tool that provides additional and, above all, much more comprehensive information than the official VanMoof app.

Shortly before VanMoof went bankrupt, many bike owners were afraid that they would no longer be able to use their bikes in the future. That's why there were some resourceful developers at the time who made it their business to extract the encryption keys from the bikes so that they could still be used even after VanMoof's servers were shut down.

Fortunately, it didn't come to that, which is why the VanMoof app still works today.

Find out more about your bike:

1. Log in with your VanMoof credentials at the following website: https://keyexporter.grossartig.io/account. The code is open source and can be found here: https://github.com/grossartig/vanmoof-encryption-key-exporter
2. You will then receive a JSON file containing all the information about your bike.

Here is an example of what this JSON can look like:

[
  {
    "id": XXXX,
    "name": "Bike",
    "frameNumber": "KHXXXXXXXXX",
    "ownerName": "Felix",
    "tripDistance": 111009,
    "macAddress": "80:6F:XX:XX:XX:XX",
    "smartmoduleCurrentVersion": "0.0.4",
    "smartmoduleDesiredVersion": null,
    "changeBackupCode": false,
    "isTracking": false,
    "highestAvailableSpeedLimit": "EU",
    "messageAvailable": false,
    "modelName": "VM01-107-2G",
    "modelDetails": {
      "Gears": "Automatic 2 speed shifting gears",
      "Motor": "250 - 350 W front-wheel hub motor",
      "Colour": "Grey",
      "Edition": "2017-2G",
      "Extra": "chain tensioner"
    },
    "modelColor": {
      "name": "Gray",
      "primary": "#929393",
      "secondary": "#929393"
    },
    "frameShape": "S",
    "manufacturer": "darfon",
    "controller": "2017 S",
    "updateMethod": "OAD",
    "eLock": true,
    "gsmModule": "2G",
    "speaker": false,
    "bleProfile": "ELECTRIFIED_2017",
    "customerRole": "owner",
    "permissions": [
      "ADD_USER",
      "FIRMWARE_UPDATES",
      "REMOVE_USER",
      "REPORT_FOUND",
      "REPORT_STOLEN",
      "SEND_STATISTICS",
      "BACKUP_CODE",
      "BIKE_NAME",
      "VIEW_THEFT_CASES",
      "ALARM_SETTINGS",
      "COUNTRY_SETTINGS",
      "LIGHTS",
      "MOTOR_SUPPORT_LEVEL",
      "UNLOCK",
      "READ_VALUES",
      "STOLEN_MODE",
      "SWAP_SMARTMODULE"
    ],
    "key": {
      "encryptionKey": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
      "passcode": "XXXXXXXXXXXX"
    },
    "stolen": {
      "isStolen": false,
      "dateStolen": null,
      "status": "not_stolen",
      "latestLocation": null
    },
    "hasPeaceOfMind": false,
    "peaceOfMind": null,
    "links": {
      "hash": "https://my.vanmoof.com/api/v8/getBikeDataHash/7907",
      "thumbnail": "https://my.vanmoof.com/image/model/11"
    }
  }
]

[
  {
    "id": XXXX,
    "name": "Bike",
    "frameNumber": "KHXXXXXXXXX",
    "ownerName": "Felix",
    "tripDistance": 111009,
    "macAddress": "80:6F:XX:XX:XX:XX",
    "smartmoduleCurrentVersion": "0.0.4",
    "smartmoduleDesiredVersion": null,
    "changeBackupCode": false,
    "isTracking": false,
    "highestAvailableSpeedLimit": "EU",
    "messageAvailable": false,
    "modelName": "VM01-107-2G",
    "modelDetails": {
      "Gears": "Automatic 2 speed shifting gears",
      "Motor": "250 - 350 W front-wheel hub motor",
      "Colour": "Grey",
      "Edition": "2017-2G",
      "Extra": "chain tensioner"
    },
    "modelColor": {
      "name": "Gray",
      "primary": "#929393",
      "secondary": "#929393"
    },
    "frameShape": "S",
    "manufacturer": "darfon",
    "controller": "2017 S",
    "updateMethod": "OAD",
    "eLock": true,
    "gsmModule": "2G",
    "speaker": false,
    "bleProfile": "ELECTRIFIED_2017",
    "customerRole": "owner",
    "permissions": [
      "ADD_USER",
      "FIRMWARE_UPDATES",
      "REMOVE_USER",
      "REPORT_FOUND",
      "REPORT_STOLEN",
      "SEND_STATISTICS",
      "BACKUP_CODE",
      "BIKE_NAME",
      "VIEW_THEFT_CASES",
      "ALARM_SETTINGS",
      "COUNTRY_SETTINGS",
      "LIGHTS",
      "MOTOR_SUPPORT_LEVEL",
      "UNLOCK",
      "READ_VALUES",
      "STOLEN_MODE",
      "SWAP_SMARTMODULE"
    ],
    "key": {
      "encryptionKey": "XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX",
      "passcode": "XXXXXXXXXXXX"
    },
    "stolen": {
      "isStolen": false,
      "dateStolen": null,
      "status": "not_stolen",
      "latestLocation": null
    },
    "hasPeaceOfMind": false,
    "peaceOfMind": null,
    "links": {
      "hash": "https://my.vanmoof.com/api/v8/getBikeDataHash/7907",
      "thumbnail": "https://my.vanmoof.com/image/model/11"
    }
  }
]

Different components between the 2016 and 2017 generation

VanMoof revised the bikes frequently, especially in the early days, so there seem to be numerous iterations.
I am aware of these:

SmartUnit & motor controller

A common problem with first generation bikes is a faulty smart unit or motor controller. After dismantling various bikes, I realized that there are differences between the generations of smart units and controllers. Unfortunately, I am not yet aware of an exact diagram that would allow them to be clearly distinguished visually.

What I have noticed, however, is that SmartUnits and motor controllers must always come from the same generation. If you try to combine them, errors 27 or 29 often occur, which are then shown on the display. So if you are looking for spare parts, it is best to always buy the motor controller and the Smart Unit version together, or at least from the same generation.

Luggage carrier

On some bikes, the luggage rack is fixed to the rear strut at its own attachment points.

In a presumably later generation, these mounting points were changed, possibly for stability reasons.

Bafang front motors

Various bar catcher motors were installed. From the G311 to the G312 to the G313. The differences are probably minimal and mainly lie in the transmission ratio of the engine. I have recorded what such an engine looks like from the inside in another article. If you have more information, please write it in the comments.

Update option

In the JSON mentioned above, I have already read different information on the "updateMethod". While "OAD" is specified for newer bikes, which allows an update via the app, older controllers show the value "USB" here. In my opinion, this indicates that the first models were not intended for over-the-air updates.

What other differences are you aware of? Write them in the comments below.