As I touched on in the introduction to this review, the Momentum Vida E+ EX felt great from the first ride. With more time in the saddle, I learned more of the bike’s subtleties, but my initial opinion never changed.
Momentum makes the bike in two sizes, each with a step-thru-only frame. I rode the large, and at 5’11”, I found the fit comfortable right from the start. Leg extension felt great, and while the reach was on the longer side, I didn’t feel overextended. The riding position was slightly forward-leaning, though I never felt like I was placing too much weight on the grips.
The swept-back handlebars were a highlight. At 720mm wide, they encouraged an upright posture, offered precise steering control, and also added to the bike’s stability. The ergonomic rubber grips felt soft and supportive throughout my testing, and the wide cushioned saddle gave me no complaints.
According to the bike’s webpage, the small frame covers 5’1″ to 5’9″, and the large fits those from 5’8″ to 6’3″. Both sizes feature a remarkably low standover height of just 16.5 inches, making the Vida friendly for those with limited mobility. In my experience, stepping through the frame is comfortable and takes little effort.
The dropper seatpost is another element worth diving into, as it isn’t something we see often on bikes of this style. Unlike this component’s purpose on an electric mountain bike, here it ensures that riders can reach the ground when coming to a stop. Its action was smooth and fast; an easy press of the lever allowed me to stand flat on the ground instead of balancing on my toes. The same action allowed me to quickly raise the saddle for efficient pedaling.
I referenced the bike’s great steering control, but it’s also worth acknowledging how crisp it felt when cornering. Its coil SR Suntour fork has 80mm of travel, Boost spacing, and a thru-axle, which helps keep the front end stable and sturdy.
In terms of smoothness, the Vida’s wide 26×2.4-inch tires absorb what the fork doesn’t. Together, the tires and fork kept the ride comfortable across the mixed pavement and light gravel I covered in testing. Some vibration got through on rougher sections, mostly at the seatpost, though this wasn’t out of the ordinary for a bike of this style.
Handling was livelier than the bike’s roughly 68-lb weight suggested, which I attribute to both the lively motor and the gearing. As I touched on in the Speed Test section, the bike delivered power incredibly smoothly and responsively, so it was truly a joy to pedal.
I spent most of my riding time in Active, which felt right for a moderate pace on flat ground. I appreciated that Eco provided a more analog-like feel, which some riders will surely enjoy. On the other end of the spectrum was Power, which was useful when a hill showed up or when I wanted to pick up speed quickly without much effort.
One point of critique I have concerns the throttle, which must be purchased separately on bikes sold in the US. I appreciate that Momentum revised the throttle’s programming to function from a dead stop—the effortless new cruise mode is also great—but considering the Vida’s price point of around $2k and marketing as a throttle e-bike, I feel it should be included.
Overall, though, the bike is well equipped. Integrated lights and fenders provide visibility and splash protection in inclement weather. The MIK-HD rack handles 59.5 pounds and is compatible with a wide range of standardized, locking third-party accessories.
I also appreciated that the Vida E+ EX was easy to use; right out of the box, it features a relatively basic control layout, an intuitive user interface, no complicated settings menus, and three easy-to-use assist levels.
For those who want more, the RideControl app offers a speed-adjustment feature, ride data tracking, navigation, and syncing with third-party apps like Strava. Most features worked well in our testing, though sometimes the navigation system’s search function couldn’t locate my destination. Hopefully this can be resolved via an update!
Minor critique aside, the Vida E+ EX rides like a bike designed for daily use. It’s comfortable, easy to grasp, generally user-friendly, and seriously enjoyable to cruise on.
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