Velduro Vandal trail eMTB makes its debut at Sea Otter Europe 2026
It’s a long way from New Zealand to Girona in Spain, but that’s where our new Vandal made its European debut at Sea Otter Europe. One of the first people on our stand was Sam from Sam’s Bikes, who ran through the bike on camera and then sat down with our co-founder Dan Wallace. The big question for Kiwi riders is when it lands here, and Dan answers that too.
A trail bike for the trails most of us ride
We started with the Rogue for full gravity riding and the Phantom for e-gravel. As Dan told Sam, a trail bike was always part of the plan, “something that the average Joe Bloggs or the elite rider can ride.”
Starting with the Rogue was deliberate. As a new brand we had to prove we could build something tough, and Dan says that came first for a reason. “We knew if we provided a bike that could perform, we could show consumers and riders that we’re built to shred.”
Now the Vandal brings that same build quality to the kind of riding most New Zealanders do every weekend. Dan is clear about who it’s for.
“This is a bike that suits most riders out there.”
Lighter, livelier and running at full power
The Vandal has 160mm of travel up front and 145mm at the rear, adjustable up to 152mm, on the same i-track mid-pivot suspension as the Rogue. It comes as a mullet, and a flip chip lets you run it as a full 29er. A second chip at the shock changes how it feels. We wanted one bike that could keep up with you, whether you’re riding your local trails or loading up for a road trip to Rotorua or Queenstown. Dan says riders can simply flip it around “when they get bored in three months.”
The bigger news is the power. The Vandal takes a 700Wh or 800Wh battery, and choosing the 700Wh lets the Avinox M2S run at full output, 1,500W peak and 150Nm of boost torque. The complete bike weighs from 20.6kg. Dan explains why that matters.
“We weren’t able to access the full power of the M2S with the 800 battery. Now with the 700, and 2kg lighter, it is a weapon.”
The Vandal comes in four sizes. On a large, reach is 485mm, with a 64-degree head angle and a 78-degree effective seat angle. Chainstays grow with the frame, from 440mm on the small and medium to 443mm on the large and 447mm on the extra large. Sam was quick to call that out. “Absolutely love that, because that’s what the riders want out there.”
Got an old bike in the shed?
Like the Rogue, the Vandal will be sold as a frame-only kit as well as a complete bike. A lot of Kiwi riders already have a trail bike or an older eMTB in the garage, and Dan sees the Vandal as the perfect home for those parts.
“There’s a huge amount of people that have older ebikes, acoustic bikes, manual bikes that can strip those parts and put them on the Vandal.”
He says it’s an economical way into a high-performance carbon bike, “so it’s not super expensive,” without paying for a full build. We’ll confirm NZ pricing for the frame kit and complete bikes when pre-orders open.
Vandal or Rogue
Sam’s last question was the one most riders will be asking. Which bike should you buy? Dan says it comes down to the kind of trails you ride.
“If you’re riding grade three, grade four, you like flowy trails, you’re not an aggressive downhill rider and you want to go for longer, lighter rides, that would be the Vandal. It’s almost like a park bike in its own right.”
For riders who want to go bigger, he points straight to the Rogue.
“If you’re looking to really flatten the ground, full gravity, hardcore, go nuts and basically bulldoze through every bump, that is Rogue.”
Either way, Dan says you can’t go wrong. “Both amazing, both capable.”
Can’t wait for the Vandal? The Rogue is available now, and you can find one to try at your nearest Velduro dealer.
Backing Kiwi riders
When Sam asked about our riders, Dan started with everyone who owns one. “Everybody’s an ambassador for Velduro,” he said. “Velduro is a brand for riders.”
We’ve got some serious Kiwi talent on board too. Brook MacDonald rides and trains on the Rogue and is working with us on the Bulldog, our analogue downhill bike. Rising star Tuhoto Ariki trained on a Velduro in France during his World Cup campaign, and Elliott Heap flies the flag for us in the UK. Dan says the plan is to keep giving back as we grow.
“Our goal is to give back and to continue to give back. As we grow, our ambassadors will grow.”
Longer term, he’d love to go further. “We would love to do programmes where we sponsor and we create our own trails that are Velduro orientated.”
When the Vandal lands in New Zealand
Our first containers are due to land at the end of February 2027, with complete bikes hopefully on New Zealand trails from March. Dan’s message to everyone waiting was simple. “Hang in there, riders. We’re pretty keen to get the Vandal out there!”
Want to be first in line? Get in touch or sign up to our newsletter below, and we’ll let you know the moment pre-orders open. For the story so far, read our first look at the Vandal from Shanghai.
