2022 VTUVIA SF-20H Review

Video Review

Written Review

The Vtuvia SF-20H is a fat tire folding electric bike with a wickedly torquey motor, a high payload capacity and a super low standover height. If the SF-20H sounds familiar, it’s probably because it’s the upgraded version of Vtuvia’s existing SF-20 folder. 

The SF-20H hasn’t been released yet, so we’re not sure what the price will be, but since the original SF-20 runs for $1,299 USD, we’re guessing Vtuvia might offer the SF-20H for around $1,499 USD. Once this bike hits the market, we’ll update the price in the title of this review and we’ll pin a note in the comments for easy reference. 

Vtuvia is offering a nice 2 year warranty on the SF-20H, free shipping and a 15-day return policy. 

And with that, let’s dive into the specs.

The SF-20H has a Vtuvia branded rear hub motor, and while there isn’t any specific markings on the motor to denote wattage, I’m confident this is a 750 watt motor. And boy is it torquey! Part of this torque comes from the mechanical advantage offered by the smaller 20 inch by 4 inch fat tires, and you can really feel it when launching off the line and when climbing hills. In fact, this motor is so torquey that it caught me by surprise during testing and I ended up skidding out while hitting the throttle in a tight turn. It’s got that much pick up and go.

This motor will bring the SF-20H up to a top unlocked speed of nearly 28 mph, which you can reach by using the cadence sensing pedal assist, or the half grip twist throttle. Now, one of the biggest drawbacks of cadence sensors is the latency with motor activation and deactivation. It can take a second or two for the sensor to detect the rotation of the cranks, and that can make starting from a dead stop while in a high gear somewhat difficult. Thankfully, the SF-20H’s throttle is live from 0 mph, so you can just use that to override the cadence sensor until you pick up some speed.

The SF-20H’s 48 volt, 13 amp hour locking and removable silverfish style battery is located behind the seatpost, making the SF-20H fairly back-heavy. And due to the battery’s placement, you have to completely remove the seat post before the battery can be removed. This isn’t a huge deal and only takes an extra 5-10 seconds, but it’s definitely something worth noting.

With this battery setup, we’re looking at a max estimated range of about 48 miles when using a low pedal assist mode in ideal riding conditions. Not bad for a folder. 

The Vtuvia SF-20H is a hefty machine, weighing in at nearly 70 pounds. But that extra chonkiness translates into a surprisingly high max payload capacity of 330 pounds. This is perfect for those who want to load up the rear rack. And this rear rack is beautiful! Unlike the bolt-on rack from the SF-20, the SF-20H’s rear rack is welded directly to the frame. This is a huge upgrade point and means you’ll never have to worry about the rear rack rattling loose over time. It also affords more structural integrity, so you can load up even more gear. 

The SF-20H’s step-through frame makes mounting the saddle incredibly easy, and allows for placing both feet flat on the ground without an issue. 

Folding the SF-20H is remarkably easy as well, and takes under a minute to go from unfolded to folded. In fact, let’s take a look at just how easy folding the SF-20H really is.

One of the things I particularly appreciate about the SF-20H’s frame is the frame locking mechanism. It’s a dual stage locker with a safety latch, so even if the compression lock somehow comes undone while riding, the frame should remain locked in place. 

The locker on the handlebars, however, is only a single stage locker, so it’s not going to be quite as durable. This means the SF-20H is going to be fine for some light off-road use, like cruising around campsites, hitting the beaches, and tackling some easy green trails. But we don’t recommend hitting any major jumps or competing in the Red Bull championships, even though the SF-20H does have front suspension forks. 

I love that the handlebar stem on the SF-20H are telescoping because that allows you to raise and lower them to perfectly match each riders’ individual reach. The handlebars also have a quick release clamp that allows them to be easily rotated in the field. So if you don’t like the position of the grips or brake levers, you can fix that in about 10 seconds. 

Another huge perk of the SF-20H is the pre-drilled bosses on the head tube, which are perfect if you plan on picking up the optional front basket. Since the front basket attaches directly to the frame, it won’t sway back and forth when you turn the handlebars. This means all your gear will stay safely stowed inside instead of spilling over onto the trail. 

To bring the SF-20H to a stop we’ve got Logan mechanical disc brakes with 160 mm rotors in the front and rear wheels. The brakes are a good compromise between more effective hydraulic disc brakes, and less effective rim brakes. There’s also an argument to be made for using mechanical brakes since they’re so much easier to adjust and maintain compared to hydraulic brakes. And honestly, for this ride, mechanical brakes are probably the way to go. 

At the rear of the SF-20H we’ve got a Shimano Tourney 7-speed derailleur paired with a Shimano SIS Index thumb shifter. And I particularly dig the double-sided plastic bash guard, which is going to do a great job at preventing derailments. 

The wire management on the SF-20H gets the job done, but all the wires are externally routed, so there is a higher chance of snagging when going through brush. 

On the handlebars we’ve got the highly visible greyscale LCD display on the left, and the SIS Index thumb shifter and half-grip twist throttle on the right. It’s a simple setup that results in a clean cockpit with minimal distractions.

Overall, the Vtuvia SF-20H is a great choice for those who need an affordable, yet capable folding e-bike that you can throw in the back of the RV or in the trunk of your car and deploy when you get to your destination. And honestly, that’s one of the biggest selling points of most folders — portability. The SF-20H would also be a good choice for those with limited storage space at home, or for those who plan on commuting and stowing their e-bike inside the office.