VierCycle: A Rising Star in Vietnam’s Green Tech Scene
Pham Son Loc, Founder and Chief Technology Officer of VierCycle. With VierCycle, Pham Son Loc and his team have built a comprehensive ecosystem centered around cycling — from manufacturing hardware devices to developing a personalized technology platform for every ride.
Turning a regular bicycle into an electric-assist bike
In 2022, Pham Son Loc and his friends took a cycling trip in Hanoi. They rented bikes, rode from Long Bien Bridge to the Bat Trang ceramic village, and then looped around to West Lake. Moving at a moderate pace, without noise, listening to the sounds of life, slowly taking in the scenery, and freely exploring Hanoi’s streets and cultural stories gave Loc and his companions a memorable travel experience. This inspired him to share the activity with more people.
Loc began to ponder how to help people cycle more easily—ride with less effort, go farther, overcome mental barriers, and fully enjoy the journey. “That’s when I became even more confident in what my colleagues and I were building at VierCycle,” he shared.
Launched in 2022, VierCycle is a green tech company pioneering smart mobility. Its first product on the market was a conversion kit that upgrades a traditional bicycle into an electric-assist bike.
Loc explained that many people get discouraged when commuting by bicycle because it can be tiring, especially for beginners, and often leads to sweating—causing inconvenience. At that point, they’re faced with a choice: stop cycling and return to motorbikes, or push on.
VierCycle’s conversion kit aims to solve that problem. By adding the kit, a regular bike becomes power-assisted, significantly reducing the effort needed and creating a light, comfortable riding experience.
Compared to electric scooters—which run fully on motors and become heavy to pedal when the battery runs out—VierCycle’s power-assisted bikes have the advantage of preserving the pedaling experience. This helps users stay active. Even when the battery runs out, riders can continue pedaling comfortably, just like on a regular bike.
Pham Son Loc shared that the conversion kit is sold at 6 million VND, targeting cycling enthusiasts looking for easier and more convenient riding solutions, especially those in middle age.
“Our goal is to help customers save energy while still enjoying a comfortable ride, improving physical health and mental well-being,” Loc said.
After launching the conversion kit in 2024, VierCycle partnered with manufacturers to produce compact electric bikes and components to further support traditional-to-electric bike conversions.
Personalizing every ride
Alongside its hardware production, VierCycle aims to become a platform provider that enhances user experience through technology. Loc and the founding team have a background in IoT (Internet of Things) technology, and they recognize that the electric bike market in Vietnam is highly competitive, with strong local and Chinese players. Simply producing hardware wouldn’t ensure long-term competitiveness.
“Our roadmap is to develop proprietary devices integrated with our platform, creating a seamless and high-quality user experience,” Loc emphasized.
The platform he refers to is called Zyride, developed by VierCycle to support electric-assist bicycle tours. Piloted in Ho Chi Minh City earlier this year, Zyride allows users to rent electric-assist bikes for urban exploration. For an average price of 100,000 VND per 2-hour rental, users receive personalized itinerary suggestions based on their needs and preferences.
Additionally, as users arrive at certain locations—such as cultural landmarks, restaurants, or unique cafes—the platform automatically provides more context and stories to enrich their experience.
“With VierCycle, every journey is not just a movement from point A to B, but an adventure to discover people, culture, and open up new horizons through each road traveled and every connection made,” Loc highlighted.
VierCycle’s immediate goal is to complete and officially launch the Zyride platform in the second half of 2025. Looking further ahead, the company aims to expand through a franchise model, partnering with homestays and lodging facilities to offer power-assisted bike rentals and battery swapping services—thereby providing authentic cultural experiences and diversifying tourism offerings.
Though it’s still early to predict Zyride’s future, Pham Son Loc and his founding team envision a broader reach—not just within Vietnam but across Southeast Asia—to promote the values of green and smart travel.
“More than just a tech solution, VierCycle is about a greener future. Every turn of the wheels takes you farther while reducing emissions, protecting the environment, and driving positive change in the community,” Loc expressed.
