2021 Ebike Motor Shootout

[BrentD]

For more non-scientific nonsense on the same topic, a mate and I made the video below:

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

For more non-scientific nonsense on the same topic, a mate and I made the video below:

Haha... sorry the blindfold tests didn't work out! ??

Enjoyed the fun and games video. Thanks!

 

[Matt_Rider]

This one is actually pretty good. Still nothing perfect but some good info.

 

[Winger]

Interesting read, but blimey way more complicated than these posts, I bought a Levo at the begining of lockdown, wifey bought a Whyte S150 with a Bosch motor, just get the job done in totally different ways, jeez i’d Be posting all night about the individual quirks that the two motors have, I much prefer my Levo but performance madams Whyte with its Bosch motor is more than it equal...and it’s alot heavier.

 

[mastakilla]

Question for Rob, Shimano says they are going to work on the motor noise on the EP8 before release. Is there any talk of increasing the motor power to match the competitors before release?

 

[Matt_Rider]

Question for Rob, Shimano says they are going to work on the motor noise on the EP8 before release. Is there any talk of increasing the motor power to match the competitors before release?

If power is so important why don't you get a motorcycle? Outright power is not what it is about for most. The integration and feel is much more important than being fastest to a climb in a mode not many people use.

 

[mastakilla]

If power is so important why don't you get a motorcycle? Outright power is not what it is about for most. The integration and feel is much more important than being fastest to a climb in a mode not many people use.

Must not have seen where I said question for Rob

 

[Matt_Rider]

Must not have seen where I said question for Rob

Must have missed where this is a public forum. If you only wanted Rob to read it send him a PM to avoid hearing something you don't want to.

 

[Winger]

Where things get complicated... don’t get confused between power and torque, i’ve No doubt the Bosch has more power(small amount) but nowhere the torque of my Brose, if we have a situation where both of us are in a high gear and go round a corner and have one of those ‘Oh Scht’ moments i’m In the wrong gear, my Brose will pull no matter(or be it slowly) what my wife’s Bosch falls flat on its face.

 

[stiv674]

Bosch claim 85 Nm and Brose 90 Nm but I don't think either say whereabouts it's produced in relation to rpm, same for the peak power.

 

[MOTO13]

Sorry if this has been possibly discussed...I bought a new Trek Rail 9.7 (2020) and it has the Bosch motor. Is there some kind of an app for this? I'm new to the emtb thing. What does this app do for you?

 

[Mteam]

Sorry if this has been possibly discussed...I bought a new Trek Rail 9.7 (2020) and it has the Bosch motor. Is there some kind of an app for this? I'm new to the emtb thing. What does this app do for you?

There is an app ,but its not very good IMO, its called bosch e bike connect (available from your phones app store) and I think it needs the KIOX bike display or upwards display to use it. It just logs rides (distance, speed, power etc etc) , and provides some rudimentary navigation capability on the KIOX display, it doesnt (currently anyway) allow you to modify any parameters of the motor or change the assist levels etc.

IMO its not worth bothering with at the moment.

 

[Winger]

Bosch currently have an update for the motor, my wife’s is due in October 6th.

 

[MOTO13]

Mine has the 85nm update...supposedly. They said it was updated prior to me picking up the bike. How does a person verify this??

 

[KeithR]

Mine has the 85nm update...supposedly. They said it was updated prior to me picking up the bike. How does a person verify this??

Your display lets you check the firmware version.

 

[MOTO13]

No kidding. And...what version is the 85nm? Does it literally say 85nm version??

 

[GrandPaBrogan]

.

If power is so important why don't you get a motorcycle? Outright power is not what it is about for most. The integration and feel is much more important than being fastest to a climb in a mode not many people use.

To be fair (and kind, especially for all new members), I don't think Mastakilla was insisting anything about having outright power. He was just asking if Shimano had any plans to match the current power output of it's competitors. It's reasonable that he might think to ask Rob because he's likely to have more inside information than the rest of us. Yes, this is a public forum but there's enough Covid stress out there already, so it wouldn't be unreasonable to keep things friendly in here, as best we can.

And thank you for posting the Shimano EP8 video. I found it very interesting and educational.

 

[Matt_Rider]

.

To be fair (and kind, especially for all new members), I don't think Mastakilla was insisting anything about having outright power. He was just asking if Shimano had any plans to match the current power output of it's competitors. It's reasonable that he might think to ask Rob because he's likely to have more inside information than the rest of us. Yes, this is a public forum but there's enough Covid stress out there already, so it wouldn't be unreasonable to keep things friendly in here, as best we can.

And thank you for posting the Shimano EP8 video. I found it very interesting and educational.

No worries. Covid of not you can still have a difference in opinion but I see where you're coming from.

 

[BrentD]

No kidding. And...what version is the 85nm? Does it literally say 85nm version??

With the bike turned off, hold down both the + and - buttons on the Purion display and then push the power button. The display will then begin scrolling through the version numbers for all the hardware and firmware.

Edit: version 1.1.0.0 or higher will be 85Nm.

 

[KeithR]

No kidding.

And yet you still had to ask...

OK, I'll spell it out: you research the firmware version that delivers the 85nm update, and then you check to see if you have that version.

Clear enough?

It's your job to understand your bike, not ours, and entitled isn't a great look.

 

[KeithR]

With the bike turned off, hold down both the + and - buttons on the Purion display and then push the power button. The display will then begin scrolling through the version numbers for all the hardware and firmware.

Edit: version 1.1.0.0 or higher will be 85Nm.

Steady, Brent - he'll be expecting you to ride his bike for him if you're not careful...

 

[uhoh7]

I happened to get a Yamaha PWX2 in a frame warranty issue for my old 2016 Haibike which had the first PW. It is near silent. You don't really think of needing any app, it has a bunch of power levels, and starts smoothly on steep ground.

The downside is the battery system which is highly propritary and while in europe there are some aftermarket options, in the US there are none. So I am basically stuck with 500w. They do have a new "in frame" 600w, for an astronomical sum, unless you get a bike that has it.

But simply as it rides, the PWX2 is very good.

 

[MitchF]

Huge 2021 eBike Motor Test - I couldn't believe the difference!

Considering a new ebike for 2021? Check out the power, noise, integration and reliability in the vid above ?

Interesting video Rob, good to watch when not riding or fettling, thanks.
Can’t believe it’s been jumped on by all the arm chair experts that don’t have a media channel or a bike shop ??

 

[MOTO13]

And yet you still had to ask...

OK, I'll spell it out: you research the firmware version that delivers the 85nm update, and then you check to see if you have that version.

Clear enough?

It's your job to understand your bike, not ours, and entitled isn't a great look.

I LITERALLY meant...no kidding... as in it really does that? I was not being sarcastic at all. If I knew, I certainly wouldn't ask. But, thanks for the help.