Review 2021 Motobecane HAL Eboost M600

[MAC5280]

The Bike:

Manufacturer: Motobecane
Model: HAL Eboost M600
Model Year: 2021
Price Paid: 3000
New/Used: Brand New
Score (out of 10): 7

Review: Just purchased the Motobecane HAL E-boost M600 (27.5plus version) from Bikesdirect.com. Also offered in 29' version. They have Pre-order promo pricing which puts this bike about $1000 to $1500 less than equivalent bikes that I was looking at. I really have not seen much out there for reviews on any of the Motobecane bike models so I want to provide a little insight from my experience.
My prior e-bike experience is on a full squish Motobecane Fantom DS Comp 26er converted to e-bike using the Bafang BBSHD and 52v battery. I rode this for the past three years as an e-bike and loved it riding it in the local Denver mountain bike trail systems.

MOTOR: This bikes utilizes the Bafang M600 43V version, 120Nm of torque. And a 43v 600WH battery.

+ More torque than you will need.​

+ Long life battery for long trips.​

+ Bafang has proven to be quiet and reliable motors in my experience and with user reviews.​

+ Can Split motor assist levels to 3, 5, or 9 settings.​

+ Torque sensing and fairly smooth response in low settings. (I have rarely gone up from a level 1 setting though)​

- No eco mode and not currently reprogrammable for lower assist; level 1 starts out at about 50% of motors capability. Difficult if you want to increase your workout level with a lower setting or ride with non-powered riders. Could easily get 30+ miles trail riding on a charge, but would like an option to extend that as well.​

- Specialty crank spline with limited options for replacements. Factory 170mm cranks are way too long and often have pedal strikes. (I convert to Miranda 155mm cranks and they feel perfect)​

FRAME - 6061 Alum with Boost axle spacing with internal routing. Switching from an older 26er to 27.5plus and new geometry has given more confidence to ride faster and overcome obstacles easier.

+ Available in 27.5+ or 29 wheel version depending on your perference​

+ 67deg HT and good Modern Trail geometry.​

+ 140mm HAL Travel in rear​

- Battery difficult to lock in, battery cover obstructs the lock from catching. Had to loosen the cover slightly to get a lock.​

- Dropper Post line difficult to pull through, very tight between frame and motor​

- Stand-over height I consider to be inaccurate. I ordered the Med 42c list as 30.5" stand over. This is true underneath the nose of the seat. It is closer to 32.5-33" actual stand-over. I am 5'9" and have no stand over clearance. I probably would not recommend a large unless you are about 6' and over​

PARTS:

+ Rockshox Recon Silver RL Solo Air 140mm fork. / Rockshox Monarch R Solo Air rear​

+ SRAM SX Eagle derailleur/cassette 12 speed 11-50T​

+ SRAM DB-Level T - Great feel for entry level Hydraulics​

+ Shimano Hubs​

+ WTB STi30 TCS 2.0 rims​

+ Maxxis Recon 27.5 x 2.8 tires​

+ 760mm Alum Bars​

- Kind Shock E-Ten Dropper Post 100mm (internal routed). Works great so far, but listed as a negative being Kind wires these backwards, meaning the solid Line stop is at the handle and the adjustable stop hidden in the post. This means you really cannot adjust the line length and if the adjustable stop comes loose you need to try to pull the whole cable back through the seat tube to fix.​

WEIGHT: With a not so accurate scale this bike is close to 55 lbs. This puts it on par with the Trek Powerfly for camparison.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall loving this bike for the value and super fun to ride. It has a few items that could be improved, but I cannot see paying another $1500+ to get those. It is a large step up from my previous bike and includes great components for this low price point. I have not found any other bike manufactures offering anything under $4000 as a starting point. I would definitely recommend these bikes to friends looking for value and a great ride for the average rider.
There are also several other model options that include the Shimano Steps motors. I wish there were more reviews out there on these bikes from sources that have ridden like competitors. I personally feel like the mountain bike world has gotten out of control on pricing especially when you have acoustic bikes way outpricing full dirt bikes. So I appreciate a manufacture that can produce quality without a huge markup.

 

[BManz]

The Bike: View attachment 99013

Manufacturer: Motobecane
Model: HAL Eboost M600
Model Year: 2021
Price Paid: 3000
New/Used: Brand New
Score (out of 10): 7

Review: Just purchased the Motobecane HAL E-boost M600 (27.5plus version) from Bikesdirect.com. Also offered in 29' version. They have Pre-order promo pricing which puts this bike about $1000 to $1500 less than equivalent bikes that I was looking at. I really have not seen much out there for reviews on any of the Motobecane bike models so I want to provide a little insight from my experience.
My prior e-bike experience is on a full squish Motobecane Fantom DS Comp 26er converted to e-bike using the Bafang BBSHD and 52v battery. I rode this for the past three years as an e-bike and loved it riding it in the local Denver mountain bike trail systems.

MOTOR: This bikes utilizes the Bafang M600 43V version, 120Nm of torque. And a 43v 600WH battery.

+ More torque than you will need.​

+ Long life battery for long trips.​

+ Bafang has proven to be quiet and reliable motors in my experience and with user reviews.​

+ Can Split motor assist levels to 3, 5, or 9 settings.​

+ Torque sensing and fairly smooth response in low settings. (I have rarely gone up from a level 1 setting though)​

- No eco mode and not currently reprogrammable for lower assist; level 1 starts out at about 50% of motors capability. Difficult if you want to increase your workout level with a lower setting or ride with non-powered riders. Could easily get 30+ miles trail riding on a charge, but would like an option to extend that as well.​

- Specialty crank spline with limited options for replacements. Factory 170mm cranks are way too long and often have pedal strikes. (I convert to Miranda 155mm cranks and they feel perfect)​

FRAME - 6061 Alum with Boost axle spacing with internal routing. Switching from an older 26er to 27.5plus and new geometry has given more confidence to ride faster and overcome obstacles easier.

+ Available in 27.5+ or 29 wheel version depending on your perference​

+ 67deg HT and good Modern Trail geometry.​

+ 140mm HAL Travel in rear​

- Battery difficult to lock in, battery cover obstructs the lock from catching. Had to loosen the cover slightly to get a lock.​

- Dropper Post line difficult to pull through, very tight between frame and motor​

- Stand-over height I consider to be inaccurate. I ordered the Med 42c list as 30.5" stand over. This is true underneath the nose of the seat. It is closer to 32.5-33" actual stand-over. I am 5'9" and have no stand over clearance. I probably would not recommend a large unless you are about 6' and over​

PARTS:

+ Rockshox Recon Silver RL Solo Air 140mm fork. / Rockshox Monarch R Solo Air rear​

+ SRAM SX Eagle derailleur/cassette 12 speed 11-50T​

+ SRAM DB-Level T - Great feel for entry level Hydraulics​

+ Shimano Hubs​

+ WTB STi30 TCS 2.0 rims​

+ Maxxis Recon 27.5 x 2.8 tires​

+ 760mm Alum Bars​

- Kind Shock E-Ten Dropper Post 100mm (internal routed). Works great so far, but listed as a negative being Kind wires these backwards, meaning the solid Line stop is at the handle and the adjustable stop hidden in the post. This means you really cannot adjust the line length and if the adjustable stop comes loose you need to try to pull the whole cable back through the seat tube to fix.​

WEIGHT: With a not so accurate scale this bike is close to 55 lbs. This puts it on par with the Trek Powerfly for camparison.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall loving this bike for the value and super fun to ride. It has a few items that could be improved, but I cannot see paying another $1500+ to get those. It is a large step up from my previous bike and includes great components for this low price point. I have not found any other bike manufactures offering anything under $4000 as a starting point. I would definitely recommend these bikes to friends looking for value and a great ride for the average rider.
There are also several other model options that include the Shimano Steps motors. I wish there were more reviews out there on these bikes from sources that have ridden like competitors. I personally feel like the mountain bike world has gotten out of control on pricing especially when you have acoustic bikes way outpricing full dirt bikes. So I appreciate a manufacture that can produce quality without a huge markup.

I was looking at this exact bike from BD. Curious about the power levels (1-5 vs 1-9). Does the M600 still put out 50%/~250w no matter how hard/soft you pedal when set at level 1? No adjustment to lower that input?

How is it to ride with power level set to "0" or off? Low drag? Can you still use throttle only as needed to get up a hill?

The reason I ask is I'm envisioning riding sans constant power for, say, 20-30 miles, then utilizing power to help me get home when I start to bonk. Thanks for the info thus far!

 

[Zimmerframe]

Price Paid: 3000

WOW ! That's a cheap bike !!!!

The reason I ask is I'm envisioning riding sans constant power for, say, 20-30 miles, then utilizing power to help me get home

Are you thinking of boosting on and off for your 30 miles ?

Riding a "full fat" mountain bike (250wh motor + large battery type bike) is not hugely pleasant if you're also running grippy (higher rolling resistance) tyres without assistance. It's do-able. If you're fit and determined and the terrain's not too undulating it's certainly possible - but not pleasurable !! You'd probably be better riding in a low assistance mode to overcome the weight of the bike until you're exhausted then upping the assistance, though it depends what you're trying to get out of the ride.

 

[BManz]

Are you thinking of boosting on and off for your 30 miles ?

Riding a "full fat" mountain bike (250wh motor + large battery type bike) is not hugely pleasant if you're also running grippy (higher rolling resistance) tyres without assistance. It's do-able. If you're fit and determined and the terrain's not too undulating it's certainly possible - but not pleasurable !! You'd probably be better riding in a low assistance mode to overcome the weight of the bike until you're exhausted then upping the assistance, though it depends what you're trying to get out of the ride.

Yes but not unpleasant at all (I'm fit, especially for an old guy). I've got a 30lb Specialized Fatboy with full fat 4.6"knobbies (non-Ebike) that I can easily ride for 50-60 miles on paved and unpaved trails (touring). So, yes, touring on a 52-55lb full fatty Ebike I'd surely want to power on/off at times for significant hills, hence my question on power use by the M600.

There are minimal paved options for touring for me and the trails I must use are quite schmudgy throughout the year meaning tire widths less than 4" would be a much more miserable time than floating along on fat tires.

 

[jpm12788]

Has anyone had issues with the battery clicking out? Lately if I am riding on rocky trails, the battery will click out randomly. I tried greasing the lever that locks it in and that didn't help. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[GaryF31]

Has anyone had issues with the battery clicking out? Lately if I am riding on rocky trails, the battery will click out randomly. I tried greasing the lever that locks it in and that didn't help. Anyone have any suggestions?

Have not had that issue at all. You may have to add a velcro strap of some kind.

 

[MCG]

The Bike: View attachment 99013

Manufacturer: Motobecane
Model: HAL Eboost M600
Model Year: 2021
Price Paid: 3000
New/Used: Brand New
Score (out of 10): 7

Review: Just purchased the Motobecane HAL E-boost M600 (27.5plus version) from Bikesdirect.com. Also offered in 29' version. They have Pre-order promo pricing which puts this bike about $1000 to $1500 less than equivalent bikes that I was looking at. I really have not seen much out there for reviews on any of the Motobecane bike models so I want to provide a little insight from my experience.
My prior e-bike experience is on a full squish Motobecane Fantom DS Comp 26er converted to e-bike using the Bafang BBSHD and 52v battery. I rode this for the past three years as an e-bike and loved it riding it in the local Denver mountain bike trail systems.

MOTOR: This bikes utilizes the Bafang M600 43V version, 120Nm of torque. And a 43v 600WH battery.

+ More torque than you will need.​

+ Long life battery for long trips.​

+ Bafang has proven to be quiet and reliable motors in my experience and with user reviews.​

+ Can Split motor assist levels to 3, 5, or 9 settings.​

+ Torque sensing and fairly smooth response in low settings. (I have rarely gone up from a level 1 setting though)​

- No eco mode and not currently reprogrammable for lower assist; level 1 starts out at about 50% of motors capability. Difficult if you want to increase your workout level with a lower setting or ride with non-powered riders. Could easily get 30+ miles trail riding on a charge, but would like an option to extend that as well.​

- Specialty crank spline with limited options for replacements. Factory 170mm cranks are way too long and often have pedal strikes. (I convert to Miranda 155mm cranks and they feel perfect)​

FRAME - 6061 Alum with Boost axle spacing with internal routing. Switching from an older 26er to 27.5plus and new geometry has given more confidence to ride faster and overcome obstacles easier.

+ Available in 27.5+ or 29 wheel version depending on your perference​

+ 67deg HT and good Modern Trail geometry.​

+ 140mm HAL Travel in rear​

- Battery difficult to lock in, battery cover obstructs the lock from catching. Had to loosen the cover slightly to get a lock.​

- Dropper Post line difficult to pull through, very tight between frame and motor​

- Stand-over height I consider to be inaccurate. I ordered the Med 42c list as 30.5" stand over. This is true underneath the nose of the seat. It is closer to 32.5-33" actual stand-over. I am 5'9" and have no stand over clearance. I probably would not recommend a large unless you are about 6' and over​

PARTS:

+ Rockshox Recon Silver RL Solo Air 140mm fork. / Rockshox Monarch R Solo Air rear​

+ SRAM SX Eagle derailleur/cassette 12 speed 11-50T​

+ SRAM DB-Level T - Great feel for entry level Hydraulics​

+ Shimano Hubs​

+ WTB STi30 TCS 2.0 rims​

+ Maxxis Recon 27.5 x 2.8 tires​

+ 760mm Alum Bars​

- Kind Shock E-Ten Dropper Post 100mm (internal routed). Works great so far, but listed as a negative being Kind wires these backwards, meaning the solid Line stop is at the handle and the adjustable stop hidden in the post. This means you really cannot adjust the line length and if the adjustable stop comes loose you need to try to pull the whole cable back through the seat tube to fix.​

WEIGHT: With a not so accurate scale this bike is close to 55 lbs. This puts it on par with the Trek Powerfly for camparison.

FINAL THOUGHTS: Overall loving this bike for the value and super fun to ride. It has a few items that could be improved, but I cannot see paying another $1500+ to get those. It is a large step up from my previous bike and includes great components for this low price point. I have not found any other bike manufactures offering anything under $4000 as a starting point. I would definitely recommend these bikes to friends looking for value and a great ride for the average rider.
There are also several other model options that include the Shimano Steps motors. I wish there were more reviews out there on these bikes from sources that have ridden like competitors. I personally feel like the mountain bike world has gotten out of control on pricing especially when you have acoustic bikes way outpricing full dirt bikes. So I appreciate a manufacture that can produce quality without a huge markup.

I just purchased this bike. You mentioned…”Dropper Post line difficult to pull through, very tight between frame and motor”… How did you solve this issue? This is my first exposure to a drop seat/cable. Where does the slack get pulled to? Is there room in the motor housing or is the slack pulled thru the frame? It seems there needs to be 5-6 inches to be pulled and the cable is super tight at the cable exit by the handlebars. When I attempted to give it a pull….seemed like it was not budging and I was unsure about attempting to pull hard. Thanks in advance for any info you have regarding this…..bike is assembled with the exception of the drop seat! M

 

[PabsSFCA]

I just assembled my Hal eBoost with the Bafang M600 motor. The dropper cable is definitely an issue - I was able to make it work by disassembling the faceplate on the motor, which gave me access to the cable, which I was then able to pull on. Although now the cable feels longer than I think it needs to be on the front of the bike. Getting the seat in was not a great experience - the rest was fine with the assembly. The cables inside the battery compartment are placed with masking tape and often conflict with the battery (getting it to go all the way and latch/lock has been an issue so far. I need to mess with it today).

 

[MCG]

Thanks for the reply…let me know how it goes!

 

[Bengy22]

I believe the m600 is compatible with the "bafang besst tool" which should allow you to change the power or current per assist level so you can tune the lower levels down to your liking. You could even flash the firmware to get even more power if wanted, I've seen talks of a 22a and even 25a firmware (So over 1300w on a full charge!). Stock its 20a for 48v and 18a for 52v iirc.

 

[MAC5280]

Didn’t realize I wasn’t getting any alerts since this post. I had to partially drop the motor to fix the dropper post.

For the battery I have really had to give a good slam to get the battery to lock in each time. But not isssues once it is locked in. I generally charge while on the bike for the most part.

Everything I have read about Bafang M600 is the programming is locked and cannot be adjusted like the conversion motors.

 

[bogierider]

I've run into a nightmare scenario buying this bike. Its always gotten a communication error "m30" and after months of talks with BD it was going to be time to send it back for them to work on. I thought it would be a good idea to let a local bike shop take a look first to save everyone the grief of me not knowing hot to adjust battery mount or something else super basic. The bike shop broke the male battery pin mounted on the bike frame. They didn't want to fix it or help put on the new part. BD wont make any repairs even if I pay them. It doesn't look hard to drop the motor to get the cable through but oh those motor mount bolts are tighter then all hell. Has anyone ever loosened these bolts before because the 5mm Allen Wrench does not seem like it is the right size. I am afraid of stripping the inside of the bolt. Please any suggestions would be much appreciated.

 

[MAC5280]

I've run into a nightmare scenario buying this bike. It’s always gotten a communication error "m30" and after months of talks with BD it was going to be time to send it back for them to work on. I thought it would be a good idea to let a local bike shop take a look first to save everyone the grief of me not knowing hot to adjust battery mount or something else super basic. The bike shop broke the male battery pin mounted on the bike frame. They didn't want to fix it or help put on the new part. BD wont make any repairs even if I pay them. It doesn't look hard to drop the motor to get the cable through but oh those motor mount bolts are tighter then all hell. Has anyone ever loosened these bolts before because the 5mm Allen Wrench does not seem like it is the right size. I am afraid of stripping the inside of the bolt. Please any suggestions would be much appreciated.

My motor bolts were super tight as well. Tried to drop the motor to run the dropper post Cable and the crank arms were even tighter. Was afraid I would damage the cranks so I ended up not dropping it.

 

[bogierider]

My motor bolts were super tight as well. Tried to drop the motor to run the dropper post Cable and the crank arms were even tighter. Was afraid I would damage the cranks so I ended up not dropping it.

I found a socket that fit into the grooves on the mounting bolts and then just used the Allen wrench to hold it while I turned. I'm impressed with how much simpler the parts are getting for these bikes but it was definitely a patience game to figure it all out. Personally, my bike still doesn't work. I'm probably going to start a new thread about this bike. 6 months in and I've only been able to ride for about 50 miles.

 

[PabsSFCA]

I did run into an issue where the bike turned off mid-ride and never turned back on. After some research, I believed the culprit to be the HMI/Display (DP C240) so I bought a cheap one I found at Walmart and that solved the problem - plus I actually like the new HMI a lot better (more visible, I can use with polarized sunglasses, clearer information). Now my issue is that BikesDirect says I should go through Bafang regarding any warranty claims for the display, and... guess what?? Bafang says I should work through BikesDirect for my warranty claim. Ain't that fun??

Has anyone had a similar issue and/or any luck getting warranty claims through BD or OEMs?