Bosch 2020 CX motors for 2020 Treks?

Ultradiscostu

New Member
Jul 19, 2019
15
5
UK
This is a big deal for me as I'm just in the process of laying down the cash for a 2019 Powerfly 5 or 5fs with my local Trek store in UK. I'm getting a great deal on both (once I decide if it's a hardtail or fs that I need!) But was reading about the 2020 Bosch motors last night and they look amazing!! Plus the 625kwh batteries too.

Should I wait and then decide? I took a test ride of the Powerfly 5 and was absolutely blown away by the bike and it's performance. It was my first ride of an e-MTB and I was grinning throughout. What a blast. There is always going to be a better bike (and more expensive bikes) available.

Just wonder whether the 2020 motors are such a big step forward that I should wait and spend more? Lighter, quieter and less resistance and drag when the motor cuts out apparently. Argh I don't know what to do...
 

Ultradiscostu

New Member
Jul 19, 2019
15
5
UK
The new Bosch motor is a big step up from the current one - if I was looking at a brand of bike that use the Bosch motor I would wait for the 2020 models. If looking at other motors I wouldn't
Thanks!! I'm the most impatient person in the world so I really hope Trek announce/launch 2020 models very soon!! Price will be crucial though for me. I wonder if I have to accept the 2020 bikes will be out of my price range. I might pop into Trek store this weekend and ask these questions to see what they can tell me!
 

33red

New Member
Jun 12, 2019
447
137
Quebec, Canada
My LBS today says they'll be getting the 2020 Rails and Powerflys on 8th August, hopefully there will be some reviews out before that.
Why wait. Obviously the first reviews available to read will say go buy it it is way better than the piece of crap they were selling last year.
 

R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,190
Surrey
But with the Bosch system it really is way better, review or not. No idea what the new trek bikes will be like, but the motor in them will be a night and day improvement over the old one - the old Bosch motor has a lot of resistance over the cut off, smaller battery, the small chainring clogs up in the mud, and is the heaviest motor on the market. The new motor deals with all these issues, plus you get the 630wh battery.

If you where looking at a Shimano bike however, they new bikes are only really aeasthetic improvements over older models.
 

33red

New Member
Jun 12, 2019
447
137
Quebec, Canada
Time will tell if it will be with many bugs. If you ask me their tiny front was a no go for me. I like a 32 and their smallest was bigger counting the 2.5X factor. I was pointing out that many are not real reviews but disguised advertising.
 

Rusty

E*POWAH BOSS
Jul 17, 2019
1,513
1,673
New Zealand
Just wonder whether the 2020 motors are such a big step forward that I should wait and spend more? Lighter, quieter and less resistance and drag when the motor cuts out apparently. Argh I don't know what to do...

Yes, the 2020 is a big step forward. Got to do a sidewalk ride on a 2020 test bike back-to-back with a 2019 version. The new one almost had be looking at a Trek.
Scott is also going from Shimano to Bosch so dealer support should be readily available for the Bosch unit.
 

MattyB

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jul 11, 2018
1,274
1,301
Herts, UK
This is a big deal for me as I'm just in the process of laying down the cash for a 2019 Powerfly 5 or 5fs with my local Trek store in UK. I'm getting a great deal on both (once I decide if it's a hardtail or fs that I need!) But was reading about the 2020 Bosch motors last night and they look amazing!! Plus the 625kwh batteries too.

Should I wait and then decide? I took a test ride of the Powerfly 5 and was absolutely blown away by the bike and it's performance. It was my first ride of an e-MTB and I was grinning throughout. What a blast. There is always going to be a better bike (and more expensive bikes) available.

Just wonder whether the 2020 motors are such a big step forward that I should wait and spend more? Lighter, quieter and less resistance and drag when the motor cuts out apparently. Argh I don't know what to do...
Some of the prices were leaked early, check out this thread...

2020 Trek Rail?? - EMTB Forums

Personally I would not bother with a Trek - the new Whytes are cheaper (start at £4750 apparently with almost certainly better specs), better looking and still give you LBS support and the new Bosch motor...

D9V-ccFXUAAVF2k


Whyte e-mtb - EMTB Forums
 

Tribey

Active member
Jan 1, 2019
313
225
South Devon, UK
It also depends on what price you're getting the FS5 for. The 2020 Trek Rail 7 with Gen 4 motor, was I think £4800 on the Harry Hall site.

I think the Rail 5 was £3900, but I cannot confirm it had the Bosch Gen4 motor.

So do you want, and how much are you willing to pay for the Gen 4 and larger battery?

I'm sure 2019 models will reduce in price again, but colour and frame size choices reduce in availability.
 

MattyB

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jul 11, 2018
1,274
1,301
Herts, UK
Trek Powerfly FS 5 G2 EU 2020 Electric Mountain Bike Grey - Buy Online | Pedal Revolution

View attachment 16193
and that looks like a large front chain ring, so does that mean Gen4 motor in the 2020 FS5 too? and does the G2 in the ad mean the same?
Looks like the latest motor to me, but for that price I would be expecting everything else (particularly forks and shock) to be very basic. It all depends on what you want to do with the bike, though - they may be fine.
 
Last edited:

Tribey

Active member
Jan 1, 2019
313
225
South Devon, UK
Some of the prices were leaked early, check out this thread...

2020 Trek Rail?? - EMTB Forums

Personally I would not bother with a Trek - the new Whytes are cheaper (start at £4750 apparently with almost certainly better specs), better looking and still give you LBS support and the new Bosch motor...

D9V-ccFXUAAVF2k


Whyte e-mtb - EMTB Forums
Just out of interest, why wouldn't you bother with Trek?

I know full spec isn't known yet, but it looks like the Whyte start > £1000 for Gen4 Bosch bikes over Trek.

Just asking, to add/subtract from my wishlist!
 

R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,190
Surrey
The Treks are expensive for what they are - however the build quality is very good, from what I have seen of poking around them they are very well thought out and put together, there battery cover/removal system is especially neat
 

Tribey

Active member
Jan 1, 2019
313
225
South Devon, UK

MattyB

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jul 11, 2018
1,274
1,301
Herts, UK
Just out of interest, why wouldn't you bother with Trek?

I know full spec isn't known yet, but it looks like the Whyte start > £1000 for Gen4 Bosch bikes over Trek.

Just asking, to add/subtract from my wishlist!
Because based on historical pricing from Trek that model you quoted is likely to have a spec well short of the Whyte. I’m also not a huge fan of the way they mount the battery.
 

Tribey

Active member
Jan 1, 2019
313
225
South Devon, UK
Thanks.

It's a new battery now, and full specs not released yet, so I'll be keen to see.

This first time eMTB spending lark is not as easy as I thought!
 

MattyB

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Jul 11, 2018
1,274
1,301
Herts, UK
Thanks.

It's a new battery now, and full specs not released yet, so I'll be keen to see.

This first time eMTB spending lark is not as easy as I thought!
The most important thing is not to be sucked in to immediately buying the first one you ride. ANY EMTB is going to feel amazing if it’s the first on you’ve ridden, but until you’ve tried a few with different powertrains and geometries you won’t know if it’s really the best one for you. Think of it more like buying a car or a house - you wouldn’t buy the first one you see/drive even if you really like it. Try out plenty of different bikes and consider your purchase carefully; they are an expensive thing to get wrong!
 
Last edited:

33red

New Member
Jun 12, 2019
447
137
Quebec, Canada
Yes, the 2020 is a big step forward. Got to do a sidewalk ride on a 2020 test bike back-to-back with a 2019 version. The new one almost had be looking at a Trek.
Scott is also going from Shimano to Bosch so dealer support should be readily available for the Bosch unit.
Thanks for the good news. Here(Quebec) Shimano is just about everywhere so our options are quite limited. I hope to test that new one.
 

Tribey

Active member
Jan 1, 2019
313
225
South Devon, UK
My LBS has an order in with Trek for the new Rail 7, and is expecting the first colour choice to arrive in mid November, the black/red in December.
So I've plenty of time to keep window shopping.
 

Beekeeper

🍯Honey Monster🍯
Aug 6, 2019
1,751
2,197
Surrey hills
Looking at it now on a full PC screen and not a tiny phone, I see it's not a photograph, but a cartoon image, so it could be any spec.

So ultradiscostu you'll have to wait some longer!

Yes I agree, the photo does look very suspicious. Photoshopped I think.
Hang on in there until the new cx motor comes out. It’s a major change in tech for the Bosch system after about 5 years. My only slight concern is the noise level. I’m happy with the current motor because I’ve not tried anything else but videos of the new cx being ridden definitely sound noisy (whine). It could be just the mic being more sensitive to that particular frequency however. Will be interesting to see what others think when it comes out.
 

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