Bosch gen4 2021 85nm upgrade?

Patchinko

Active member
Aug 14, 2020
77
151
S.W hants
Has anyone done the 85nm upgrade yet? The shop we got the wife's Cube reaction from said they will do the upgrade for free so keen to try it but would like some input as to weather the benefits are worth the possible extra battery use.
Cheers.
 

Doomanic

🛠️Wrecker🛠️
Patreon
Founding Member
Jan 21, 2018
8,702
10,342
UK
It's worth it.

I've done a couple of 45KM rides with 1500M+ of climbing since having it done, so no range anxiety here.
 

GrahamPaul

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Nov 6, 2019
1,127
1,088
Andalucía
Did you notice much of difference ?

I certainly did. I thought they'd reduced the motor power (and actually phoned them to ask) because it felt so much gentler. The following day went out and bagged 2 Strava KOMs while thinking I was riding slower than usual :unsure:
 

Mteam

E*POWAH Elite
Aug 3, 2020
1,864
1,801
gone
I had mine updated the other week, it accelerates faster up steep hills, kind of like the hill isn't as steep as it really is.

The emtb mode is slightly smoother when setting off on steep up hills.

I haven't noticed the extended boost, or whatever its called.

I haven't noticed any decrease in range.

Probably worth doing if for nothing else other than less chance of getting a false 503 error, it's a noticeable improvement, but it's not an enormous difference.
 
Last edited:

Doug Stampfer

Well-known member
Jul 7, 2018
737
756
NZ
Yep good. Don't get hung up on what they call the "Boost" it is merely a run on of the motor to help you over rocks/ roots etc. It won't launch you over things but merely continue the motor running for a second or two while you can backpedal or stop pedalling to stop pedal strike.
 

Patchinko

Active member
Aug 14, 2020
77
151
S.W hants
I had the upgrade. It feels more responsive in tour but I haven't really had the chance to test the higher levels.
An interesting point from the lad who did the upgrade. He said that the 85nm only gets put on bikes with 165mm cranks.
I also got the wife's Reaction done whìch has 175mm cranks but not had a chance to do a comparison.
I did notice though that what had previously been displayed as emtb on her display now reads sport.
Also on my 140 the charge port on the frame had not been working so I had to remove the battery to charge.
This now seems to have been corrected.
 

sunstoner

Active member
Aug 2, 2020
173
102
Nottinghamshire
I had the upgrade. It feels more responsive in tour but I haven't really had the chance to test the higher levels.
An interesting point from the lad who did the upgrade. He said that the 85nm only gets put on bikes with 165mm cranks.
I also got the wife's Reaction done whìch has 175mm cranks but not had a chance to do a comparison.
I did notice though that what had previously been displayed as emtb on her display now reads sport.
Also on my 140 the charge port on the frame had not been working so I had to remove the battery to charge.
This now seems to have been corrected.

I maybe quite wrong here (newbie alert!) but I'd read somewhere else on here that they'd had the update done and it too changed EMTB to Sport and it turned out that the shop had incorrectly updated with wrong version of software. My understanding is that it should still show EMTB if that's what it displayed before.

Might be worth checking.
 

KeithO

Member
Apr 9, 2020
119
67
England
I maybe quite wrong here (newbie alert!) but I'd read somewhere else on here that they'd had the update done and it too changed EMTB to Sport and it turned out that the shop had incorrectly updated with wrong version of software. My understanding is that it should still show EMTB if that's what it displayed before.

Might be worth checking.
Yes, happened to me and I had to go back to the shop for them to re-update the software so it had EMTB mode as appose to SPORT ?
 

Jimex

New Member
Jun 9, 2020
16
15
UK
Yes, happened to me and I had to go back to the shop for them to re-update the software so it had EMTB mode as appose to SPORT ?

Sound as good a the lbs that updated by brothers gen 4. I said did you check the firmware to make sure it was correct? Nope, the shop took it for a spin, apparently felt much improved. I checked and it was still on the old firmware ?.
 

Errol1098

Active member
Jul 8, 2018
65
250
Sydney Australia
I had mine updated on Tuesday and I watched the tech select the update and saw the update progression etc but when I got home and had a look at the display it still showed the old drive unit version? It shows emtb, Went for a ride and be buggered if noticed much of a difference if any, could have just been I had more energy that day. I’m taking it back on Monday and the tech will plug it in and have a look. I did send a message to the Bosch help line but got nothing back but that’s not unexpected really.
 

sunstoner

Active member
Aug 2, 2020
173
102
Nottinghamshire
Ten minutes and was done ? plug into the Kiox, upload the software - pick the choices of sport or EMTB, crank length and done

as easy as updating a phone really.

Good to hear. I've had mine done. Only picked up new bike 3 weeks ago and the lbs had updated it before collection.

Only ask because experience tells me updating wrong firmwares on stuff can bugger hardware up or brick them. Pleased it sorted you out (y)
 

Andrie

Member
May 20, 2020
171
68
NorCal
Ten minutes and was done ? plug into the Kiox, upload the software - pick the choices of sport or EMTB, crank length and done

as easy as updating a phone really.

It’s interesting about the crank length. Why does it matter? I’m curious as I’m thinking of changing my crank from 160 to 150
 

KeithO

Member
Apr 9, 2020
119
67
England
It’s interesting about the crank length. Why does it matter? I’m curious as I’m thinking of changing my crank from 160 to 150
Not entirely sure to be honest.....this question is best left for the experts on here ?

The LBS checked it the cranks on the bike against the software update when I was standing next to them doing it.
 

Mteam

E*POWAH Elite
Aug 3, 2020
1,864
1,801
gone
Not entirely sure to be honest.....this question is best left for the experts on here ?

The LBS checked it the cranks on the bike against the software update when I was standing next to them doing it.
I asked the bloke who did the software update what difference it would make if he put the wrong crank length value in and he said the motor would incorrectly work out what torque you were applying if the crank length value was wrong, but he did say that there were only two values, long crank for anything over 160mm long and short cranks for 160mm or shorter.
 

KeithO

Member
Apr 9, 2020
119
67
England
I asked the bloke who did the software update what difference it would make if he put the wrong crank length value in and he said the motor would incorrectly work out what torque you were applying if the crank length value was wrong, but he did say that there were only two values, long crank for anything over 160mm long and short cranks for 160mm or shorter.
Makes sense now the way you put it ?
 

Worthy

Member
Aug 25, 2020
27
9
Caerphilly
Crazy how busy most of my lbs in Cardiff are, wouldn’t even let me book my bike in to have my light activated let alone the software update I tried 5 shops. One shop said bring it down in month maybe do it then. The other said only doing bikes we have sold with a 3 week wait !!!! But a Big shout out to Leisurelakesbikes Newport who did it straight away and the software update. It took 5 mins all done they were great. I thought that £40 for 5 mins was good money but I must be wrong as 5 shops didn’t want to touch it.
 

TrailBoB

Active member
Apr 27, 2020
209
446
Scotland
Crazy how busy most of my lbs in Cardiff are, wouldn’t even let me book my bike in to have my light activated let alone the software update I tried 5 shops. One shop said bring it down in month maybe do it then. The other said only doing bikes we have sold with a 3 week wait !!!! But a Big shout out to Leisurelakesbikes Newport who did it straight away and the software update. It took 5 mins all done they were great. I thought that £40 for 5 mins was good money but I must be wrong as 5 shops didn’t want to touch it.
£40 for 5 mins relates to £480 an hour. I don’t think Ferrari of McLaren charge that. ?
 

Worthy

Member
Aug 25, 2020
27
9
Caerphilly
£40 for 5 mins relates to £480 an hour. I don’t think Ferrari of McLaren charge that. ?
Totally agree but try booking in your bike for the software update in Cardiff. It’s just crazy !!!! Money for nothing and they don’t want it. I even offered my closest shop a additional £20 tip if they would do it so £60 in total, they said no sorry just to busy ?
 

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