Eco sucks!

Zimmerframe

MUPPET
Subscriber
Jun 12, 2019
14,001
20,757
Brittany, France
It also puts a lot of unnecessary strain on the drivetrain
How can putting less power through the drivetrain put more strain on it ? Or are you classing the rider as part of the drivetrain ?

Drivetrains generally have a shorter life on EMTB's due to more power through the drivetrain and Turbo Sh1t Shifts.
 

Zimmerframe

MUPPET
Subscriber
Jun 12, 2019
14,001
20,757
Brittany, France
I always find these sort of conversations a little strange. Why on earth would pay the premium for an emtb over a mtb and then ride with assist off or in ECO?
Choice. We're all different. A premium EMTB isn't necessarily just power, an EMTB is more than that. You have premium lightweights which cost more and have less power in ECO than a premium FF EMTB.

There's also perception. Ride with the power off from the start and then switch to ECO and it feels like Turbo. Anyone riding in ECO regularly gets used to it. Anyone riding in Turbo or EMTB all the time gets used to it.

ECO will give you considerably more time, range and altitude where Turbo might only give you an hour or as little as 30 minutes if you're going for it. It's still assisted and it's still easier than a none assisted bike. Yes, power off is a lot harder, but if you save that for the easier terrain and then eco for the harder terrain you can get some crazy distance (admittedly, if you're riding like that all the time, yes, you probably are better off with a normal bike. But if you just have some days like that then you can mix things up and work on different types of fitness if that's your thing)
 

steve_sordy

Wedding Crasher
Nov 5, 2018
8,936
9,281
Lincolnshire, UK
My ep8 was bloody awful in Eco, and felt like it wasn't working at all if moving down to Eco from Trail or Boost. A few minutes with the Shimano app, nudge the slider to the right a bit and......a totally different bike, a pleasure to ride and no noticeable loss in range. .............................
I have come across more than a few riders who have bought an EP8 driven bike and never had it explained to them that they can tune the motor with the Shimano E-TUBE app. They probably bought the bike on-line; in which case they did not get the customer service that an LBS would supply.
I can see why Shimano and/or bike manufacturer for safety reasons don't set the motor to maximum in all categories, but why not add a hanging tag to the bars saying it is available and providing a link to how to access the app? I have met more than one rider unhappy with the power of his brand-new Shimano EP8. An unhappiness that can be swiftly resolved.
 

RustyIron

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Jun 5, 2021
1,812
2,784
La Habra, California
I have met more than one rider unhappy with the power of his brand-new Shimano EP8. An unhappiness that can be swiftly resolved.

I've met a fair number of people who have never adjusted their bike's parameters, or even connected to the computer. I just lump those folks into the same category as those who don't adjust the audio settings on their automotive sound systems, and whose VCR's are still flashing 12:00. Why don't they improve the things around them? Is it laziness? A stubborn defiance to learn? They make no sense to me.
 
Aug 18, 2022
39
69
Netherlands
Our group likes to race, so we use the highest possible setting.

I for one am selling my Shitmano bike, because even after tuning with the ETUBE app the EP8 is disappointingly underwhelming when racing up hills. It's like it runs out of power after a while. At walking speed it's alright though, but that's not how I ride.
 

B1rdie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
Feb 14, 2019
895
1,097
Brazil
I concur.
Use eco only to warm up and on the agonyzing moments when the battery is about to die.
 

rzr

Active member
Sep 26, 2022
359
228
bcn
i saw a lot of ppl not adjusting even their brake levers, even in 2 years after buying a bike ....
 

pagheca

Member
Nov 6, 2022
130
59
La Palma, Canary Islands
Some time ago, I did a very long trail that included climbing a 2000m mountain. Because the distance and altitude were very challenging for the battery, I used Eco as much as possible. However, at some points I had to switch to Tour because it was too steep for me, and the volcanic ash on the ground would have made it really hard for me not to stop.

Anyway, I was pretty exhausted near the top. So I switched to "Tour" because I knew I wouldn't need too much battery and could get home with the remaining charge.

In that case, I was very happy to have an ebike... but without the "eco mode" I would never have made it up there on my own.
 

Nomad1

Member
Apr 2, 2023
242
80
03818
Depends on your bike / motor I guess.
I ride my Levo SL in Eco 95% of the time. In fact, it’s a dialled down version of Eco I use.
My Levo SL weighs 17kg, and the motor has pretty much no resistance when off… so running it on my custom Eco setting is giving me about 15-20% of a boost on top of my own legs.
That’s all I want most of the time.

On a day where I’m knackered and want to do the same run over and over, I can whack it up to 100% and climb faster… then back to Eco for the descents. Get a few laps in without wearing myself out.

Not everyone wants an eMTB to fly uphill. I appreciate a LOT do… but there’s also a lot that don’t… which is why lighter lower powered ‘SL’ bikes are becoming more popular.
there is the difference your talking SL and there are growing number of those and as the emtb's get lighter than it will make eco make more sense.
 

Nomad1

Member
Apr 2, 2023
242
80
03818
Just to clarify I'm saying that it doesn't make much sense if your in ECO most of the time on most (full fat) EMTB's
you'll be better off with a non E but as they start to weigh closer to there non E counter parts
and drag and decoupling gets less. Tomorrows bikes will get closer.
 

Nomad1

Member
Apr 2, 2023
242
80
03818
I'll be riding full Eco tomorrow because I do big rides in the wilderness.
💪🏼😠👊🏼

Full-turbo-boost riders better stay close to their cars.
😢💁‍♂️
:ROFLMAO: That depends on your range in turbo which still depend on your effort your setup gear choices etc that's without tweaking the modes. Probably the biggest factor in that is weather your still pushing hard💪 and not just letting the motor do the work. PS I leave the car at home:).
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,535
5,015
Weymouth
In my experience with each of the emtbs I have used, with both Brose and Bosch motors, the typical range I get is not simply determined by which modes I use, but rather by being able to maintain a cadence of c 70rpm and maintaining the momentum of the bike. That means not only using the gears but also the best mode to achieve that. It is made easier with a variable mode like emtb because both cadence and momentum can be maintained mostly with the gears.
 

pagheca

Member
Nov 6, 2022
130
59
La Palma, Canary Islands
I can get 30 miles plus in turbo. The range prediction lies
The problem is that the prediction is based on the past, not the future.

This is a pity. There should be an app that predicts the distance based on your PAST record, on the ebike model, and on the PLANNED tour. It should interface with the bike's sensors, which is not impossible. Something like ABRP for electric vehicles, but with the additional uncertainties related to your current physical conditions. But the results would be much better than the current ones.

Standard disclaimer: If you are going to write that "it's impossible", "it would be useless" or "it can't be done", think twice, because this is the mantra with EVERY substantial innovation, from google search to spotify to the iphone etc....
:D
 

Plummet

Flash Git
Mar 16, 2023
1,152
1,634
New Zealand
Well I rode for 6 hours on Wednesday. 11 runs in total, 5 shuttle uplifts, 6 e-pedal ups. about 3300m vert total 1800m of E-up
I spent most the time in blue auto mode and E-mtb mode, I did one single track up in turbo which was brain melting fun, and did 2 hills in eco and off because we met up with some mtb mates.

The eco and no assist sucked balls by comparison and was super slow. But we rode with our mtb mates so in that respect it was cool.

I am definitely in the more FPH (fun per hour) camp of riding in high assist modes. Ironically the most effort I expend is in the highest assist modes. When i am sending it in those modes I'm putting max assist and max pedal effort in for brain melting speeds. When i'm in eco mode its a slow dawdle to economize energy of myself and the battery.

To the dudes that do a lot of eco and only have an e-mtb. I say go ride an mtb as comparison. For me if its going to be an all eco ride, ill ride my mtb instead. Then I can have a playfull bike thats so much fun to ride. I'm going similar speeds and im using similar energy. So why subject myself to a heavy slab of a bike when i have a light playful machine to use?

I will in the future consider a medium power e bike like a relay or kenevo sl. That would bridge the gap between mtb and full fat in terms of weight and sluggishness.

PS, I'm enjoying the discussion and different opinions. Keep it coming.
 

Nomad1

Member
Apr 2, 2023
242
80
03818
In my experience with each of the emtbs I have used, with both Brose and Bosch motors, the typical range I get is not simply determined by which modes I use, but rather by being able to maintain a cadence of c 70rpm and maintaining the momentum of the bike. That means not only using the gears but also the best mode to achieve that. It is made easier with a variable mode like emtb because both cadence and momentum can be maintained mostly with the gears.
Speaking of modes what about different modes
for auto shift💡
 
Aug 18, 2022
39
69
Netherlands
The problem is that the prediction is based on the past, not the future.

This is a pity. There should be an app that predicts the distance based on your PAST record, on the ebike model, and on the PLANNED tour. It should interface with the bike's sensors, which is not impossible. Something like ABRP for electric vehicles, but with the additional uncertainties related to your current physical conditions. But the results would be much better than the current ones.

Standard disclaimer: If you are going to write that "it's impossible", "it would be useless" or "it can't be done", think twice, because this is the mantra with EVERY substantial innovation, from google search to spotify to the iphone etc....
:D
AI is already finding it's way to eBikes 😎
 

mtb-steve

Member
Nov 4, 2021
113
98
Cumbria
I always find these sort of conversations a little strange. Why on earth would pay the premium for an emtb over a mtb and then ride with assist off or in ECO?
I started MTB again on an emtb in 2020, there was no way I'd have started again with an acoustic bike, I was riding with my dad a lot doing 50km+ rides with 1500m of climbing, to get the range I had to use eco with bits of tour.
After 6000miles of mountain biking over the last 3 years I still prefer the emtb as I'm not a die hard fitness freak, I use tour up steep hills or when I'm tired and eco the rest of the time. But I've found that having assist off on flat easy going, or slight down hills saves a fair bit of battery, and anything that gives me more range is good as far as I'm concerned.
I've got no interest in bike parks or huge jumps etc, I did all that as a kid and I've raced motorcycles for a lot of my adult life and belive me when I say that an ebike on turbo doesn't even come close, so I'm not going to bother. I enjoy long trail rides and exploring the countryside and the emtb is ideal.
 

timo2824

New Member
Dec 27, 2023
33
54
USA
Eco feels like more than just assist for the extra weight on my 55lbs Polygon Collosus with an EP801. I start rides with the assist turned off to get warmed up. My background is with dirt bikes so I think this bike is very playful and have zero desire to go back to an analog bike. I was planning on keeping my old Camber Pro, but one ride on the Collosus and I had no desire to ride the Camber. Also for everyone saying just ride an analog bike, but what happens when you get to a big climb or decide you want to turn up the fun dial? Riding "mostly" in eco doesn't mean "always" in eco. I ride mountain bikes for fun, so as long as I'm having a good time I don't really care about the current speed or power assist.
 

EMTB Forums

Since 2018

The World's largest electric mountain bike community.

552K
Messages
27,926
Members
Join Our Community

Latest articles


Top