How can the Trek Bosch 85 Nm be so loud in this review?

[Expidia]

I searched around the threads but did not find many complaining how potentially loud their premium motor is.
The Ebike I wanted originally is the Powefly 9 equipped but at $6200 it’s way over priced for my tastes.
So I picked up a 2021 Giant Explore demo from a bike shop with only 17 miles on it and I’m luv’in it so far and just broke 300 miles.

But with gas prices and inflation holding up used Ebikes it might be awhile until I can find the model I want used like a 2021 Powerfly FS equipped.

But I just watched this Youtube reviewer who I like as he puts a lot of effort into his reviews and from my vantage point he is pretty unbiased.
I’m new with only a few posts . . . If I’m allowed to link to his review (I did not see anything in the rules here against it) see the link below.

Watch his review during the last part where he is test driving the bike at various power levels.
There has to be something wrong here as if its really this loud I need to cross Trek off my list and go with Specialized or Giant for my next $5,OOO plus Ebike purchase.

The noisy Bosch motor part starts around the 32:00 area of the video.


Thanks

 

[Tonybro]

Also depends where you are riding...

On smooth tarmac, the noise will be more obvious, bouncing around on rocks and roots the noise is lost in all the other noise...

All the motors have a noise profile and then combining with a frame creates an additional vibration factor so each sounds different even with the same motor.

I have two Shimano motors, E8000 and EP8 RS. The former is silent when not pedalling, the latter rattles when not pedalling. When pedalling, E8000 whines like a banshee and EP8 is quiet... And I don't really notice either when concentrating on a technical section (up or down!)

 

[Mteam]

That video makes the motor sound louder than it is in reality.

I've got the bosch cx gen 4 motor (same as in that video) in an orbea wild fs , and it not as loud as that video makes it seem, dont get me wrong its not silent, but if it was as noisy as that video makes it seem I'd be complaining about it.

if you want the quietest, then based on the various bikes I have ridden ,you should look at the specialized range that use the brose motors.

 

[Expidia]

The video doesnt give a true representation of noise videos never do they tend to increase noises like rattles and whines etc
Having just come off an Orbea wild fs to a Trek rail the rail is noisier (same motors) different frames produce different noises
Non are what i would call noisy thou but if you want silent maybe you should go brose if you think Giants going to be any quieter my mates Trance is in and around the same if not noisier than my Trek
Personally im not ashamed of riding an emtb so dont personally care about a bit of motor whine we are all different thou
Happy Hunting .

Thanks for your reply Paul. My Giant is not real loud and it also depends on what gear I'm in. I've been using the auto mode mostly and just changing the gears. I'm hoping this reviewer was just pointing his mic too low and the road was further echoing the motor sounds that were bouncing off the road. I know this Bosch model motor is used in many of their other premium models and it can't be this loud as represented in this review. Thats why I'm throwing it out to other Trek owners for their opinion. But I have read or listened to a good number of comments that the Bosh is louder than others. I'm guessing it's due to their higher torque of 85Nm so everything is a trade off.
I want to be in a position to quickly pull the trigger if the bike model and year I'm looking for pops up without having reservations of motor noise.

I also have a Trek Verve 2+ that I'm selling having only put 11 miles on it. I'm the second owner and it only has 240 miles on it, but it's too much of a commuter style for me. This Verve 2+ has the 40 Nm lower Bosch model motor and it is not all that noisy, but definitely noisier than my Giant SyncDrive Life, 60Nm, powered by Yamaha motor.

 

[spicker]

My partner got a Trek Powerfly HT after I got myself a Turbo Levo. The Bosch is definitely louder than my Brose but I still wouldn't call it loud. I can't hear mine over the wind noise at speed.

 

[Bummers]

I searched around the threads but did not find many complaining how potentially loud their premium motor is.
The Ebike I wanted originally is the Powefly 9 equipped but at $6200 it’s way over priced for my tastes.
So I picked up a 2021 Giant Explorer demo from a bike shop with only 17 miles on it and I’m luv’in it so far and just broke 300 miles.

But with gas prices and inflation holding up used Ebikes it might be awhile until I can find the model I want used like a 2021 Powerfly FS equipped.

But I just watched this Youtube reviewer who I like as he puts a lot of effort into his reviews and from my vantage point he is pretty unbiased.
I’m new with only a few posts . . . If I’m allowed to link to his review (I did not see anything in the rules here against it) see the link below.

Watch his review during the last part where he is test driving the bike at various power levels.
There has to be something wrong here as if its really this loud I need to cross Trek off my list and go with Specialized or Giant for my next $5,OOO plus Ebike purchase.

The noisy Bosch motor part starts around the 32:00 area of the video.


Thanks

I hired a trek full suss a couple of months ago with 625 battery and gen 4 motor and despite it being a thrashed hire bike the motor wasn't anywhere near as loud as the video makes out.
You can certainly hear it but nothing disturbing like the video.

 

[steve_sordy]

I was riding with a couple of Treks today. I had to keep looking behind me to check that they were still with me as I could not hear them.

Trek and Bosch go so well together that they are selling really well. (I ride neither).

 

[Zimmerframe]

I was riding with a couple of Treks today. I had to keep looking behind me to check that they were still with me

You have a Shimano ? The Trek's were behind ? Surely they were normal MTB's ?

 

[steve_sordy]

You have a Shimano ? The Trek's were behind ? Surely they were normal MTB's ?

Very droll Zimmer, they were emtb newbies on their second ride, so of course they were behind me. They both had to cry off half way into the ride because one half of the couple had a fault on their display that switched off the motor. Then it came on, then off, on, off, on, off.......and stayed off.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Then it came on, then off, on, off, on, off.......and stayed off.

I think this is known as a Female display unit. Sadly they don't sex them from the factory.

 

[Charliektm400exc]

had a fault on their display that switched off the motor. Then it came on, then off, on, off, on, off.......and stayed off.

sounds like a problem my wife had. Fault was caused by Kiox using contact with base because the magnets that hold the display have come out of the base.

 

[1oldfart]

If you stick with Giant you will be likely to have a better built for your money.

 

[Expidia]

If you stick with Giant you will be likely to have a better built for your money.

Ya I'm really loving the Explore, but a 2nd bike would be fine with me too!

 

[steve_sordy]

Ref the display that would not stay on (post #11). The on/off switch was stuck in the off position, but in such a way that slight movement would allow it to come on, but another slight movement switched it off. The dealer unjammed it, fine now.

 

[2WheelsNot4]

Said it before, I'll say it again.

It's the heartwarming sound of someone else putting the effort in.

 

[Expidia]

Ha! This YouTube video was very timely as to my motor noise question of the Trek Powerfly FS Equipped that I'm interested in buying with it's 85 Nm Bosch. Coincidently, it is by this forums owner on his "Rob Rides" YouTube channel. He compares the noise and power of 6 different motors:

 

[emtbPhil]

There's a lot of people bash Bosch for the noisey motors

I've had 2 Gen4's now and it's never bothered me once, yeah they whine when pedalling and they clatter a fair bit when freewheeling down stuff, but the power they give is superb, I love the over-run they do when you're trying to get over techy stuff, and the few issues I've had (dead display on my old bike) got fixed, with no cost to me, within a few days.

I'll stick with the power, rideability and high quality service rather than worrying about a rattle

 

[Expidia]

Update: I bit the upgrade bullet and picked up my 3rd E-bike in like 3 months. Bought a 2022 Trek Powerfly FS9 Equipped for the MSRP of $6,249 plus 8% tax $6,749. Sounds like a lot of money but I penciled it out and the accessories and component upgrades were $2.330 over the 2022 Powerfly FS 4 for $4,749. I located this scarce model by calling Trek and asked them to locate one for me. One of their Trek stores they suggested I call, he said might have one (the store I called did not have any) but they also found a store for me that might have one also using their Trek bike stock locator program. I called that store and they just got one in 3 days ago that was on order for a year he said.

Store was 2 hrs west of me in a bike shop in Syracuse, NY . . . Syracuse Bicycle (great shop, big selection of bikes and nice people to deal with). This was probably the only Powerfly FS9 Equipped in stock within a 250 mile radius from my home. My Giant Explore is 80Nm and relatively quiet. I was surprised to find this 85 Nm even quieter unlike the video above where I'm sure he held the camera mic too close to the motor while he was riding and filming. Just as another poster had suggested: the mic was also picking up excess noise from bouncing off the hard surfaces! Picture is a stock photo (only one color choice) but I think the glossy black and subdued metallic grey matte combo with the gold Trek lettering looks real classy.