Overrun will make you a faster rider, but will it make you a better one?

[Arcerhawk]

Overrun seems to be key to win power stages and, ofcourse, every weekend warrior wants it. Bosch has it and Shimano's upcoming update will give you the chance to turn it up to a similar level to Bosch.
But, are we really sure that overrun is such a good thing? It might get you up the hill faster, but it might also mess up your technique, promoting brute force over finesse and control.

Personally, I ride a Shimano EP801. I'm waiting for the update to hit the eTube app and try the extended overrun.
However, I like to ride trial-like trails and I indulge in pedal kicks and the likes. I have a moto trial background.
What little overrun I get from the EP801 is still enough to throw me off balance. The only time it helps is when going full steam up a steep rocky section with little style and lots of hope.
So my question is: will this drive to ever more overrun kill a more technical riding? Should you avoid overrun at all when riding trials, expecially downhill?

 

[irie]

Should you avoid overrun at all when riding trials, expecially downhill?

Why would you have the motor on while riding downhill?

 

[glixerd]

Had the overrun feature in my EP801 for about 3 weeks now.

It's helpful sometimes, not others
As it's helpful more times than it's not, i leave it enabled (Currently at Max)

If you don't like it, you just set it to minimum
Personally i cannot feel it at minimum, so it doesn't seem intrusive

Keep in mind it's also cancelled out if you backpedal

 

[B1rdie]

^^ This!
Overrun only makes sense to me if it can be shut down by backpedaling, since this is the technique I use to shift without banging the drive train.

 

[RustyIron]

every weekend warrior wants it.

I have a moto trial background.

only time it helps is when going full steam up a steep rocky section with little style

As a weekend warrior with little style, I stand in awe at your moto trial background.

 

[irie]

Overrun will make you a faster rider, but will it make you a better one?

I dunno, how about you enlighten us?

 

[theremotejuggernaut]

It feels like there's a small amount on my EP8 when it's in boost. I quite like it for clearing steep, steppy, rocky stuff that I wouldn't be able to pedal up. It does take away from the natural feel that the morltor gives though. I'd like the option to play with the settings and see what it was like with more but I think once the novelty had worn off, I probably wouldn't use it much.

There's too many situations where it's not helpful. I don't always want the bike to surge forward and keep going once I've stopped pedalling. If I've stopped pedalling, it's usually because I want to slow down!

 

[Husky430]

However, I like to ride trial-like trails and I indulge in pedal kicks and the likes. I have a moto trial background.
What little overrun I get from the EP801 is still enough to throw me off balance. The only time it helps is when going full steam up a steep rocky section with little style and lots of hope.
So my question is: will this drive to ever more overrun kill a more technical riding? Should you avoid overrun at all when riding trials, expecially downhill?

I can't speak for the Shimano over-run but on the Bosch I find that it helps me actually get up steep rocky sections that I would otherwise not even attempt. And I too love this more technical riding tho I will confess, I'm more of a "crash bandicoot" than a trials expert. Still love to give it all a go and much prefer this type of riding than cruising down a fire road.

 

[Winford]

Like anything else, if you practice with it, you can use it to your advantage in technical applications. Not going to help me in trophies and KOMs on strava

 

[The Hodge]

Any little advantage that helps me up a gnarly climb is OK by me ..
Am I bothered about it messing up my technique ?
Hell no !

 

[Astro66]

Overrun requires training. Once you have trained to use it effectively. It is your technique.

 

[Arcerhawk]

Overrun requires training. Once you have trained to use it effectively. It is your technique.

This is what I'm wondering...

I'm by no measure a good trials rider, but I enjoy trying. When you're cropping up technical terrain where you need to stop, adjust your position, hop on the next obstacle and then try to get some momentum back, I find that overrun is mostly of hindrance.
I like the power and responsiveness of the Trail profile when pedal kicking gaps for example, but I don't like the fact that I have to account for overrun when I need to stop in a tight spot.

I'm wondering if training for it would instead unlock some benefit from the overrun.

 

[The Hodge]

Personally, I ride a Shimano EP801

Should have got a Bosch ..
Over-run / boost is only a feature on the emtb or turbo modes ..

 

[Arcerhawk]

Should have got a Bosch ..
Over-run / boost is only a feature on the emtb or turbo modes ..

Actually, with Shimano we should be able to select 3 levels of overrun for any riding profile. So, even more choices.

 

[Astro66]

I'm wondering if training for it would instead unlock some benefit from the overrun.

I hated overrun when I first got the bike. And mine only has a short over run in Boost Mode. It kept driving me off the line I was trying to climb on. So I never climbed in boost mode. I made a custom mode below boost that had minimal over run.

But I watched a few videos, and all the experts were using it. So I tried it again and persisted with it. Trying to remember to back pedal when being driven off my preferred line or into a rock or tree.

It has to become muscle memory, so it's instinctive. If you have to think about it. It's normally too late. And now pedalling that way is my technique. And yes I would flounder on a EMTB without over run. But it seems a path all the motors are going down.

 

[dimitrin]

Yeah I ride a lot of uphill very narrow tight technical trails, and I also make a point to ride my analog bike once or twice a week for a proper workout. I found on those tight technical trails that overrun is not my friend.
It might make you a better e-bike rider, but I don't see it making you a better pedal bike rider or improving balance, technique or skills.
... well other than the skill of anticipating the overrun to get up a straight shot of chunky technical bits.

 

[dimitrin]

I did not know you could backpedal to turn it off though. I'll have to try that the next time I experience it.

 

[rod9301]

What is the overrun feature?

 

[irie]

I dunno, how about you enlighten us?

Still no answer?

 

[luna87824]

What is the overrun feature?

Its when you stop pedaling but the motor keeps driving you forward for a few milliseconds....

 

[Cleggy]

I'm waiting for the update to hit the eTube app and try the extended overrun.

It [the firmware] has been available for a few months now

also a week or two ago the app was updated to allow the user to customise the settings through the app.

Stop waiting and apply it.

 

[rzr]

Why would you have the motor on while riding downhill?

Why would you have a battery on your bike when going down .... ?

of course bike is ON and set to trail (safer) or turbo,
cuz there are places where you need a boost out of the corner or other similar stuff...

 

[irie]

Why would you have a battery on your bike when going down .... ?

Quite right, leave the battery at the top, what could possibly go wrong?

Oh.

 

[rzr]

You didn't get a sarcasm...

However a few times in bike parks (shuttling or chairlift) I rode my Levo without a battery