Rail, not fit for purpose

LowStandards

Active member
Sep 21, 2020
106
125
Uk
My rear hub died a month or so after purchase

Error 550 6 months in, wiring loom replaced

Error 550 again a month later, system reset this time

Today, Error 513, followed 30 mins later by Error 550, followed by Error 500

Stuck 15 miles from the car in some distressing landscape.


I both love and hate this thing, looks like it's new motor time.

I'm wondering what the deal is with returning it though, lost confidence in it?
 

Rostle32

Member
Sep 26, 2018
86
92
Uk
My rear hub died a month or so after purchase

Error 550 6 months in, wiring loom replaced

Error 550 again a month later, system reset this time

Today, Error 513, followed 30 mins later by Error 550, followed by Error 500

Stuck 15 miles from the car in some distressing landscape.


I both love and hate this thing, looks like it's new motor time.

I'm wondering what the deal is with returning it though, lost confidence in it?

Firstly, any bike could fail and leave you stranded far form civilisation, one of my riding pals had his freehub fail about 7 miles from home on a clockwork !!
I've had numerous similar faults occurred with my rail 7, plenty of which discussed on this forum.
I think the bike shop are unlikely to take it back after such a long period of ownership,
but saying that, a mate of mine has just had a full refund just last week for a Lapierre ezesty,
which was plagued with a rear suspension waggle, but the shop did have it for nearly six months,
reckoning to the solve the issue.
Ive often toyed with selling my Rail with abit of warranty remaining, but then i give my head a shake, and think,
the next one, could/probably be no better than wot ive got already, cos tech isnt moving at a the same speed at warranty expires
i sold my 2018 kenevo expert ,with abit of warranty remaining to buy the Rail,
i carnt jusify buying a new Ebb every 18/24 month, so I,m gonna run the Rail till technology as a proven itself, and i can take a emtb up into the hills in any weather, without having to worry if lights are gonna flash/loose power leave me stranded!
Also i would like to be able to give a sprinkle with a hosepipe once in a while, without the worry of f+++++g it up !!!
 

Yoak

Active member
Apr 5, 2020
256
172
Norway
Just get the motor changed. On my 2020 Rail, my motor failed after 2500km. Got a new one under warranty, that one lasted 3 weeks. Replaced again, and that was the end of the problems.
I taked to my LBS and the guy there said Bosch probably had a bad batch as he had a lot of replacements for a periode. He suspects they have done some minor changes to their motor, as he has had very few faulty ones since last summer. What model do you have?
 

Rostle32

Member
Sep 26, 2018
86
92
Uk
Seals would be nice wouldn't they 🤦🏼‍♂️
Yeh, deffo! and a good level of waterproofing on the connections and motor seals!!!
Manufacturers should maybe field test the motors in the wet climate of the UK rather than the sunny, dusty climates of the Alps in summer! 😡 Cos I’ll bet a pound to a piece of 💩 that they don’t need to wash test bikes from one season to the next !! 👎👎
 

Rostle32

Member
Sep 26, 2018
86
92
Uk
Bosch has changed all the connectors in the new BES3 motor.
That’s really good to know, but it doesn’t help us poor folk, who have spent on earlier spec Bosch gen 4 powered bikes!!! 🤨
Unless Bosch are admitting there is an issue with the water resistance of the electrical system,and issuing a warranty recall to fix A KNOWN FAULT 🤬!!! Not goin to hold my breath on that !!!!
What is the BES3 motor ??? 👍
 

LowStandards

Active member
Sep 21, 2020
106
125
Uk
New motor fitted

I asked them to set the software up for the mullet setup and now they're querying if I should have fitted the 27.5 :rolleyes:
 

slomtbr

Active member
May 14, 2021
130
99
US
New motor fitted

I asked them to set the software up for the mullet setup and now they're querying if I should have fitted the 27.5 :rolleyes:
Setting the software for a 27.5 but using a 29" wheel would allow for assist beyond the speed limit (granted, not by much). Perhaps it's not allowed and that's why they're asking.
 

LowStandards

Active member
Sep 21, 2020
106
125
Uk
But not too hard to tell.from my post about fitting the mullet setup and asking them to make sure the wheel size was correct 😘


Either way, I can't see a single reason why it would make any odds to them
 

Peaky Rider

E*POWAH Master
Feb 9, 2019
847
538
Derbyshire Dales
They're not stupid, they know you have a 29" wheel in your garage that you'll bang in as soon as you get your bike home, getting another half a mile per hour and so exceeding the legal limit. :)
 

SurreySteve

Member
Jan 9, 2022
30
10
Surrey Hills
They're not stupid, they know you have a 29" wheel in your garage that you'll bang in as soon as you get your bike home, getting another half a mile per hour and so exceeding the legal limit. :)
Doesn’t really say why it’s their concern though. I mean my car tyres (on my old car) had to be rated for 155mph+ (Z or W) in the UK for insurance so what’s the difference ?? It’s not like just because the car was capable of a speed it’s going to be used on UK roads…
Equally I can get the 155 mph speed limiter deleted anyway … not that I’d use it even in Germany .. I’d get about 6mph at 155 anyway
 

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