Shimano Steps, but without display?

[tomato paste]

I saw that Rob was running his Specialized without a switch (or display), with the bike set to eco full time and 100% assist according to his input (forget the terminology here) and was wondering if such a setup was possible with a Shimano steps E8000? Would be nice to get rid of the display and swtich, clear up the cockpit.

 

[R120]

Yes you can get rid of the display, by using the EW-EN100 Junction A. It connects to the wire from the motor and the wire from the controller, in place of the display - I have it on both of my bikes. You can still connect to the app etc. It is plug and play.

EW-EN100

You can even get rid of the mode switch and just use the button on the unit.

EW-EN100 (Junction A) - EMTB Forums

 

[Gary]

wot dis dude said ^^

just to add, if you ever decide you do sometimes want a display, all the latest Garmin Edge GPS units (530 and above) connect seamlessly to the EN EW100 and can display far more data than the E8000 display.

also if you want a super clean set-up you can fit Di2 bars and run the E7000 switch cable inside them. You need the longest (700mm) cable version of the switch though as the cable doubles back under the grip and pops out under the stem. I was tempted to do this but only have the 400mm cable version so it's just a little short.

 

[R120]

E-Sommet: 2 Years On - EMTB Forums

 

[tomato paste]

I'm going to try it out (the EN-EW100), after that I'll try to pick up a handlebar for Di2 (for the routing). Eventually I'm actually thinking of swapping out the rear cassette for a IGH.

I'm not seeing a length printed with the EN-EW100's for sale online. There seems to be some price differences, but I don't think has to do with the cable length. Is there a part number associated with cable length or do you just buy one and hope you get the longer cable?

 

[Gary]

Eventually I'm actually thinking of swapping out the rear cassette for a IGH.

Why?
They all weigh a ton and mess up weight balance of an mtb and still need a rear mounted tensioner anyway.

The E7000 switch is available in 300, 400 or 700mm cable length. specify when buying.
but before you buy, take a look at @R120s cable routing/tidy up on the thread above. It's way neater than Di2 bars would be.I asume he's using the 400mm version?

 

[R120]

yes 400mm vision of the E7000 switch - the EN EW100 doesn't come with any cables.

 

[Gary]

Oops. Yeah. sorry. i meant the E7000 switch didn't I? edited now.

 

[tomato paste]

Ah, got it, I thought the EN-EW100 had its own cables, that makes more sense now. I'm thinking of ditching the switch entirely, and just leaving it in eco with the unit attached to a cable housing near the bike tube exit port. Funny enough Canyon sent the bike with an E8000 switch, but the sales listing showed E7000 switch installed, so this way I don't have to buy a switch, just the EN-EW100. The E8000 switch is ridiculous--I bet the designer opens his beer bottles with a hammer.

Re: IGH, we'll see. I'll wait a bit, may make less sense over time.

 

[Gary]

The E8000 switch is ridiculous--I bet the designer opens his beer bottles with a hammer.

TBF It's just a rebranded Di2 gear shifter. but yeah. pretty horribly designed.

what IGHs were you looking at?
I think internal gear motors make a lot more sense (in the furure) but possibly with less gears than most IGH bearing in mind we really don't need the same range on an Emtb as a normal bike.

 

[R120]

Ah, got it, I thought the EN-EW100 had its own cables, that makes more sense now. I'm thinking of ditching the switch entirely, and just leaving it in eco with the unit attached to a cable housing near the bike tube exit port. Funny enough Canyon sent the bike with an E8000 switch, but the sales listing showed E7000 switch installed, so this way I don't have to buy a switch, just the EN-EW100. The E8000 switch is ridiculous--I bet the designer opens his beer bottles with a hammer.

Re: IGH, we'll see. I'll wait a bit, may make less sense over time.

There is a button on the EN-EW100 that allow you to change mode, so you can ditch the mode switch and still change mode if you want, just not from the bars. It comes with a port plug to block off the port for the mode switch if you dont use one.

 

[Rob Rides EMTB]

Merida seem to be using their own bars on the e160 / e140 Bike’s that allow the controller cables to be internally routed. It’s quite neat.

The E7000 controller is pretty neat compared to others.

I wish that the brands would all run screenless and sell a screen kit for £50 or whatever for folks who like screens.

Not sure you can totally set up the Shimano to give up to 100% support based on rider power, so you might be limited to lower assistance in Eco.

 

[R120]

The problem with a lot of these OEM Soloutions we are seeing is that they only work with the stem or bars that come with the bike, so if you wan to change one or the other you cant keep it routed that way. I wish more companies would offer the option, or if there was an industry standard. I suspect the ones on the new SC Heckler, Focus, and the Merida are out the same OEM moulds, or maybe even rebranded Pro Components.

Which I company that has the cables routed though the head tube and into the frame? I know Simplon run them externally then into the head tube, but I am sure another brand has them though the bars, into the stem, then into the headtube.

The Simplon Rapcon Pmax | An exceptional E-MTB | simplon.com

 

[tomato paste]

TBF It's just a rebranded Di2 gear shifter. but yeah. pretty horribly designed.

what IGHs were you looking at?
I think internal gear motors make a lot more sense (in the furure) but possibly with less gears than most IGH bearing in mind we really don't need the same range on an Emtb as a normal bike.

Shimano Alfine 11, nothing fancy. No idea how long it would survive.

 

[R120]

Couple of people have put Rohloff hub gears on their EMTB’s, and Nicolas do a model with one.

I doubt an Alfine would take any serious abuse, though they do do a DI2 version which is deaigned to integrate with the Shimano Steps ecosystem and has some neat features

 

[Gary]

Not sure how long it would survive, It'd depend what conditions you're riding it in and how well you look after it as well as the higher loads associated with using it no an Eeb
A friend used Alfine on his Beach fatbike. it lasted about a year of regular use (ridden almost daily through salt water and hose washed after) I think.

Years before that I was interested in running an IGH myself but was worried about what effect adding a kilogram of extra weight on the rear axle would cause to the bike's handling. Luckily I had a go on a few and felt the weight balance was pretty awful compared to a normal hub. The rear end felt somewhat dead and hopping/jumping them felt shit too. maybe I'd have gotten used to it, but i gave up on the idea completely. The weight difference will be less these days now that so many bikes come with massive range cassettes and heavier mechs.

 

[R120]

We have a Bosch Powered Bergamont with an Alfine DI2 hub gear and its a cracking bike for just pootling about on, its my father in laws and the only maintenance it has has in two years is me lubing the chain once in a while. Been bullet proof to date, he's a big man and always rides it in turbo

 

[Gary]

lend him a set of decent pedals eh?

 

[R120]

Dont worry, I murdered it out for him

 

[fitlikemike]

wot dis dude said ^^

just to add, if you ever decide you do sometimes want a display, all the latest Garmin Edge GPS units (530 and above) connect seamlessly to the EN EW100 and can display far more data than the E8000 display.

also if you want a super clean set-up you can fit Di2 bars and run the E7000 switch cable inside them. You need the longest (700mm) cable version of the switch though as the cable doubles back under the grip and pops out under the stem. I was tempted to do this but only have the 400mm cable version so it's just a little short.

Hi Gary,
Is it seamless mate, really?
I'd give Garmin another go if it was. 530 you say?
I dropped them a few years ago due to my Edge 800 being so unreliable, nothing has changed with them if I'm to listen to others. It's disappointing not just with Garmin but the syncing with the RS toolbox is a dead end too for some.
What's your experience if I just want to have a battery level display indicator on the bars, but not a phone. I had thought about a Forerunner that way it wouldn't get completly sh*tcanned if it didn't work out.
Cheers