Turbo mode, how much do you use it?

MrBrownstone

Well-known member
May 2, 2020
430
643
Maine
I use boost when a climb or part of a climb is too steep to make it up in trail mode. Boost is required a few times per ride. FUN!!!!
 

Rusty

E*POWAH BOSS
Jul 17, 2019
1,513
1,673
New Zealand
Use Turbo for our club races but otherwise not that much at all. Most rides I am in Eco mode and use Trail for climbs and the only time I hit Turbo is when I come around a blind corner and find a steep climb I was not expecting. Occasionally I will do 1 loop in Turbo for all the climbs and Eco for all the downs so I can fit in 2 laps in the time available.
 

Jeff McD

Well-known member
Aug 5, 2018
345
376
Kona, Hawaii
Tim 29 is right on the money about the motor power throttling back in Turbo under extremely long steep climbs. My experience has been the same in that it first starts about 5-10 minutes into the steepest climbs and then keeps happening every 3 to 5 minutes afterwards until the incline backs off and I am able to get some pressure off the pedals to let the motor cool down. Ambient temperature usually in the low 80s Fahrenheit.
Also, my bike, 2020 S works levo, has never been hacked or de-restricted in any way, or Blevo. Just use Mission Control. My riding buddy's 2019 Levo expert has also never been de-restricted and does the same thing, frequently with the drop off right about the same time as mine does. I never experienced it in the first six months of using the bike on gentler trails even though some of the climbs were steep but much shorter. Only began to notice this when we decided to start riding the 3-4 hr climbs to the top of the mountain and back down, about 4000-4500 feet of climbing total with much steeper/longer climbs. These climbs are simply unmakeable unless in Turbo at 100% assist and requiring an all out effort just short of red line, butt hovering slightly off the saddle to get that last bit of effort and chin practically down on the stem to keep the front from looping out. The ultra steep sections that cause a drop off can go on for up to 20 seconds and then I must slow RPMs down as much as possible to let the motor cool a bit before the next ultra steep section. These climbs will go on for 15-20 minutes at a time until we get over a ridgeline. There's about eight of these type of sections on the climb to the top of the mountain. The power drop off would persist initially until we just stopped and laid the bike down for a minute or two while we got our breath back.
So I have found a hack for this. As soon as I notice the power drop I will rapidly spin up the RPMs enough that I can build enough speed, then stop pedaling for about two seconds until the motor disconnects (the motor whine quits), then immediately get back on the pedals before I fall over & I instantly have full power again until the next power drop off. If the incline has decreased slightly it won't happen right away but as soon as it gets really steep it comes on again. The hack always seems to work however, no matter how long the ride, or how recent the last power drop off was, or how many times you have to do this. I have had to use the hack again within five seconds sometimes and it still works.
So I figure this is an algorithm effect and I worry about long-term effect on the motor from overriding it with the hack. I have noticed that the torque induced run on from my motor in turbo mode seems to be lasting longer and longer, up to 3-4 seconds recently. This also started happening when we started doing the ultra steep climbs, so perhaps the torque sensor is feeding into this as well. I have turned acceleration and shuttle down to zero in all 3 modes but it still does it. Hope I'm not going to kill my motor soon, yikes!
 

InRustWeTrust

E*POWAH Master
Mar 9, 2020
524
758
Sweden
I never use boost/turbo mode .... i dont even use trail mode så much , on 1 ride i use like 90 % eco and the rest 10 % trail.

in the end of the ride if i feel extra tired i change to trailmode.
 

levomon

New Member
Dec 12, 2019
2
1
United Sates
If I go on an "epic ride" where I will be going 30-40 miles I'm in eco and only use turbo when absolutley necessary. If I'm on a 15 mile local ride then it's (mostly) turbo all the way....
 

iXi

E*POWAH Master
Feb 17, 2019
427
326
Brisbane
Turbo is for the massive bs climbs when I couldn't be arsed actually putting any effort in. On the shimano it's too on off and jerky to use any other time. Trail is all you need.
 

urastus

⚡The Whippet⚡
May 4, 2020
1,548
995
Tasmania
I did once in 3 months of ownership - and that was unnecessary. I was just curious and ran it for a fast ride back to the car park.
 

Maxb

Active member
Patreon
Nov 29, 2018
161
124
South East England
I never use turbo I find it on my gen 3 Bosch it's too abrupt with its power delivery.
I use eco and tour I tend to find I hit the motor maximum assist in tour mode when putting an effort in, I find turbo mode makes no difference as the motor is already at maximum output.
 

MrBrownstone

Well-known member
May 2, 2020
430
643
Maine
Turbo is for the massive bs climbs when I couldn't be arsed actually putting any effort in. On the shimano it's too on off and jerky to use any other time. Trail is all you need.

I find that by feathering my brakes to control the hit/power on steep techy climbs where boost is required makes the Shimano power output totally manageable. Like using a clutch on a dirt bike. Love the brake lever release POP!

From the many responses here it sounds like many folks would be better off riding Levo SL’s......
 

Aitrui

Active member
Subscriber
May 16, 2020
61
185
Budapest
On my first hardtail, which I sold to my college, we upgraded the display to KIOX for him with necessary software upgrade on the drive unit and battery. The guy who did the SW upgrade said turbo mode was used 99.7%. :D It was used mostly for commute.

In my fully nowadays if the weather is good I find myself commuting in Trail mode, in mountains, trails most of the time I use EMTB, or Trail, I don't think so I ever used ECO for longer time.
 

MrBrownstone

Well-known member
May 2, 2020
430
643
Maine
On my first hardtail, which I sold to my college, we upgraded the display to KIOX for him with necessary software upgrade on the drive unit and battery. The guy who did the SW upgrade said turbo mode was used 99.7%. :D It was used mostly for commute.

In my fully nowadays if the weather is good I find myself commuting in Trail mode, in mountains, trails most of the time I use EMTB, or Trail, I don't think so I ever used ECO for longer time.

I say if it’s gotta motor, USE THE FRIGGIN THING!!!
 

Spin

Active member
Dec 24, 2021
197
242
Australia
Screenshot_20221120-163900-489.png
 

head

Active member
Jul 2, 2020
124
119
Slovakia
I ride in Turbo all the time. For me, it's all about doing as many laps as quickly as possible.
 

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