What innovation/improvement would you like to see?

[Guyt]

One thing I would like to see, is making our chargers smarter. In fact, I am surprised it doesn't exist yet.

Wouldn't it would be fun to have some control over the charging process with an App? For example, being able to set the maximum charge to a certain percentage. It would certainly prolong my battery life if could preset the max charge at 80% or so.. And why not add a timer to set the charging time frame?

How about you? What innovation would you like to see to improve your E-WORLD?

 

[Stihldog]

Yah, I’ve got a few pet-peeves.

My water bottle will smash into most air-shock upgrades that use a piggyback. I don’t want to carry a water bladder. (Trek Rail medium)

My seat angle is fixed. A dropper is nice but the seat angle can prevent me from extending further back while rolling down trails. Can’t have it both ways I guess.

 

[steve_sordy]

@Guyt I like your smarter charger idea.

But I have a programmable timer that I plug the charger into, so that takes care of how long I charge, and when. The only tricky bit is how much charge to add and that is done with experience with the bike and a bit of mental arithmetic. So for me it's a first world problem.

While I was typing this, I was thinking about the economics of it all. It would probably be cheaper to add the "smart" to the bike. You could set the bike up to switch off the charging when it got to (say) 80%. I assume that the mechanism would be no more complicated than the current switch-off setting of 100%.

 

[wenna]

One thing I would like to see, is making our chargers smarter. In fact, I am surprised it doesn't exist yet.

Wouldn't it would be fun to have some control over the charging process with an App? For example, being able to set the maximum charge to a certain percentage. It would certainly prolong my battery life if could preset the max charge at 80% or so.. And why not add a timer to set the charging time frame?

How about you? What innovation would you like to see to improve your E-WORLD?

I think Specialized has that feature where you can set a charge limit.

 

[RustyMTB]

Solid state batteries. Big range, no real weight, the promised land where you can buy an eeb or a normy & there's barely a couple of kilos in it.

 

[TheSnowShark]

I would dream of having a "flash" button programmable up to 1 or 2 seconds which would allow all the motorpower without pedaling to allow the crossing of obstacles such as a large root, a rock or others..

 

[Montana St Alum]

Heart rate directed response by either shifting gears or power levels.

 

[Guyt]

@Guyt I like your smarter charger idea.

But I have a programmable timer that I plug the charger into, so that takes care of how long I charge, and when. The only tricky bit is how much charge to add and that is done with experience with the bike and a bit of mental arithmetic. So for me it's a first world problem.

While I was typing this, I was thinking about the economics of it all. It would probably be cheaper to add the "smart" to the bike. You could set the bike up to switch off the charging when it got to (say) 80%. I assume that the mechanism would be no more complicated than the current switch-off setting of 100%.

I terms of cost, I think if would be cheaper to modify the charger. The only extra hardware needed would be a bluetooth chip that cost well under $1 when bought in quantity. It would be connected to the serial input of the micro-controller already present. I would be surprised if there are still micro-controllers out there without a serial input and build-in timers. The rest is straight forward programming,

But like you say, it's a first world problem and an external timer can be used. With a bit of experience, we can figure out the time needed to charge from %A to %B.

 

[Koban]

Still hoping that SRAM / RockShox wil come with an 200mm AXS dropper ;-)

 

[Doomanic]

I would dream of having a "flash" button programmable up to 1 or 2 seconds which would allow all the motorpower without pedaling to allow the crossing of obstacles such as a large root, a rock or others..

FF Kenevo has Shuttle mode for that very purpose.

 

[Doomanic]

Solid state batteries. Big range, no real weight, the promised land where you can buy an eeb or a normy & there's barely a couple of kilos in it.

Better energy density. More range, less weight.

 

[Plummet]

Higher official top speed before motor cut out without having to illegally chip your bike and potentially loose warrantee.

I don't care about uphill speed. But it it's fucken dangerous hitting motor cut out on fast big jump lines just before a big sender when you need more speed.

Lighter batteries and motors for full power ebikes.

Ideally I'd like a pinion geared version of my voima with 190mm of travel that weighed sub 20kg with equal power and battery life to my Bosch motor with 750wh battery.

 

[TheSnowShark]

FF Kenevo has Shuttle mode for that very purpose.

I didn't know what this function was for, I have it in my mission control app for my levo.. I will do the test as soon as the weather gets better.. thanks

 

[RustyMTB]

Better energy density. More range, less weight.

Toyota announced a breakthrough on solid state batteries a couple of weeks ago. Might be real, might be marketing bs, I don't know but it does appear a lot of R&D is going into them around electric cars, so hopefully in time the technology matures & filters down to us scamps. Would make ebikes a very different proposition.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Better energy density. More range, less weight.

Are you talking about you or batteries ?

 

[Doomanic]

Are you talking about you or batteries ?

 

[Mikerb]

I think the biggest advance would be motor servicing. Everything on the bike is serviceable/replaceable except the frame battery and motor. A decent frame warranty should take care of the frame, the battery is replaceable at stupid cost so may be something could be done with regard to "exchange". The motor is perfectly able to be regularly serviced yet it remains a sealed box until it dies. We all know electrical motors are reliable and long lasting but the motors are poorly sealed, largely to avoid excess rotational resistance, and that makes them prone to water ingress.....which destroys the bearings or contaminates the PCB. We have recourse to the "bearing man" here but more often than not his services a re used for repair rather than maintenance. Cars these days have IC engines that can cover 250k miles......bu they are ( should be) regularly serviced. Bike brands could copy the Car model. A decent initial warranty provisional on the motor being serviced according to a schedule...............an option to extend the initial free warranty for a cost.

 

[steve_sordy]

Heart rate directed response by either shifting gears or power levels.

I am sure that Specialized already have this. It might not be on all models, or it might be an upgrade you have to buy. Our fearless leader @Rob Rides EMTB demo'd one.

 

[RiderOnTheStorm]

Interesting topic. Hopefully manufacturers are listening (I doubt it though!).

So far on my wish list:

1) Industry-standard motor mounting system to be able to choose and fit a motor from many different manufacturers (similarly to fitting any other standard equipment for the bike). No more proprietary mount design for motors, or at least provide adapter plates to give us options.

2) Make all frame-integrated batteries easily removable or detachable.

3) NO MORE cable routing through the headset, please!

 

[RiderOnTheStorm]

My seat angle is fixed. A dropper is nice but the seat angle can prevent me from extending further back while rolling down trails. Can’t have it both ways I guess.

Have you looked into the saddle angle adjuster from SwitchGrade which sits b/w saddle and seat post?

 

[RustyMTB]

Frame only. Let me buy a frame you bastards.

 

[Mikerb]

Interesting topic. Hopefully manufacturers are listening (I doubt it tough!).

So far on my wish list:

1) Industry-standard motor mounting system to be able to choose and fit a motor from many different manufacturers (similarly to fitting any other standard equipment for the bike). No more proprietary mount design for motors, or at least provide adapter plates to give us options.

2) Make all frame-integrated batteries easily removable or detachable.

3) NO MORE cable routing through the headset, please!

No 3...agree!!
No 1 cannot see that ever happening
No 2..........there is an argument for the battery to be more permanently mounted given the amount of issues that arise from it being easilly removed...............I accept that it creates problems for those that need to remove the battery for charging due to no avaialbility of power where they store the bike but that could be overcome with a different charging solution than a mains powered charger...e.g a chargeable power pack.

 

[UnreasonableMuppet]

Things I want:

Motor gearbox drive units. I'd prefer chain final drive because I can fix a chain and ride back out. Belt is fine for road bikes.

Rebuildable batteries.

Stressed member drive units. Make the motor housing carry the frame loads, then the bike as a system can be lighter.

Lighter batteries.

Less expensive batteries. $1100 for a 625Wh battery?! This is profiteering.

Overall improvement to the serviceability of the e bike systems. Let us have the technical data, and use open protocols for communication between components.

Finally, I'd like more local riders on eMTB so I don't have to ride fast alone.

 

[Rubinstein]

I would like to see charging time reduced. As others have said, battery and charger tech could be improved. Why are we waiting 4-5 hours for a full charge when the cars are being done in 20 mins. The tech already exists for this to be implemented into EMTB. Also, this one is a bit further down the line, but I think it will come, is a self charging bike. So, again like the tech that already exists, battery regeneration on overrun. With combined motor gearboxes in the offing it leaves a nice space where the cassette used to sit for a unit

 

[B1rdie]

If only bosch issued a firmware that made the walk mode work on an on/off way… because keeping the + button pressed was really impossoble every single time I needed to use the walk mode.

 

[RustyMTB]

Standardisation. Let me swap my motor for another brand if I want. And on that note, sell me a motor, don't force me to buy something iffy off German Ebay if I blow up my Bosch.

 

[VWsurfbum]

Battery re-gen.

Easily done, i'd even design it for you!

 

[Zimmerframe]

Battery re-gen.

Easily done, i'd even design it for you!

I really really thought you were going to say "More Purple" ...

 

[VWsurfbum]

I really really thought you were going to say "More Purple" ...

Well Obvs #NeedsMorePurple

 

[TheSnowShark]

Solar panel of course... and in England it can also be used for rain..