Will the torque/power of the Bosch Gen 5 increase this year with a software update?

[zizajaun]

I heard a bike industry guy predict that they would bump it up to 100+ Nm this year to compete with the DJI Avinox. I don't know if he was just speculating or he had insider knowledge. (He sold bikes with Bosch so it's also possible he was intentionally spreading misinformation.) This is important for me as I'm looking for an emtb and I don't know how much advantage there is to getting a DJI-equipped bike vs Bosch Gen 5.

 

[Bear-uk]

I heard a bike industry guy predict that they would bump it up to 100+ Nm this year to compete with the DJI Avinox. I don't know if he was just speculating or he had insider knowledge. (He sold bikes with Bosch so it's also possible he was intentionally spreading misinformation.) This is important for me as I'm looking for an emtb and I don't know how much advantage there is to getting a DJI-equipped bike vs Bosch Gen 5.

Also looking at the same bikes. I don't think the Bosch really needs any more power as the Gen 4 climbs very well if you get the pedals spinning.
I looked through about 50 DJI pages yesterday and slowly went off the avinox bike.
For me I want something with range and the DJI is sacrifing range for a gimmick power boost from a frame that's bearly strong enough to last a couple of years IMO.
Your needs might be different to mine.
Also waiting to see what's new at Sea otter next month when the manufacturers display their new goods

 

[OZ-E]

Yes, it's coming. I believe only for the Gen 5 though

 

[zizajaun]

Also looking at the same bikes. I don't think the Bosch really needs any more power as the Gen 4 climbs very well if you get the pedals spinning.
I looked through about 50 DJI pages yesterday and slowly went off the avinox bike.
For me I want something with range and the DJI is sacrifing range for a gimmick power boost from a frame that's bearly strong enough to last a couple of years IMO.
Your needs might be different to mine.
Also waiting to see what's new at Sea otter next month when the manufacturers display their new goods

Not sure what bikes you're looking at, but I'm considering the Whyte Elyte Evo and Santa Cruz Vala as well as the Amflow.

Now seems a bad time to buy an ebike, with so many new models about to be released, e.g. the Forbidden eDruid might be the best option (I'm after a sort of 'trailduro' as my only bike) but I gather it won't be shipped till after the summer. Levo SL Gen 4 might be announced around that time as well. Unno is the other brand using the Avinox. All of those are likely to be super expensive though. Amflow just announced that a new Chinese brand will also use the DJI system, presumably at a less obscene price, but the specs are similar to the Amflow (160/150).

Not sure how long to wait. I'm recovering from a broken femur so I want some pedal assist ASAP. I might get a CYC Photon to put on my hardtail until the options are clearer later in the year, but that's not cheap either - is it worth spending £1300 and several months on a hardtail to have a broader range of options later on?

All reviews I've seen of the Amflow are positive. The Boost mode seems a bit gimmicky but otherwise the motor and frame are supposed to be pretty good. Maybe not as good as the Vala or Whyte though, and with Bosch upping the power, I'm not sure there's any reason to prefer the Amflow.

 

[zizajaun]

I don't think the Bosch really needs any more power as the Gen 4 climbs very well if you get the pedals spinning.

I've never had an ebike so don't really know how much power I need, or how big a battery. But I'm 100kg and do a mix of long mountain days, short blasts around the woods, and black diamond bike park laps. For the first two, I'm not in a huge rush on climbs, so maybe 400 W is plenty. In parks, I want to get to the top ASAP and with as little effort as possible, mostly on fire roads, so 600-800 W might be useful.

 

[zizajaun]

For me I want something with range and the DJI is sacrifing range for a gimmick power boost

You don't have to use the power boost. The range doesn't seem bad on the lower settings, though I think one mag did some tests that still put Bosch at the top when the Amflow was set to Trail mode.

 

[gio_se]

Yes, it's coming. I believe only for the Gen 5 though

Source?

 

[Bear-uk]

I've never had an ebike so don't really know how much power I need, or how big a battery. But I'm 100kg and do a mix of long mountain days, short blasts around the woods, and black diamond bike park laps. For the first two, I'm not in a huge rush on climbs, so maybe 400 W is plenty. In parks, I want to get to the top ASAP and with as little effort as possible, mostly on fire roads, so 600-800 W might be useful.

My Bosch Gen 4 bike is more Enduro based and on very hilly and boggy moorland type rides I can use the 625 battery in under 25 miles.
That's why I was looking at the amflow bike as a more trail type bike.
But for me if I have all that power then there's no way I'm going to be taking it easy

 

[Biano44]

If Bosch do update the Gen5 motor to approx 100nm, it will use more juice and drain the battery quicker; so a 600w/h battery in the Vala seems like an odd decision.
Yes.....I know there is a range extender (at extra cost) but as someone who has just spent the last 4 years lugging an extra battery about while riding his Heckler, let me tell you......it's no fun.

 

[zizajaun]

If Bosch do update the Gen5 motor to approx 100nm, it will use more juice and drain the battery quicker; so a 600w/h battery in the Vala seems like an odd decision.
Yes.....I know there is a range extender (at extra cost) but as someone who has just spent the last 4 years lugging an extra battery about while riding his Heckler, let me tell you......it's no fun.

600 Wh was chosen for weight reasons, or rather weight distribution. It would make more sense for the battery to be clustered around the motor, but long rods are presumably more versatile when building bikes, and look better.

 

[Biano44]

600 Wh was chosen for weight reasons, or rather weight distribution. It would make more sense for the battery to be clustered around the motor, but long rods are presumably more versatile when building bikes, and look better.

I know why they say they made that decision and it makes sense for an SL style bike, not a full power bike.

Unless......when the design was finalised, there was no mention of a power upgrade.......
And that the power upgrade has come about to the 'market' changing.

But if the motor was never designed for 100nm, would this affect reliability I wonder?

What I would say is at the current power levels, if you weigh 70ish kg, 85nm and a 600w/h battery would be absolutely bang on.

Sadly, I'm quite a bit heavier.

 

[Paul F]

I heard a bike industry guy predict that they would bump it up to 100+ Nm this year to compete with the DJI Avinox. I don't know if he was just speculating or he had insider knowledge. (He sold bikes with Bosch so it's also possible he was intentionally spreading misinformation.) This is important for me as I'm looking for an emtb and I don't know how much advantage there is to getting a DJI-equipped bike vs Bosch Gen 5.

It would be great if Bosch ups the power. If the bikes the Bosch motor is fitted to have 800Wh battery plus a range extender option, I will be buying one is due course. Otherwise, I am tempted to buy an Amflow, the more power the better and it's 800wh battery is enough to do 30 miles with a 4000ft ascent, without keeping in Eco and Tour modes. Although I will wait until it can be delimited.

 

[Biano44]

It would be great if Bosch ups the power. If the bikes the Bosch motor is fitted to have 800Wh battery plus a range extender option, I will be buying one is due course. Otherwise, I am tempted to buy an Amflow, the more power the better and it's 800wh battery is enough to do 30 miles with a 4000ft ascent, without keeping in Eco and Tour modes. Although I will wait until it can be delimited.

I've had an Amflow since November and raising the limiter to 28mph has always been an option.