I previously blogged about the New 2014 Haibike Trekking SL electric bikes we have arriving shortly (Jan) 2014. But these eBikes were worthy of another blog post. The reason being they are not only the only Haibikes but also one of the only eBikes out there to feature the Sram Dual drive. Now we all know that the Bosch eBike system is only capable of running one chainring on the front. This then only leaves the rear sprockets to play a part in the gearing, commonly 8, 9 or 10 speed. This is where the Sram Dual Drive comes into play, the basic concept is to use a 3 speed hub gear and then mount a 9 speed cassette onto the outside. This then allows the user the whole 27 gears, giving a much wider range. It's a unique system that combines the 2 types of gear system we know today. Both the hub and derailleur gearing are controlled off the same shifter, meaning you can change all 27 gears with just one hand and one set of controls. It's really simple. This gives a massive range and is ideal for trekking / commuting / touring / hybrid style electric bikes. The gear hub can be shifted at any time, even under load or standing still. The cassette provides a wide range of gears for maximum versatility. It's built for the rider who needs lots of gearing options for touring or hilly terrain. Haibike have incorporated this system onto their Trekking SL models, available as a low step or cross bar model - Crossbar Model - Haibike xDuro Treking RX Cross 2015 Low Step Model - Haibike xDuro Treking RX Low 2015
We at e-bikeshop have been supplying the Bosch tuning dongle for many UK customers over the past year or so. With the introduction of the new Gen2 style Bosch eBike motors, rumours have been spreading that the tuning dongles will not be compatible. Don't worry we are way ahead of the game and have been testing the speed derestriction to make sure it works and performs just as before. With the Gen2 style Bosch eBike's arriving shortly we wanted to let people know that we have created a tuning system that works on these new style Bosch motors. The technology is similar to before but we use a different cable system to integrate it into the Bosch eBike. Once fitted the new dongles operate in exactly the same way as the previous Classic + Dongles did. You can read about our Classic+ Line Bosch Tuning Dongles by clicking here. The major difference is that we now only supply the Gen2 Bosch Motor Tuning Dongles on our own electric bikes. So therefore if you require a dongle and Gen2 eBike please let us know, these fit all of Bosch electric bikes, with the Active or Performance Bosch type motors & 250w or 350w. The new Bosch motor dongles will not be available to buy separately. If you have bought a Bosch eBike from a 3rd party there is no option for you to purchase one of our Gen2 dongles.. You may wish to contact us to place an order, or alternatively please add the Gen2 eBike into the basket, along with a dongle. We will then fit the dongle prior to the electric bike leaving our workshop. You pay for the dongle but the fitting labour is free of charge when placed with a new eBike order. The speed tuning dongles are for off road (private land) use only. Here is a independent customer review after having the dongle fitted - Bosch Tuning Dongle Customer Review Here is a direct link to our electric bike range from Raleigh, Moustache and Haibike - https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/Electric-Bikes-UK-Dealer Here is a link to our speed tuning dongles - https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/eBike-Spare-Parts/bosch-ebike-tuning-dongle
The 300Wh & 400Wh PowerPacks used on Bosch powered eBikes are amongst the most advanced batteries currently on the electric bike market. They offer a superior range, reliability & longevity compared to many other batteries. However this all comes at a price; with a replacement pack currently costing around £500+. Some people are put off by the price of a replacement battery, thinking that it will have to be replaced every other year, but this is just not true.Bosch actually guarantee their batteries for 2 years or 500 charge cycles (whichever comes first). This doesn't mean your battery will pack up after 2 years and 1 day. In fact Bosch themselves state that the battery should be good for around 8-9 years or 1000 full charge cycles. After 1000 cycles the battery will still work, but any battery will age over time so it will start to lose capacity and therefore not power your electric bike so far. Also I would like to point out now that many people think that a part charge counts as a full charge cycle in Bosch's terms. Well it doesn't, if you just top the battery up a small amount, only this is recorded and will not be counted until there are enough of these partial charges to count towards a full charge cycle. When a Bosch powered eBike visits our workshop we can use our diagnostics tool to read into the battery itself. The Bosch battery is very clever and records many different parameters, these are then saved within the system for us as a Bosch eBike dealer to consider. We can tap into the system and see exactly how many 'Full Charge Cycles' this particular battery has had. We can also view many other parameters for example - maximum / minimum battery temperature, charge state, usage etc. etc. Interesting stuff eh? Anyway back to the point..Certain measures explained in this article can help extend the life of your eBike battery and keep it well maintained. OK so here are some of the most common questions we hear regarding Bosch batteries (It's the easiest way to structure the article) - I have just received my brand new Bosch eBike, what's the first step? If your eBike came from us, we normally charge the battery fully just before letting it out of the workshop as we know you'll be itching to ride it the minute you receive it. However if your battery arrives partially charged then it's best to charge it fully before the first ride. This helps condition the battery and gives it a start point from which to gauge the rest of its operation. How often should you charge your Bosch eBike battery? The new Lithium cells used within the Bosch battery packs are very advanced.Unlike the older style batteries where you had to completely discharge the battery and then fully charge it back up again to avoid any damage; this is not the case on the Bosch PowerPacks. In fact it's much better to just top up the battery after every trip. So if you have just cycled 10 miles on your electric bike, it's better to top it back up to full when you get home rather than incorporating a few trips before charging back fully. Should I keep my battery clean? Yes of course it is good to keep any component of your eBike clean.Although this will not affect the internals of the battery at all if the exterior case is dirty. The best way to clean the battery, or any components of your electric bike for that matter, is with a wet sponge or low pressure hose. A typical garden hose is perfect at washing away grime without applying too much pressure.Although the Bosch batteries are weather proof it is never advised to use any sort of high pressure jet / pressure washer on your bike. This pressure can force water into the battery case itself and cause problems. It can also force water into other parts of your electric bike where you don't want water to exist (motor, bearing internals, suspension seals etc.). So although it may be quicker to clean please don't use pressure washers at all. I may as well use this opportunity to stick a plug in for our Bosch Battery Covers to keep it clean. Will my battery range be affected if using a inverter in from my vehicle or motor home? - No, you can use inverters to charge your electric bike for example from the cigarette lighter port in most cars.This can be handy if you are out and about or wish to charge on the move. But please make sure that the inverter itself is rated for the correct output for the Bosch charger. You can normally find all of this information on the inverters packaging or on a sticker on the inverter itself. The Bosch charger is designed for a rated voltage between 207 - 264 volts with an output of 42v. The charger only charges the battery at a low 4 amp current so is fine for most inverters and car batteries. Please check these values to make sure the inverter is compatible before plugging it in. Also remember depending on the inverter itself that the battery may take a little longer to charge than if it was plugged into the mains.Most importantly of all make sure the vehicle engine is running whilst the battery is on charge because it could drain your vehicle battery faster than you think. Will it reduce my battery life if riding in very harsh conditions or using full power a lot? Remember the power of the motor can peak at 500w so can draw power from the battery quicker and put a higher load on it. Think of it this way; the harder you use your eBike the faster the battery will discharge.The faster it discharges, then the more you will be charging it back up. This means that you could end up performing many more charge cycles than someone who is using their eBike lightly in the same time period. After a long time the capacity of the battery will gradually drop. So you could be replacing it sooner if riding the bike very hard for the majority of the time. I would recommend using an assistance level that works for you. Many people (mainly adrenaline junkies / blokes) could use their eBike flat out in the maximum assistance mode 'Turbo'. The eBike will use more power and therefore you will get a shorter assisted distance out of it.Quite honestly you don't 'need' to use the eBike flat out in 'Turbo' all of the time (I can't deny that this isn't fun though!). I have actually found to use 'Eco' & 'Tour' modes for the majority of my riding is more than enough, with 'Turbo' mode assisting me on the very toughest of climbs.Obviously everyone's fitness levels are different so you will need to work out what works for you, it is far too easy to hit 'Turbo' mode for the majority of your ride. The bike wont go any faster (mph) but it will have more 'grunt', in fact the eBike will only go as fast as you pedal, it's just the amount of assistance the motor gives you that changes. I'm putting my eBike away for the winter, will this damage the battery at all? No, we know that some less keen (fair weather) riders may not want to cycle through the cold, wet and grim UK conditions found in the winter. You can store your eBike away, it's not a problem; however there are some steps you can take to keep your battery healthy during these times -If you are keeping your eBike outside in a shed or garage, then it's always best to bring your battery indoors. The Bosch batteries are capable of being stored in temperatures between -10 through to +60 degrees centigrade. But the cells don't like to be stored in very low or very high temperatures. In fact the best possible temperature for storage is room temperature. Around 15-20 degrees is perfect. So the eBike can stay in the shed but bring the battery inside with you.Once in the house at room temperature, store the battery in a dry and secure place. Sticking it on a shelf in the kitchen above the kettle runs the risk of moisture travelling up from the kettle and into the battery case. The perfect place is tucked away in a cupboard where its kept at optimum temperature, away from moisture and where it's not vulnerable to being knocked at all.I know it can make a very good door stop, it's tempting; but you'll end up tripping over it. It's not good for your battery, not good for your toes & certainly not good for your partner when they hear profanity from your mouth!When storing your eBike battery for long periods of time it's best to keep the battery partially charged. If you store the battery completely flat then you run the risk of damaging the internals of the cells themselves. Also if you store the battery fully charged this can leave the cells under more pressure. So it's best to keep the battery stored in between.For the Bosch battery in particular the optimum charge state to leave it in is 60% (Or 3 LED's lit on the battery level indicator). For very long periods try to check the capacity every 6 months or so. When the battery reaches 1 LED showing, then top it back up to 3 LED's again. Many people think it's best to keep the battery on the charger so its always topped up in storage, but this is simply not the case. The Bosch charger won't 'overcharge' the battery at all but again it does leave the battery under more pressure. Will it harm the battery if I run it completely flat on a ride? No, it's never recommended to run the battery completely flat, but for longer rides it obviously can happen. The Bosch Battery is protected by its on board BMS (Battery Management System). This means it's protected for deep discharging, the BMS won't allow the battery to run completely flat.It may seem that you have no power left, but the BMS will have already shut off the power to the motor before it can hurt itself. We all know that the beauty of the Bosch drive is you can still ride without any resistance with the power switched off. On a side note here, if you are running lights directly powered from the Bosch motor and you do run out of power, the BMS will allow a small amount of power still to the lights so you will still remain visible! I ride in very cold conditions during the winter will this affect battery life? The simple answer is yes. Cold or very hot conditions can affect your battery range considerably.Bosch say it can be affected up to 30% in sub zero conditions. So if you are consistently riding in these conditions it can really affect not just your range; but the battery has to work a lot harder to perform the same function, this will decrease the overall lifespan of the battery as well. There are certain actions you can take to prevent this. You can wrap your battery up to keep it to temperature.Some people use a sock, some knit a woolen jumper for it, we actually provide a perfect neoprene Bosch Battery Cover that really hugs all styles of the Bosch battery to not just keep them within temperature but can keep the battery clean, protected from knocks and out of direct sunlight. You can buy this from our shop by clicking the link above. Should I clean the connections between the Bosch Battery and the eBike itself? Yes it is always good to keep these connections clean. This can minimize the risk of short circuit and damage to the battery itself. My advice would be to clean the battery mount connections on the bike with a cloth and if you are feeling really adventurous apply a small amount of grease (or Vaseline for the less handy users). When I say a small amount i really do mean a small amount, just a tiny bit to wipe over the connectors to keep them from corroding, its not good to plaster these with grease. It will not help at all. All it will do is attract more dirt and dust from the terrain which will stick to these connectors.I would not suggest to play with the connections on the bottom of the battery itself as you run the risk of short circuiting here, although 36v won't kill you it could make your hair stand on end and your wallet will end up £500+ lighter. Should I remove the battery when transporting my bike on the bike rack of my car / motor home? Yes this is strongly advised, stick it in a dry & safe place inside the vehicle. Here it is less likely to get knocked and lessens the chances of the battery flying off the electric bike on the motorway if it's not secured properly. The motorcyclist travelling behind you will not appreciate this hitting his visor.The best place to store the battery is under the driver's seat, this means it's out of the way and also shouldn't move around too much. Wrap it in a towel to prevent any knocks. Do not leave the battery on your parcel shelf, if you end up braking hard, the 2kg+ battery is the last thing you want hitting you in the back of the head. It will leave you with a headache!Also by storing in within the car it keeps the battery from getting wet. Although the battery is rain proof, people don't realize that if you're travelling at 70mph down the motorway, the water & air travelling over your car is then doubled in speed as it wraps round the back of your vehicle. This means the battery could be being sprayed with water at around 140mph. This is stronger than a pressure washer and can force water into the battery and components of the eBike itself. While I'm on this topic it's advised to use a cycle cover on the eBike and secured down safely. I dropped my Bosch battery and the case is cracked what shall I do? If your Bosch battery is damaged in anyway then it should be replaced. Even if it seems OK on the outside one of the cells inside may be damaged, this can then move onto other cells and the whole pack can become a ticking time bomb. The battery could seem fine and work but weeks later the effects of the damage could become apparent. The battery could heat up or even ignite.Do not under any circumstances ship this battery anywhere, you could be responsible for a DHL truck travelling down the motorway on fire! You should have the old battery properly disposed of. A faulty Lithium cell can reach temperatures of 1000+ degrees. It's really not worth the risk, visit a Bosch dealer and have it replaced.If your battery was damaged and did ever ignite, then get it outside immediately, the best way to put out a Lithium cell is with water and lots of it! Be careful to never inhale fumes from a burning battery as this can burn your throat. Anyway let's get back on topic.. I have had my Bosch eBike a while now and it's not going as far as it did when new, does the battery need replacing? Yes, quite possibly, but not always. There may certain other factors causing this -Are your tyres inflated correctly? It's important to keep your tyres inflated to the correct pressure as stated on the side of the tyre. It's amazing how much effect this can have, in fact a tyre that is half the pressure it should be can affect your range up to 40%! So check them every couple of months and inflate as necessary.When was your eBike last serviced? Something as simple as a brake pad rubbing can slow you down considerably. With the extra assistance on an electric bike, you may not even notice the extra drag. But the motor will be working much harder to assist you and therefore will drain the battery faster. Its best to get your eBike serviced once a year to keep it in good shape which can rub off well on your battery.Already described above, but you may notice this during the winter. If the range is significantly reduced, it could be because the battery is operating in much lower temperatures. Buy one of our Bosch Battery covers to help prevent this.Your battery could possibly benefit from a complete conditioning cycle, this allows the battery to re-learn its full capacity and charge state. Please read the topic which is covered further down in this article. So my battery needs replacing, what shall I do? It may be that none of the above factors are affecting your battery. It possibly time to call it a day and have the battery replaced. But to be sure you should have the capacity of the battery checked first, just to make sure. If you are not competent with a testing meter I do not advise poking around on the Battery connections to test anything. You could easily cross two of the connectors and be in for a shock, you could destroy your battery this way too. You should visit a Bosch dealer and have the battery capacity checked properly. We won't take a meter near it, we will plug it into our computers and be able to give you an decision straight away if the battery needs to be replaced. On request we can also print diagnostics reports for your records. When a new battery is purchased it comes with a new Warranty from a Bosch dealer, so be sure to keep the receipt of purchase date safe. Can I open up the case & replace the cells myself? Yes of course it's your battery and therefore you can do what you want with it. But there are various reasons why this should not be done -There is risk of short circuiting, burning your fingers, fire and even harmful acids. Batteries are assembled in strictly controlled environments by specialists to ensure maximum safety. Going at with a screwdriver in the garden shed probably won't end up well.As soon as you open it up, your warranty will be void from Bosch and the CE certification from Bosch will be invalid. This also holds you responsible if you or others are harmed by the battery in the event of a future problem.Fitting an aftermarket battery or new internal cells not only could harm others but could harm the rest of your electric bikes components.You probably won't be able to achieve this anyway as the battery is very intelligent and the on board BMS makes contact with the rest of the Bosch system. The chances are you will probably waste money on new cells or the new cells will be a cheap Chinese imitation and won't last very long anyway. It's really not worth the risk. Should I perform a full conditioning cycle often? No, the Bosch battery is very intelligent, the on board BMS takes the hassle away to make a really user friendly battery. Really all you have to do is charge it and the Bosch system will take care of the rest. The BMS will self balance the cells when charging, it will control everything from deep discharging, over charging through to short circuiting. If you do wish to perform a full conditioning cycle then you can do this by simply discharging the battery completely by riding it until it is flat, then charging it back up fully with no interruptions. This can be done twice in a row to make sure it has fully conditioned. This is not recommended to do all of the time. Once a year is sufficient but like I say above it's not necessary in most cases. To conclude The main points are - Top the battery up, keep it at a good temperature, make sure the overall eBike is well maintained & keep the battery about 60% capacity when not being used for longer periods of time.Remember if you treat your Bosch eBike Battery well it will treat you well in return. By following the tips above, your battery should last 8-10 years in the perfect conditions. It could last even longer.. Who knows?.. You are in charge now (Pun intended!)Find replacement 400 & 500Wh Bosch / Yamaha Batteries & Battery Covers here.
E-bikeshop is one of the largest Independent eBike dealers in the UK. We are keen to be able to give our customers the best after sales and customer care, so when Bosch contacted us to see if we would like some further training of the new 2014 Bosch eBike system, we jumped at the chance!The day started off with an introduction to Bosch and their background, how Bosch eBike Systems have grown since 2012 and where they are now. I have to say in my mind Bosch are way ahead of the game now in the Crank Drive Electric Bike market. They have not only created a very good reliable eBike system, but Bosch are offering their full support to us (the UK dealer). This makes a real difference as it breaks down the barrier between dealer, manufacturer and supplier. It allows us to really understand the product and therefore give our customers the very best knowledge and support in-store for after sales care. This is of course one of our most important factors in any of our sales here at e-bikeshop. Any Bosch eBike enthusiasts heaven! The inside of every component. I take my hat off the Bosch guy’s that came over from Germany to show support here, the venue was very good, the presentation was well structured, Bosch presenters were very knowledgeable, and most importantly of all the food was fantastic with a steady flow of hot and cold drinks, lunch and coffee breaks in between.We went on to talk about how the Bosch eBike system has adapted over the last couple of years, how feedback has been taken on board and every aspect of the system has been improved as it adopts new user friendly features and functions. Bosch was not shy to talk about their competition in the presentation and did not seem phased by other manufacturers. They explained that they are a predominantly an automotive manufacturer, they have been able to move some of their knowledge from this market and use the components in the eBike design. Interestingly they didn't set out to dominate the market, but it naturally evolved very fast, they now provide to over 60 brands and manufacturers making Bosch one of the biggest eBike motor system suppliers in the world. Bosch were very clear that this growth had taken them by surprise and they quickly had to adopt a much larger support service, they quickly opted use already established bike distributors across Europe to give dealers quick access to parts and spares, alongside their own warranty and technical service.Bosch was very excited to present their new eBike system innovation for 2014. They outlined the many improvements that have been made for 2014. The introduction of the new Active and Performance line to run alongside their already established Classic+ line. Bosch were clear that the Classic+ line already used on thousands of electric bikes was not to be phased out by the new system but to run alongside it for the years ahead. The reason they introduced the new Active and Performance 2014 lines was to meet different eBiker's demand on the market. Both motors are the same drive units although they are tuned slightly different for rider’s needs. Both give more ground clearance and share the same new design. The difference between the normal Drive Pulley and the pedal back brake version. The differences lie in the programming, the Active line is described as 'Harmonious and Smooth', it gives a maximum 48Nm of torque, it offers a back pedal function (on particular bikes, mainly in Germany, not something we use much if at all over here in the UK). The Performance line is described as 'Dynamic and powerful', it gives a maximum of 60Nm torque and is tuned slightly more aggressive. Each system will feature on different bikes, for example the Active Line may feature on some more subtle touring and town bikes, whereas the Performance line will feature on more sporty MTB's and Road electric bikes.All of this info is just a brief overview of the changes for 2014, if you would like to ready how the Bosch eBike system works and performs I suggest you read a couple of my other blog articles. A view inside the new Bosch 2014 Drive Unit Motor Assembly. The new Bosch drive unit is designed with lots of improvements. Its optimized control technology employs 3 sensors to make 1000 measurements a second of the rider’s requirements. It’s actually got a more powerful 32-bit processor to handle all of these senses. It also incorporates gear shift detection where it will smooth gear changes by dropping the torque for just a second when you change gear. This will smooth out gear changes and also lower drivetrain wear. The new Bosch motor system also offers less vibration, its lighter, more compact and has a reduced crank width.The new smaller chain wheel innovation works by using and internal gearing ratio which turns the sprocket approximately 2.5 turns to every crank revolution. The chain wheel is significantly smaller, this is designed to lower torque per chain wheel cogs and thus lessen the wear on the drivetrain. It also is almost impossible for the chain to come off of rougher terrain. The Bosch Drive unit will come with 15, 18 or 20 teeth depending on the type of eBike.The new Bosch Intuvia on board computer has had improvements to the odometer, where the user can further fine adjust the wheel size so it matches up perfectly to your miles / speed when using other devices. The Intuvia has a new colour scheme, Platinum for the Active line and Anthracite for the Performance line; this matches all of the other components to quickly define the different Bosch systems. The walk function has also had some improvements to the speed it produces; it should now fit the rider a lot better. A view inside the Bosch battery itself, this is a textbook image, it would be too dangerous to transport an opened Lithium Cell in house. The Bosch PowerPack 300Wh & 400Wh batteries have also had some improvements to the on board BMS (Battery Management System) to make them more user friendly, you can now charge the battery on the eBike, which makes for much easier operation and has been requested for quite some time. Both 400 & 300Wh batteries are slightly smaller & lighter. They have a more compact design and are more appealing to the eye.Along with the battery the charger has had some minor improvements, including rubber feet so it doesn't slide off the bench (happens almost every day here). It’s slightly smaller and has no venting holes due to it being a more efficient and producing less heat. Charge times remain the same. The charger has a new plug which has a thumb print on top, so it should be easier to plug in without looking each time to see what way up the plug goes before plugging it in.We also covered all of the legal aspects involving electric bikes, proper maintenance and care of both the Batter and the Bosch eBike system, transportation of goods, installation of components & common faults and how to diagnose / resolve them.We here at e-bikeshop have most of this knowledge already. We have been working on Bosch powered eBike for a while now so have all the relevant tools, knowledge and diagnostics machines to perform these tasks. Our workshop mechanics are very competent in the use of these in setting up new eBikes as well as diagnosing faults on older ones. However visiting Bosch was a good chance to brush up on these skills and also a good chance to see some more of the motor internals. Definitely a day well spent! To view or full range of Bosch eBike please click here >>
Certain model Bosch eBikes were affected by a popping noise on each pedal revolution. The model years affected were between early 2012 and mid 2013. It normally occurs after the first few months of riding from new. Don't worry if this has happened on your eBike. It won't harm your motor at all. It does need attending too but in the meantime you can still ride your electric bike without causing any damage. Although wearing headphones is advised as the noise can get annoying. Official words from Bosch themselves- "The noise does not result in damage to the drive unit, however, disturbs the driving pleasure." The good news is that there is a fix, and whilst Bosch will refer you back to the original place of purchase, we have found many 'dealers' scratching their heads when it comes to resolving the problem. We have many calls where people have had multiple visits back to the dealer with no avail. We (as a Bosch UK Service Center) are now providing a service to fix this issue. You can click the link at the bottom of this post to purchase. After checkout we will call you to arrange a convenient time for your to bring your Bosch powered eBike in for inspection and to address the problem. Please check that it sounds the same as in our video below. It will be a popping noise at roughly the same point on every pedal rotation - Please Note: This service is free to any of our previous customers on proof of original sales invoice. (Please call us prior to bringing your bike in) From around the time of the fault being noticed we then proceeded to address the issue on every new ebike that left us from that point. So the chances are if you purchased your eBike from us after May 2103 then you will be OK. Bosch have addressed the issue with a simple modification to any motor that comes on a 2014 eBike onwards.
I thought I would write a little more in depth about the new Bosch system, this should save half my day on the phone. So to start off, everyone knows the latest Bosch motor has made some significant changes to the motor design. On the outside its completely different in shape, most of you will have seen the tiny front sprocket and wondered why it’s so small? Well... Bosch have standardised the way motors are mounted, so for one it’s easier for manufacturers to integrate the motor into their frame design. By changing the motor shape and using a small sprocket it gives a much higher ground clearance. (Previously not being a problem for Haibike who sent their engineers to work and patented the idea of inverting the motor up into the frame so its tucked out the way and give a much higher ground clearance anyway). At this point your probably thinking - How am I supposed to pedal that cycle around with such a small sprocket on the front? Well the drive is actually geared inside out. Basically as you turn the cranks (pedals) it turns a gear inside the motor, which in turn is geared back to the small sprocket on the outside. So in fact with 1 full pedal revolution the small sprocket on the outside will turn 2.5 times.This also allows the sensors within the new motor to measure gear changes much more precisely, therefore as you change gear the motor can detect this and actually reduces the torque applied at exactly the right time so that it ensures a smooth gear changes and reduces pressure on both the motor and chain significantly. Ultimately leading to a more durable system.The small sprocket also means that it’s much harder for the chain to come off at any point. Which is a big plus point where manufacturers are continuing to use ever-expanding ratios of gears at the back. On a side note – It also means less grubby trouser ends as the chain will be more tucked out the way running on the tiny sprocket! What else is new? The new motor's internal sensors (power, cadence & speed) process 1000 readings per second to make the ride as smooth and efficient as possible also has a new more modern 32-bit processor to handle all of these readings.The rest of the system has only taken slight changes, for example the colour of both the active line and performance line are different. The Intuvia screen size has been increased slightly with easier to see readings.The battery has been slimmed down a little into a more clean line design and is still offered in the current 300wh and 400wh options.So the new system is neater, smaller & a little lighter. The performance line can now also assist up to 275% in Turbo mode as opposed to 250%. The drive can put out up to 60Nm of torque through a derralier system but is limited to 50Nm of torque through any hub gear.The motor is the same 250w power to comply with current EU legislation.The new system will be less versatile to "tinker'ers" as the sprocket will be less easy to swap out to change the gearing for people who want to up the gearing / speed. But as far as I can see it should still be compatible with the 'tuning dongle'.This new motor design will run alongside the current 'Active line' system. Manufacturers will continue to use both systems for future ranges. Continued support? Bosch are continuing to offer firmware updates / improvement through the USB port for both Active line and the newer system. Being a Bosch UK dealer we have all the official Bosch diagnostic tools do perform these actions for previous customers in-store. Retrofit to my existing Bosch eBike? Finally before I get more phone calls - NO the complete Bosch system is not available as any sort of add on kit. It will only come with new complete ebikes.AND no I cannot take cash as a ‘back hander’ to order a motor through Bosch for anyone to use. The only way we can supply a new motor is with the old one in my hands in (in the event of a warranty case)Read how Haibike xDuro 2014 models overcome the bad chain line with the new Bosch eBike motor.View the latest Electric Bikes with the new style Bosch motor.
Time for another of my structured explanations of how something technical works. Now before you 'Switch Off'.. This is not a copy and paste explanation, this is written in my own words (and time) for others to learn how the new S.E.S (Sprocket Equalizing System) system works on the latest Bosch motor. Although nice for people to know about this it also cuts down the amount of time I spend on the phone every day explaining to people various factors; so well worth my time writing it! Before you start make sure you have read my other post explaining the new 2014 Bosch System in Detail. This explains the changes the newer Bosch motor has undertaken. The position of the small sprocket and the way the newer motor has to be mounted means that the bikes swing arm has to be much longer to situate the motor on a full suspension bike. Ultimately making the bikes wheel base a lot longer. This is because the pivot point of the swing arm has to be behind the motor. See image below Now some of you may say what's the difference if the swing arm is just a few inches longer?... Well it makes a massive difference to the bikes agility and how well it performs over terrain. A short wheel base is very important.. Its the difference in handling between an sports car and a family estate!. By bringing the swing arm pivot in, the design looks like this See image below: Now this creates another problem. Note in the picture difference in position between the highlighted 'R' & 'S'. The 'S' is where the chain would normally run from. The 'R' Is where the rear end pivots from. This not only creates chain line problems as their is such a big drop in chain line when using the massive sprocket ratio's at the back. But as the bike travels over bumps in terrain the whole rear end will move up and down with the suspension which causes the chain to move with it. This has major implications on the gear system. The chain will move all about the place causing loss of energy and be very noisy / rattly. This is not welcomed on mountain bikes at all. So to overcome this Haibike have created the S.E.S (Sprocket Equalizing System). Its basically a small jockey pulley wheel mounted exactly on the pivot point See image below: Not only does this pull the chain up to work perfectly with the rear swing arm, but it holds the chain in exactly the right place and keeps it under tension, ultimately leading to more engagement and no chance at all of the chain coming off. It also brings the chain up to allow smooth changing of the rear cassette even on the biggest sprocket. The chain length also stays the same whether the suspension is pushed all the way down or in its fully extended position. Perfect! So here you can see the final design before and after See image below: Now that's pretty much job done... But Haibike doesn't stop there. To finish it all off they stick on a really neat chainguide over the S.E.S pulley wheel. This neatens everything up, it also makes sure that its almost impossible for the chain to come off in pretty much any condition!See image below Haibike have always been ahead from the start with their previous inverted motor design. This again proves that Haibike is way ahead of the game when incorporating the Bosch motor into a MTB frame. Haibike currently holds a Patent Pending Approval over the new design. As the UK's largest Haibike dealer we are always the first in the country to receive these models into stock. Although not currently advertising these models we are taking deposits and expecting the first drop in limited numbers in early Jan 2014. Contact me should you require any further details. P.S - This is the only brand of ebike I saw at the NEC this weekend that have finished off the motor integration by mounting a bash plate under the motor so it all sits snugly. Not only does this plate protect the motor further from debris but in my mind it looks unfinished without it! View the Latest Haibike Gen2 Electric Bikes with S.E.S Read more about the new Bosch eBike motor system for 2014
Just come to fix the famous knocking noise / grinding on a Bosch motor this morning. I am used to working on nice clean motor internals with the inverted mounted Bosch drives.Couldn't believe what I found when I opened this one up.. I understand for town / commuter / trekking bikes the under swung motor doesn't matter too much about being so close to the tarmac, but I think on off-road machines it is asking for trouble.The pictures are of the inside of the motor cover, but some of this had made its way into the actual motor gearing. It was a bit of a mess in there with dirt and grit. Makes me wonder how the motor could wear far more quickly in such conditions.The purpose of this post it not to slate under swung motors in anyway - BUT to make people aware that if you are using an under swung motor for mountain biking, its probably worth having the motor cleaned out regularly to avoid any decay of the motor and therefore ensure a good long term e-MTB'ng experience. I normally work on Haibikes with the motor inverted up out the way. As they are mounted above the frame not only does it look neater and give more ground clearance but it is out of the firing line of all the muck that gets chucked up by the front wheel. Haibike have patented this design so no other manufacturers can mount the motor up in this way. See image above.Read more about how Haibike mount the Bosch electric bike motorView Haibike Electric Bikes that have the motor inverted