Despite the musclier performance, weve had excellent results in terms of range, with the Bosch motor regularly achieving more miles and elevation over EP8. Click on a component to learn more. The investigation has led e*thirteen to produce technical service bulletin 157 (TSB), published on its website on 14 October 2021. So despite being an engineer the non-linear noisy nature of the reporting makes it very difficult to plan rides and I almost always finish the last few km without assistance for bigger rides. The EP8 RS engine is physically the same as the . My first thoughts are that the disengagement part of the motor that allows it to pedal freely after 20 has already broken. A bike that weighs almost half as much as the rider. I want to use the Shimano EP8 motor for a small production of solar bikes. Bunny hops were absolutely a blast on this bike. quieter(+) smaller(+) lighter(+) more power(-) battery range(=). For consumers who do have an EP8-equipped Commencal with e*thirteen cranks, the Andorran brand is offering to replace the e*thirteen cranks with Shimano ones, regardless of whether theyve experienced issues with their EP8 spindle or not. We haven't really got an opinion about durability. The lighter weight is a big plus as well. But please don't anyone kid themselves that it's as much of a work out as an analogue bike, if there was no mechanical advantage over analogue what would be the benefit. One is a Haibike Fat-Tire with a Yamaha Drive, the second is an absolutely brilliant 40lb (including battery) DIODE from LaMere Cycles in the USA. Just got my first 29er. Others will tell us the EP8 is a weaker motor. I would have respected Shimano more if they owned it and were more forthright about working to resolve it. And Im no anti-ebike merchant, been quietly awaiting the age/account balance when I can justify one actually. But on the premise of further, faster, more fun, that range at full noise is not gonna outdo the range & fun I get outta my bowl of cereal and some old fashion pedal power. On one ride with the Canyon Spectral:ON, the range estimation initially showed 25km. When the motor applies torque it pushes in one direction and closes the gap, when there is no torque the ring can rock a little. We suspect the amount of riding required to replicate this problem far exceeds the number of kilometres an average bike tester will do on any given model. Not the first time Shimano has screwed the pooch with recent launches. Just remember to manually unpair your phone from the bike before you start riding again, as the motor wont engage while the system is paired to the app. Where the EP8 motorisnt quieter than its predecessor however, is when youre not pedalling. In addition to those weve tested, youll be able to find Shimano EP8 on the Santa Cruz Bullit & Heckler, Marin Alpine Trail E2, the Commencal Meta Power, YT Decoy,Pivot Shuttle and Mondraker Dusk. LEARN MORE Latest stories View all stories All bikes [have been] assembled with Shimano cranks since 2021 April.. While weve certainly been impressed by the power, ride feel and tuneability of the Shimano EP8 system, how does it stack up against the likes of Bosch and Brose/Specialized? With that said, all my riding is tough climbs and steep descents, without an e-bike would be walking up a bunch of it. Shimano also claims this issue is. Power delivery is immediately intuitive thanks to the new MasterMind firmware that Specialized developed specifically for the 2.2 motor, which reduces power spikes from rapid changes in crank speed and pedal pressure. The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly: The Real Bike Weights from PB Editors. The noise is easily demonstrated if you pick the back wheel up a few inches off the ground and let it come back down. Meanwhile, e*thirteens response places the ball firmly in Shimanos court. The belt-driven design is also a touch quieter when pedalling, and theres no clacking noise either. A bit like chain slap when you don't apply force on the pedals. Maximum power output sits at 500W, although the. Drive Unit Display Assist Switch Battery Drivetrain Tackle steep climbs and tough trails with full confidence thanks to 85Nm maximum torque. I despise young people buying ebikeswhat a bunch of lazy. Power less, battery smaller, it lighter is.. Would "every time you push the on switch" have been more understandable? This will be a far more accurate method for determining your estimated range. Now I have $10k garage ornament that I can't ride for 3 months. Certainly of all the full-power motors weve tested, Shimano EP8 affords the most seamless feel as the power fades in and out around the assistance cutoff. I haven't had the privelage to ride any bosch equiped bikes or other shimano bikes but this thing is so quiet I think it would be hard to find another ebike motor that is more silent. Those Merida ebikes ride quite good too. A little more overrun from the EP8 motor, and even the option to tune that attribute via the E-Tube app, would be stupendous! You also need a special key to release the battery from the frame, which were not fans of, at least for a mountain bike anyway. What is Shimanos take on e*thirteens metallurgic analysis findings? Thanks to lightweight magnesium components, Shimano has shaved off a cool 200g of weight making it one of the lightest electric bike motors on the market today. I also got it second hand as I just can't afford new. For riders scoping out bigger rides than that, youll want to consider dialling down the Assistance Character to improve efficiency. According to e*thirteen, the safety inspection is relevant to all EP8 owners, regardless of what cranks are fitted. VerticalScope Inc., 111 Peter Street, Suite 600, Toronto, Ontario, M5V 2H1, Canada. Along with the EP8s magnesium casting, heat sinks and polished logos, it affords a classy look not an easy feat for an e-MTB. Can we get reviews this in depth for regular bikes? I can concur with the range, it's not as good as I expected. It's also a very quiet motor when pedalling. 2b - If threadlock patch is present, move on to step 3. Rattling noise, you've seen (or heard) any of the Semenuk RAW100 videos? We need to go deeper. Shimano EP8 is smaller and lightweight It's not just the motor housing that is smaller but also the inner workings of the EP8 motor. Is this a review for ants? I was sure it was a motor issue till I realized I needed to put the speed sensor on the new wheel. @tomdesoals: That excuse that Shimano put out by their customer service dept . Well, maybe, but he also chucked 20kg dead weight in his bag to try to make things right for you. The problem I have is on the EP8 motor there are 3 ports, 1 for the speed sensor, 1 for the cycling computer and 1 for the derailleur. Gear or similar. I tried to find out the cause of this. As well as being smaller, lighter and more efficient, the new EP8 drive unit also packs more punch with up to 85Nm of torque, bringing it up to speed with the latest power plants from Bosch, Yamaha and Brose/Specialized. Alex then moved back to the UK and put his vast knowledge of mountain biking to good use by landing a job working for MBUK magazine as features editor. They must be under pressure to deliver units as this is at best rushed. Maximum power output sits at 500W, although the continuous power output is set at 250W like most motors. Not a big Chan e but worth a look. So that would include rocks, hops, trackstands but also sudden boosts from a standstill. With 21% greater torque than E8000, the EP8 motor delivers substantially more punch on the trail, and it feels more usable too. Generally on bikes we spend so little time braking that regeneration would be a waste of effort. This gives a very wide and flexible power band that does well to match what your legs are doing, making this the go-to, set-and-forget mode for proper off-roading. These findings are the result of an independently commissioned investigation by e*thirteen, after the brand became aware of reports that EP8 spindles were failing on bikes fitted with its ebike cranks. However, you do pay for all that refinement and integration. You still have the three basic assist modes: Eco, Trail and Boost. 2a - Using a 5mm hex key, loosen counterclockwise and remove the preload cap. I have to admit some of the comments make me laugh out loud while others score some points for being helpful and based on fact, not hearsay fiction. Pickup is faster too, with less hesitation between pedalling and torque being delivered to the rear tyre. The maximum rider support was raised to 400%, compared to the E8000's 300%. A kilometre later that estimation dropped to 14km, then not long after to 9km, then to 5km, before the motor automatically switched into emergency limp home mode. And more power requires more juice. Rattling and lack of update to the battery monitoring is a no go for me, I would just upgrade the battery to the new 620s if i could fit it. And with brands such as Merida and Canyon making use of internal wiring through the handlebars, the whole arrangement is quite tidy. First revealed to the world in September of last year, Shimano EP8 finally arrived on the e-MTB scene as the successor to the very popular Shimano E8000 motor. But it is not anywhere near the same engine in everything else. @tomdesoals: I don't quite get it though. I own the Levo SL, and it is the most refined ebike I have ridden so far. For a lighter pedal feel than the E8000, the one-way bearing has reduced its rotational resistance, creating a free play. Also worth noting is that you can create two riding profiles, which you can alternate between via the menu and push-button on the display. Shimanos answers to our questions are published below verbatim. My local rides average 30-35km with just under 1km of climb. The Purion controller is vastly simpler and easy to read, but it looks cheap and its bulky, making it an awkward fit with brake and dropper levers. As it stands, you have to use the small button at the base of the display to manually scroll through additional pages just to see your cadence, estimated range and the time. Don't all e-bikes feature walk assist? Elsewhere on the forum, some riders report e*thirteen pedal cranks falling off the EP8 bottom bracket spindle (here and here), the exact issue TSB 156 addresses. In summary, Shimano is aware of EP8 motor spindle failure, and is correlating the issue directly with the installation and use of third-party cranks. You are not alone. The existing Shimano E8000 motor is arguably the most popular motor in mountain e-bikes. These motors have Cadence sensors as well as torque sensors. That rattling feeling comes from one way bearing. It's like a dirt bike with a 15 mile range. Seems quite useful for when pushing the bike up these impossible climbs. 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