What's left is just a plain old mountain bike with a weight around 14kg. However, we couldnt get the display to pair with our Wahoo ELMNT Roam head unit. Hes one of BikeRadars lead testers and knows how to push bikes and products to the limit, searching out the equipment that represents the best value for money. Bikes sent in for testing are usually carefully prepared by brands to pick up any assembly issues, and then are checked before testing by in-house mechanics or the testers themselves. They deemed it a warranty and the motor has failed. Over the past six months of riding, the Shimano EP8 motor has really impressed us with just how much punch it delivers from such a lightweight and compact package. The Pivot Shuttle, for example, employs a huge 726Wh battery made by a third party company called Darfon. Funny that motor has a gear box, but only one gear? Their new ride algorithms make the EP8 one of the most natural feeling motors out there, with plenty of power to propel the bike over obstacles, even if Bosch and Brose are still a bit punchier and deliver slightly more power. Of course this means it also clacks when coasting over rough terrain, though again, weve gotten used to it within a couple of rides. Make sense. Along with the fault-free performance weve experienced so far, wed have no hesitation in recommending a bike built around Shimano EP8 this is a high quality and well-rounded e-MTB system. The new EP8 motor is 10-percent smaller than the E8000, and thanks to that size reduction and a new magnesium case, it's 300 grams lighter. The freewheel is still in the (regular) rear hub so when you're not pedaling, nothing in the motor-bottombracket assembly should be moving, isn't it? Weve ridden the latest Bosch Performance CX Gen 4 motor on a variety of e-MTBs, including the Cube Stereo Hybrid 160 and the Trek Rail. 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. As of April 2021, all of Commencals EP8-equipped bikes have been specced with Shimano cranks, but this change has taken some time to filter through to consumers because of the time it takes for fully built bikes to get to the shop floor. Indeed Specialized actually built the new Levo around a mullet setup with a 27.5in rear wheel, in order to shorten the chainstays. 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. Shimano said August was the best. When we see failures like this, it is incumbent on us to find the root cause and, if it is within our control, provide a resolution, reads e*thirteens statement. Subscribe to Cycling Plus from just 13.50 and get a Lezyne Pocket Drive Pump, worth 29! My take away besides the obviously pro/con talking points was the weight of the bike. Mine gets very hot. Weve noticed this while pedalling along forest double tracks and on the road to and from the trailhead, but its also apparent when sprinting along faster sections of singletrack. Aside from the sound of the clutch, everything else in the "CONS" list can be fixed with software updates. Along with the EP8s magnesium casting, heat sinks and polished logos, it affords a classy look not an easy feat for an e-MTB. The sign of a true technical rider. TSB 156 addresses a reported issue where the crank preload end cap can loosen and fall off, eventually causing the pedal cranks to become detached from the bottom-bracket spindle. If you aren't climbing steeps and requiring the torque, you would get way longer distance. I've spent some time on this motor and it's one of the first to feel organic in the way it adjusts to the rider's pedaling. 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. Wowzers! Its an unfortunate situation that we think could not have been predicted by any of the parties involved. According to Shimano, design differences between Shimano and non-Shimano cranks cause the axle to crack and eventually fail. 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. As mentioned above, the Assistance Character bears the biggest influence on the motors on-trail feel, and dialling this down can make quite a big difference to the amount of range you can get from the battery. Update. The maximum rider support was raised to 400%, compared to the E8000's 300%. We hope Shimano will join us at that table soon.. 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. Quote Start New Topic Post a reply to: SHIMANO EP8 - won't turn on (new bike) Meanwhile, e*thirteens response places the ball firmly in Shimanos court. All e-Bike assist mode gets disabled during the downhill slopes. He started racing downhill at the tender age of 11 before going on to compete across Europe. Regardless ebike or "normal" MTB. e*thirteen cranks are commonly specced on electric mountain bikes fitted with Shimano EP8 motors, by bike brands including Commencal, Marin, Orange and Orbea, among others. Try to tackle crazy steep tech climbs. - Tuning options are simple and effective What makes me sad is seeing young people hop on the e bike train so that they can go on a longer ride or so that someone who is new to cycling can keep up with their friends who have been riding for years, all to perpetuate needless consumerism and a gross waste of resources. 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. Can someone make a bike with 50% - 100% assist? The svelte motor casing provides more clearance for the rear wheel and suspension components, allowing brands to build their bikes with shorter chainstays. There are no reported cases of spindle breakage of DU-EP800 when assembled with Shimanos cranks. Aim for a cadence between 70-90 RPM for maximum efficiency and response from the motor. The lowest setting sees the motor responding slower to your pedalling inputs. What Type of Mountain Bike Should You Buy in 2023? But even then it is still quieter than my saddle bag bouncing around. Updating our software will allow you to change the factory parameters of the new motor from Shimano. The complaints of charge bars on the display and the bike starting without any assistance are non issues for me. The question of what happens with this combination is for the manufacturer of that combination to answer.. This means its impossible to tell whether you have 21% or 39% battery remaining. The Bosch motor produces the same 85Nm peak torque output as Shimano EP8, and it offers a similarly drag-free ride quality beyond the 25km/h cutoff due to the motor decoupling from the cranks. Both bikes were fitted with e*thirteen cranks. Step 2 - Identify if preload caps have a pre-applied threadlocker patch and apply if necessary. Seems quite useful for when pushing the bike up these impossible climbs. The way the 2.2 motor smooths out un-smooth rider input is very impressive, giving it the most natural feel on the trail of any full-power motor weve tested. Repair and maintenance of Bosch, Shimano, Yamaha and Brose eBike motors Repair and maintenance of eBike motors from the following manufacturers: Bosch Active Line, Bosch Active Line Plus, Bosch Cargo Line, Bosch Performance Line and Bosch Performance Line CX For more details on the full range of Bosch motors click here Side-by-side, the EP8 motor is slimmer around the belly and so offers a skerrick more ground clearance. A downside of the 2.2 motor is that it is noticeably draggy above the 25km/h cutoff though something we experienced during back-to-back between the Levo and Canyon Spectral:ON. Can never hear it over the sound of the wind rushing by or the trail / wheels noises. If you discover damage on your EP8 spindle, you should stop riding the bike immediately. Perfect? Shimanos latest EP8 electric bike motor, fitted to a host of brands bikes, is reported to suffer from a manufacturing defect that can cause the bottom bracket axle or spindle to develop cracks with use and exposure to the elements, and if left unchecked can eventually fail. Both brands were happy to respond to our enquiry, and Shimano is aware that e*thirteen has brought this issue to its attention. Posted Oct 21, 2020. It features the new Shimano EP8 motor and a 630wh battery. The downside for Bosch is that its display options leave a lot to be desired. This is part of our COMMENCAL Care program, we consider a warranty case should have no cost at all for any of our customers.. I have ridden ebikes great fun,addictive, you gain some things , but lose some things as well, like all bikes a compromise. The Shimano EP8 RS of the Orbea Rise does not present physical differences concerning the EP8 that we can see mounted on other e-mtb's. Its dimensions and weight are the same. Do you think it could be only an issue with Carbon frames then? Hitting those famous tracks day in, day out for eight years, he broke more bikes than he can remember. When youre at those 30-40km/h descending speeds, EP8 doesnt punish you for stamping on the pedals to build some extra speed in the lead-up to a jump or dropoff. Does Shimano know why the spindles are snapping? He was pretty happy about ANT compatibility. I read a similar story around christmas on an other forum. Again, shift it down one notch at a time to get a feel for the change. The new motor, called EP8, is 10 percent smaller and is a lot lighter. 214 So far neither Shimano nor e*thirteen are assuming any replacement, but of course we dont let our customers down, says Commencal. February 22, 2021. Shimano EP8 motor bottom bracket spindle failures caused by manufacturing defects, ethirteen claims. Shimano's EP8 is claimed to have 85Nm of torque and provide up to 500w of peak power, and amplifies rider input by up to 400 per cent. Oh, how the humorous aspect of your comment has been missed. Still, given the lengths that bike and drivetrain manufacturers have gone to stealthify mountain bikes over the past few years, we found the noisy EP8 motor to be infuriating during the first few rides just as we did with the Bosch Gen 4. It even surpasses them in terms of noise (very quiet under load) and weight. Not a big Chan e but worth a look. This is particularly noticeable on traction-poor climbs, even when starting from a standstill. I rode the engine too, the thing is the engine is super quiet once you charge on the pedals, and you've got that annoying rattling noise as soon as you are on the freewheel and cruising down the trail Shim is working on it from what they said. 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