Switch it off and get more exercise…
I do, and when I just want to be out, I don't. If that's OK with you! 😉
Also the assistance stops at 15MPH so any time I am going faster than that the motor is off anyway.
pedal strikes will be more on an eeb as you need to keep pedalling over tech to keep teh power going to get you through/over stuff.
you ride stuff (uphill) you genuinely would not touch on a normal bike. i like the 'trials like' aspect of riding the eeb in technical terrain.
i ride my eeb alot harder than my normal bike i recon. and in more horrible conditions. its bound to need more maintenance. the flipside is i get to ride my bike more and in more fun conditions.
My one takes a lot of BB strikes, it's just a weird shape motor mount, bit sketchy on some stuff, but fine on others, i fall off more due to indecision due to thinking a small drop might grind the BB, more than i fall off due to the BB bottoming out!
As for turning the motor off, honestly, 25kg plus bike with completely inefficent tyres and setup means it moves like it's in tar if you turn the motor off on certain stuff, Shorty DD MAXXGrip are not tarmac friendly, i find i can ride way faster on my hardtail with less energy than i can on the ebike in eco on roads and really hardpack stuff, i actually thought the motor had cut out on Saturday when i went from a track to tarmac, but that's on an enduro ebike set up for enduro, last one i had i put light and faster rolling tyres on and it moved not too badly without the motor, bar the extra weight.
“ Shorty DD MAXXGrip are not tarmac friendly”
They’re very much gravity/e-assistance essential tyres! My Levo rolls fairly fast on Hillbilly/Eliminator Gripton Grids but they’re less sticky and tough.
I wouldn't want to ride mine with the motor off. DH casing F&R, MaxxGrip front, ~23kg. Urgh.
I don't ride it much in Eco, unless we're exploring for new trails, or i've had a heavy week of riding & I can't face another big ride but i'm also out with people not on eebs.
Generally i'm a set & forget. EMTB all the time. It's good for 1500/2000m of climbing which does my lunch laps, or weekend blasts when i'm feeling lazy and don’t fancy my normal bike.
As the weather improves, I’m more likely to ride the normal bike as there is more light & less slop, and whilst I love riding my eeb, my Stumpy is better to ride down stuff. Also feels as light as a feather after 3 or 4 rides on the Rail!
Back to the question in hand, I’ve had a couple of electrical failures – plug based & water ingress. A good dry out & the bike has been fine again. That’s about 3500km in 6 months use, in the shitty winter & hosed off a few times a week, on a Bosch Gen 4.
So after reading through the tread I have come to the same conclusion that my Specialized dealer and Specialized customer support have just advised me. You will be out of warranty soon so sell your bike and buy a new one. The Levo Sl cannot cope with uk conditions! So does anyone want a fantastic low power ebike that has had three batteries one motor one TCU one handlebar controller in the last 20 months?
Your specialized/brose is 100% off the shelf part replaceable.
No need to sell.
E bike repairs in Cumbria for example can source any brose part with ease to my knowledge.
My giant however......
Owned it 32 weeks. Broken for 8 of those. Again all parts for the Yamaha can be sourced but giant flash the PCBs with their own software for the syncdrive versions and they won't sell them to third parties. So once it's out of warranty and you get the inevitable Yamaha water ingress then it's bye bye ebike unless you cough up £1300 for a new motor. A non giant Yamaha PCB is about £100-£150.
Your specialized/brose
He doesn't have the brose motor,he has a levo sl that has the mahle motor.
julians
Free Member
Your specialized/broseHe doesn’t have the brose motor,he has a levo sl that has the mahle motor
Oh okay. Do they fall into the non replaceable, planned obsolescence/one use tech as well then?
There was me thinking all spesh were brose.
2018 Kenevo, hard pedal strike, crank arm could be moved in and out, no idea what had broke,
Similar on my Kenevo SL, first ride, pedal strike and the crank arm could move in and out 3mm.
Local specalized shop fixed it straight away after contacting customer service.
I don't like turbo mode even on the SL feels disconnected between pedals and moving (I think it's the disconnect between effort and speed) in just wanted less pushing up steep hills.
My Shimano E8000 died after 1600 miles with an E8000 error which is usually the torque sensor and was replaced under warranty,I think part of the problem with emtb motors durability is down to designers trying to make them smaller and lighter which means you end up with smaller bearings and lighter less durable parts,water ingress is just crap design.If I was going to buy another ebike it would have a brose motor because I could at least get it repaired when it broke
So after reading through the tread I have come to the same conclusion that my Specialized dealer and Specialized customer support have just advised me. You will be out of warranty soon so sell your bike and buy a new one. The Levo Sl cannot cope with uk conditions! So does anyone want a fantastic low power ebike that has had three batteries one motor one TCU one handlebar controller in the last 20 months?
How many miles has it covered?
How does a battery 'fail'?
Also, once it's out of original warranty any paid-for replacement motors or batteries should come with a 12 month warranty.
How does a battery ‘fail’?
Either the BMS (Battery Management System) fails, which should be a fairly easy fix with a replacement BMS.
Or a single cell fails, in which case it's not such an easy fix (but still very much doable). Remember that there can be 40+ individual cells in a battery pack and it only takes one bad 'un.
Derestricting doesn’t make any more power, you can load and stress your motor just as much in a restricted one.
Higher duty cycle.
Or a single cell fails, in which case it’s not such an easy fix
Depending the battery pack construction. What is it like to take apart? Some packs are pretty much destroy to gain access unfortunately.
Depending the battery pack construction. What is it like to take apart? Some packs are pretty much destroy to gain access unfortunately.
I've never taken apart a 'high end' battery. The ones I've seen have been cells spot welded using nickel strips, put in shrink wrap, and then put in some kind of solid container.
Not sure if there is any difference if you open up a Specialized or Trek battery pack.
non replaceable, planned obsolescence/one use tech
What do you think happens to failed motors? Landfill?
They are refurbished and used for future warranty replacement.
Depending the battery pack construction. What is it like to take apart? Some packs are pretty much destroy to gain access unfortunately.
Some of the BMS are bricked if they lose voltage completely making recelling a difficult option.
What do you think happens to failed motors? Landfill?
They are refurbished and used for future warranty replacement.
And if they fail outside of warranty?
I happened to be at Specialized HQ near Zurich and in their workshop was a pallet stacked neatly with boxes of failed motors. I would estimate 200 + all up.
And if they fail outside of warranty?
returning broken motors is why you cant just buy a new motor off the shelf for the big brands (bosch etc), you need to go to a dealer for the brand and they will either get you a new motor under warranty ,and return your old broken motor, for refurb and back into the pool it goes , or you pay for a new motor and your old motor goes back for refurb and into the pool.
Yeah it sucks (a little bit) that you cant just order a new motor and fit it yourself like you might do with forks ,and keep hold of the old broken motor as spare parts, and so you end up having to deal with a bike shop and paying to get it fitted, but its not the end of the world, its justa bit more hassle.
Yeah, but how many people who have borked their motor outside warranty buy a new one compared to how many toss it in a skip*?
*or list it on ebay as 'some signs of use'.
Surely it's high time the MTB world collectively go down the not fit for purpose route? No other consumer item would be allowed to have such a high failure rate or a huge corporation like Shimano be allowed to block access to replacements through qualified third parties , it's just commercial protectionism.
2.5 years of reliable riding on my 2020 kenevo so far. Mileage? no idea, i dont track that.
Still has warranty for another year. If it fails out of warranty I will get the motor fixed or buy another motor. Im not about to change the bike near the end of the warranty period as its so bloody good.
I wouldnt buy a bike with a shimano motor though due the the lack of repair options.
So thinking slightly outside the box.
Lots of Emtbs could potentially be "scrapped"* due to motor and battery failures.
It's not a really big task to knock together a mount for a conventional bottom bracket using the motor mounting points (think two plates and a tube).
Will we see a future of converted bikes? Would anyone ride one?
* Not really but some are suggesting uneconomical repair.
How does a battery ‘fail’?
Also, once it’s out of original warranty any paid-for replacement motors or batteries should come with a 12 month warranty.
I have even told the warranty even for the new battery ends when the bike is two years old.
2.5 years of reliable riding on my 2020 kenevo so far. Mileage? no idea, i dont track that.
Just check the app, it'll tell you.
Two years warranty from date of purchase even though a new battery fitted last week
Warranty replacement or purchase?
oldfart
or a huge corporation like Shimano
You'll probably be as surprised as I was to find out but Shimano is the shrimp.
Total sales (corporate) are quotes in Yen but about $2 Bn a year .. less than 1/10th that of Bosch.
Two years warranty from date of purchase even though a new battery fitted last week
This is what really got me... it was totally on me I needed a new battery (left in car park) but £450 and a 2 month wait whilst the bike was a brick... a month after (spending money I borrowed off a mate) the motor died .. I felt totally sick.
Two years warranty from date of purchase even though a new battery fitted last week
If that's a warranty replacement, pretty standard (and not just bikes).
Warranty replacement. That’s when I asked if it would be replaced again under warranty and told my warranty would expire on the 2nd anniversary.
I agree. Asked EMBN if they would do an article!
oldfart
Full Member
Surely it’s high time the MTB world collectively go down the not fit for purpose route? No other consumer item would be allowed to have such a high failure rate or a huge corporation like Shimano be allowed to block access to replacements through qualified third parties , it’s just commercial protectionism
they will either get you a new motor under warranty ,and return your old broken motor, for refurb and back into the pool it goes , or you pay for a new motor and your old motor goes back for refurb and into the pool.
Do warrantied motors really get refurbished and re-used? I mean does anyone have actual proof that this is the case rather than just thinking it should be?
It worries me that the labour involved in refurbing individual motors could make the process prohibitively expensive compared to simply building a new motor. Take a borked Brose with trashed crank bearings, broken sprag bearing and potentially a worn crank as well plus you'd change the belt too I guess. Is that really going to be worth doing given that we seem to be talking about an awful lot of motors.
Anyone really know? I'm concerned that it's just a wishful fairy tale that people make up so they don't feel so bad about warrantying their umpteenth trashed motor.
How do we know that they're not just going to landfill?
After my 4th Bosch motor in 3 years I asked the question what happens to the old motor to which I got zero reply ,I pointed out their website was full of idyllic “ Green” fluffiness 🙄 the only thing Bosch advised was “ Try and avoid riding through water as our motors don’t like getting wet 🙄”
The last motor replacement came after the existing motors bearings started to groan , my local Bosch Service Centre guys had been trained by Bosch to replace them at a much reduced cost . I thought great so just like servicing a BB but a few months later it failed again and Bosch said they shouldn’t have carried out the repair even though they sold them the service kit ! 🙄
Not really a sustainable model is it ? 🤔
I want an ebike to compliment my normal bikes, but these posts are just putting the fear of god into me.
I'd want it for the slop and some hard winter days but doesn't sound robust enough..
There's a huge amount of online only retailers selling ebikes and all it makes me think is 'what happens WHEN it goes wrong?'.. does it get posted back whole? That's uneconomical if that's being done 2+ times a year.
I've got a few great LBS' (Whyte & Specialized) here but not spoken to them about their take on it. Although they'll be in full sales mode I imagine.
I had one of the best weekends riding in my life on a Giant Reign ebike in the Polish mountains last year. It absolutely blew me away with how capable it was and how much I was grinning. It's this experience that keeps dragging me back to getting one...
How do we know that they’re not just going to landfill?
https://www.bosch-ebike.com/nz/help-center/can-components-from-bosch-ebike-systems-be-repaire-195479
Straight from the horses mouth.
Bosch refurb their motors where it makes sense to do so.
You're far from alone @cokie
I've done it a few times now and whilst i'm not a fan of some aspects of how they ride, some of their other parts make a massive difference to rides and can turn a chore into a blast... But as you say, threads like these just tell me you're buying a grenade, it's just a question of when the pin comes out.
I want an ebike to compliment my normal bikes, but these posts are just putting the fear of god into me.
I’d want it for the slop and some hard winter days but doesn’t sound robust enough..There’s a huge amount of online only retailers selling ebikes and all it makes me think is ‘what happens WHEN it goes wrong?’.. does it get posted back whole?
Buy a bosch bike, It'll probably break at some point if you ride it often and in all weather's ,when it does break take it back to any Bosch dealer near you and they'll sort it out .
I've bought 2 ebikes now,one from Germany, the other from 200 miles away. Both have needed new motors, both have been sorted by local dealers (ie not the dealer I bought the bike from).
At a cost or free? If a cost, how much?
If no cost, what about when warranty ends?
my shimano warrenty is over. Madison said they have a sliding scale of age/replacement cost. in reality i imagine it ramps up pretty fast!! Still if you get a new motor and new warrenty for another 2 years its not too bad.
mine was 2 yrs last november. not sure on mileage but plenty of jumps and bike park wales trips- i do limit the really rainy days out to a normal bike though (but if its wet/sloppy on teh ground the eebs good to go) mainly as electric + water is a bad combo anywhere really!.
At a cost or free? If a cost, how much?
If no cost, what about when warranty ends?
Can't remember exactly , I think it was about 30 quid to process the warranty and remove/refit the motor, which I thought was a bit naughty given it was covered under a worldwide warranty,but a small price to pay , especially compared to what I saved (over £2k)by buying the bike from Germany,
When warranty ends you'll pay whatever the dealers hourly labour rate is to swap the motor (probably about an hour,maybe two ,so 100 quid worst case?)plus the cost of the motor.
I want an ebike to compliment my normal bikes, but these posts are just putting the fear of god into me.
I’d want it for the slop and some hard winter days but doesn’t sound robust enough.
TBH I’m in the same boat, I’m unhappy to buy a £5-6k product which the motor is treated as a warranty consumable.
I’ve been looking at surrons and tbh have even been thinking of a trail motorbike or even a quad as the the prices are similar and once you go surron road legal it’s tax/insurance anyway.
Straight from the horses mouth.
Bosch refurb their motors where it makes sense to do so.
I read that as they repair individual motors for customers where it's feasible, but it doesn't say that motors they can't repair are refurbished. I wonder what proportion of faulty motors are repaired versus replacement with a new motor. Oh, and in New Zealand judging from the URL?
