E8000 & motor drag

davowood

Member
Feb 14, 2019
5
3
Australia
Just wondering if the drag that you feel when exceeding 25kph is a software or hardware matter?

If it’s a hardware limitation, then I guess we are stuck with it.
If it’s a software issue - do you think that Shimano will remove the drag in future firmware updates?
Or, do 3rd party apps currently offer a workaround?

I am thinking about occasions when you may want to speed down a fire trail/road, or ride with the motor off, or you run out of battery. It would be great to not have this drag/resistance feeling on those occasions and allow you to roll along more naturally.
 

GOSBTS

Member
Sep 24, 2018
50
34
Sussex
I don't feel any motor drag above 25kph? Only drag is from the plus size tyres....one of the reasons i chose a Shimano motor e-bike. Motor kicks in and out as you waver around the 25kph mark but it is not significant by any means.
 
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R120

Moderator
Subscriber
Apr 13, 2018
7,819
9,185
Surrey
Fair few threads where this topic has been discussed, but really the biggest thing you feel when the assistance cuts out is that you suddenly are pedalling a 20+KG lump with big sticky tyres, so it can feel a bit like you have thrown an anchor behind you.
 

jabi

Member
May 24, 2019
12
6
Finland
It has been tested with power meters that there is no drag. Finnish magazine tested it this year. Brose, shimano and Yamaha motors did not resist. Measured difference was so few watts that it's under error percentage.
 

S D

Active member
Mar 26, 2019
191
124
Shelley
Same here , no noticeable drag from the motor , but then I usually ride in eco or off that way I get nearly a full days riding from the inbuilt 370wh battery.
I can imagine that someone who rides trail mode mostly and a 23kg bike with plus tyres would feel as though they had thrown out an anchor when the battery runs out.
 

dirt huffer

E*POWAH Master
Dec 3, 2018
312
312
Minneapolis
My limiter is at 30kph (US) and if i take it past 20mph and then coast, i don't feel any drag from the motor... just normal wind resistance and tire rolling resistance. This is on tarmac mind you...
 

raine

E*POWAH Master
May 9, 2019
398
325
SoCal, USA
Just wondering if the drag that you feel when exceeding 25kph is a software or hardware matter?

It's a "no more motor assist to make up for the 50-lbs. bike weight" matter. If you had the motor completely off and you manually pedalled up to 25km/h with all legs, you'd feel exactly the same "drag" because that's what it is.
 

Gary

Old Tartan Bollocks
Author
Subscriber
Mar 29, 2018
10,496
10,686
the internet
Just wondering if the drag that you feel when exceeding 25kph is a software or hardware matter?

it's neither

it's a combination of tyre drag, wind resistance and weight (if accelerating or climbing)... oh and a gauge/wake up call as to your true level of fitness ;)
 

Wernher

Active member
May 30, 2019
180
181
Cape St Francis
Drag on the Shimano is non existent, but I've ridden a bike with the 25 km/h European limit and you feel a distinct on/off (hunting) at or near the limit. On Shimano bikes with the higher 32 km/h limit as found in the USA, South Africa and some other countries, you don't get that hunting feeling. The power just tapers off towards the limit until you are on your own. Recent software updates may have improved that though.
 


flash

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Patreon
Nov 24, 2018
1,050
985
Wamberal, NSW Australia
Everything I've read, until this thread has hinted that the Shimano motor has some small amount of motor resistance (drag??) compared to a normal acoustic bottom bracket. The Brose and Fazua motors have next to none, the Shimano and Yamaha have a bit and the current Bosch has more. Rob even mentions it in his reviews of the bikes.

I have compared my e160 and my Trek fuel on a bike stand and I'm sure there's a bit more peddling resistance from the e160. It's very minor (a few watts maybe?) but it's there. I've also had to ride my e160 off, no battery and on flat ground for an hour. The weight was 90% of the difference but coming out of corners I could feel the bottom bracket a bit before the pedals spun up. I don't think I'm imagining it and I don't think there's anything wrong with my bikes (I have two e800 bikes and they feel the same). Currently I'm on 2.5 rear and 2.4 front, in line with an accoustic enduro bike. I've also ridden my eHardtail with fat slicks on asphalt, downhill and it doesn't feel like I have no resistance there either with the motor in the off position.

I've also done some extensive cycle touring (trans continental in my 30's, short hops now I'm older) and my e160 doesn't feel like a 35kg bike loaded with gear. However I admit they're so different as to be difficult to compare bikes directly.

In July I'm getting a bike with a Fazua motor (gravel) and I'm really interested to see how that compares to the Shimano motor in feel.

Gordon
 

raine

E*POWAH Master
May 9, 2019
398
325
SoCal, USA
What did you use to change the speed limit?

Depending on your Shimano components, there's a pair of similar iOS and Android apps (eMaxMobile and STEPSunlocker) that lets you modify motor/limit settings through a Bluetooth connection. For more info, both have their own threads in this forum.
 

grim007

Member
Apr 11, 2019
34
25
Israel
I've used STEPSunlocker on my merida eOneSixty. Changed the market to USA. Super happy with the bike now. Don't feel the drag anymore.
 

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