Crestline x DJI - RS 181 SPECTRE Edition

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Tooks said:
DJI appear on a mission to get into as many markets as possible don’t they, certainly will be keeping the established manufacturers in their toes, which I think is a good thing by the way.
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Looking forward to this one

  • Max Wash Speed: 3200 RPM – Fastest in the industry. Washes a full load before you’ve finished making a cup of tea.
  • SmartFlight Wash Blades: Precision-balanced carbon fiber arms with drone-inspired aerodynamics for maximum spray coverage.
  • Active Gimbal Basket Stabilization: Keeps your wine glasses steady at insane spin speeds.
  • Ultra HD Multi-Touch Display: Full app ecosystem built-in. Yes, you can check your emails while washing your dishes.
  • HyperCharge Turbo Mode: Full battery recharge in just 15 minutes. Off-grid? No problem.
  • DJI FlyClean OS: Supports over-the-air (OTA) firmware updates – your dishwasher just keeps getting smarter.
  • Obstacle Avoidance Jets: Automatically detects and avoids stubborn food debris, adjusting spray angles in real-time.
  • ActiveTrack Drying: Follows and focuses heat exactly where it’s needed, ensuring zero water spots.
  • Supports DJI Power 1000 Direct Link: Fast-charge compatible straight from your DJI portable power station.

E69D109E-9158-4564-82CD-24D36672EDFA.png
 
Rob Rides EMTB said:
I got this EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station. It charges the 800wh bike battery at a rate of about 1% per minute, and it’s going on the boot of the car. Easy 40-50% lunch time battery recharge using the fast charger.

View attachment 163823
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I'll admit. I would probably giggle if i saw that at the bike park. Practical as hell if you don't have a second battery or an integrated battery.... But I still..... that is next level, It probably needs to be sitting next your Porsche while you sip your double frappmockaawankerchino.
 
AlumiPro said:
If I don’t burn through the 800wh on my typical rides I’ll look into getting a 600wh battery to try. It would be nice to have two different Wh / weight batteries to swap out.
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Two batteries are the business. Crestline is a bit fiddly to change over. I've got it down to 5 mins.

800 and 600 would give you mega capacity for a days riding.
 
Plummet said:
Two batteries are the business. Crestline is a bit fiddly to change over. I've got it down to 5 mins.

800 and 600 would give you mega capacity for a days riding.
Click to expand...
Yeah that’s ideal.

The portable charger is a fair alternative if it fits in with your ride, and is cheaper than a second battery (£499)
 
When you get a chance Rob. I'm interested to know what wh/hr the dji burns.

EG you used 50% of 800wh battery and it took 2 hrs. 400wh/hr.....
 
I couldn’t find any information how to charge dji batteries outside the frame. Has anyone got info? And when they will be available to order separately?
 
Plummet said:
When you get a chance Rob. I'm interested to know what wh/hr the dji burns.

EG you used 50% of 800wh battery and it took 2 hrs. 400wh/hr.....
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Sure. I’ll check it out on the next ride. It’ll be very mode dependent of course, I’m still experimenting with which modes to use on longer rides.
 
Wilonrs said:
I couldn’t find any information how to charge dji batteries outside the frame. Has anyone got info? And when they will be available to order separately?
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Good question. Not tried charging it off bike yet! I asked DJI about buying spare batteries and they mentioned that they will be able to be ordered from DJI dealers in the future. No solid date yet, but it’s coming.
 
Rob Rides EMTB said:
Sure. I’ll check it out on the next ride. It’ll be very mode dependent of course, I’m still experimenting with which modes to use on longer rides.
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I sure would like a real-world comparison between the Crestline Spectre & the Unno Mith?

Suppose it's a little premature not sure you have ridden production versions of either yet.

Sometime back I rode my buddies RH4 Crestline gen4 race motor, and it was GIANT. A much larger bike than my XL Relay.
 
Rob Rides EMTB said:
With the 460mm chainstay, my front centre to rear centre ratio is 1.85, which is one of the most balanced bikes I've ever ridden, meaning I dont need to load the front as much in flatter corners, and the bike just feels more natural to turn. I can load the bike more through my feet, instead of having to push my bodyweight forward to load the front tyre to get front end grip, like I have to do with most bikes that have sub 450mm chainstays. All in, its more natural weight distribution means I have more confidence on the corners.

Additionally, I am using a high stack, with a 50mm stem with a 10mm rise on the stem, and a 60mm riser bar, with a single 10mm spacer under the stem. I thought that with the longer chainstay I would find it harder to lift up the front wheel / manual over stuff, but its the opposite - because of the leverage / bar position, I can lift the front up way easier.
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This is the specific stuff that really interests me.

Balance and improved manualling are the things that will actually improve my riding, confidence & speed.
 
Suns_PSD said:
This is the specific stuff that really interests me.

Balance and improved manualling are the things that will actually improve my riding, confidence & speed.
Click to expand...
I think Rob's bar higher bar position is counteracting the longer chainstay regarding manualling. Its pure physicials. The shorter the stays the closer your feet to the rear axle and the easier it is all other factors being equal.

But i do agree with balancing the bike to the human on top. Rob wont like my set up and I wont like his because of our height difference. my ratio is 0.97. 445 cs and 455 reach and that is the gravy for me. Well perfect would be 460 reach.

Regarding manualling front weight bias of e-bikes also have to be taken into account. This is dramatically shown when i go from 400hw to 600wh on my bike. There is a noticeable increase in effort required to pull the front up. If I ran an 800wh it would be even worse. So there might be some geo tweaking consideration if you still want to manual and have a playfull bike while rubbing a big battery? shorter cs, higher bars like might counteract some of that forward weight.
 
Plummet said:
I think Rob's bar higher bar position is counteracting the longer chainstay regarding manualling. Its pure physicials. The shorter the stays the closer your feet to the rear axle and the easier it is all other factors being equal.

But i do agree with balancing the bike to the human on top. Rob wont like my set up and I wont like his because of our height difference. my ratio is 0.97. 445 cs and 455 reach and that is the gravy for me. Well perfect would be 460 reach.

Regarding manualling front weight bias of e-bikes also have to be taken into account. This is dramatically shown when i go from 400hw to 600wh on my bike. There is a noticeable increase in effort required to pull the front up. If I ran an 800wh it would be even worse. So there might be some geo tweaking consideration if you still want to manual and have a playfull bike while rubbing a big battery? shorter cs, higher bars like might counteract some of that forward weight.
Click to expand...
Do you know the wheelbase on your bike? I reckon yours will be even more centre/front biased than mine. My 460 chainstay and 1310 wheelbase means that proportionally, the chainstay isn’t actually that long. It just fits the bike size better.

Longer (proportional) chainstays mean I can run a higher front end, as naturally there is more weight on the front tyre, so I can afford to run a higher stack, which I have found helps with leverage on the bars.

Most M and L bikes I see have a FC:RC ratio of around 1.8 - 1.85

most XL bikes I ride have way more of a rearward bias, with FC:RC ratio of 1.9+ which means I have to compensate balance with body language to get more front end grip, along with a lower rise bar to help weight the front end.

I massively prefer longer chainstay with high stack. I’m much more neutral on the bike, and the balance between front and rear is more evenly spread. (I’m 191cm / 6’3” for reference)

To work out FC:RC ratio, subtract your chainstay length from wheelbase, which will give you the front centre measurement. Then divide that result by chainstay length.

Eg for my bike, it’s (1310-460)/460 =1.848

Crestline have done a great job making this bike fit a ton of people. Adjustable dropouts on the rear are a huge win
 
Rob Rides EMTB said:
Do you know the wheelbase on your bike? I reckon yours will be even more centre/front biased than mine. My 460 chainstay and 1310 wheelbase means that proportionally, the chainstay isn’t actually that long. It just fits the bike size better.

Longer (proportional) chainstays mean I can run a higher front end, as naturally there is more weight on the front tyre, so I can afford to run a higher stack, which I have found helps with leverage on the bars.

Most M and L bikes I see have a FC:RC ratio of around 1.8 - 1.85

most XL bikes I ride have way more of a rearward bias, with FC:RC ratio of 1.9+ which means I have to compensate balance with body language to get more front end grip, along with a lower rise bar to help weight the front end.

I massively prefer longer chainstay with high stack. I’m much more neutral on the bike, and the balance between front and rear is more evenly spread. (I’m 191cm / 6’3” for reference)

To work out FC:RC ratio, subtract your chainstay length from wheelbase, which will give you the front centre measurement. Then divide that result by chainstay length.

Eg for my bike, it’s (1310-460)/460 =1.848

Crestline have done a great job making this bike fit a ton of people. Adjustable dropouts on the rear are a huge win
Click to expand...
I physically measure 1254 wb, with 445rc = 1.818
5'11 180cm.
 
AlumiPro said:
If I don’t burn through the 800wh on my typical rides I’ll look into getting a 600wh battery to try. It would be nice to have two different Wh / weight batteries to swap out.
Click to expand...
I'm like Rob. I keep an Ecoflow in the car. But I've got a lighter smaller unit at 768Wh. But because I have an EV. I can charge the Ecoflow, whilst I'm charging the bike. So on my lunch break, with the Avinox 12Amp charger, I can add 40% without any issue. More if I take a longer break. And for overnight trips with no power outlets, I just leave the bike in the car charging. It does eventually get to 100% as the car recharges the Ecoflow.

I do seem to be burning through more Whrs with the Avinox system, than on my Shimano EP801. You just travel so much faster. So, I'm not sure 800 grams saving is worth the reduced range, but that's your call.
 
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Rob,
I was watching EuroBike vids and noticed some different styles of DJI charger port doors/flaps on different bike brands.
Some being hinged doors, others being rubber push in flaps.
What are your thoughts on the Crestline DJI port flap? Will it keep water out? (Splashing, not submerged)
 
Astro66 said:
I'm like Rob. I keep an Ecoflow in the car. But I've got a lighter smaller unit at 768Wh. But because I have an EV. I can charge the Ecoflow, whilst I'm charging the bike. So on my lunch break, with the Avinox 12Amp charger, I can add 40% without any issue. More if I take a longer break. And for overnight trips with no power outlets, I just leave the bike in the car charging. It does eventually get to 100% as the car recharges the Ecoflow.

I do seem to be burning through more Whrs with the Avinox system, than on my Shimano EP801. You just travel so much faster. So, I'm not sure 800 grams saving is worth the reduced range, but that's your call.
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I wasn’t wanting to get the 600wh for extra range, swapping out with a dead 800wh. I was just thinking it would give me the option of installing a slightly lighter/lower weight battery if I knew the ride I was going on that day wasn’t going to be a long one. Unfortunately I typically don’t have time to spend more than 2.5hrs on each ride. Which typically takes the Bosch 750wh down to 25-40% left.
After a few rides with the 800wh DJI I’ll know if the 600wh would even be a possibility…..I’m guessing not since I really enjoy techy steep hill climbs, which sounds like the DJI will suck the battery down doing so.
Ideally it would be nice to try the 600wh battery for one ride before having to shell out the money for it!
 
AlumiPro said:
.I’m guessing not since I really enjoy techy steep hill climbs, which sounds like the DJI will suck the battery down doing so.
Ideally it would be nice to try the 600wh battery for one ride before having to shell out the money for it!
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Just be aware, as Rob said. There is no facility currently to get another battery, unless it's a warranty issue. So whichever battery you choose. You could be stuck with it for a while.

I will mention that there is a Spanish company that claims to have a range extender for the Amflow. But details about it are very scarce. They will let you order it. About €550. But I wouldn't recommend it, until there are more details, like how to install it. It looks like it plugs into the charging port.

1751941024539.png
 
AXS smoothshift installed

www.instagram.com

Rob Hancill on Instagram: "DJI Autoshift is cool! The motor detects the shift from the AXS battery cable that is hard wired into the motor. When you shift, the motor automatically rotates the chainring, so gear selection is done without needing to mo

6,522 likes, 103 comments - robridesemtb on July 8, 2025: "DJI Autoshift is cool! The motor detects the shift from the AXS battery cable that is hard wired into the motor. When you shift, the motor automatically rotates the chainring, so gear selection is done without needing to move the cranks...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
 
Rob Rides EMTB said:
Do you know the wheelbase on your bike? I reckon yours will be even more centre/front biased than mine. My 460 chainstay and 1310 wheelbase means that proportionally, the chainstay isn’t actually that long. It just fits the bike size better.

Longer (proportional) chainstays mean I can run a higher front end, as naturally there is more weight on the front tyre, so I can afford to run a higher stack, which I have found helps with leverage on the bars.

Most M and L bikes I see have a FC:RC ratio of around 1.8 - 1.85

most XL bikes I ride have way more of a rearward bias, with FC:RC ratio of 1.9+ which means I have to compensate balance with body language to get more front end grip, along with a lower rise bar to help weight the front end.

I massively prefer longer chainstay with high stack. I’m much more neutral on the bike, and the balance between front and rear is more evenly spread. (I’m 191cm / 6’3” for reference)

To work out FC:RC ratio, subtract your chainstay length from wheelbase, which will give you the front centre measurement. Then divide that result by chainstay length.

Eg for my bike, it’s (1310-460)/460 =1.848

Crestline have done a great job making this bike fit a ton of people. Adjustable dropouts on the rear are a huge win
Click to expand...

My first long Reach bike (490mm R & 435mm CS) was a Large Foxy 29er, and although I finally fit on a bike, the lack of front wheel traction was very noticeable and the search for long chainstays began for me. When I swapped to a '21 SJEvo I was much faster due to the extra front wheel traction with 452mm CSs.

But as you know, combining every feature you desire in 1 single bike, is impossible. Which is what makes independently adjustable chainstay length such an amazing feature. I guess the only downside is at $369 for the dropouts (going off memory here) trying every CS size is pretty cost prohibitive.

Questions I have for you Rob:
1) After experiencing the shorter Reach/ taller stack/ longer CS length on the RH3, are you sticking with that size Crestline or are you going to an RH4? You're 6'2" right?
2) Do you think you have nailed the exact correct CS length for that Reach frame? What I mean is, if I get to choose one CS size on my own Spectre RH3, should I start with the same 460s?
3) I'm not certain hitting the same ratio is the end all be all. I have found that some bikes really need longer CS's to work at all, yet strangely some bikes work pretty well with a bit shorter CS lengths. There is something else to the equation, weight distribution or the like. Is more CS length better (to a point) or should you try and reach that particular balance spot on every bike?
EDIT 4) Also, shouldn't that ratio be calculated at the CS length at sag? Which can be considerably different than the listed spec.
 
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Rob Rides EMTB said:
AXS smoothshift installed

www.instagram.com

Rob Hancill on Instagram: "DJI Autoshift is cool! The motor detects the shift from the AXS battery cable that is hard wired into the motor. When you shift, the motor automatically rotates the chainring, so gear selection is done without needing to mo

6,522 likes, 103 comments - robridesemtb on July 8, 2025: "DJI Autoshift is cool! The motor detects the shift from the AXS battery cable that is hard wired into the motor. When you shift, the motor automatically rotates the chainring, so gear selection is done without needing to move the cranks...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
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Hi Rob,
That's awesome!
I have a Dji Crestline on order. Which Dji motor accessory port do I connect the AXS cable to exactly (got pics)?
And do I need a wiring adapter, or can the AXS cable directly connect to it? Thanks in advanced.
 
techm8n said:
Hi Rob,
That's awesome!
I have a Dji Crestline on order. Which Dji motor accessory port do I connect the AXS cable to exactly (got pics)?
And do I need a wiring adapter, or can the AXS cable directly connect to it? Thanks in advanced.
Click to expand...
Hi. This is the exact part. Same as the SRAM powertrain cable. Nothing more needed. Plugs straight into the motor.

 
Interresting to hear the motor noise in the SmoothShift video.

Also, @Rob Rides EMTB how did your Transmission set up compared to Sram's suggestions re: chain length, set up key A/B and did you set it up at sag?
 
Last edited:
Rob Rides EMTB said:
AXS smoothshift installed

www.instagram.com

Rob Hancill on Instagram: "DJI Autoshift is cool! The motor detects the shift from the AXS battery cable that is hard wired into the motor. When you shift, the motor automatically rotates the chainring, so gear selection is done without needing to mo

6,522 likes, 103 comments - robridesemtb on July 8, 2025: "DJI Autoshift is cool! The motor detects the shift from the AXS battery cable that is hard wired into the motor. When you shift, the motor automatically rotates the chainring, so gear selection is done without needing to move the cranks...
www.instagram.com www.instagram.com
Click to expand...
So you changed to the GX T-Type ? Never seen it in all black.
 
techm8n said:
Hi Rob,

Is it safe to assume that there's only one open port/wire on the Dji motor? I want to make sure that I don't connect it to the wrong port/wire.

Thanks for the assistance!
Click to expand...
Four cables coming out of the motor. It will only fit into one. The other cables, Power, Controller and Speed Sensor should be used, anyway.

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