Bosch or Shimano motor
- Thread starter pedrod355
- Start date
As a novice you will love either motor in isolation, however back to back you will notice the Bosch delivers it's power in a more punchy manner and the torque is delivered much earlier in the power curve.
In my experience the Bosch is also more economical on the battery front to, getting more miles per watt hour.
A new Shimano motor is being launched imminently though.
Also look at these people who post on here about eBike motors. (@Bearing Man ) Don't know where in the UK you are but they're local (1 hr) to me. Where my Trek Rail Bosch motor will go if/when it fails.
www.ebikemotorcentre.com
"Within the UK we offer a full repair and overhaul service for Bosch, Brose, Impulse, Panasonic and Yamaha ebike motors. Please note: We do not currently support Shimano motors."
eBike Motor Repairs & Servicing - Homepage
eBike Motor Parts Repairs & Servicing, (formally, Performance Line Bearings) has become the “go to place” for all your e-Bike motor repairs...
www.ebikemotorcentre.com
"Within the UK we offer a full repair and overhaul service for Bosch, Brose, Impulse, Panasonic and Yamaha ebike motors. Please note: We do not currently support Shimano motors."
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Paulquattro
E*POWAH Elite
I can only mirror this as far as repairs go .Also look at these people who post on here about eBike motors. (@Bearing Man ) Don't know where in the UK you are but they're local (1 hr) to me. Where my Trek Rail Bosch motor will go if/when it fails.
eBike Motor Repairs & Servicing - Homepage
eBike Motor Parts Repairs & Servicing, (formally, Performance Line Bearings) has become the “go to place” for all your e-Bike motor repairs...
"Within the UK we offer a full repair and overhaul service for Bosch, Brose, Impulse, Panasonic and Yamaha ebike motors. Please note: We do not currently support Shimano motors."
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MOTO13
Active member
I have 2 bikes with the CX motor and 3 with the EP8. Once I dialed in the EP8 motors with the Shimano app, I REALLY like the motor. The Bosch is a frigging incredible motor also. EMTB mode is what I use 99.99% of the time on my Bosch motored bikes. You can't go wrong with either one. Just make sure if you are getting an EP8 motored bike that it comes with their Bluetooth display. If you get one (EP8) with the 5000 display, it is NOT bluetooth supported and you can't adjust the motor profile and you are stuck with the factory settings...which in my opinion are not very good. But once you adjust the EP8 via Bluetooth app, it is incredible IMHO. Either motor is fantastic and you won't be disappointed no matter which you choose.
Jhagst
Member
Bosch all day…everyday
Hands down destroys the ep8 in every way. Having had 2 Bosch bikes and and 2 ep8 bikes, the Bosch provides much more power with less effort. I currently have a ep8 bike and regret purchasing it every day I ride it.
If you’re a strong peddler, it makes less of a difference. The ep8 requires more pedal pressure to deliver the same amount of power….hence more fatigue and not why I bought an ebike.
Hands down destroys the ep8 in every way. Having had 2 Bosch bikes and and 2 ep8 bikes, the Bosch provides much more power with less effort. I currently have a ep8 bike and regret purchasing it every day I ride it.
If you’re a strong peddler, it makes less of a difference. The ep8 requires more pedal pressure to deliver the same amount of power….hence more fatigue and not why I bought an ebike.
steve_sordy
Wedding Crasher
Have you tuned the EP8 with the Shimano eTube app? I met a guy who was disillusioned with his Nukeproof Mega. I took less than 5 mins to set up part of his motor (just the Trail set up on Profile 1), so he knew how to do the rest. He was blown away and became an instant convert. There are so many settings that if you just accept the factory settings you will be disillusioned also.
Jhagst
Member
Yeah, everything is maxed using the app
Just going to sell it and get another Bosch or Brose powered bike. Win some loose some, this was an expensive learning curve.
MOTO13
Active member
That's odd...I have tuned my EP8's via their app and in no way does the Bosch destroy the EP8. I easily enjoy my EP8 bikes every bit as my Bosch bikes. I will say the stock factory settings on the EP8 are not great compared to the Bosch. But once tuned, to me it's basically a horse a piece. Probably a very light edge to the Bosch...maybe.
steve_sordy
Wedding Crasher
It is the full EP8 and not the lower power EP8 (RS I think, not sure)?
Husky430
E*POWAH Master
BOSCH, BOSCH, BOSCH, everyday of the week, Shitmano motors are NOT reliable and will bite you in the end.
Jhagst
Member
Yeah..full power ep8, I’ve actually had 3 Shimano motors. 2 ep8 and 1 e8000…all were weaker than Bosch. I should have known.
I'd avoid Shimano just because of the terrible support here in the UK. Look at the recent thread with a guy with a 2.5 year old Santa Cruz that he can't get repaired. I had horrible battery problems and ended up in court-ordered mediation to get it sorted. Bosch sort things with no questions in the experience of the four in my group that have them.
I do question the power thing above tho. At low speeds and revs the Bosch is stronger, no question. My E8000 felt far more natural though, like I was incredibly fit rather than having a motor strapped on, and I find it much more work to sit on the limiter on the Bosch than the Shimano was. My Bosch makes me work for the last 2-3 km/h whereas the Shimano could sit on the limit all day* with almost no effort.
TL;DR I preferred how the Shimano rode, but everything else about them was crappy.
* Obviously I mean it could sit there effortlessly for 90 mins before the crappy battery gave out.
I do question the power thing above tho. At low speeds and revs the Bosch is stronger, no question. My E8000 felt far more natural though, like I was incredibly fit rather than having a motor strapped on, and I find it much more work to sit on the limiter on the Bosch than the Shimano was. My Bosch makes me work for the last 2-3 km/h whereas the Shimano could sit on the limit all day* with almost no effort.
TL;DR I preferred how the Shimano rode, but everything else about them was crappy.
* Obviously I mean it could sit there effortlessly for 90 mins before the crappy battery gave out.
@Rob Rides EMTB wrote: 2022-bosch-smart-750-trek-rail-thread
Apart from the CX being a great motor, it is very serviceable and replacements are easy to come by one the warranty period is over.
I would not buy a Shimano powered bike due to the out of warranty issues, it is just unfortunate that a lot of great bikes run the EP8!
I ride a Bosch cx Gen 4 and have had it rebuilt whilst in warranty through Ebike Motor Centre.
Apart from the CX being a great motor, it is very serviceable and replacements are easy to come by one the warranty period is over.
I would not buy a Shimano powered bike due to the out of warranty issues, it is just unfortunate that a lot of great bikes run the EP8!
Bob Orbea Rise
Member
Suggest test ride both but also when the motors are off and above the speed limit. I find the Shimano drags heavily esp compared to brose. Or there’s something wrong with mine
Peaky Rider
E*POWAH Master
I had two Shimano powered bikes before moving over to Bosch (I'm a slow learner). I also advised all my mates (they were very late adopters) to avoid Shimano motors. They all listened to me, bar one. He wanted a Rise so was stuck with a Shimano motor.
Everyone is now happily e-biking away, apart from my mate on his Rise. That motor threw an EO10 error code before Christmas, after only 250 miles, and he is still waiting for a new motor with no sign of a replacement.
.
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I own a shimano E8000 powered canyon and a cube with bosch, both bikes have pros and cons, but I would not choose a new bike based on motor because there are many other aspects to consider: geometry, suspension, brakes, wheelset, transmition (gearing), all of these will make more difference on the experience of riding a bike than that little heavy part thats supposed to be there only to give some "assistance" on the climbs.
I did buy the second bike with a different motor with the intention of knowing the difference between the motors, but in the end, its the kinemactics and behaviour of each bike that makes them really differ from each other.
I did buy the second bike with a different motor with the intention of knowing the difference between the motors, but in the end, its the kinemactics and behaviour of each bike that makes them really differ from each other.
I know what you mean, but the difference between a bike with a dead motor and a bike with a working motor is larger than two different Enduro-style bikes, for example, could ever be.
I probably preferred the Shimano motor when it was working, but I'd never get another Shimano bike because of the customer service.
"Kinematics" used only in the title but nowhere in the article. Perhaps a mistranslation from German.
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Kinematics is the right word, isn't it? It's describing the layout and design of the suspension. Single pivot, virtual pivot, four bar link, high or low pivot and so on. Once paired with geometry, layout (reach, bar height etc) and with the particular suspension units installed, it will control how the bike feels and acts under static and dynamic loads.
robbydobs
Member
My e8000 has been pretty reliable. 2 years / 3500 miles, and it's not broken down, despite riding through some biblical downpours at bike parks in Wales.
However, there is noticeable range loss, and it makes a "grinding" noise sometimes.
I'd avoid Shimano next time because:
- unrepairable
- poor range
- higher battery degradation
I'd go Bosch or Specialized/Brose
However, there is noticeable range loss, and it makes a "grinding" noise sometimes.
I'd avoid Shimano next time because:
- unrepairable
- poor range
- higher battery degradation
I'd go Bosch or Specialized/Brose
Yes, it is the correct use of the word, I think he was making a point as the spelling had a 'c' make a surprise appearance...
yorkshire89
E*POWAH Master
It's a good point but it should be a fairly major consideration. I have 2 friends with 2.5 year old Shimano E8000 motors.
They can only really get 2500ft of climbing out of a 504Wh battery riding eco/trail now, they've degraded so much in that time. Shimano won't provide spare parts so you can't easily get them rebuilt. There's plenty of stories about Shimano's attitude to customer support out of warranty too. IMO these bikes are no longer fit for purpose.
Hopefully things have improved for the EP8's but the above puts me off buying a Shimano powered bike altogether.
I'd not noticed your spelling TBH.
I disagree with you though. I'd like you to be right, in an ideal world you'd be right, but in the current world the motor is the most expensive, most likely to fail, most ride-critical component on the bike. If the motor isn't working then the bike is unusable. You shouldn't buy a full suspension Enduro bike to just ride to the shops, but assuming you're looking at approximately the right category and have a budget, I'd say the motor is the primary criteria.
Bosch seem vaguely reliable, but Bosch support them well and you can get spare parts.
Specialized seem very unreliable, but they ride well and warranty support for four years seems superb, so fair enough.
Shimano ride really nicely, but aren't serviceable, the batteries are total garbage, and support (in the UK at least) is terrible.
Seems like a no-brainer to me.
steve_sordy
Wedding Crasher
I have had zero problems with my e8000 (3500 miles, sold the bike) and my EP8 (2000 miles and counting). No problems with the motor or the batteries. The EP8 is noticeably better than the e8000, as it should be with 21% more torque. Both have a great ride feel and I like that. All the tests say that the Bosch motor delivers the peak torque earlier, which obviously suits many people, judging by comments.
My most frequent riding buddy got over 5000 miles out of his e8000 before it failed mechanically at one month before the two-year warranty period was up. That was last year. He got a new motor without a problem. He is still on the same battery, again without any problems (unless he is suffering in silence of course).
My most frequent riding buddy got over 5000 miles out of his e8000 before it failed mechanically at one month before the two-year warranty period was up. That was last year. He got a new motor without a problem. He is still on the same battery, again without any problems (unless he is suffering in silence of course).
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