Is the bosch EMTB mode the best ?

thewildblue

Active member
Feb 14, 2019
136
110
Bucks
So after 2000 miles on my Trek LT7, the freehub decided to strip, so with some cunning use of man maths I deemed it was time to buy a new bike. Hey presto a nice levo expert has arrived. Now they are both different bikes I know but EMTB mode on the bosch really does take some beating. Im not new to the Levo motor setup as I bought my partner one in January and Ive done a couple of hundred miles on it staggered out over the year. So of course on the new bike Ive spent a lot more time just on that one....but then the warranty rear wheel arrived and I got it fitted in and rode the Trek again. EMTB really is superb it ticks the boxes, trail mode just isnt quite there. So...give me your thoughts...is EMTB just the dogs bollocks or do you have some secret setup for the brose that matches it...or is there a mode on the shimano/yammy thats just as good.
 

Indigo

Active member
Oct 6, 2018
214
178
Brisbane, Australia
For Turbo Levo:
  • I recommend the smart phone app: BLEvo, the best thing for your Levo and Kenevo - you can use Smart Power where you set training biker power where BLEvo adjusts motor assistance to keep your average leg power at a set target.
  • Also worth experimenting with Acceleration and Shuttle mode settings. Shuttle mode is a global setting (applies to all modes) and it adjusts how much a change in cadence (peddling speed rather than torque) influences the amount of motor assistance you get.
 

33red

New Member
Jun 12, 2019
447
137
Quebec, Canada
It is a bit of a tricky question in my opinion. Many manufacturers offered/are offering different models, so what model from what manufacturer?? Also to have a winner a game needs rules, what are the rules? My experience with Ebikes is limited. I wanted reliable and range. I recently found an unsold haibike/Yamaha 2017. In 3,200 kms 0 issue, i never emptied the 500 Wh battery including many rides over 4 hrs. I feel the instant power feature is the cherry on top. I do not have power assist but do not miss it. Generaly pedaling to the trails and back i use maximum assist(i have no car). In the trails i use a notch lower. By selecting the proper gear i have the assist i want.
 

jerry

Active member
Dec 22, 2018
257
165
Belgium
I love EMTB, though I'd wish that I could influence the general support level (so, keep all the adaptive behavior, but just with less power). You need not push hard to make it support max power.
 

Maxb

Active member
Patreon
Nov 29, 2018
156
120
South East England
For me emtb mode is totally unusable I find I just wants to kick into turbo with very little power put though the pedals I just use eco and tour for this reason. I think this shows the one size fits all Bosch power modes is not great for everyone
 

Hitby

Well-known member
Jun 22, 2019
182
168
North Yorkshire
For Turbo Levo:
  • I recommend the smart phone app: BLEvo, the best thing for your Levo and Kenevo - you can use Smart Power where you set training biker power where BLEvo adjusts motor assistance to keep your average leg power at a set target.
  • Also worth experimenting with Acceleration and Shuttle mode settings. Shuttle mode is a global setting (applies to all modes) and it adjusts how much a change in cadence (peddling speed rather than torque) influences the amount of motor assistance you get.
I’d have to agree with@Indigo - I tried BLEvo for the first time today and left in in Smart trail mode for the whole ride. It always just seemed to know exactly how much assistance I needed. For £8.99 it’s a steal - even if you just use it to download routes to follow.
 

thewildblue

Active member
Feb 14, 2019
136
110
Bucks
Thanks for your comments and thoughts. Im aware of shuttle and accel with the levo and have been fiddling with them, will try the smart power at some point. I found EMTB superb off road and never had too much power. Suppose the trick is on the really steep stuff is to drag a little bit of back brake when starting, it helps loads. When riding on the road I would usually use ECO on both bikes most of the time, unless Im in a hurry then it turbo all the way and pedalling out everywhere !
 

33red

New Member
Jun 12, 2019
447
137
Quebec, Canada
Sorry but i have no clue what you are talking about. Is this a level of assist?
For what motor, year??
Is this an ap, for.... ????
 

Forever Wild

Active member
May 21, 2020
251
443
Arizona
I tried it earlier and I think it sucks. My bike lives in turbo.

Agree with you for my Trek. Not a fan of Trek’s EMtB mode.

on my Kenevo...

ECO 30/100
Trail 60/100
Boost 100/100

ECO and trail Now work like Trek’s emtb mode only better. The algorithm on the Brose is different for the better. Try it on your Brose motor. See what you think.
 

KeithO

Member
Apr 9, 2020
119
67
England
Sorry but i have no clue what you are talking about. Is this a level of assist?
For what motor, year??
Is this an ap, for.... ????
Bosch CX Gen 4 and 3 (I think it’s on the 3). EMTB is one of the power modes and is between trail and turbo (works like an automatic mode, going from trail to turbo depending on how much you put pressure on the cranks)
 

Andrie

Member
May 20, 2020
171
68
NorCal
I have Orbea with gen 4 Bosch and Giant Reign E+1 with syncdrive version of Yamaha motor. The eMTB on the Bosch kicks ass
 

Rusty

E*POWAH BOSS
Jul 17, 2019
1,513
1,673
New Zealand
eMTB mode works very well. Personally, I use Eco and Tour mode way more than eMTB and Turbo almost never. That is mostly to conserve battery life as my fat ass drains them fairly quickly, but also that I want to put more effort into my ride and use assist to balance the extra weight of the bike and also to make climbs easier on my old body.
Solely running eMTB mode on my Scott with the 625Wh battery I am getting about 10% more distance than on my Levo with the 700Wh battery running Turbo. Did not try Smart Trail with the Blevo app, but believe it is somewhat similar.
 

Hob Nob

Active member
Jun 4, 2020
152
149
UK
Mine basically lives in Tour. In fact, for ease of use, I could ditch the entire controller & display & leave it alone, using an app to tell me battery life.

The only time I go for EMTB is laziness on a dirty steep climb up a fire road to another trail. I don't find it benefits on actual trails (generally steep tech, or stuff fast enough i'm over the speed limit anyway).
 

steveo

Member
Jul 20, 2019
69
58
Ka15hy
I find that i used to use EMTB a lot before the software upgrade but now use eco and trail mostly and only use EMTB if its a steeper or tech climb. Definitely notice the extra power with the upgrade ?
 
Jul 19, 2019
64
62
West Lancs
As a Shimano owner (but have ridden a Bosch motor) I would say yes, but the Shimano modes all work like that (ish), putting more assist the harder you pedal.

Eco only assists so much, and needs you to pedal harder to get that assist but it's a smooth curve of assist. Trail does pretty much the full range but the harder you pedal the more you get, Boost gives a lot of assist for little input.
 

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