Shimano release Steps E7000 groupset

Rob Rides EMTB

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Shimano release all new groupset at an affordable price point

New shifters, motor, display and new smartphone customisation options. The E7000 groupset is developed to suit more entry level, recreation riding, where the E8000 that has been around for a while now is designed to handle more aggressive, off road terrain and extreme ascents.
Released in September 2018 Shimano will trickledown many of its E8000 features to the new package

Here's the details from Shimano:

Maintaining control
Handlebar controls for SHIMANO STEPS E7000 include a left hand side switch to change support modes (scroll between Off, Eco, Trail, Boost and Walk Assist) and a symmetrical right hand side switch/shifter to take care of gear controls (Di2/mechanical). A handy feature for mountain bikers is the design of the left hand side switch that allows a neat combination with a thumb-operated remote seatpost lever.


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This button changes the support mode and allows for building a clean cockpit. The E7000's display is connected via cable - It enables ANT and Bluetooth connectivity for external devices

Delivering up to 25km/h in assisted riding, the off-road tuned groupset is designed with simplicity in mind, offering Eco, Trail, Boost and Walk Assist modes and a feature that allows quick and easy operation of the dropper post in the same locality thanks to a new left hand side switch integration.This comes in a clamp band design, compatible with all mountain bike set ups, including Shimano’s new i-Spec EV standard for an even neater cockpit. The feeling of the button has changed too, giving you a distinctive easy-operation click and tactile feedback that you can easily feel through winter gloves.

Information display
All the metrics coming from the motor unit, the battery and Shimano’s Di2 system can be displayed on a new console unit (SC-E7000) with a highly visible display, giving riders important information such as support mode, riding speed, battery life and, for Di2 riders, gear choice.
The new wireless functionality also allows the rider to display all riding information on third party devices such as display units/GPS devices or smart phones by using the new minimalistic EW-EN100 connector to transfer information. External devices can be connected via ANT+ or Bluetooth LE.

For those in favour of an extremely minimal cockpit, you can also change system support modes and monitor the battery level with the LED lights and buttons on the EW-EN100 connector. It is also possible to change support modes via the mode button on the Display Unit, which means you could even go so far as to completely remove the left-hand support mode switch for the cleanest set up.


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Shimano's smartphone app for the E7000

Drive unit technology
Riding support comes from a powerful and responsive 60Nm drive unit to give assistance where and when you need it most. It also comes with the option to customise your riding performance depending on whether you’re looking for optimum acceleration or optimum battery conservation, or somewhere in between. Simply choose Explorer, Dynamic or Custom settings on your phone and your drive unit’s usage characteristics will change automatically.
The E7000 drive unit benefits from features the big brother E8000 drive unit. It pumps out up to 500-watts of peak power (nominal power output: 250W) to take you up to 25 km/h, all in dynamic response to how much support you need. The drive unit shape is neat and compact to maintain a narrow Q-factor and it’s one of the lightest e-bike drive units that’s specifically designed for MTB riding.


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The E7000 drive unit - The dimensions are almost the same compared to the E8000. The mounting points are compatible to the E8000.

Support modes
The Drive Unit can operate in one of three support modes to offer different levels of assistance to suit different riding conditions. Choose Eco mode for the lightest assistance and low battery consumption riding, choose Trail mode for the best balance between responsive support and battery consumption, or choose Boost mode for powerful support, fast acceleration and rapid responsive support up to the maximum 25 km/h assistance level. The characteristics of these modes can also be adjusted between Explorer, Dynamic or Custom using Shimano’s dedicated smartphone app, allowing E-MTB riders to fine tune support to focus on battery consumption or desired riding support level.

Natural riding feeling
The advanced electronic technology is not only in evidence in the drive unit but also in the drive train as well. Much like it’s E8000 bigger brother, the SHIMANO STEPS E7000 e-MTB components combine with Di2 drivetrains to provide a complete Shimano system and a natural riding feeling.

Where some E-MTB drive units position riders’ legs wider than normal mountain bikes, SHIMANO STEPS e-bikes offer you a natural and efficient position on the bike thanks to slim drive unit and a typical MTB distance between the crank arms (Q-factor). Additionally, bike frame manufacturers benefit from the compact drive unit which makes it easy to design the best frame for the job to get nimble and responsive handling E-MTBs. It’s this attention to these essential riding details that sets SHIMANO STEPS apart.

The new SHIMANO STEPS E7000 components will hit the market in September/October with the E-TUBE RIDE smartphone app becoming available from Shimano’s E-TUBE site at the same time.
 
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knut7

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This is really interesting! I spoke to Shimano a few weeks ago asking about the E6100 and if they would introduce a smaller and less powerfull version of the E8000. This could very well be it. I wonder how much lighter than the E8000 it is. Seems there is no new lightweight battery for the E7000. It will be running BT -E8010 -E8020 and -E8014 according to their website.
 

Rob Rides EMTB

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Ok, thanks, any idea how much ? Same bike with different motors ?
Not sure, I will have a look.
Think of it like this - Shimano XT is M8000. Equivalent in eBike spec is E8000. Shimano SLX, which sits under XT in both spec and cost, is the M7000 and the new eBike spec is E7000. So, you're getting a lot of the tech trickled down but at a lower price point (and a slightly lower spec).
 

Ryder

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Not sure, I will have a look.
Think of it like this - Shimano XT is M8000. Equivalent in eBike spec is E8000. Shimano SLX, which sits under XT in both spec and cost, is the M7000 and the new eBike spec is E7000. So, you're getting a lot of the tech trickled down but at a lower price point (and a slightly lower spec).

But unlike traditional gear it is lighter and cheaper! May appeal to people like me who want a lower level of assist in a lighter bike that feels more like a regular MTB. It will be interesting to see if Focus, for example, switch to this motor. That should get the top end jam2 with the carbon 29" wheels etc under 40lbs
 

Cinnamon

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I assume that weight difference is quite minimal though..?
60 Nm max sounds good enough. Have already tried that setting with Freemax and that's enough atleast for me... just like SLX is, in my opinion, best value for money.
 

R120

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It’s definitely interesting to see what manufacturers will do with it, also interesting that it can be purely app operated and you don’t need to have either the display or bar controls fitted, just use the app with the lights on the connector wire showing the mode.
 

knut7

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I'm running my E8000 at the lowest Boost setting (5/7). To me it would be an advantage to have a less powerful motor that is also lighter. Unfortunately it seems the weight difference is some 100-150gr. Not sure how reliable that source is though. Didn't I read somewhere that the E7000 was physically smaller? That will allow for improved geometry. So it seems there are small advantages, but I'll take them as there's no downside to me.
 

Tamas

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A couple of weeks ago when my E8000 DU was replaced the guy at Shimano already had it on the shelf and showed it to me. It's physically smaller than E8000, a little bit lighter and it has the same mounting points so in theory the same bikes can be offered with two motor variants. I don't think it will have any effect on geometries but it will allow a lower price for entry level bikes especially paired with the 400Wh battery.
As Bosch has Active Line, Active Line Plus, Performance Line, Performance CX Shimano will now have three with options to choose from. Good move from Shimano.
 

Tamas

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It’s definitely interesting to see what manufacturers will do with it, also interesting that it can be purely app operated and you don’t need to have either the display or bar controls fitted, just use the app with the lights on the connector wire showing the mode.
The good thing is that the EW-EN100 is compatible with E8000 too.
 

Gary

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Kinda like the junction box thing but genuinely would miss the assist guage and the quick to see at a glance coloured mode text. Not too bothered about losing the speed reading
 

MattyB

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Have to say i like the clean bar look using the junction box

Another yawn-fest infomercial from EMBN. They would serve their advertisers better if they didn’t solely state positives and gave some meangful information on the unit vs it’s competitors. The last line was particularly cringeworthy BS. Still, I do think the 7000 looks like it is probably a decent unit.
 

knut7

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I did a review of the E7000 a while ago, and I didn't really have much bad to say about it.

My video kinda sucks though, image stabilisation was switched off for some reason! And I need to spend more time getting the audio better. Only had the bike for a short while.
 

R120

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Will be interesting if any brands look at building a higher end model using the motor, rather than just using it in lower price point builds
 

SquireRides

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I think my ideal eMTB would be E7000 + Deore + alu frame

A nice 'budget' £3000 ebike I could thrash and not worry too much about when I need to buy shiny new tech in 3 years...

Oh, and sold through a LBS please.
 

Tamas

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Another yawn-fest infomercial from EMBN. They would serve their advertisers better if they didn’t solely state positives and gave some meangful information on the unit vs it’s competitors. The last line was particularly cringeworthy BS. Still, I do think the 7000 looks like it is probably a decent unit.
They did the same cheesy ‘review’ of the Levo and basically with all their sponsored content. It’s not the channel that you watch for ‘real life’ comparison. ?
Having said that, the E7000 looks good I don’t know what negatives they could tell about it? It’s light (@2,8kg same as E8000) more quiet, little bit less powerful and the rest is the same that made the E8000 one of the bests on the market.
The assist switch is neat and the option to run it without a display is interesting. All in all good stuff...
 

knut7

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Will be interesting if any brands look at building a higher end model using the motor, rather than just using it in lower price point builds
The bike in the embn test looks pretty interesting. It's a Merida, eOne-Twent I guess. It's got Fox Factory suspension, so it's definitely not a lower price build. Problem is it isn't listed on the Merida site, nothing with that color or that spec level. So it could just be something they built for the E7000 event.

Even if Merida don't bring out other than the 500 and 600 models with E7000, others will. There's one bike I can't wait to be official, sorry for beeing a tease :-o
 
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knut7

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I think my ideal eMTB would be E7000 + Deore + alu frame

A nice 'budget' £3000 ebike I could thrash and not worry too much about when I need to buy shiny new tech in 3 years...

Oh, and sold through a LBS please.
That sounds a lot like the bike I rode in the video above, the Merida eOne-Sixty 500. Here's a few words about it
Can a proper full suspension emtb be had for much less $ in 2019? Does the new and a bit weaker Shimano Steps E7000 motor cut it for trail riding?

There's also an eOne-Sixty 600.
 

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