My new Bosch KTM Bike!

[eTim]

Wow you're gonna go miles on that eddie, on my Haibike I can easily get 30km on a mixture off road and tracks on the fairly flat, a few hills, running 1 eco or 2 tour for half the journey and 3 speed for the rest with 3 bars remaing on the battery, so I'm guessing 60km on that type of terrain. Remember mine is full suss with MTB tyres also.

It will be interesting to see what yours is capable of.

 

[eddieo]

Hi eTim, power performance will be exactly the same as yours.... not as capable of road obviously but it is £1000 cheaper! If it matches range of specialised DaaHub that is all we need. Just got back from 2nd ride of the morning...and the best things is simply the way it floats over speed bumps (no need to leave seat!) and our awful south London roads, it flys down my terrible unadopted private road.

Just received email conformation from Germany that KTM is being shipped tommorow... Oh Happy Days...Oh happy days

Been waiting YEARS for bikes like these.....

 

[eddieo]

No. I like it too.

Am I correct in thinking that there is a rack mounted battery option with the Bosch system?

Yes there is..cannondale have gone down this route for one and there are others...

but the weight low in frame makes so much sense...gone are the days of heavy back end bikes...thank God!

 

[indalo]

Isn't it time you changed your signature Ed?

Eddie (Wisper 905 & 705 SE) south London
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@

Not really appropriate any longer, wouldn't you agree?

Regards,
Indalo

 

[eddieo]

Isn't it time you changed your signature Ed?

Eddie (Wisper 905 & 705 SE) south London
@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@~@

Not really appropriate any longer, wouldn't you agree?

Regards,
Indalo

Thanks! Indalo Lol I just did not want to tempt fate before trying the bike/bikes!

 

[eTim]

Hi eTim, power performance will be exactly the same as yours.... not as capable of road obviously but it is £1000 cheaper!

I think you missed my point slightly, you will fly further given your road biased tyres and suss forks vs my efficiency sapping rear suss and bouncy knobbly tyres, so you should get masses of range, it will be interesting to see.

Also, when compared with my wife's riding on the Haibike, my extra weight incurs a penalty also, she arrives home with more battery power remaining (I weigh 2-3 stone more than her, I'm 14 stone).

 

[piotrmacheta]

Has there been any news on getting over the 15mph speed limit on the Bosch drive? I would be really interested but have got used to a bit faster. Is there some special piece of electotrickery?
Also does anyone know if it is possible to buy just the kit?

 

[flecc]

Just change the rear cassette or smaller sprocket piotrmacheta, the same as for all the crank drive bikes like Panasonic unit ones.

The smaller the top gear sprocket, the faster it will go on power assist.

 

[Cyclezee]

Has there been any news on getting over the 15mph speed limit on the Bosch drive? I would be really interested but have got used to a bit faster. Is there some special piece of electrically?
Also does anyone know if it is possible to buy just the kit?

I met up with Wai Won Ching of eZee and two dealers from Germany today in Milton Keynes. The German guys, Stefan and Gustav have tested the Bosch system and told me there is way of modifying it to increase the cut out speed by messing with the speed sensor, however this would be illegal and invalidate warranty.
Bosch will also be introducing a high speed version in the future which will be in the moped class and require licence plates and insurance to comply with German legislation.
One problem that has come to light in Germany is rapid chain wear and there is talk of power output being reduced until this issue is resolved.

They had an interesting video of a hill climb duel between a Haibike and an eZee Torq. The Haibike was faster off the mark but by the end they were virtually neck and neck, the test was repeated with the same riders swap ing bikes and the result was the same.

 

[flecc]

One problem that has come to light in Germany is rapid chain wear and there is talk of power output being reduced until this issue is resolved.

I've raised this issue a number of times in respect of crank drive units. Bicycle transmissions are designed for the power of one human but with a substantial safety margin. Adding moderate motor power through the same transmission uses up the reserve, so higher power addition like that of the Bosch system will cause excess wear and premature train breakage. Bosch are inexperienced in this field and I can certainly see them reducing the power somewhat to bring it more into line with the systems from the very experienced Panasonic and Yamaha.

 

[Cyclezee]

Apparently, some chains have worn out in 3 months, but I cannot say if this is due to normal usage and proper maintenance.

 

[eddieo]

Apparently, some chains have worn out in 3 months, but I cannot say if this is due to normal usage and proper maintenance.

Odd that...Have read nothing on this in Germany where use of bikes widespread now.

Issues so far have been Left hand crank peddle falling off (sorted with new crank) and some problems with battery dock...that is all I have seen....

will the chain be longer like on a Panasonic do you think? Or should LBS be able to help? There is no specific Bosch maintance that I can see or have read about, as its a sealed unit. I will probably leave bike "as is" unless I find it frustrating. When I read of changing cog on a Panasonic people seem to end up changing it back?

I thoink it drives through the larger front crank? and does not use a smaller secondary more complicated arrangement like Panasonic?

 

[flecc]

will the chain be longer like on a Panasonic do you think? Or should LBS be able to help? There is no specific Bosch maintance that I can see or have read about, as its a sealed unit. I will probably leave bike "as is" unless I find it frustrating.

I thoink it drives through the larger front crank? and does not use a smaller secondary more complicated arrangement like Panasonic?

The trouble with the Bosch arrangement is that it's less efficient, needing larger stages of gear reduction internally to reduce to the low chainwheel speed since it drives through the chainwheel. The latest Panasonic system only has to use a single reduction stage to it's much faster turning small drive sprocket and that is credited with much of it's efficiency.

Like the Panasonic, the Bosch appears to be a sealed unit intended to be very reliable and probably not intended for local bike shop servicing of the innards. Best way I think.

The Panasonic chain length is due to the battery being at the rear of the seat post, not due to the drive system.