Longevity of electric bikes in general - A bit sceptical.

[ncpdnc]

Apologies if this has been discussed to bore already.
.
I am trying to get a perspective in terms of life of the bike in general. I mean, I have seen bikes handed to the next generation and it just keeps on going. Probably a bit of servicing here and there on the mechanical components but the bikes weigh about a tonne and with a newer cassette installed, it would get a renewal on their life.
.
I understand electrics won't last that long but lets consider a premium system such as Bosch Active line. It starts off as a premium system from a well reputed support network with a guarantee of probable failure lower in the first two years.
.
What happens after that? May I ask, has anyone had these kinds of systems beyond their warranty period?

Thanks,

 

[Gaz]

You seem to be asking about time. My wife's Wisper 705SE is about seven years old, and doesn't look it at all.

Mind you, it's only done about 200 miles!

My Whyte's only 10 months old, so I can't comments otherwise.

Gaz

 

[Gubbins]

My Bosch classic failed when just over 3 years old and 4000 miles. It was a bearing component within the motor unit and wasn't repairable so needed a new motor unit. The battery and other electrics were still in good order so the new motor gave it a new lease of life. Unfortunately this new lease if life came at a high cost.

 

[Tugwell Gibson]

These crack drive emtbs seem to knacker the motor out quite. A lot. I'm on a FB page of them. Scott , Bosch Levo , cube. They always seem to be replacing something and sometimes the motor. But maybe it's just the punishment they are getting.

 

[flecc]

Overall the 24 and 26 volt Panasonic crank units have had the best record for longevity. There's many of the first version still in use at up to 16 years old. However that unit did have a couple of known possible faults, so a minority failed at various ages.

Their second series had those attended to and have been very reliable, we've had members commuting daily on them for five years or more. There has been the odd isolated failure at about that age, but with tens of thousands sold worldwide that hasn't been a big issue.

The reliability of the first series was in part due to them being over engineered, the gears alone could have come from a 125cc motorcycle gearbox and the rigid crankcase construction massive. Another reliability factor is that both series were on the lower powered side compared with Bosch and particularly later Impulse units, so less stressed.

But for long life and minimal maintenance with the e-bikes currently on the market, I'd opt for a good make hub motor equipped e-bike, Bafang or the rear hub motor from Panasonic being examples.
.

 

[GLJoe]

But for long life and minimal maintenance with the e-bikes currently on the market, I'd opt for a good make hub motor equipped e-bike, Bafang or the rear hub motor from Panasonic.
.

Interesting. I hardly ever seem to see higher end production (as opposed to kit) bikes like Stromer or A2B mentioned here. Are those hub drive bikes not reliable?

 

[ncpdnc]

My Bosch classic failed when just over 3 years old and 4000 miles. It was a bearing component within the motor unit and wasn't repairable so needed a new motor unit. The battery and other electrics were still in good order so the new motor gave it a new lease of life. Unfortunately this new lease if life came at a high cost.

Interesting. Did you service through Bosch? What kind of costs we are talking about here may i ask?

 

[flecc]

Interesting. I hardly ever seem to see higher end production (as opposed to kit) bikes like Stromer or A2B mentioned here. Are those hub drive bikes not reliable?

Often not enough known about the rarer higher end, fewer buyers and even fewer forum members experiencing them. Some may well be brilliant, but when there's little or no evidence in support. it's hard to recommend.

Most is known about the internally geared hubs that most prefer. In theory direct drive motors like those in the two you mention should be even more reliable, but there's more to it than that. Most failures are elsewhere, controllers, head units, batteries, connectors etc.

And another factor in my reliability recommendation is spares/advice availability in the event of trouble. A2B vanished from the market for a while and are now owned by Indian group Hero who have had a poor record for ability to contact.
.

 

[Gubbins]

Interesting. Did you service through Bosch? What kind of costs we are talking about here may i ask?

Yes it was sorted through a Bosch dealer but the problem was that Bosch doesnt supply any spare parts at all so what should have been a simple repair had to be a full engine replacement. I think it was about £350 but the dealer met some of the cost. I have no doubt that the more skilled among us could have replaced the bearings themselves or I could have sourced a new motor on eBay..
I now have a newer Bosch bike but after 8 months and 1000 miles it has just started making creaking noises that appear to be coming from the engine.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Apologies if this has been discussed to bore already.
.
I am trying to get a perspective in terms of life of the bike in general. I mean, I have seen bikes handed to the next generation and it just keeps on going. Probably a bit of servicing here and there on the mechanical components but the bikes weigh about a tonne and with a newer cassette installed, it would get a renewal on their life.
.
I understand electrics won't last that long but lets consider a premium system such as Bosch Active line. It starts off as a premium system from a well reputed support network with a guarantee of probable failure lower in the first two years.
.
What happens after that? May I ask, has anyone had these kinds of systems beyond their warranty period?

Thanks,

The bike if properly serviced should be good for at least 7 or 8 years. The battery, if looked after should last for about 5.

All the best, David

 

[Gubbins]

The bike if properly serviced should be good for at least 7 or 8 years. The battery, if looked after should last for about 5.

All the best, David

When I bought my Bosch classic which cost 3K I was told the motor was sealed for life and doesn't have any survicable parts. All the other bike bits are of course replaceable as with any other cycle.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

It's the same with our motors, they should not need any servicing but after a lot of use the planetary gears may need replacing. We have 12 year old bikes still going strong. Like Trigger's broom a bike could last for ever!

All the best, David

 

[ncpdnc]

These crack drive emtbs seem to knacker the motor out quite. A lot. I'm on a FB page of them. Scott , Bosch Levo , cube. They always seem to be replacing something and sometimes the motor. But maybe it's just the punishment they are getting.

I have tried to skim through it, can't seem to find much about commuters.
Do you think commuting everyday around 12-14 miles (30 miles round trip) each way will put same kind of pressure on the system as emtbs does?

 

[soundwave]

http://www.pro-cycling-golla.de/E-Bike_Ersatzteile___Hersteller___Antriebe/Bosch_Active___Performance___CX_Line/Motor_und_Zubehoer.html

https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/blog/post/ebike-world-record-haibike-bosch-ebike/

 

[ncpdnc]

But for long life and minimal maintenance with the e-bikes currently on the market, I'd opt for a good make hub motor equipped e-bike, Bafang or the rear hub motor from Panasonic.
.

Interesting you suggest Chinese and the Japanese over European ones.
.
Bafang, Panasonic, Yamaha, Bosch, Shimano...
.
Time and time again, I read Bosch and Shimano are the most reliable of the bunch. Then again, where I read them are some questionable dubious blogs.

 

[ncpdnc]

http://www.pro-cycling-golla.de/E-Bike_Ersatzteile___Hersteller___Antriebe/Bosch_Active___Performance___CX_Line/Motor_und_Zubehoer.html

https://www.e-bikeshop.co.uk/blog/post/ebike-world-record-haibike-bosch-ebike/

Jealous.
.
Oh, how I wish to just sod off , take the bike and go around the world... probably with "Imagine..." on full blast.
.
Can't wait to do something else other than what I am doing at the moment. Huh.

 

[Gubbins]

Jealous.
.
Oh, how I wish to just sod off , take the bike and go around the world... probably with "Imagine..." on full blast.
.
Can't wait to do something else other than what I am doing at the moment. Huh.

Oh the grass is always greener,,,, or in this case the electricity is more electric!

 

[flecc]

Interesting you suggest Chinese and the Japanese over European ones.
.
Bafang, Panasonic, Yamaha, Bosch, Shimano...
.
Time and time again, I read Bosch and Shimano are the most reliable of the bunch. Then again, where I read them are some questionable dubious blogs.

Panasonic have a long record of producing reliable e-bike motors, dating from 2000, Yamaha likewise from 1999 though theirs not always on the UK market, but always in mainland Europe.

The Suzhou Bafang hub motors go back over a similar period, but earlier ones weren't consistently long lived, mainly due to the internal nylon gears chewing up occasionally. But they constantly improved them and today's ones are excellent and very reliable. Their crank motors are much newer so too early to speak of long term reliability.

Bosch are much newer to this market, only appearing in the current decade and they've suffered a few problems. Initially left cranks were dropping off, then they were outputting grinding noises due to inadequate lubing in manufacture and there were some bearing failures. Another thing that cropped up was inadequate sealing, water and dirt getting in. They've been getting on top of the issues of course, but given the superior Japanese record, perhaps they shouldn't have suffered these problems in the first instance.

Shimano are also new to e-bike systems and their first STEPS system which was a hub motor one failed to attract interest in the market, the combination of low power and high price not appealing. They now have the new crank motor STEPS system, but it's too new to know what the long term reliability will be.
.

 

[Danidl]

Apologies if this has been discussed to bore already.
.
I am trying to get a perspective in terms of life of the bike in general. I mean, I have seen bikes handed to the next generation and it just keeps on going. Probably a bit of servicing here and there on the mechanical components but the bikes weigh about a tonne and with a newer cassette installed, it would get a renewal on their life.
.
I understand electrics won't last that long but lets consider a premium system such as Bosch Active line. It starts off as a premium system from a well reputed support network with a guarantee of probable failure lower in the first two years.
.
What happens after that? May I ask, has anyone had these kinds of systems beyond their warranty period?

Thanks,

I have a working ebike UrbanMover um20 going on 10 years, mind you did not get much use since last September, as I treated myself to a new one as it's second battery was knackered. For 8 of those years it was used for daily commuting. up to15km round trip. My opinion, for what it's worth is that a medium priced , reasonably heavy road or commuting bike will last indefinitely. The battery will last from 2 to 4 years, depending and the motor??? ... It must wear out sometime., But it is still ok on that bike.
I expect the lifetime of very expensive bikes to be much shorter, because most of the effort goes into weight reduction and marginal friction reduction... Same as in high performance racing cars. A 10 year old formula 1 car is useless and worthless.
All products need some maintenance, and my um 20 needed a number of spokes, a replaced chain and while I was at it a set of cogs ,tyres .. buts that's about all.

 

[ncpdnc]

http://urbanmover.com/products/powerAssistedBikes/UM44SL.php

UM20 ELITE STEP-THROUGH

Thanks

It does indeed looks nice and reasonably priced at £800 and 9 Ah battery.