yamaha e bike lcd display factory

The Display A was designed for a wide range of uses, from city to trail riding. It features a simplified and easily operable large liquid crystal display, with speed and battery capacity functions. High importance has been placed on visibility while riding in severe environmental conditions. Support mode can be changed at the press of a button as you ride.

The large 2.8 inch color dot matrix display provides clear read-outs and control of the connectivity functions. Several display screens are available for different modes. A newly-designed ergonomic remote switch improves ease of operation. By connecting your smartphone with the display you can enjoy extended features via the app. Display C takes enjoyment of your riding lifestyle to a new level.

A large color dot matrix display is used to show information including the battery capacity, riding speed, and time, so that the rider can check all the details at a glance.

To further enhance your riding lifestyle, the Display C can show additional information by communicating with specific applications. After downloading the app to your smartphone, and going through a simple set-up process, you can enjoy features including ride management, fitness tracking and map-based navigation.

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The original Yamaha LCD display is compatible with all e-bikes with Yamaha drive system up to model year 2015. The display can be used to set the four selectable support levels. It also has a battery capacity indicator, bike computer functions, as well as useful features such as a clock and a temperature display.

From 2016, the software of the Yamaha drive has been changed, which is why the error code ER15 (communication error) is shown when using an incorrect display.

There are three types of Yam advert lcd display, each with its own unique features. One of the most is the Yam advert lcd display, which is in the form of a Yam advert lcd display, in its colors and sizes. Yam-lCD displays are one of the most basic and used types. Lcdds are touch light, lightweight, and easy to customizable.@@@@@

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Yamaha has announced that its eBike motor production will shift to a new wholly-owned MBK Industrie facility based in France, marking the announcement with detail on its new PWseries S2 drive unit.

In part down to the company’s aim for carbon neutrality by 2050, but also bringing its logistics closer to the heart of the European electric bike business, Yamaha relocates the production of its PWseries drives from Japan, reducing problems such as what the firm describes as a “need for expensive and recently unreliable logistics operations.”

For OEM partners, of which there are an increasing number, lead times drop “substantially” and with more localised supply other benefits are said to include optimized packing for inland EU logistics and waste reduction.

A new ISIS bottom bracket axle interface delivers increased rigidity – and being fully compatible with a front double chainring, the new Yamaha drive unit opens up greater possibilities for eBike manufacturers.

This multi-role drive unit caters for a multitude of riding needs, coming ideally suited to everything from commuting and general daily usage through to countryside trekking, weekend touring and mountain trail riding.

Delivered alongside is the new 3-inch LCD Display B interface, a head unit designed for ease of use and high visibility of information while in the saddle. Carrying a USB port, the head unit is able to power other bar mounted devices on the go.

MBK Industrie’s St Quentin factory currently manufactures over 80,000 Yamaha motorcycles, scooters and recreational vehicles each year. With ISO 14001, for environment protection, and ISO 9001, for quality enhancement, certifications – MBK Industrie is ready to offer the highest levels of service to EU customers.

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The popular Yamaha PW (Powerdrive) drive came onto the market back in 2014 and was used in many e-bikes. No wonder, because it was nice and small and light, but still powerful (70 Nm), and equipped with a particularly fine response. In 2017, the even more powerful but at the same time lighter Yamaha PW-X motor followed, which was especially designed for use in e-MTBs (80 Nm). The drive was equipped with an additional support stage for particularly steep climbs. From the 2018 model year, the next variant of the PW motor followed, namely the Yamaha PW-SE mid-mounted motor ("SE"="Sport Edition") - a real all-rounder that can be positioned between the classic Yamaha PW and the PW-X. The PW series has been constantly optimised and adapted to the requirements of certain e-bike types, so that various other variants have been added in the meantime: Yamaha PW-X and PW-SE drives until 2018 with Display X and the Yamaha PW-X, PW-SE, PW -ST, PW-X2, PW-X3, PW-TE and PW-CE. Now comes the new generation of Yamaha PW-X3 motors.

The RedPed module for the newer Yamaha PW-X, PW-X2, PW-ST, PW-TE, PW-CE and PW-SE engines should be highlighted as a tuning solution. The popular Badass Box 4 is also available for Yamaha PW engines. The Speedbox 3 and, above all, the PearTune MSO module have also proven their worth. The VOLspeed, on the other hand, allows settings to be made directly via the e-bike display.

Yamaha has been making e-bike motors for about 30 years, but it was just four years ago that they jumped into the American e-bike market head first with the introduction of four models—the Urban Rush (drop-bar bike), Cross Connect (touring bike), Cross Core (commuter) and YDX-TORC (hardtail mountain bike). Two years ago they added to the line by introducing the Wabash drop-bar gravel bike.

Last summer saw another roll-out with the introduction of the Civante road bike and the YDX-Moro and YDX-Moro Pro mountain bikes. The Civante is a first for Yamaha in the U.S. in that it’s a Class 3 (28 mph) e-bike. Yamaha didn’t create a new motor for this bike, rather they remapped a PWSeries SE motor to bring it up to 28 mph (from the Class 1 required 20 mph), along with cadence support of up to 110 rpm.

The Civante uses a hydro-formed aluminum frame and fork to help save weight. The frame has bosses for a rack, a bottle cage and even a kickstand near the rear dropout.

The fork is also aluminum with 12mm thru-axles with quick release. The ergonomic drop-bar handlebar allows several riding positions that make it easy to switch from fairly upright to a more aggressive position easily.

Yamaha is still a big fan of the 2×10 drivetrains and make them the exception in all the bikes we test. Our test bike was spec’d with a Shimano Tiagra component group of choice with matched derailleurs, as well as the 160mm rotors with hydraulic disc brakes. They chose a KMC e10 e-specific chain to handle the extra force from the motor.

A Yamaha PWSeries SE motor provides support at up to 28 mph, though it’s not easy to get up to that speed. It has 70 N/m of torque, so you end up accelerating quickly and needing to shift up the gears pretty quickly when you take off.

The 500-Wh battery is the same externally mounted version that Yamaha has been using for several years now. It works fine, but we’d love to see a more contemporary spec of a internally mounted option or even a semi-internally mounted one, like on the new YDX-Moro. The high-speed charger can charge the battery from 0–80 percent in just one hour, but a full charge will still take nearly four hours if the battery is fully spent.

The LCD is mounted at the front of the stem where it’s very easy to see and get details like speed and mode at a glance, but also offers average speed, maximum speed, odometer, trip meter, battery capacity, battery range, cadence, clock and stopwatch. Wheel speed is measured at the rear brake rotor with an integrated magnet, and the sensor for that is built into the chainstay.

The mode switch is located to the immediate left of the stem. This isn’t the ideal place, because if you spend most of your time with your hands on the brake hoods, you’ll have to look down and reach back for the switch. There are five assist modes, in ascending order of power—Off, +Eco, Eco, Std and High.

If you ride on the road, whether for commuting or leisure, the Civante is worth a look. With plenty of options for rider position, as well as assist up to 28 mph, this bike is one of the new generations of drop-bar bikes with a Class 3 rating, where we feel they should have been all along.

We’d been itching to get our hands on this bike as soon as we knew it existed. Be sure to take note of the manual, which warns you not to put your feet on the pedals or start moving for two seconds after you turn the system on. This is the short span so that the system is zeroing out the sensors. If you do take off too early, you may experience a loss of power until you stop and power cycle the system.

We didn’t use +Eco mode much, as it is enough to overcome the extra weight of the motor and battery but not much else. The Eco and Std modes were those we spent most of our time in before switching to the full-beans (High) mode on steep hill-climbs. Yamaha has done a great job with both the power of this motor and how incredibly quiet it is. There’s no hiding that it’s an e-bike with the externally mounted battery and very exposed motor, but that’s all right with us.

The geometry on the bike makes for a very stable yet lively feel; it’s easy to put the bike exactly where you want it. Acceleration is very quick from a full stop, and the bike felt most happy at about 22–23 mph on flat roads. The Tiagra disc brakes offer ample stopping power and are easy to modulate from either the hoods or lower on the bars.

The ride on smooth pavement is really good, and shifting is accomplished using Shimano’s dual control levers, with a small lever inside the brake lever on each side to shift up, then actuating the entire lever sideways as it shifts back down. This is easiest when you ride with your hands resting on the brake hoods.

Because of the all-aluminum frame and fork, as well as the tires being rated for 50–75 psi, there’s nothing to take the shock out of the bumps in the road, save for the handlebar tape, so we found ourselves out of the saddle over bad patches of pavement. The tires have very low-rolling resistance and are very quiet, but even with the new-tire sheen worn off, the tires squealed on hard cornering, which was a bit disconcerting, though they never lost contact.

The bike has a really good range, we’d see an easy 40 miles when using Eco and Std modes mostly. The included headlight is great for daylight visibility, but the beam is really narrow, so if you’re going to ride at night, you might want to add on a secondary light with a broader beam.

Although between the 10-speed drivetrain and non-integrated battery, the Civante is not as up to date as other e-road bikes. But, it is also a rare find with a Class 3 motor, which is a big deal because 28-mph capabilities are where all e-road bikes should be. The Civante is in line with most of Yamaha’s bike offerings in a similar $3400 price range.

ELPEC eBikes je specializiran ponudnik E-koles uveljavljenih evropskih proizvajalcev. E-kolesa iz naše ponudbe imajo pogonske sklope vodilnih proizvajalcev kot so Bosch, Yamaha in Shimano, ki zagotavljajo poleg vrhunske kvalitete tudi kakovostne in ažurne poprodajne aktivnosti. Ponujamo prodajo novih in rabljenih e-koles, najem e-koles in servis e-koles ter navadnih koles. Poleg tega smo zelo aktivni pri promociji e-mobilnosti saj se zavedamo, da je e-kolesarstvo eden izmed pomembnih segmentov trajnostnega načina mobilnosti in hkrati način mobilnosti, ki znatno pripomore k bolj zdravemu načinu življenja.

The motor fitted to an electric mountain bike can make a significant impact on how it rides and, with more motors and eMTBs available than ever in this burgeoning bike category, deciding on the best option can be bewildering.

Of course, the answer isn’t clear-cut but, having headed up the new electric mountain bike category in our annual Bike of the Year test (dropping in May), I’ve been testing motors from all the leading brands.

This article will shed light on where each motor from the four main manufacturers (Bosch, Brose/Specialized, Shimano, Yamaha/Specialized) performs best – and where they falter.

There’s a lot to cover, so strap yourself in for the full deep-dive into electric mountain bike motors – or use the links below to skip to the sections you need. I’ve also included a glossary of the key eMTB motor terminology at the end of the article.

If eMTB motors aren’t what you’re looking for, our buyer’s guide to electric bike motors goes into detail about other types of motors for different kinds of electric bikes.

Full-fat electric bikes typically use a high-power motor with between 70Nm and 100Nm of torque and are powered by high-capacity batteries with from 504Wh to 1,000Wh of energy.

First is the Shimano EP8 motor, officially the DU-EP800, fitted to a host of bikes from brands including Santa Cruz, Yeti, Marin, YT Industries and Nukeproof.

Then there’s Brose’s Drive S Mag, also known as Specialized’s Turbo Full Power System 2.2 Motor. This system is fitted to Specialized’s most powerful ebikes, as well as models from German brand Rotwild and Spanish brand BH Bikes.

Finally, we’ve got the Giant and Yamaha-developed SyncDrive Pro, also known as the PW-X3. Most commonly fitted to Giant bikes, it’s also available on some Haibike and Raymon models.

A number of lightweight options exist, found on bikes where, unsurprisingly, there’s more focus on reducing weight, and less on all-out electric grunt.

Lightweight ebikes use smaller, less powerful motors delivering as little as 30Nm of torque but up to 60Nm. They’re usually fitted with lower-capacity batteries that are generally smaller than 500Wh. Bike weights are typically between 13.5kg and 20kg depending on exact specifications.

Here, Fazua’s modular Evation motor, fitted to bikes from Kinesis and Lapierre, goes head-to-head with Specialized’s Mahle-made SL motor, found on the American brand’s Turbo Kenevo SL and Turbo Levo SL bikes.

Panasonic also makes motors, and there’s Shimano’s de-tuned EP8 RS found on the Orbea Rise to consider. There are a host of rear-hub motors, too, but these are less relevant for mountain bikes, and are more commonly found on electric road bikes or electric hybrid bikes.

Comparing the headline figures from each of the motors in this test is a good way to initially understand how they could feel out on the trail in any given scenario.

Bosch Performance Line CXBrose/Specialized Drive S Mag/Turbo Full Power System 2.2Shimano EP8Yamaha/Giant PW-X3/SyncDrive ProPeak powerUndisclosed565w500wUndisclosed

Higher torque and watt figures, or maximum support percentage, should equate to a more powerful-feeling motor, helping riders ascend quicker or with less effort.

Bosch’s Performance Line CX equals Shimano’s torque, also delivering 85Nm, but only offers 340 per cent support. Bosch wasn’t able to disclose the Performance Line CX’s peak power.

The Yamaha/Giant PW-X3/SyncDrive Pro also has 85Nm of torque, matching Shimano’s support ratio at 400 per cent. Continuous power is rated 250w – the maximum allowed under ebike laws – but Giant doesn’t quote peak power figures.

The Brose/Specialized Drive S Mag/Turbo Full Power System 2.2 Motor boasts 90Nm of torque, beating – on paper – the other motors on test. It’s also claimed to offer 410 per cent assistance and 565w of peak power.

If this were just a game of Top Trumps number crunching, the Brose would come out on top. But, as we’ll find out, it’s not as simple as comparing the numbers on a spec sheet.

Each of the motors have pre-programmed modes that the user can switch between when riding. The modes deliver different levels of assistance, usually from low to high.

Bosch’s Performance Line CX motor has four stock modes, but depending on which control unit is fitted, the trail mode functions differently. For Purion-equipped bikes it has eco, trail, eMTB and turbo. Kiox 300 bikes have eco, trail+, eMTB and turbo.

Bosch’s eMTB and trail+ modes are reactive to rider input, where torque and power assistance levels are altered on the fly depending on how hard a rider is pedalling.

Specialized bikes have three stock modes – once again eco, trail and turbo – but if the bike is fitted with the MasterMind TCU control unit, it’s possible to change assistance levels in 10 per cent increments rather than switching between three predefined modes.

Finally, the Giant motor has five modes: eco, tour, active, sport and power. The active mode functions similarly to Bosch’s trail+ and eMTB modes, where increased rider input increases the amount of motor assistance.

Claimed run times can vary greatly and are dictated by a huge number of factors – not only which assistance level is selected or how much capacity a battery has.

Bike and rider weight, tyre compound and pressure, the weather conditions, trail type and smoothness, and how hard a rider is pedalling all influence how long an ebike’s battery can last.

The Bosch motor is only compatible with Bosch batteries. The range starts with a 300Wh unit and increases to the headlining 1,250Wh battery. This makes it one of the biggest-capacity batteries.

Unlike Bosch, Shimano’s EP8 motor can be paired with third-party batteries. Shimano has its own 504Wh and 630Wh units, too. SL ebikes such as the Orbea Rise use a 360Wh unit, while Norco’s Range VLT with EP8 motor can be paired with a 900Wh battery capacity.

The limiting factor for battery capacity is figuring out how to improve energy densities, where the aim is to fit the more potential energy into the same space without increasing battery size and weight.

Ever-advancing technology means ebike motors are decreasing in size and weight while offering more power and torque. This is a great thing for riders who are beginning to get the advantages of more power without significant weight penalties.

Given batteries can weigh from 3,150g (Shimano BT-E8035) up to 4,500g (Norco VLT 900Wh) depending on their capacity, the relatively small difference in weight between the Shimano and Bosch motors isn’t a particularly significant factor.

The Shimano EP8 and Bosch Performance Line CX motors both have bar-mounted displays, while the Giant and Specialized’s displays are built into the bike’s top tube.

The Shimano display has several variants, including ones with monochrome and full-colour displays. Shimano’s controller has two buttons and sits next to either the left-hand or right-hand grips.

Bosch produces a vast range of displays with varying functionality. The most basic is the Purion model, which even lacks smartphone connectivity. At the other end of the scale is the Nyon display that features touchscreen functionality. The model of display dictates which controller is installed.

Giant’s RideControl Go top tube display uses sequential LED lights to indicate remaining battery charge and which mode the bike is in. The redesigned RideControl Ergo 3 controller has three buttons and can be installed on either the left- or right-hand side of the bars, and button functionality is configurable using the app.

The Specialized MasterMind TCU, like the Giant’s display, is mounted to the bike’s top tube. The top-spec version features an in-built colour LCD display with customisable data fields.

The less sophisticated TCU uses LED lights to denote battery charge and selected mode, but both displays use the same four-button bar-mounted controller.

The functionality of the apps differs from brand to brand, with some offering only customisation of assistance levels, and others going deeper by providing detailed ride planning and tracking, with information on whether the bike’s battery has enough power to complete the ride in any given mode.

Shimano’s E-Tube Project app permits mode customisation and can turn your smartphone into a display screen for live ride data, if you’re using a bike phone mount.

Specialized’s Mission Control app can also be used to tune assistance levels, but goes deeper with ride recording and Smart Control, where the bike’s assistance is automatically tuned as you ride to ensure its battery won’t run flat.

The Bosch Flow app (which is one of multiple Bosch ebike apps, where each one is compatible with different head units and motor systems) can be used to tune motor outputs and plan and track rides.

I’ve ridden the four motor systems head to head on the same trails to find out how they feel in real-life scenarios, and give you the most accurate impression of their performance.

I’ve focused on their power delivery and how easy it is to control, and what that means when you’re tackling a technical ascent. I’ve also compared how powerful they ‘feel’, and when they ‘feel’ as though they’re giving you the most or least assistance.

How noisy they are can be a big issue for some riders, where quieter bikes are usually preferable, so that’s something I’ve also considered through testing.

Bosch’s Performance Line CX feels like the most powerful motor out on the trail, especially in its eMTB and turbo modes. The power it provides is addictive, constant and feels as though it matches and augments rider pedalling inputs with total cohesion.

The harder you pedal, the more the motor works. The support doesn’t tail off (if speeds remain below the power cut-off limit) with increases in cadence or power. You’re never left feeling that you want more assistance that the motor is refusing to provide.

Tackling ascents is a truly pleasurable experience, where a rider can either cruise at a lower speed and put in significantly less effort or pedal with vigour, expending more energy but getting to the top much, much quicker.

In contrast, the Shimano EP8 feels as if it has less power than the Bosch in its maximum boost mode. At times, it feels as if it throttles back on power, especially when you pedal harder on steeper or faster ascents. This can be a bit frustrating when you’re expecting its assistance to back up the effort you’re putting into the pedals.

At lower cadences, it has more power and assistance, but as a rider pedals faster or harder, it reduces its assistance on what feels like a sliding scale.

In this window, it’s well matched to the Bosch in terms of power despite its headline figures being marginally higher. Each pedal stroke, especially at lower cadences, is harmonised with and augmented by the motor, where more rider input equates to a satisfying boost in assistance.

Unlike the Bosch, which keeps on providing assistance up to the limit, its power tapers down towards the very top end in a similar way to the Shimano EP8.

In terms of power, the Giant/Yamaha motor sits between the Shimano and Specialized/Brose, with plenty of support at lower cadences, and this remains constant as the rider pedals harder.

On the trail, this makes the Giant motor feel feisty and raring to go, but this isn’t always a good thing where it can be very easy to spin the back wheel.

Starting from a standstill, the Giant/Yamaha motor can feel very binary in its power delivery, where it tends to want to take off quickly, providing full power.

The lack of progressivity can make it feel clunky, where controlling wheelspins on steeper or more technical climbs is tricky. Being able to feed in the power more slowly or progressively is vital, and is something the Giant struggles with.

Power delivery from the Specialized/Brose unit is much smoother and more progressive on start-up. That means putting the motor’s assistance through the back wheel isn’t a balancing act, and harder, more positive pedal strokes can be made without wheelspin.

This gives the Brose motor a more natural feeling, where rider inputs are seamlessly matched, rather than turned into binary on or off motor outputs. But, as mentioned, it does make it feel a little down on power at very low or high cadences.

Setting off in turbo mode on steeper or gnarlier ascents can be trickier, with the motor trying to provide a lot of assistance very quickly. If you’re not careful with how hard you pedal, or if you’re not ready for the assistance to start, it’s possible to wheelspin, making controlling the bike more difficult.

Impressively, the Bosch’s power delivery is progressive despite it feeling like the most powerful motor out on the trails. The power increase tapers up, and is matched to how hard a rider pedals regardless of mode. This makes hard starts on steep or technical sections relatively easy.

Massive amounts of low-cadence, easy-to-control grunt augments this further. The Bosch doesn’t need hard pedal strokes to provide assistance, where light pushes of the pedals turn the back wheel slowly but with plenty of torque. It behaves in the same way a low-range gearbox does on an off-road vehicle, improving traction and control massively.

All four of the motors feature overrun, where the motor assistance continues for a short period after a rider has stopped pedalling, but the amount and duration they provide differs.

The Yamaha – true to its binary feel – is the quickest to cut off on the climbs. This can make tackling tricky uphill sections harder than systems with a longer overrun because there’s more reliance on human power to keep the bike moving.

The higher power settings are great fun and either decrease the amount of effort needed to climb or increase speed potential if more effort is exerted.Andy Lloyd / Marin Bikes

Specialized’s cut-off is the most gradual in terms of feel, tapering down the power rather than stopping it abruptly. This makes it easy to predict and control.

The Bosch motor also tapers down its power rather than stopping it instantly. This makes it much easier to adjust pedal timing in rocky sections or briefly hop up a step without being left with no assistance.

The Shimano EP8 is quick to cut power at the end of its overrun period, rather than tapering. Depending on the circumstances, though, the length of its overrun is usually enough to maintain motor assistance when it’s needed. Push it too far, however, and you’ll be left without any assistance at all.

A wide range of factors affect how efficiently a motor uses its battery power, including bike and rider weight, tyre compound and carcass thickness (thicker carcasses or stickier compounds require more power to overcome rolling resistance), trail conditions, the temperature and weather, and how well maintained the bike is.

It’s worth noting I tested the different motor systems on different bikes from different brands, all with varying specs and components, frame and suspension designs and weights. While this reduces the scientific element of the testing, general efficiency trends have appeared.

Shimano’s EP8 appears to be the most efficient motor where bike weights, tyre compounds and trail or weather conditions had the least effect on battery range.

Specialized’s Brose motor with a bigger 700Wh battery, although slightly less efficient than the EP8, is still impressive. Like the Shimano, at lower assistance levels in excess of 2,000m of ascending is more than feasible.

The Bosch’s battery life was affected by multiple factors. On a Purion-equipped bike with DoubleDown casing, MaxxGrip Maxxis tyres in eco mode, more than 2,000m of climbing was regularly achievable, even in terrible weather conditions.

However, on a Kiox 300 Smart System bike with a larger 750Wh battery, on a bike fitted with DH casing MaxxGrip Maxxis tyres, only 1,700m of ascending was just about attainable.

Finally, based on my testing, the Giant’s motor isn’t particularly efficient compared to the other three. It was possible to crack only 1,500m of climbing on a single charge in the lower assistance modes despite its battery being almost identical in size to both the Shimano and Bosch bikes in this test.

Factors such as frame material and design, and motor and battery location play a part in how noisy ebike motors are. Whether that noise is generated by the motor working, or by hitting bumps or coasting is another factor.

The type of noise will affect different people in different ways. Some motors whine, some squeak, while others whirr. When freewheeling downhill, they can thud, rattle and tap.

Arguably, when under load, ebike motors sound like a rafter of turkeys gobbling, and once you’ve made that audible association, it’s hard to unhear it.

When climbing, the Shimano EP8 and Yamaha motors have the most obvious whines – or turkey gobble sound – that fluctuates with pedalling inputs. The sound they make isn’t particularly loud but the variation in pitch, or turkey gobble, can make both these motors sound louder than they are.

The Bosch makes a more constant whining sound with a higher pitch than the EP8 and Yamaha motors. This sound makes it easier to tune out compared to the Giant and Shimano motors, but it’s arguably marginally louder.

The Specialized/Brose motor has a lower-pitched whine that, like the Bosch, is constant. It’s also quite loud, but because of the more constant pitch, it’s much easier to ignore than the EP8 or Yamaha.

On the descents, the Specialized is the quietest motor. No rattles, knocks or dull thuds – as the internal freewheel engages or disengages – were emitted.

The Yamaha/Giant unit has a tapping, higher-pitch knock. This is more noticeable than the Bosch – mostly thanks to its pitch – but can also be felt through the pedals.

Shimano’s EP8 is the loudest and most rattly. This noise is generated from the motor’s own freewheel engaging and disengaging, and can be replicated off the bike by moving the cranks back and forth quickly. The noise can be felt through the bike’s pedals, but once you’ve got used to it, it’s possible to tune out relatively easily.

Day-to-day usage and life with each of the motors is similar. Care and maintenance instructions – such as avoiding submersion in water or cleaning with a pressure washer – are universally shared, and are good practices to follow with any mountain bike regardless of how it’s powered.

Battery removal after washing to let components dry out depends on each frame’s design, rather than being related to any motor system specifically, where some batteries are easier to remove than others.

Care and maintenance aside, one of the most frustrating things about living with certain ebikes is the lack of an accurate battery percentage display. The on-bike Bosch Purion and Shimano EP8 displays, and the Giant and Specialized’s basic TCU LED indicators, all show battery charge in 20 per cent increments.

Bosch’s Kiox 300 and the Specialized MasterMind TCU display show accurate battery life percentages. This feature is a great addition, and for bikes with smart LCD displays (such as the EP8), maybe a future software update could include this functionality.

For me, it’s a close call between the Shimano EP8 and Bosch Performance Line CX systems because both motors offer plenty of power and good battery life. You’ll also have the greatest choice of bikes, given Shimano and Bosch motors are most commonly specced.

Although an ebike’s motor and battery are key components, and seriously influence how a bike rides, its suspension design, frame geometry, and the parts fitted to it are also important considerations.

You might have the most powerful, efficient and progressive-feeling ebike motor in the world, but that’s useless if it’s fitted to a bike that’s compromised in other areas.

By saying that, I’m not suggesting Giant and Specialized bikes are bad. In fact, quite the opposite is true, and I declared the S-Works Turbo Levo the best bike I’ve ever ridden, but as a consumer if you want a Brose or Yamaha motor, you’re limited to a smaller number of bikes that may or may not suit your needs compared to their Shimano or Bosch counterparts.

In a perfect world, I’d meld together the natural-feeling assistance of the Brose, the battery life of the Shimano and the outright power of the Bosch, coupled with Specialized’s discreet MasterMind TCU and Giant’s RideControl Ergo 3 control buttons.

What are the terms associated with ebikes, and what do they mean? Adding a motor and battery to a bike introduces layers of complication, where additional understanding can be key to getting the right motor for your needs.

Electric mountain bike motors are usually fitted to the bike’s main frame at the down-tube and seat-tube junction, replacing the bottom bracket. The motors attach to the frame with large, weight-supporting bolts that mean they can be removed for servicing or repair.

Thanks to its main frame location, the motor forms a part of the bike’s suspended mass and lowers the centre of gravity, which can help improve handling and suspension. It means it doesn’t rely on long cables that could get damaged to connect to its battery.

Motors that are integral with the rear-wheel hub (and sometimes front-wheel hub) are less common on mountain bikes, but are frequently found on cheaper hybrid or commuter models.

Full-fat ebikes typically use a high-power motor with between 70Nm and 100Nm of torque and are powered by high-capacity batteries with from 504Wh to 1,000Wh of energy.

SL or super-light ebikes use smaller, lower-powered motors and batteries delivering as little as 30Nm of torque but up to 60Nm. They’re usually fitted with lower-capacity batteries that are generally smaller than 500Wh. Bike weights are usually between 13.5kg and 20kg depending on exact specifications.

There are fewer SL ebike motors compared to full-fat ones, but examples include the Mahle-made Specialized SL motor, Fazua’s Evation, and the Shimano EP8 RS.

The name given to ebike motors that only provide assistance when a rider is pedalling. As soon as a rider stops pedalling, the motor’s power cuts off. In the European Union, the UK and Australia, pedal assist is available up to 25 km/h (15.5mph). In the USA, it has a higher threshold of 20mph (32km/h).

Normally removable, the battery can be integrated into the bike’s down tube or sit on top of it. It’s usually connected to the motor using wiring with a waterproof connection.

Frequently mounted to the handlebars near the grips, the controller’s buttons change between each of the bike’s modes and can cycle the display, if one is fitted.

Sometimes this is fitted to the handlebars or stem, but it can also be integrated into the bike’s top tube or elsewhere. It can display multiple bits of useful information, including battery charge and current selected mode, along with speed, range and cadence.

Most motors feature user-programmable or selectable support levels. The mode types change the amount of power and torque assistance a motor will provide. For example, Shimano’s lowest-power mode is called ‘eco’, while Bosch and Specialized’s highest setting is called ‘turbo’.

A feature most ebikes have, where they’re able to propel themselves at low speed without the rider pedalling. This helps riders push the bikes up technical or steep sections they’re unable to ride.

The measurement of ebike motor power. Watts are universally used to measure power from electricity and gas, through to engines, motors and human power.

The law states ebike pedal assist motors must not provide more than 250W of continuous, standard power. As motors reach their top speed, they must reduce assistance gradually and finally cut off.

Manufacturers claim peak power outputs higher than the 250W limit for a lot of their motors, but this output is only in certain circumstances and only for a short period of time. When averaged out over time, the motor shouldn’t exceed the 250W continuous or standard power rating. Motors can sometimes feel as though they’re not delivering as much power as a rider is expecting, usually because they’ve reached a 250W continuous peak and are ‘throttling back’ to avoid exceeding the limit.

This refers to how much the motor augments a rider’s pedalling inputs and is given as a percentage. Motors with 100 per cent support will essentially double the rider’s power, so if a rider puts out 50w of power the motor will also provide 50w, amounting to an overall system power of 100w. Support percentages are directly related to motor peak power (above), and are usually in the region of 300 to 400 per cent.

Newton Metres (Nm) are used to measure torque. Torque is the amount of twisting or rotational force the motor provides to assist the rider. Higher torque values will make the motor feel more powerful.

This is a standard measure of electricity equivalent to the power consumption of one watt for one hour. Electric bike battery capacity varies greatly, and as technology improves so does energy density, where more power can be manufactured into the same space.

Motor assistance usually continues for a short period after a rider has stopped pedalling. This is called overrun and can be useful in technical climbing sections, where pedal timing needs to be changed to avoid ground strikes.

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Much better known for its motorcycles, Yamaha Motor Corporation is entering new waters in the US as their electric bicycles have now reached retailers in the country.

However, despite their early success and 25 years of experience building e-bikes, the company never entered the US electric bicycle market – until now.

“Yamaha e-Bikes are in shops, and we’re hearing some great feedback from our first retailers and customers, coast-to-coast, from California to Maryland. From casual commuters to series cyclists, more people are seeing the advantages of incorporating an e-Bike into their daily lives. Yamaha has been the global leader in Power Assist Bicycle manufacturing for more than two decades, and it’s exciting to now rollout the first ever Yamaha e-Bikes in the U.S.”

Of the new lineup, three models are meant for different types of street and hybrid riding and range in price from $2,399 to $3,299, depending on the model.

The entry-level CrossCore is a high style efficient fitness bike, the CrossConnect is a highly customizable and full-featured commuter/utility bike, and the UrbanRush is a drop bar “do-everything” road bike.

All three road bikes receive their power from Yamaha’s PWSeries SE motor that comes with four levels of support: ECO+, ECO, STANDARD, and HIGH. The mid-drive motor supplies a maximum of 70 Nm (52 ft-lbs) of torque and cadence support up to 110 rpm. The motors are designed to provide assistance up to 20 mph (32 km/h). Any faster, and it’s all you providing the power.

These lightweight mid-drives will have to compete with bikes sporting mid-drives by companies like Bafang, who have built their own featherweight systems aiming to grab a slice of the growing electric road bike market.

For those looking to hit the trails instead of the pavement, Yamaha has you covered with their new YDX-TORC electric-assist bicycle, which is powered by a souped-up version of their mid drive known as the Yamaha PW-X center drive motor system, which the company claims offers the extra power needed for more adventure and exploration on the trails, including a fifth power assist setting. As a more powerful e-bike, the YDX-TORC also demands a higher price of $3,499.

“Yamaha’s power assist motors provide the purest, most natural assist feel thanks in part to Yamaha’s Triple Sensor System that has been exclusively optimized for Yamaha’s U.S. power assist bikes. Through the Triple Sensor System, thousands of times per second, frictionless sensors measure the rider’s pedal-torque, bicycle speed, and crank arm cadence with tremendous precision.”

The electric bicycles are also outfitted with both an LCD multi-function display screen and LED battery indicators for checking battery capacity at a glance.

Unlike many electric bicycles that come in limited size options, Yamaha offers all of their models in small, medium and large sizes to fit a wide range of riders.

Combined with the wide variety of e-bike models the company is offering in the US, Yamaha has definitely attempted to cover the needs of as many riders as possible.

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