Bosch e-mountainbike: fewer uphill falls, more powerful pushing assistance

An e-mountainbike opens up a new dimension in uphill riding, the steepest climbs are possible with a smile. But the uphill laughter is over after an uphill crash: At full speed, the crank can slam into the ground, resulting in an unexpected drop. Bosch wants to counteract this with new software for short cranks. The walk assist is also getting an update.

In summer 2018, Bosch updated the Performance CX motor designed for e-mountain biking to a new level of performance. The E-MTB mode independently selects the appropriate support level based on numerous sensors, resulting in a riding experience that is more reminiscent of conventional mountain biking and can increase the range. For the 2019 model year, Bosch E-Bike Systems has two further innovations in store for the powerful CX drive: The more powerful push assist makes it easy to master steep climbs at running speed, while the new application also ensures optimum power transmission on e-mountainbikes with short cranks.

Improved push assist for steep terrain

With the update for the 2019 model year, the bike equipped with a Performance CX motor should be even easier and smoother to maneuver uphill: Thanks to a tilt sensor, the pushing aid automatically adapts to the incline, and the target speed is reached much faster. The optimized pushing aid also makes it easier to make progress when the bike briefly encounters resistance or an obstacle. Previously, the pushing aid had to be reactivated - a somewhat awkward solution in terms of ergonomics and haptics - as soon as resistance or an obstacle was encountered.

New application for short cranks

In technical uphill sections over roots and stones, things can sometimes get tight. The pedals get stuck and a fall can occur, which is a new dimension that is hardly known from non-motorized mountain biking. For this reason, more and more bikers are opting for shorter cranks and therefore more ground clearance. These are also ideal for smaller riders. However, short cranks change the power transmission on e-mountainbikes and therefore the maximum support of the motor, and the motor characteristics in e-MTB mode are also affected. With the new software, Bosch eBike Systems has adjusted the progression curve in E-MTB mode and increased the support in Tour mode. This ensures maximum uphill performance. The new software for cranks that are 165 millimetres and shorter can be installed by specialist dealers from model year 2019 onwards.

Both E-MTB innovations will be introduced for the 2019 model year and can be retrofitted to all eBike models with the Performance Line CX from model year 2016 onwards.

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