The most important facts in brief

Shimano's new electronic groupset is only available on complete bikes with the new EP801 motor. The groupset is fully designed for use on e-bikes and has revolutionary new functions: Auto Shift and Free Shift. The former offers what the name implies. It takes over shifting and does it by itself based on pedal rotation, pedal pressure and speed. Free Shift allows you to change gear while rolling without pedaling.

First impression

With the new E-Tube app, various parameters can be changed and adapted to your own riding and shifting style. The software is clear and easy to use. However, it is time-consuming to try out the various settings and understand the influence of the parameters. What is annoying is the long waiting time until the app connects to the bike. Unfortunately, it is not possible to quickly change a few settings and continue riding. It can take two minutes of patience. Apart from the app, the shifting components are the same as before, only the design of the shifter is new. The rear derailleur draws power directly from the battery via a cable.

In use

Riding with Auto Shift takes some getting used to. We humans actuate the gearshift in anticipation of the upcoming obstacles or inclines that we recognize. But the software algorithm has no eyes. It shifts gears when it is necessary based on the parameters mentioned above - i.e. rather late and often under very high loads on the drivetrain. The chain, cassette and chainring are designed accordingly so that they can withstand high forces without excessive wear.
Helpful when descending: As soon as the system detects that the gear engaged is too low, the motor drives the decoupled chainring and shifts down one or more sprockets, this is Free Shift. The factory setting of the software will suit many people straight away. Especially those who tend to pedal moderately and take a leisurely approach to their e-bike tour. You can concentrate fully on the trail and don't have to worry about shifting gears. If the automatically selected gear doesn't fit, you can simply select the right one manually.

However, if you have a more aggressive riding style and pedal with a very high or low cadence, you will need to adjust the default settings. Basically, two types of setup are required. The basic settings for the motor and assistance and the parameters for Auto Shift.

The basic setup includes the individualization of the three support levels (Boost, Trail, Eco), the maximum torque and the riding characteristics at the start. The latter defines how quickly the assistance kicks in when starting off. The settings also include the maximum number of gears that can be shifted in one gear change as well as the shifting speed. For the free-shift function, the chain ring in which the start should take place is defined. The drive then selects the appropriate starting gear when coasting.

The parameters for Auto Shift can be changed in detail in "Advanced" mode. This is basically simple: all you have to do is select the cadence and set the "Climb adjustment" value. However, it is not really clear what effect the changes have in practice. This is because the parameters have different effects depending on the terrain and your own pedal assistance. The proof of the pudding is in the eating.

If you ride your E-MTB very sportily and always aim for maximum speed - and on demanding terrain - you will push the system beyond its limits. Even after countless test rides with different setups, it is not possible for Auto Shift to always engage the right gear. Occasionally, the system is overwhelmed, shifts up and down several times and does not engage the right gear. This usually happens when the topography is constantly changing. Nevertheless, with a lot of patience, we managed to create two profiles that ultimately have the right gear ready in 90 percent of situations. You need one main profile for "normal" terrain and a second for very steep single trails, where the gear change takes place with a slight delay so that the respective gear can be pedaled for longer.

The system is always engaged when you roll into a climb without pedaling and then start pedaling. In this case, it takes a long time for Auto Shift to provide the right gear. Only manual intervention can help here.

Conclusion

You only realize how many advantages the new system has when you're back on a bike with manual shifting. The Free Shift function is very sophisticated and usually engages the right gear when cruising. But Auto Shift still has its pitfalls. In 90 percent of situations, the shifting process is correct. If not, it is not possible to understand what is going on in the engine chip, as there seems to be no shift logic for a short time. If you adapt to the system and are willing to intervene manually from time to time and "push through" a gear that is too hard, you will get on well with the new gearshift functions. Once you get used to the new shifting era, you will hardly waste a thought on shifting and your focus will be fully on the trail. This creates the desired flow feeling much faster than when your head is absorbed with shifting.

Recommendation

The parameters must be set individually for each support level. Once you have found a setup for Trail, it does not necessarily work equally well for Boost or Eco.

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