# On nice center drive ; will you pick based on bike brand OR motor brand?



## bikesdirect (Nov 7, 2006)

I am wondering how much dedication eBike buyers on the top end have to brand of eBike system

Shimano vs Bosch vs Yamaha vs BaFang

and experience with use and company backup on different center drive systems 

of course, I have my own opinions, but I’m interested in assorted ideas from riders


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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

bikesdirect said:


> I am wondering how much dedication eBike buyers on the top end have to brand of eBike system
> 
> Shimano vs Bosch vs Yamaha vs BaFang
> 
> ...


In the last 5 years I have purchased Haibike/Yamaha, Canyon/Shimano and most recently Trek/Bosch. All three systems have been good and were well integrated. I like it when the battery is part of the system vs. made by a 3rd party. I believe Bafang would be good except that they do not make a battery pack - like Bosch/Yamaha/Shimano. So for me it is motor brand - as I am loving my Bosch Gen 4.


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## bikedreams (Oct 12, 2014)

Bosch CX all the way for me. It's been bomb proof and predictable. The brand of the bike is not overly important, as long as the components are reasonably decent.


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## bikesdirect (Nov 7, 2006)

Jack7782 said:


> In the last 5 years I have purchased Haibike/Yamaha, Canyon/Shimano and most recently Trek/Bosch. All three systems have been good and were well integrated. I like it when the battery is part of the system vs. made by a 3rd party. I believe Bafang would be good except that they do not make a battery pack - like Bosch/Yamaha/Shimano. So for me it is motor brand - as I am loving my Bosch Gen 4.


Thank you
glad to hear your experience ; seems you have tried the big three

Bafang does make battery packs - but most builders do not use them; as they are expensive compared to other brand batteries

i spec Bafang battery on bikes with Bafang center drive


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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

bikedreams said:


> Bosch CX all the way for me. It's been bomb proof and predictable.


The only "Big three" type company (besides Trek) offering Bosch that I know of is Cannondale - and at least in pandemic times, they are not widely marketed/distributed in the USA for some reason.


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## OU812 (Sep 19, 2011)

I avoid anything with Shimano EP8 motors, can’t stand that rattle. I’m a huge Yeti fan, 4 of the 8 bikes I own are Yetis. I really wanted to add a 160E to the collection but went with a different brand because of the motor.


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## bikedrd (Jul 8, 2004)

I hate dealing with shops, so a big plus for me would be being able to warranty directly. That's why I use fox suspension and shimano, vs Sram, who always wants me to go to a dealer. 

Unfortunately, Shimano requires using a service center for ebike warranty. 

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk


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## TraxFactory (Sep 10, 1999)

I try to look at the drive system and bike seperately. The battery capacity is important for me as well. The bike needs to meet my travel and geo requirments and is slightly more important than drive type. 

First EB was gen2 Levo (700 batt), the bike rode incredible and the motor feel/power was excellent, just unreliable.

Next YT Decoy 29 with e8000 (540 batt). Motor was excellent natural feel but the bike while fun was not nearly as playful as the Stumpy. Slightly lacking peak power and a bit less battery then i like. 

I really wanted to go Bosch on the 3rd EB and the Rocky Altitude was also high on the list but landed a deal on a Gen3 L evo (700 batt). It was really the bike that drew me back and was willing to take another chance on that Brose motor. So far so good. 

I did spend some time on a TranceX / Yamaha. Motor bad a great feel but felt it fell off a bit on mid-top power, and the bike was a bit of a no go.

So for me bike first mostly then motor.


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## bikedreams (Oct 12, 2014)

Jack7782 said:


> The only "Big three" type company (besides Trek) offering Bosch that I know of is Cannondale - and at least in pandemic times, they are not widely marketed/distributed in the USA for some reason.


Yeah, it's kind of a shame. I'd love to test the Rocky Mountain set-up sometime - lots of torque, and apparently quiet.


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## bikesdirect (Nov 7, 2006)

bikedrd said:


> I hate dealing with shops, so a big plus for me would be being able to warranty directly. That's why I use fox suspension and shimano, vs Sram, who always wants me to go to a dealer.
> 
> Unfortunately, Shimano requires using a service center for ebike warranty.
> 
> Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk


This a great point
Luckily, for us the issues with shimano eBike systems seem very very limited 
Seems Shimano is conservative on new tech and features in development; but excellent on quality


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## mike_kelly (Jul 18, 2016)

BAFANG is the largest motor maker in the world yet their US support is thin. I have no allegiance to brand names.
I chose an Orbea Rise due to the light weight.


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## alexbn921 (Mar 31, 2009)

First thing is it needs to be a good bike with the travel and geometry I want.
2. Is battery size and integration. 700ish is the sweet spot for ride time and weight. I won't even consider a 500.
3. Motor is last on the list. Bosch it probably the strongest most reliable. Brose is just as strong, but less reliable. Shimano is not as powerful and just okay reliability, plus it rattles.
4. Warranty. Shits gonna break, have a good shop that can help you.
5. cable routing and ease of maintenance. Some bikes are a PITA to work on. Looking at you Specialized.


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## Flyer (Jan 25, 2004)

I'd go for the brand with support. Not going direct if I can help it, though I'd consider it if the bike/motor/battery were a great reliable combo.


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

I couldn't care less about the brand of the bike, and all the motors have their own unique issues. My biggest concern is serviceability. How hard is it to process a warranty? And after the warranty expires, can the bike, motor or electronics be serviced or rebuilt? That last question has led me to completely rule out Shimano based on what I've heard from companies who service and rebuild motors in the aftermarket.


.


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## Redlands R&C (Dec 14, 2013)

I won't buy an ebike until the motor unit is serviceable by myself or any other local to me service center.


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

Redlands R&C said:


> I won't buy an ebike until the motor unit is serviceable by myself or any other local to me service center.


Lots of people rebuild their own motors, if they have the tools, time, and inclination. There are people selling rebuild kits for several brands now. I personally have no interest in doing that work, even though I'm sure I'd have no problem doing so. I'm happy to support people who do it all day every day, and know all the little quirks as a result of seeing having their hands in hundreds of them, even if I have to ship it half a continent away. I haven't had any motor issues yet, but I've been thinking seriously about buying a backup motor just so I don't have downtime when service work needs to be done.

There's still a lot of elitism towards ebikes in the average bike shop, so I don't expect them to get into servicing motors any time soon, and I'd have a hard time trusting them if they did. Maybe if it was an ebike only shop, which I'm sure will be becoming more of a thing soon.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

_CJ said:


> I couldn't care less about the brand of the bike...
> 
> My biggest concern is serviceability. How hard is it to process a warranty?



Those 2 things are generally intertwined.


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## _CJ (May 1, 2014)

J.B. Weld said:


> Those 2 things are generally intertwined.


Not really. Some people are die hard for this brand or that, base on nothing but the fact that they own one. As stated before, some (Shimano) aren't serviceable, and once you're out of warranty, you're out of luck. While other no-name brands are just throw away garbage, with a warranty or company that you bought the bike from that may or may not exist in six months.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

_CJ said:


> Not really. Some people are die hard for this brand or that, base on nothing but the fact that they own one. As stated before, some (Shimano) aren't serviceable, and once you're out of warranty, you're out of luck. While other no-name brands are just throw away garbage, with a warranty or company that you bought the bike from that may or may not exist in six months.




Some bike brands stand behind their products better than others, that's all I'm saying.


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## Jack7782 (Jan 1, 2009)

J.B. Weld said:


> Some bike brands stand behind their products better than others, that's all I'm saying.


Yes - and they are the big three for that reason (Specialized, Trek and Giant)


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## JStrube (Aug 25, 2011)

My wife called the closest Giant dealer about a problem with her Giant Road E battery not taking a full charge. Our local dealer lost his Giant contract when they partnered with Mike's Bikes, so his proprietary system was shut down.

This store in the next town, at first asked if she bought the bike there. No, she did not. Next was "well, it is out of warranty, not sure if connecting it to the system will fix anything, good luck", then hung up on her...

I'm like, I guess you never want to sell us a bike...

I really would like a dealer to act as an advocate for us. Battery on a 3 year old bike shouldn't only take 60% charge... I guess we will be driving to the next farther dealer...

When I buy my E-MTB, for myself, and my wife...

Serviceability by any dealer will be high on the list. No more of this proprietary BS like Giant, and Spec. Though... Trek is in the running...


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## Varaxis (Mar 16, 2010)

I look at the full package.

I see Bosch and Shimano as comparable, but think Bosch CX4 edges out Shimano EP8 performance wise. I don't compete, so I don't care about that as much as long term reliability (and the resulting value). I want something like a Toyota that I can just ride, do minimal maintenance on, and expect to get something like 20+k hassle-free miles on as long as I follow simple guidelines in the manual.

The Marin Alpine Trail E2 is on top on my wishlist. Has all the geo I want in size med, with only the Polygon Mt Bromo competing on that. Just has better packaging, looks, and spec, at a price I'm willing to pay. Only feature it seems to be missing is the new style of internal battery, where the battery slides out a narrow hole out the bottom, like how Whyte and the new Canyon Spectral:ON has theirs.

Currently on a Motobecane HAL-E Boost Pro. It served as a learning experience. Lots on it was inadequate in the long run. The external battery had connectivity issues, I guess since the battery holder loosened and the battery rattled just enough to get damaged. Motor seems fine. I think I just need a new battery mount and maybe a new battery, since the electrical contacts are F'd.


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## jpz0883 (Oct 23, 2021)

Bulls Bikes sell bicycles under two brand names; Bulls Bikes and Pegasus Bikes. Their e-bikes are equipped with Bosch mid-drives. My wife is very happy with her Pegasus Premio Sport.

If/when I need to move to an e-bike, I plan to get one with a Bosch mid-drive. 









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## Suns_PSD (Dec 13, 2013)

A this time I'd only only consider the Bafang, the Fazua 60 & the TQ HPR motor (clear favorite).

From there I'm trying to pick the right bike in the next 5 months as geo has always been very important to me.


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## sgltrak (Feb 19, 2005)

Do center drive eBikes come with a universal mount that allows different motor brands to be used on the same frame, or is each frame built with a specific motor's proprietary mounting system? Because I keep my bikes a long time, I tend to avoid frames that require me to use proprietary items in favor of frames that allow me to use different brands and models of components so that I have more options for replacement if something breaks or is discontinued. I'd be more inclined to buy an eBike that had flexibility in replacement motors.


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## J.B. Weld (Aug 13, 2012)

sgltrak said:


> Do center drive eBikes come with a universal mount that allows different motor brands to be used on the same frame, or is each frame built with a specific motor's proprietary mounting system? Because I keep my bikes a long time, I tend to avoid frames that require me to use proprietary items in favor of frames that allow me to use different brands and models of components so that I have more options for replacement if something breaks or is discontinued. I'd be more inclined to buy an eBike that had flexibility in replacement motors.





That's most definitely a no. I doubt it will ever happen.


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