With a sneak preview Bosch The German drive manufacturer traditionally organises this event a few weeks before the Eurobike trade fair in Friedrichshafen. Anyone expecting new e-bike and e-MTB motors was disappointed. Bosch is limiting itself to model updates and improved usability of the drive system. The focus for the 2017 model year is on a new display with integrated remote control, which has been specially developed for mountain bikes, as well as a software update for the high-end Nyon display. In addition, a small, lightweight charger for charging on the go, i.e. during the tour, and a Y-cable that can be used to connect a second battery to the system for more range were presented.
Bosch Purion display
The new Bosch Purion compact display combines remote control and display element in one housing. The position on the left handlebar grip is said to be less susceptible to damage in the event of a fall than the Intuvia display positioned in the centre of the handlebars. The most important riding data such as total kilometres, range and distance can be called up using the double assignment of the two plus and minus buttons. To call up the data, the buttons must be pressed and held, while a short tap changes the assistance levels. The standard display provides information on the current speed, battery charge level and assistance level. Compared to the tried-and-tested remote control of the Intuvia and Nyon display, however, the ergonomics are significantly limited and handling is not quite as intuitive. The large button angle requires a less natural thumb movement. If you want to reach the plus button comfortably, you have to turn the housing relatively far down, which makes it harder to read. Although you can also call up driving data (minus button) with just two buttons by pressing and holding them, this is not very intuitive and takes some getting used to. The contrast of the display and the size of the display unit, on the other hand, are fine.
Software update for the Nyon display
There is also an update for the high-end Bosch Nyon display for 2017. In future, this will also allow the remaining range to be displayed on a map. To make this possible, the route and elevation profile, battery capacity and current support level are included in the calculation. However, Bosch is charging €5.99 for this feature, which is available in the Apple iTunes Store and Google Playstore. With the next update, the GPX data of the route travelled can also be exported. This will make it possible to retrace and share the routes travelled.
Charger for charging on the tour
A small, lightweight charger is also new. It is designed to increase flexibility on tour. At 600 grams, it is 200 grams lighter than the standard charging cable and requires 40 per cent less volume in the rucksack. However, the charging time of the Bosch Travel Charger is significantly longer than the standard charger. Instead of 4.5 hours, it takes 7.5 hours to fully charge a 500 Wh battery. So it's not for a lunch break at the hut, but rather for overnight charging.
Connection cable for two batteries
In future, two Bosch batteries can be connected to each other and to the drive system using a special Y-cable. Depending on the battery used, up to 1000 Wh will be available, almost doubling the range. However, the system should mainly be useful on cargo bikes, S-pedelecs and touring bikes, as the second battery significantly increases the system weight. For e-mountainbikes, the option with the second battery is rather uninteresting. The system automatically switches between the two batteries when charging and discharging and works with Bosch Nyon or Intuvia displays.
