Following on from the E-MTB mode for the Bosch Performance CX motor leaves Bosch The next cat out of the bag: the new Powertube battery. In future, bike manufacturers will be able to integrate this beautifully into the frame of e-mountainbikes. With these innovations, Bosch wants to catch up with Shimano, or rather overtake the Japanese: Until now, Shimano has been ahead in terms of integration and motor ergonomics with the Steps E-8000.
Powertube: The facts about the new Bosch battery
The Powertube 500 unit can be integrated into a wide variety of frames and is intended to offer bike manufacturers more freedom in the design of E-MTBs. The battery can be removed upwards, downwards or to the side. A two-stage mechanism is designed to ensure greater safety and easy handling when inserting and removing the battery: when unlocked, the battery clicks out of the frame by around two centimetres and can therefore be gripped intuitively. A safety catch is designed to prevent the battery from falling out. The Powertube 500 can also be charged directly on the bike. An interesting feature for touring bikers: recesses on the top allow you to attach either bottle cages or design covers. The black surface of the Powertube in elegant, anodised aluminium looks high-quality and robust.
The integrated battery has a capacity of 500 watt hours and is compact: its dimensions (349 x 84 x 65 millimetres) and weight (around 2.8 kilograms) promise good integration options, even if the Powertube is a little heavier than the current Powerpack 500 due to its more robust design. The battery is also easy to pack in your rucksack - keyword: spare battery on long tours. The new lithium-ion battery is also available in combination with DualBattery: If it is installed horizontally by the manufacturer, the down tube can be used for an additional frame battery or a bottle cage, for example.
eShift
The Bosch eShift electronic gearshift solution is available in three new variants for the 2018 model year. It is designed to ensure comfortable shifting, less wear and tear and increased riding safety. In the derailleur version with Shimano XTR Di2 or XT Di2, eShift is specially designed for e-mountainbikes. The derailleur gears should be optimally matched to the motor so that fast and precise shifting is also possible on the mountain.
Bosch eBike ABS: Anti-lock braking system for e-bikes
Bosch is also launching the first production-ready ABS for e-bikes on the market. For the time being, this is reserved for city and trekking bikers, but could also find its way onto e-mountain bikes in the foreseeable future. The anti-lock braking system is designed to prevent the front wheel from locking on loose ground and the rear wheel from climbing on firm ground. It is to be introduced with the first partners and their pedelecs from autumn 2017 and will be available on the market from autumn 2018. During development, Bosch was able to draw on parts from motorbike ABS systems and optimise them for use on e-bikes. With the two new Active Line and Active Line Plus pedelec motors, Bosch is showing where the journey is heading in the future. Although the drives are intended purely for city and trekking bikes and not for use on e-MTBs, the technology could soon be incorporated into the Performance CX drive. The highlight: a new gear concept, larger chainrings and a modified gear ratio. As a result, riders benefit from lower pedalling resistance beyond the 25 km/h mark and a significantly quieter motor.
