60 Newton metres and up to 450 watts, with a system weight of just 4.2 kilograms. Among the light motors, the Fazua Ride 60 is a real powerhouse and was our favourite in the motor test of light drives thanks to its good range, high stability and low operating noise.
Fazua Ride 60: Weaknesses when starting and setting off
However: The engine still showed weaknesses, especially when it was being used. Both when starting uphill and during a short pedalling pause on the uphill - for example through a tight bend or over a difficult key section - the Ride 60 allowed itself a noticeable delay until the drive kicked in again. The Bavarian manufacturer referred to this as a 'pedal gap'. You often had to turn the crank half a turn under your own steam before you felt the drive kick in again.
Compared to the often much more responsive competition, this is a clear shortcoming that Fazua wanted to rectify with a firmware update in autumn 2022. Now, almost six months later, the update is finally here. On an initial test ride with Fazua on Lake Garda and later with our own bikes in the vicinity of the Munich editorial office, we were able to get a first impression of the motor's new manners.
A real improvement? Testing the new Fazua firmware
As usual with Fazua, the new firmware is installed via the USB-C interface on the top tube and the Toolbox software on the PC. Over-the-air updates via app are possible with the Bavaria, which now belongs to Porsche not yet possible. Once installed, the bike can simply be unplugged again and the firmware is up to date.
The update is noticeable as soon as you start rolling. Those who are used to the delayed start of the Fazua Ride 60 will now be pleasantly surprised by the relatively direct acceleration and even while riding, the e-bike motor sticks even better to the foot and reacts more quickly to the rider's changing pedal input. However, the feeling of support is unchanged and still feels more like an e-bike than an organic bike. There is moderate propulsion on the bottom end, and the relatively high drive power is only released at a sporty rider effort and cadence. The Fazua now clearly smoothes out load peaks and gently carries the rider over the dead centres. The result is a pleasant and uniform thrust.
Fazu Ride 60 update: pedal gap now competitive, improvements in details
Thanks to the improved engagement, the Fazua motor is now on a par with the competition in terms of acceleration and modulation. Shimano's EP8 or the Specialized SL drivetrain start with a similar delay, but Bosch's CX or even TQ with the HPR 50 and Yamaha with the PW-X3 are much more direct when starting off. What remains is the noticeable engagement and disengagement of the Fazua motor, which is also noticeable acoustically with a slight "clack" and is sometimes accompanied by slight load changes. This is not a problem, as Shimano is familiar with this in a similar way.
Also successful: A Power hole after the end of the boost functionas we knew it from the first tests with Fazua's Ride 60, could no longer be provoked with the latest firmware. In addition, thanks to ANT+ I LEV, the Ride 60 can now be used with standard Connect bike computers like Garmin and Wahoo. And last but not least, the problem with batteries that suddenly stop working and cannot be revitalised is said to have been fixed. Fortunately, we have not experienced this ourselves, but other media have probably had less luck in their tests.
Push assist and remote: Fazua still has some catching up to do here
The Ring control and is therefore not our favourite among the control units, especially in terms of feel. It sometimes feels a little wobbly and sometimes gets stuck in the end position. On one of our test bikes for the new firmware, a lot of pressure was also required in the end position to switch between the U-stages or to activate the boost and walk assist. It's a shame, because the low operating forces are otherwise in favour of the toggle switch design of Fazua's remote.
The Pushing aid on the other hand, has been significantly improved. For the first time, it now achieves a usable top speed as well as a high torque and pushes the bike forwards powerfully at the end. The problem is that the push assist starts so subtly at first and accelerates so slowly that the powerful assistance and a good speed are only reached after about 10 metres. Especially on steep terrain, the rider has to push the bike forwards before the push assist really takes over. For long pushing passages on moderate inclines, the extended start-up is fine. However, using the push-assist only on a short and steep key uphill section still makes little sense. Fazua should definitely make improvements here.
Conclusion Adrian Kaether, Editor EMTB
We have been waiting over half a year for this update. With the new firmware and the significantly more direct engagement, Fazua has now eliminated a major criticism of the Ride 60 and made the powerful and quiet lightweight drive even more exciting. We remain curious to see whether further leaps in riding dynamics are possible via firmware updates. But one thing is already clear: the Fazua is and remains one of the best light drives on the market.
Adrian Kaether
Editor
