Bosch CX question for a newbie.

[Johnecybrid]

I am in the process of searching for my first ebike.

I have ridden a few, with both Shimano and Bosch motors and like them all.

High on my list of possibles is a bike fitted with a Bosch cx motor.

It’s a mountain bike. I ride cycle tracks mostly and road, possibly 60/40 in favour of the cycle tracks, at a sedate pace.

As I say I have found a bike I like but as it’s a mountain bike it of course has knobbly tyres. When I spoke to the salesman about changing them for something less aggressive, ie semi slicks he advised strongly against it saying the cx motor is set up for the bike as it stands and should be left as such. Is this so?

The shop is also quite a way from my home, too far for me to ride it back when I pick it up, is there any reason why I can’t lay the bike inside the car with the batter still attached? I accept this is a naive question but I have no experience with ebikes.


Cheers.

 

[soundwave]

you can put any tyres on it that will fit the rims

 

[Gubbins]

I ride a bosch powered mtb for a couple of years with a sort of hybrid tyre on tracks, towpath and road. But in the end I chose to use the knobbly tyres for everything and don't get any problems using them on the road.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

I don't know where these salesmen get that sort of ** from. It would make me worry whether they know enough about bikes to fix yours when it needs it.

 

[EddiePJ]

Two suggestions.

First suggestion..... Find another dealer to buy from.

Second suggestion.... Perhaps widen your options of bike choice by looking at hybrid/trekking styles of bike. This style will easily tackle the terrain that you describe, and could in long run be a more practical purchase.
Even road biased tyres such as Schwalbe Marathon Plus, offer surprisingly good grip on light off road conditions.

 

[IR772]

You mean I can't do this ? Big Ben's


Or this, Marathon plus MTB

 

[EddiePJ]

You have lost me, as I said that road biased tyres can.

 

[IR772]

No, not you, the shop.

I wondered if they were in Cambridge, also if they advised to start off with no assistance, as that Bosch CX must be sooo powerful.

 

[Danidl]

I am in the process of searching for my first ebike.

I have ridden a few, with both Shimano and Bosch motors and like them all.

High on my list of possibles is a bike fitted with a Bosch cx motor.

It’s a mountain bike. I ride cycle tracks mostly and road, possibly 60/40 in favour of the cycle tracks, at a sedate pace.

As I say I have found a bike I like but as it’s a mountain bike it of course has knobbly tyres. When I spoke to the salesman about changing them for something less aggressive, ie semi slicks he advised strongly against it saying the cx motor is set up for the bike as it stands and should be left as such. Is this so?

The shop is also quite a way from my home, too far for me to ride it back when I pick it up, is there any reason why I can’t lay the bike inside the car with the batter still attached? I accept this is a naive question but I have no experience with ebikes.


Cheers.

... No problem about leaving the battery in situ if it is inside the car.
I suspect that he was being lazy about the tyres.. he was possibly afraid that you were asking him to change them. If they were changed then the overall dimensions of the wheel will change a little and the odometer and speedometer will be slightly off calibration.

 

[Johnecybrid]

Thank you all for your helpful answers and others not quite so.

There are an awful lot of bikes to choose from out there and as I think I have found the one I like best I will probably go for it.

I will give the fitted tyres a go and see how I get on with them, and change them if necessary, as I now know I can.

I appreciate the salesman for whatever reason may have got his info wrong, but I have bought a bike from the shop before and various parts over the years, and had excellent service, and they do have a very good reputation, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy from them again.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

What is up with some shops this month? It seems like there must be something going around.

Here's a Bosch CX equipped bike that doesn't even come with MTB tyres from stock!!

 

[Crockers]

What is up with some shops this month? It seems like there must be something going around.

Here's a Bosch CX equipped bike that doesn't even come with MTB tyres from stock!!

Pity that doesn't come with proper mudguards, a rack and intergrated lights....it would be a good road bike.

Hub gears would be a bonus.....

 

[Johnecybrid]

What is up with some shops this month? It seems like there must be something going around.

Here's a Bosch CX equipped bike that doesn't even come with MTB tyres from stock!!

Now that's in my opinion a nice looking bike and definitely similar to what I'm looking for but I would have thought Smart Sam's WERE mountain bike tyres?

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

Pity that doesn't come with proper mudguards, a rack and intergrated lights....it would be a good road bike.

Hub gears would be a bonus.....

You mean like this:

The Cross range are a stripped down, more sporty style hybrid style bike, confusingly, the Sport range of bikes are basically the same bikes are the cross, with a more road friendly tyre and the full accessory pack added.

I don't think any brand will do a CX motor, with hub gears, there are a number of reasons for this. KTM do hub gears on bikes with the Bosch performance motor.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

Now that's in my opinion a nice looking bike and definitely similar to what I'm looking for but I would have thought Smart Sam's WERE mountain bike tyres?

Many Schwalbe tyres come in MTB or cross sizes, so you can use it for either.

For instance the Smart Sam comes in a massive range of sizes.

https://www.schwalbe.com/gb/offroad-reader/smart-sam.html

37-622 (28 x 1.40, 700x35C)

Is the narrowest, and very much a hybrid size.

 

[Trevormonty]

You mean like this:

The Cross range are a stripped down, more sporty style hybrid style bike, confusingly, the Sport range of bikes are basically the same bikes are the cross, with a more road friendly tyre and the full accessory pack added.

I don't think any brand will do a CX motor, with hub gears, there are a number of reasons for this. KTM do hub gears on bikes with the Bosch performance motor.

R&M do CX with Rohloff but they are in totally different price bracket.

Shimano needs to upgrade their hubs to handle MTB drives (70nm+), currently only rated for 50nm STEPs and Active drives.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

R&M do CX with Rohloff but they are in totally different price bracket.

Shimano needs to upgrade their hubs to handle MTB drives (70nm+), currently only rated for 50nm STEPs and Active drives.

Its also to do with the Shimano hubs not being for MTB, they are for city and trecking, which is what the STEPs and Active drives are for. The Rohloff and CX drives are for MTBs.

 

[E-Wheels]

R&M do CX with Rohloff but they are in totally different price bracket.

Shimano needs to upgrade their hubs to handle MTB drives (70nm+), currently only rated for 50nm STEPs and Active drives.

R&M also do CX with Nuvinci which is cheaper

 

[IR772]

I would have thought Smart Sam's WERE mountain bike tyres?

No, they are my current road ish tyres about 35 psi, quiet and fast.

There is a central bead that gives good road manners, no roar etc. Green guard all the way for puncture protection.

See here by a road ish

 

[Johnecybrid]

Many Schwalbe tyres come in MTB or cross sizes, so you can use it for either.

For instance the Smart Sam comes in a massive range of sizes.

https://www.schwalbe.com/gb/offroad-reader/smart-sam.html

37-622 (28 x 1.40, 700x35C)

Is the narrowest, and very much a hybrid size.

No, they are my current road ish tyres about 35 psi, quiet and fast.

There is a central bead that gives good road manners, no roar etc. Green guard all the way for puncture protection.

See here by a road ish
View attachment 19128

No, they are my current road ish tyres about 35 psi, quiet and fast.

There is a central bead that gives good road manners, no roar etc. Green guard all the way for puncture protection.

See here by a road ish
View attachment 19128

They sound ideal, noted for when/if necessary.