Bosch CX seems to be flawed?

[Steve UKLSRA]

HI again...long time no post whilst we moved house...

There seems to be alot of people on Facebook who are on their second and third warrantied motors with various model bikes, but all with CX motors and the concensus is that they have some kind of problem that Bosch is ignoring and just changing the motors without explanation...can anyone on here shed a light on this?

I was going to buy an off-the-shelf bike again for the missus as she can't get on with the power of the BBS02 but this has really put me off buying a new bike for her, two year warranty on a £5-6K bike is OK but what happens if/when it all goes tits up after!?!

 

[soundwave]

you can buy a new motor out of warranty for about 650 quid in exchange but every one on fb ect is just full of shite just check the German forum

 

[Steve UKLSRA]

£650!!! I can buy two BBS02 48V 750W motors with a bit of change chucked in for that price!!! FB maybe shite but even the dealers are admitting they're having to replace the CX motors...It's great that Bosch are honoring the warranty, but as a replacement for the Performance motor it seems a little premature and makes me wonder if Bosch didn't release it too soon and let the public do their RnR for them...and good to "speak" to you agin SW

 

[jarob10]

can't get on with the power of the BBS02

In case you're not aware, power delivery can be very finely tuned on the bbs0x range via a programming cable

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

Bosch are currently giving out replacement motors when the bottom bracket bearing wears out.

Outside the warrarnty all you have to do is replace the bottom bracket bearing yourself if it wears out, like you have to on a normal bike. If you don't feel comfortable doing it any decent eBike shop can do it.

Its not a big deal, or anything you really need to worry about

 

[Crockers]

If it's such a "trivial" thing why are Bosch giving out new motors? Hmmm.

 

[Old1Eye]

I have the Bosch performance line cruise motor, within 50km from new i had the motor bearing start to fail.

I have now done 450km on the same motor due to Bosch and the bike dealer taking so long communicating.

It went in today, and they have to send the motor to Bosch and wait for the new motor to arrive, estimated time is 3 weeks.

Not a happy bunny as i need it every day for work.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

If it's such a "trivial" thing why are Bosch giving out new motors? Hmmm.

Good customer service? Its a massive tax right off?? They give the used motors to VW to put in their new car wiper motors??

Who knows, but all I'm saying its, its "just" a bottom bracket bearing, I replace them every 6 months on my normal bike. The fact its electric doesn't mean they can solve the problem of bearings wearing out.

Just be happy you're getting a new motor, whilst it is in warranty, but don't think its a complicated or even expensive job to solve outside of warranty.

 

[RobF]

If it's such a "trivial" thing why are Bosch giving out new motors? Hmmm.

I doubt there's a rabbit away, it's probably more cost effective to swap the motor than train dealers to do a repair a lot of them will never be asked to do.

What we will never know is the answer to the most important question - failure rate.

Clearly a number of these bearings are failing, but it's hard to put that into context without knowing how many are not failing.

 

[Old1Eye]

Clearly a number of these bearings are failing, but it's hard to put that into context without knowing how many are not failing.

I wonder if its possible to upgrade the bearings to get longer life between replacements?
Or if its a specific bearing?

 

[soundwave]

this is the size for the right hand side
http://www.wychbearings.co.uk/6809-llu-max_enduro_bearing.html
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/bosch-main-bearing.29488/

 

[Steve A]

stick with standard bearings. i've upgraded to ceramic in the past and it was a waste of money

 

[RobF]

I wonder if its possible to upgrade the bearings to get longer life between replacements?
Or if its a specific bearing?

Failures are no good to Bosch in terms of cost and reputational damage.

If there's a way of upgrading the bearing, they will do it.

Chances are the original supplier will have been dispensed with and what is hopefully a better alternative already identified.

You won't know if your new motor has the same bearing or an improved one.

It's not worth worrying about, although I understand you are annoyed at the failure, so would I be.

 

[Trevormonty]

My failed after 6mths and 2000kms. Lots offroad riding, think it was bearings. Shop picked it up, I had it in for something else. One week turnaround. All happy till it fails outside warranty.

Unfornuately there is no way to protect bearings from water and dirt ingress. Bearing replacements whether suspension, wheels or motors are a fact of life for eMTBs.

 

[Old1Eye]

W

My failed after 6mths and 2000kms. Lots offroad riding, think it was bearings. Shop picked it up, I had it in for something else. One week turnaround. All happy till it fails outside warranty.

Unfornuately there is no way to protect bearings from water and dirt ingress. Bearing replacements whether suspension, wheels or motors are a fact of life for eMTBs.

Well wheels i rebuild the bearings myself every few months or 600km ish.
I have a hard tail specifically for reliability reasons and motor should be protected from mud and water.

 

[RobF]

I would be curious to know if the failures are mostly on EMTBs which get proper mountain biking use.

That's a harsh environment, although the motor is sold to cope with it so should be able to do so.

There's been stories of mud getting into Bosch motors going back to the first generation of the system.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Also, one could reasonably assume that it's been fixed on the 2nd generation CX motor.

 

[Phil1701]

this is the size for the right hand side
http://www.wychbearings.co.uk/6809-llu-max_enduro_bearing.html
http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/bosch-main-bearing.29488/

Is this them OEM bearing or an equivalent replacement? Also, any special tools needed to remove no install?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[soundwave]

http://www.pedelecs.co.uk/forum/threads/bosch-main-bearing.29488/

bosch dont sell any internal parts for the motors so will have to find parts yourself.

 

[Old1Eye]

I would be curious to know if the failures are mostly on EMTBs which get proper mountain biking use.

That's a harsh environment, although the motor is sold to cope with it so should be able to do so.

There's been stories of mud getting into Bosch motors going back to the first generation of the system.

Mine is only used for commuting, failure within the first 50km.