‘The large drawback is water’: UK ebike homeowners tormented by failing motors

Is it the UK’s seemingly incessant rain? A poor design? Or perhaps the best way they’re being ridden or cleaned? Why are so many homeowners of electrical bicycles complaining that their motors must be changed so typically?

Some mountain bike homeowners with fourth-generation Bosch electrical motors describe how they’d four or five – yes five – replacement motors fitted throughout the two-year guarantee interval. Homeowners of different manufacturers say theirs have solely lasted 800 to 1,000 miles.

The issue seems to primarily have an effect on these using mountain bikes in all weathers, notably in Wales and the UK’s different wettest areas, as a result of they don’t seem to be sealed correctly towards water ingress.

This week, one of many UK’s main unbiased ebike motor specialists, the eBike Motor Centre based mostly in Fordingbridge, Hampshire, informed Guardian Cash it was being despatched about 250 motors a month – of every type – from homeowners determined to discover a cost-effective repair to issues together with failed bearings, failed torque sensors and water harm to circuit boards.

With producers asking for as much as £700 for an out-of-warranty alternative motor, it’s small marvel a few of these affected say they’re going again to a traditional bike.

Eager ebike rider Andy Fenwick, who lives in Wiltshire, contacted Guardian Cash to ask whether or not we had been conscious that so many bikes had failing motors.

The 71-year-old’s £5,000 Dice bike with a fourth-generation Bosch electrical motor stopped working outdoors the guarantee.

Though it was resurrected by a software program replace and didn’t require a alternative, he says that after trawling the varied biking boards he was astonished by the variety of motors which have had to get replaced. He says the issue is exacerbated by the truth that these items should not repairable – elements should not out there from Bosch. Some homeowners say they’ve been informed by Bosch to not trip them in moist situations, which is clearly absurd.

“Electrical bikes are nice for the rider and needs to be nice for the atmosphere, however it appears to me that lots of the motors should not match for function,” he says.

“I’ve seen a number of reviews of riders having between three and 5 replacements over two years. They seem to undergo error codes after minor shocks or being too near a magnetic supply.

“Riders’ bikes have stopped working after they merely leant their bike towards a lamp-post, or rode over a [magnetic] site visitors mild sensor grid within the highway.

“The large drawback is water. The most recent items don’t seem to have the ability to stand up to the UK climate. Each time one fails, they’ve to exchange the entire unit and the outdated one results in landfill. How can that be factor? We want higher right-to-repair laws on this space.”

Fenwick has written to Bosch to ask that it enhance the design and make elements out there in order that the motors could be repaired, however says he has acquired no response.

Bosch says: “We place the best worth on reliability and high quality, and drive items are designed for a few years’ service. Nonetheless, issues can happen with any technical product. We work carefully with sellers and prospects to discover a fast, customer-oriented answer.”

He says a few of the first-generation motors had skilled issues brought on by water, however later fashions had been enhanced with improved seals and bearings. “The most recent items are protected towards mud and splash water, in accordance with safety class IP54, and most error codes brought on by magnetic interference disappear on restart.

“Within the occasion of a significant defect, the motor can be collected for additional evaluation and Bosch will determine, on a case-by-case foundation, whether or not it may be topic to a remanufacturing course of. The shopper will get again a drive unit in a completely purposeful state following an ‘end-of-line’ check,” he says.

If a motorbike fails outdoors the guarantee – usually two years on the motor – and the proprietor is denied assist by the producer, they are going to face a battle with the store, or in chasing a less expensive restore.

The Shopper Rights Act offers consumers some redress towards the retailer for as much as six years from buy, though which may be tough to acquire, given some retailers will argue the proprietor has abused the bike.

The faster and cheaper choice could also be to ship the motor to the eBike Motor Centre, which costs between £250 and £370 for a whole overhaul of most motors, and considerably much less for smaller repairs, comparable to altering bearings, sensors, circuit boards and different internals which aren’t made out there by Bosch. Customers appear delighted with the service.

Within the meantime, the recommendation to ebikers seems to be to maintain your bike as dry as you possibly can – typically simpler stated than carried out – and be very cautious washing it, most actually not energy washing it. And if you have the Bosch 4 motor, stay away from magnets.