Usable Motors Please... DJI Avinox, ZF CentriX, Pinion MGU.

In over 10 years of e-bike ownership and four separate e-bikes each with a different type of motor, you make more sense than any other video creator regarding e-bikes and the different e-bike motors I've come across. Thanks for contribution to the world of e-bikes because there is a lot of bias and ignorance out there.

Fully agree with what you said. But please give this feedback, loud and clear, also to motor manufacturers whenever you are invited to test them. Motor manufacturers should be penalized hard in reviews for not creating serviceable systems, as if it's a must, not an option.

Couple of points. A carbon belt drive for 1000 Watts is just better than in every way to a bicycle chain no matter the brand. DJI have more battery/efficiency experience than any other brand. Less dangly bits and lower wheel mass is also better. DJI has by far the best speed sensors, security software, bike interface, controls than anyone at Eurobikes 2024.

Polini people might not know especially outside Europe but were a well known moped vespa parts brands used for decades before the internet they know how to make small engines and I'm not surprised they are very serviceable because they are used to sell "performance" ;) engine parts which were of course not installed by official shops

The real advantage of the Pinion motor is the gear box. As far as I know the motor is a variation of an automotive power steering motor. Motor plus human power tend to chew through cassettes and chains simply because you can put out way more power than even a pro athlete can provide. A pinion gearbox is designed to withstand these forces especially because the gears have near to no width restrictions and don’t need to deal with dirt and grime. The big advantages of a derailleur system are efficiency and weight which are both next to irrelevant on an eBike.

I don't care about motor power (all existing motors are powerful enough), but DJI's fastcharing is the biggest gamechanger for me. I'm so excited about the 12 amps charging that I'll probably preorder an Amflow bike as soon as possible. I ride a lot on the Alps and long full day routes easily have 3-5k meters (or more) of ascent. But with current technology this means carrying an extra battery and a charger and still most of riding done in eco. But if I can fastcharge the battery to 50% in 30 minutes, this basically means infinite riding and no need to carry a spare battery.

the zf motor looks the most attractive to me if its anything like the zf car gearboxes it will be a reliable motor for sure but we will have to wait and see

I get your point about the Power, I ride a Trek Exe with the TQ Motor at 50nm and I'm 95kgs, riding in the Peak District with it's steep Rocky Climbs is difficult with 50nm when trying to keep up with my 85nm friends bikes so I'm also looking at full power bikes now and 85nm seems about perfect, what I've seen of the DJI/ZF motors so far this week is the lack of noise/whine that seems to be evident in the previous motor versions, for example the EP801/Bosch CX, this is probably due to me riding a TQ HPr50, so for me the reliability is key first, then the noise! In conclusion, masses of power is not the highest consideration for me.

100% agree I have a TQ powered bike and that is more than enough for me where I am in my life it gives me enough help up the hills and I can go a little further but I truly believe that 70-80 NM’s would be the max you would want these motors that are exceeding 100 NM,s are just silly at least with my bike I feel like I’m still putting a substantial amount of effort into the ride

Coooll thumbnail 👌 😂 And the tires are really good

It’s very easy to buy into the hype, so it’s good to get a reality check. It does mean more deals on existing tech. All this innovation is great though, keeps Bosch and Shimano on their toes. I do love the screen on that DJI it must be the best frame mounted screen to date. I think clutches and MGU’s is the way everything is going, but it’s still early days and much of the tech is unproven. It seems like full system set ups is where we’re at today, SRAM, Shimano and now also Bosch. Autoshift, etc.. Lastly very jealous of the Italian weather, we’ve had a crap summer in the UK this year.

Agree with all your points. Interesting for the ZF motor is that an aluminum frame is recommended for increasing the cooling effect as the motor is clamped onto the frame, but Raymon fitted it onto a carbon frame.

Good point on disposal culture. I’m afraid that’s the plan though…Mtn bikes have always wanted to be dirt bikes it seems. My 2008 KTM is reliable, repairable, and still a blast after 15yrs so they have some catching up to do. It’ll likely never end up in a landfill when it’s “obsoleted” by the industry.

Great points. My personal hope is that that power numbers stay where they are, but the systems get smaller to allow them to be packaged into smaller frames. People who need XS frames are totally undeserved by the current market offerings.

I’ve ridden my TQ motor EXe in high mode up long, steep technical climbs in 105° F and it’s never over heated.

Well Pinion might not have had years of motor experience but they do have quite the long track record of Gearbox units. I’m sure the MGU is up to the same durability standards. Specially when it comes to sealing and gear quality. Many motors fail on the gears they use (often plastic gears or bad sealing) Pinion might have the upper hand on those specs

Like your take on the cell-phone-ization of the ebike industry.

Well, it is not about the power! It is about the torque! It is the torque/force that moves objects. F= m*a or a = F/m. Also, it is about assistance levels and giving the rider full control of the motor. We need manual modes, no auto-modes.

Good points! Why so much power? I really want more range! hehehe. My e-bike Oggi Razzo (Ananda t100 motor) has a 700 battery and I got about 55-60km in mid to hi power. For long rides I carry a second battery in Thule rear rack.

Thanks for pointing out the china angle!