Difference Between Performance Line Sport vs Speed

[JemJam]

So I see the spec sheet differences of 65 vs 85 NM of Tq. 300 vs 340% max boost.

From the descriptions it seems like the speed is better able to hold up to max speed.

I rode a Tern HSD S11 with the Sport, and it felt like there was a taper after 20 and on level ground pushing past 24 MPH it started to feel like it was more me than the motor providing the power, despite being in Turbo. I am wondering if the Speed would be better for that application and waiting to see if something like that comes out on the 2022 bikes would be worth it.

 

[retiredNH]

I have an Allant 8s with speed. The torque seems to kick in at higher pedal RPM, 80 or so. Of course with a class 1 motor like you tried, power would drop at 20 or so. 2022 Bosch offerings don't look to be much different. One big disadvantage of Performance Speed is that there have been no software updates in over a year, unlike the Performance CX, which seems to regularly get new goodies. You might keep that in mind.

Whatever you do, though, avoid the smartphone hub. Bosch seems to have ignored it for a long time. It's pretty limited in terms of what it does, compared to some of the more premium offerings.

 

[JemJam]

I have an Allant 8s with speed. The torque seems to kick in at higher pedal RPM, 80 or so. Of course with a class 1 motor like you tried, power would drop at 20 or so. 2022 Bosch offerings don't look to be much different. One big disadvantage of Performance Speed is that there have been no software updates in over a year, unlike the Performance CX, which seems to regularly get new goodies. You might keep that in mind.

Whatever you do, though, avoid the smartphone hub. Bosch seems to have ignored it for a long time. It's pretty limited in terms of what it does, compared to some of the more premium offerings.

The Performance Speed is a "class 3" that goes up to 28mph, but it just seems like it has a taper from 20 to 28 where you start losing the assist. I also did try cadences from about 60-120, but still not appreciably easier. So I am wondering if the difference between the Speed and the Sport might be that taper.

What updates did the CX get that make it better?

 

[BlackHand]

Based on the specs, the Sport is probably a Gen3 drive unit. The CX is Gen4.

I can't speak to how either behaves as I have a Gen2 Speed drive unit, but your description of the Sport sounds similar to how my bike behaves. The support doesn't taper off until about 26 mph, but keep in mind that it takes twice as much power to go 27mph as it does to go 20mph and on a 250w continuous drive unit your legs have to make up most of that difference.

Edit to add this link from Chris at Propel talking about the sport. Sounds like it does taper off support quicker than the Speed drive does

 

[JemJam]

Based on the specs, the Sport is probably a Gen3 drive unit. The CX is Gen4.

I can't speak to how either behaves as I have a Gen2 Speed drive unit, but your description of the Sport sounds similar to how my bike behaves. The support doesn't taper off until about 26 mph, but keep in mind that it takes twice as much power to go 27mph as it does to go 20mph and on a 250w continuous drive unit your legs have to make up most of that difference.

Edit to add this link from Chris at Propel talking about the sport. Sounds like it does taper off support quicker than the Speed drive does

Thanks for the video - that is pretty much my experience. Maybe 2022 will bring an HSD with a gen 4 speed + belt, or GSD with a Cargo Speed + belt.

 

[JoeDirt]

Yeah I'll chime in once again about this constant issue that really Tans my hide about these Bosch units. That tapering is a bunch of malarkey. We need to get pure assist up to the given class of one or three. We are getting jipped and have to work twice as hard to maintain or even get to the Limit of the classification. I think they're being very cheap on giving us more gas for the big bucks that we spend for these motors. I'm new to the ebike world and that is the first thing that I saw is the is the cut back on the assist as a tapers and you either can or cannot maintain that speed to the maximum class level and when you get there you're so burnt out anyway once it cuts off now you're hit with the full impact of a 50 lb bike and you go right back down on mph.

I get really worked up every time I think about this because they can't give us pure speed up to the Limit and then cut us off.

If that is their concept of class 1 or class 3 to taper you off until you get to the maximum speed I think that is just crap that's just my two cents. My green US Dollars can support quite chain motor and probably get pure speed until it burns out! I'm just being facetious because this is a sore spot with me getting jipped. Anybody that wants to chime in to disagree with this please give me some real valid clarification how I should buy into this because it just does not work in my logical engineering brain. When you give your car gas and you want to go to 60 mph and you let off at 60 that's the limit or if you set your speed control to 60 it holds at 60 it doesn't screw at the engine to get you to 60. Just my two cents cheers Namaste and anything else that will bring peace to you!

 

[BlackHand]

Get yourself a Nyon if your bike is a System 2 Bosch and not Smart System. You can customize the assist to minimize the taper. But - you will always have a min 1mph taper down to your max speed cutoff because the riding experience would be extremely unpleasant to have the motor abruptly cut out at the 28 and then kick back in at full blast before you have time to adjust your human output to try to maintain speed. It would be like repeatedly running into a wall and then being rear-ended.

Or better yet, sounds like you might be happier with a 750w motor like a Bafang than a Euro spec 250w ebike.