My neighbor has the Shimano E5000on his comfort/hybrid bike. He told me that it take a full rotation and 1/2 of the pedals before the motor kicks in. He says it's nearly impossible to start on a hill. Does this sound right or does his need some adjustment or maintenance? I have the E7000 and have instant power.
No, that does not sound right at all! Can he confirm that by looking at the power assist level-- the little black bar that indicates how much power the motor is supplying at any given moment? If it really doesn't move for that long, that sounds like a problem.
I believe I have instant power as well. I gear down a lot before climbing hills, I don't have a lot of stoplights at the bottom of hills where I ride, so I will test this, but I'm pretty sure I've never experienced this. 1.5 rotations?! I think I would notice that.
Also, I often go from having the power off completely descending a hill to ECO, then NORM, then a brief spot of HIGH if it's a steep hill until I get to the next flat spot, and I don't feel any noticeable lag. On the E5000, I do find myself shifting modes a LOT due to the low power/torque, but I haven't felt any delay.
I don't have as much basis for comparison as the OP, and I'm sure I don't ride trails that are nearly as aggressive. But I'm 63, and a 7-to-12 mile ride in my neighborhood always covers 900 to 1,500 feet of vertical. My 49-pound EMTB with the E5000 has a hair over 40 miles of range including 4,000 feet of vertical. I'm getting a workout for sure, but I don't feel like I'm killing myself.