Pinion Motor.Gearbox.Unit (MGU)

[Mr. Coffee]

Having put down over 5000 miles in the last year or so on a Pinion bike, I can say that they are as reliable as a well-made shovel. And if you have a Pinion gearbox and belt drive the only periodic maintenance you really need is to replace brake pads and gearbox oil. You'd replace the gearbox oil about once a year (the kit to do is is about US $35) and the process takes about fifteen minutes at most.

Drive belts last around 30000 kilometers if they are not abused. And they can take a lot of abuse compared to a chain. During break-in of a new belt you'll have to adjust the belt a bit.

 

[Tom@WashDC]

I look forward to this product, or others like it, becoming ubiquitous, and the replacemt parts are widely available and/or non-proprietary.

 

[mschwett]

Having put down over 5000 miles in the last year or so on a Pinion bike, I can say that they are as reliable as a well-made shovel. And if you have a Pinion gearbox and belt drive the only periodic maintenance you really need is to replace brake pads and gearbox oil. You'd replace the gearbox oil about once a year (the kit to do is is about US $35) and the process takes about fifteen minutes at most.

Drive belts last around 30000 kilometers if they are not abused. And they can take a lot of abuse compared to a chain. During break-in of a new belt you'll have to adjust the belt a bit.

does the pinion have that sort of cement grinder / dragging feel that a rohloff does in certain gears?

 

[PedalUma]

I am willing to reevaluate based on what happens in the field over two years. I just do not want to be the Guinea pig.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What is your point?

My point is you are overexcited with the technology that might even not spread out in the market, and you are even not going to invest in such a technology to prove you are convinced by it. Where is the point in your Pinion advocacy then?

Tout Terrain is not some shady startup reselling mass-produced Chinese bikes. It is a well-established German company selling high-quality touring bikes.

It is not Giant, Specialized, Trek or Cannondale.

What is bigger: Cube or Tout Terrain? Any interest in Pinion.MGU from Scott or Merida? (For these who only know the North American market, Merida is one of the biggest players outside North America).

 

[Tom@WashDC]

does the pinion have that sort of cement grinder / dragging feel that a rohloff does in certain gears?

I've got a Rohloff, and I have not experienceed any "cement grinder / dragging feel".

 

[mschwett]

I've got a Rohloff, and I have not experienceed any "cement grinder / dragging feel".

maybe it’s only noticeable on a lightweight, non-electric bike. most noticeable at lower pedaling efforts (say 100 watts) in 1-7 and especially 3 and 4. the only ones i’ve ridden have been belt drives, so maybe there’s that too.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

It is not Giant, Specialized, Trek or Cannondale.

No, and so what?

There are lots of companies out there making great bicycles that aren't one of the dinosaurs. And they often have been doing so for many years. And just because they are a Great Company (in the sense that they are very large) doesn't mean they'll be around forever (cough, cough, cough, Trek).

Arguing that the only worthwhile possible innovations in the bike industry have to come from the big companies is just FUD, plain and simple. In my opinion the big companies are doing a damned good job of strangling innovation and driving new cyclists away from the sport.

 

[mschwett]

slightly off topic from the integrated pinion mgu, but it would be really interesting to compare it to a super light pinion e-bike approach like this one :

2kg for the pinion, 1.2kg for the motor. 4kg for the integrated unit, plus whatever the rear hub weighs, so for only .9kg or so more you get a LOT more power.

 

[Jeremy McCreary]

slightly off topic from the integrated pinion mgu, but it would be really interesting to compare it to a super light pinion e-bike approach like this one :

View attachment 177079

2kg for the pinion, 1.2kg for the motor. 4kg for the integrated unit, plus whatever the rear hub weighs, so for only .9kg or so more you get a LOT more power.

What ebike is that? You've owned a lot of dream bikes. Is that one of them?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Company (in the sense that they are very large) doesn't mean they'll be around forever (cough, cough, cough, Trek).

The number of the e-bike systems has outgrown Trek. The company owns no e-bike system or any system on the exclusive basis but has used six or seven different systems; it is something no company could manage. On contrary, Giant exclusively uses branded Yamaha motors. Cannondale uses Bosch and Mahle X, that's it.

I can only re-iterate: It has already been almost a year since this thread was started and no-one here owns a Pinion.MGU e-bike. The time for my next visit here is June 2025.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

The time for my next visit here is June 2025

Thank Christ for small mercies.

 

[BlackHand]

I can only re-iterate: It has already been almost a year since this thread was started and no-one here owns a Pinion.MGU e-bike

So? Specialized has left people waiting over a year for a Vado SL 1.2

Should I buy a Vado SL, or Wait for the Release of the Version with the 1.2 Motor?

Well, its all there in the headline. What would you do? I put a deposit down on a new Vado SL about a week ago pending arrival of one in my preferred color but the sale is not final....I'm reading that the 1.2 SL motor is already out there, although not on the Vado SL. Whatchathink?

forums.electricbikereview.com

On contrary, Giant exclusively uses branded Yamaha motors. Cannondale uses Bosch and Mahle X, that's it.

Besides Yamaha Giant puts some combination of Panasonic/Bafang on their hub drive bikes. They also have the SyncDrive Pro still listed on their website which is a rebranded Shimano EP8 though I don't know if they released any new bikes with it this year.

Cannondale also has bikes with Hyena drives in them.

 

[mschwett]

What ebike is that? You've owned a lot of dream bikes. Is that one of them?

that one’s not mine, although i was tempted to replace my commuter with it! it’s a spanish brand called desiknio.

 

[Explorer-1]

I'm partial to a regular Pinion and a good hub motor, but i'd be excited to try their MGU. The Pinion on my Priority 600X is nice, but not too many miles on it yet. Unfortunately, it's not the bike for me as the gear range does not suit my cadence and the New England terrain. I still like it though, and after a couple more years i hope to get a Pinion based ebike, or some other nice belt drive internally geared hub and transmission. To me a powerful hub motor and a regular pinion w/belt-drive is still the gold standard. In the mean time i'm still having fun With what i have.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Specialized has left people waiting over a year for a Vado SL 1.2

Specialized has never promised a Vado SL G2. Besides, Spec owns SL motors and the system.

Besides Yamaha Giant puts some combination of Panasonic/Bafang on their hub drive bikes.

A model name please. Is it a Giant? Is it an Euro e-bike?

Neither Giant nor Cannondale have put themselves into the situation of Trek.

People here ride Spec, Giant, Trek or Cannondale e-bikes. No one rides a Pinion.MGU.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

Another group of Pinion MGU reviews here. Lots of love:

Spool to 9:22 for the MGU review

This is part one of a long term indepth review:

Fun POV ride; gear change noises, silence on downhills:

 

[Rás Cnoic]

slightly off topic from the integrated pinion mgu, but it would be really interesting to compare it to a super light pinion e-bike approach like this one :

View attachment 177079

2kg for the pinion, 1.2kg for the motor. 4kg for the integrated unit, plus whatever the rear hub weighs, so for only .9kg or so more you get a LOT more power.

They do make very stylish bikes- so a pinion gear box coupled to a Mahle X20 hub motor? Clever and simple with plenty of low gearing.

 

[Rás Cnoic]

I'm partial to a regular Pinion and a good hub motor, but i'd be excited to try their MGU. The Pinion on my Priority 600X is nice, but not too many miles on it yet. Unfortunately, it's not the bike for me as the gear range does not suit my cadence and the New England terrain. I still like it though, and after a couple more years i hope to get a Pinion based ebike, or some other nice belt drive internally geared hub and transmission. To me a powerful hub motor and a regular pinion w/belt-drive is still the gold standard. In the mean time i'm still having fun With what i have.

Do you mean the jumps between gears are too large for continual smooth cadence? That can be an issue with IGHs or gear boxes.

 

[scrambler]

Do you mean the jumps between gears are too large for continual smooth cadence? That can be an issue with IGHs or gear boxes.

I found that to be a non-issue on an ebike, where the pedal assist makes the comfortable pedaling range on any given gear way larger.
I have a Kindernay VII with 7 gears across 428% range, and it is no problem at all.
I actually prefer it with less / wider gears on an ebike, so you don't have to change gears so often when you don't actually need to