Powerfly 7 motor issue (video)

[chromatose]

As it turns out it is a warranty issue HOWEVER, it is DISSAPOINTING having to wait (into my 3rd week now) for the remedy
Was a huge Bosch fan, now I am on the fence...

 

[JRA]

One would assume you checked the crank arm bolt?

 

[chromatose]

One would assume you checked the crank arm bolt?

Guessing you weren't paying attention to the video too closely. Try again
I've' put almost 1000km since the problem began and it has been diagnosed and accredited to Bosch as some sort of failure.
Since they are dragging their feet or just don't have another motor (which I find VERY suspect), maybe they want to see how much 'punishment' their suspect product can take before catastrophic failure??? Wondering @Bosch

 

[TrailSeeker]

Guessing you weren't paying attention to the video too closely. Try again
I've' put almost 1000km since the problem began and it has been diagnosed and accredited to Bosch as some sort of failure.
Since they are dragging their feet or just don't have another motor (which I find VERY suspect), maybe they want to see how much 'punishment' their suspect product can take before catastrophic failure??? Wondering @Bosch

Sorry, I'm about to watch the video now.. just to refresh my memory, aren't the bosch motors under warranty for 5 years?

 

[William - Bosch Team]

@chromatose

I recommend you stop riding this bike immediately until a qualified bicycle dealer has fixed the issue. Your video shows an extremely loose crank arm (the interface between the crank arm and the ISIS splines on the DU spindle.) It is extremely dangerous to ride a bicycle in this condition (eBike or otherwise.) The crank arm will definitely need to be replaced, and there is a strong possibility that continuing to ride it loose like this for 1000km has damaged the drive unit spindle as well.

If you continue to ride the bike like this, there is a very high likelihood that the crank arm will fail under load, creating a significant possibility of injury to the rider.

The most common cause of crank arm interface issues is failure to check torque on crank bolt on a regular basis. Under-torqued crank arm bolts allow for eventual play in the crank arm/spindle interface, leading the situation shown in your video. This is something your bicycle dealer should be checking during every tune-up.

The chain ring and the crank arm spindle on Gen2 Bosch DUs are not connected to each other, aside from a ratcheting drive interface. It makes sense that the crank arm is moving independently of the chain ring in your video, given the extreme damage to the crank arm. The axis the crank arm is pivoting on in your video, along with the wear on the crank arm both reinforce that this is an issue with the crank arm interface, not the internal spindle bearings.

I can't speak to the delay in service other than the global back-up and shortage the bicycle industry has been experiencing for more than a year now. If I had to guess, the delay may stem from your dealer, the OEM, and Bosch Service trying to figure out how to proceed. Unless your riding on the loose crank arm has damaged the DU spindle, there is nothing in the video that indicates a DU issue. That being said, I'm guessing there is now damage to the DU spindle based on how loose the crank arm is, and how long it was ridden for in this condition.

A general "best practices" for any bicycle component, situation, or noise: stop riding immediately if something is loose, or appears to have an issue. Continued use risks further damage to the bicycle, and/or harm to the rider.

Again, it is highly recommended that you stop riding this bicycle until a qualified bicycle dealer has fixed the issue.

 

[chromatose]

Thanks for exposing just how little Bosch cares about dealer service and Bosch's customers, now that I am into the 4th week waiting for remedy.
I find it extremely hard to believe that there isn't a warehouse somewhere in North America that doesn't have a pallet of motors sitting on it just for warranty purposes. If that ISN'T the case I would suggest you get a 'Team Member' to consider it.
One would think that a 'Bosch Team Member' would dig into the 'supply issue' rather than publish a CYA boiler plate PR response.
You have just guaranteed that my next eMTB will NOT be 'Powered by Bosch'. Congrats!

 

[Nwtravler]

Really you find it hard to believe there aren't pallets of motors? Have you seen what is happening with the supply chain right now? You'd be lucky if there was a pallet of motors anywhere in the world. Stuff like this happens, it takes time to go through the process. Like posted above, did you regularly check the torque of the crank arms, and everyother bolt on the bike? I find that many more things come loose on these ebikes than on my road bikes. The added speed/weight creates a lot more shock on the components so these need more maintenance checks.

 

[Stephen - Bosch Team]

Thanks for exposing just how little Bosch cares about dealer service and Bosch's customers, now that I am into the 4th week waiting for remedy.
I find it extremely hard to believe that there isn't a warehouse somewhere in North America that doesn't have a pallet of motors sitting on it just for warranty purposes. If that ISN'T the case I would suggest you get a 'Team Member' to consider it.
One would think that a 'Bosch Team Member' would dig into the 'supply issue' rather than publish a CYA boiler plate PR response.
You have just guaranteed that my next eMTB will NOT be 'Powered by Bosch'. Congrats!

Howdy, @chromatose --thanks for posting on the forum. Just to clarify my colleague William's reply---his main concern is for your safety. Safety is important to all of us. We as Bosch eBike Systems are not in the business of denying warranty claims nor punishing customers. If you have any information regarding your warranty case, please direct message William & I and we can look into this further for you.

Regarding the crank arm---its current condition is mechanically and operationally unsafe. Whether the crank arm is not tightened to spec or the splines are so worn that it produces that depicted play at proper torque, that is the first and foremost issue to pursue here. The encouragement to see a certified Bosch dealer is so they can assist you in determining whether the crank arm or the drive unit is the root of your issue. Once that is decided, Bosch is more than happy to assist and support our product, in this case the drive unit.

Please feel free to reach out directly with more questions or feedback on this matter.

-Stephen

 

[William - Bosch Team]

Hi @chromatose ,
I just spoke with Bosch Tech Support in Canada- they could not find any information on your case.

Are you able to direct message Stephen or myself with information about your warranty case so that we can check on it for you?

It may be a good idea to contact your dealer and ask who they filed the claim with. Without knowing anything other than what Bosch Service CA told me, and what your video shows, I suspect your service case may be with Trek for a crank arm.

We are here to help, but will need more information to move this forward for you.

 

[chromatose]

Hi @chromatose ,
I just spoke with Bosch Tech Support in Canada- they could not find any information on your case.

Are you able to direct message Stephen or myself with information about your warranty case so that we can check on it for you?

It may be a good idea to contact your dealer and ask who they filed the claim with. Without knowing anything other than what Bosch Service CA told me, and what your video shows, I suspect your service case may be with Trek for a crank arm.

We are here to help, but will need more information to move this forward for you.

No worries, finally got a replacement however...

 

[chromatose]

Hi @chromatose ,
I just spoke with Bosch Tech Support in Canada- they could not find any information on your case.

Are you able to direct message Stephen or myself with information about your warranty case so that we can check on it for you?

It may be a good idea to contact your dealer and ask who they filed the claim with. Without knowing anything other than what Bosch Service CA told me, and what your video shows, I suspect your service case may be with Trek for a crank arm.

We are here to help, but will need more information to move this forward for you.

Found it. Ideas to secure it better?

 

[Stephen - Bosch Team]

I would suggest a new cover. Bosch p/n: 1270.015.106 at a very nominal cost.

New drive units do not come with a new design cover. The old design cover was transferred over during install I presume. Sometimes the backing tape is too aged for re-adhering.

It would not be the end of the world to ride with no cover if that's the route you decide to take.

Cheers