Shimano STePS E8000 owners?
- Thread starter Lar
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I recently acquired my first bike, which is equipped with an E8000. You can read about my impressions of the bike as a whole in this thread, but here I'll respond a little bit about the E8000 specifically. Since I've never ridden any other e-bike, and since I haven't had this bike for long, take my input with a grain of salt.
I've been riding on the road and some moderate trails, but this bike is not an MTB. I live in a hilly area and have used it on a lot of grades around 6-10%, probably topping out so far at 16%. I am in good shape overall but am not a good cyclist. The highest I've had this motor is the "low" setting on Trail, which provides 70% assist topping out at 70 Nm of torque. See the graph below. At that setting, the hills I've described feel like no effort. Today I did a ride and did not go past the "medium" setting on Eco. You can read about that here. Based on my limited experience so far, I think the E8000 motor is overkill for me, and the E6100 would have been more than enough. A couple of times I've pushed the E8000 into Boost just to see what it's like, and honestly I don't understand what it's for. Maybe if I encounter a much steeper grade I'll need it.
What I like the least about the E8000, by far, is the noise. It is loud in any setting, so much so that I find myself turning it off whenever possible, which I actually don't mind because I'd like to condition myself. Today I was riding uphill on a windy road with beautiful scenery, no cars around, and the motor was ruining the mood. So I shut it off.
I really like the SC-E8000 display unit. It is small and IMO more elegant than any competing display I've seen, but exceedingly clear and visible in any light. I couldn't really improve this display. My bike has Di2 shifting, and the gear is displayed on the SC-E8000. I use that feature all the time. I guess I wish there were a USB charging output, but so far I have not felt that pain.
I like that the E-TUBE app allows tuning the assist levels for Eco, Trail, and Boost. It helps me get closer to the levels I want for conditioning myself. There is a third-party app (stunlocker) that allows more fine-grained tuning, but I have not tried it. I am not quick to let a third-party app connect to the controller.
On my bike, equipped with XT Di2, there is no feature that cuts the motor during a shift. I'm of two minds about this. On one hand, I like being in control. But on the other hand, I always try to back off enough to shut down the motor before a shift, and so it would just be more convenient if this were automatic. I'm not sure why Shimano doesn't make this at least a user-selectible option, especially with Di2 because obviously the computer knows I'm shifting.
I've been riding on the road and some moderate trails, but this bike is not an MTB. I live in a hilly area and have used it on a lot of grades around 6-10%, probably topping out so far at 16%. I am in good shape overall but am not a good cyclist. The highest I've had this motor is the "low" setting on Trail, which provides 70% assist topping out at 70 Nm of torque. See the graph below. At that setting, the hills I've described feel like no effort. Today I did a ride and did not go past the "medium" setting on Eco. You can read about that here. Based on my limited experience so far, I think the E8000 motor is overkill for me, and the E6100 would have been more than enough. A couple of times I've pushed the E8000 into Boost just to see what it's like, and honestly I don't understand what it's for. Maybe if I encounter a much steeper grade I'll need it.
What I like the least about the E8000, by far, is the noise. It is loud in any setting, so much so that I find myself turning it off whenever possible, which I actually don't mind because I'd like to condition myself. Today I was riding uphill on a windy road with beautiful scenery, no cars around, and the motor was ruining the mood. So I shut it off.
I really like the SC-E8000 display unit. It is small and IMO more elegant than any competing display I've seen, but exceedingly clear and visible in any light. I couldn't really improve this display. My bike has Di2 shifting, and the gear is displayed on the SC-E8000. I use that feature all the time. I guess I wish there were a USB charging output, but so far I have not felt that pain.
I like that the E-TUBE app allows tuning the assist levels for Eco, Trail, and Boost. It helps me get closer to the levels I want for conditioning myself. There is a third-party app (stunlocker) that allows more fine-grained tuning, but I have not tried it. I am not quick to let a third-party app connect to the controller.
On my bike, equipped with XT Di2, there is no feature that cuts the motor during a shift. I'm of two minds about this. On one hand, I like being in control. But on the other hand, I always try to back off enough to shut down the motor before a shift, and so it would just be more convenient if this were automatic. I'm not sure why Shimano doesn't make this at least a user-selectible option, especially with Di2 because obviously the computer knows I'm shifting.
McCorby
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I think what is and is not too loud is very subjective, and the OP should try to test ride as many of the different motor options they can before making a decision. With that said, although the E8000 is not known for being the quietest, I have never felt that the noise from mine was so extreme that I needed to turn it off. It should also be noted that different bike frame designs can transmit noise more than others. Again, a test ride is always a good idea before making a purchase.
I too like the ability to easily tune the assist levels and performance characteristics using the e-tube app. You can also setup two different assist profiles. For example, for mountain biking, you could create one profile for climbing hills and the other for single track or more technical trails. It is also nice that you can update the motor, display, and battery software with the app. No need to go to the bike shop to do so.
I too also like the E8000‘s ability to conquer hills. I have yet to meet a hill that it can’t climb with ease!
I personally like having only 3 assist levels (Eco, Trail, and Boost), versus four or five the other “big four” (Bosch, Brose, and Yamaha) have. Trail mode has a wide assist range and it is very dynamic. You can often just set it on Trail mode and forget about it. I feel it eliminates the need for having additional assist levels.
I like the wiring architecture that Shimano uses. It is CAN and their proprietary “E-TUBE” wiring is very thin and unobtrusive compared to others I have seen, including others that also use a CAN bus. Also, being a CAN bus, it doesn’t matter what port the display, mode switch, Di2 system (if you have it), and wheel speed sensor are plugged into. All of these devices use identical connectors. The controller recognizes the actual device, not the port it is connected to. This is more of a nerd thing, but I think it’s pretty cool!
I can’t think of anything I really dislike about it to be honest. If I had to choose something, it would be that the display (Shimano has several display options that can be used with the E8000) I have does not show battery percentage. It only has a segmented battery symbol. Though the dynamic range estimates makes this really a non issue in my opinion. My display even has a ”page” that shows the the estimated range for all three assist levels, which allows you to see how far you can go in each assist level without you having to actually switch through the assist levels.
Speaking of displays, I like that mine is removable. Removing it becomes another theft deterrent, since the bike can’t be turned on without it.
Oh, and I also agree that a USB port on the display for charging a phone or GPS would be a nice to have.
Edit: Here’s a YouTube review (Canadian/European version limited to 25kph) of the bike I have that gives you an idea of the E8000s performance including noise. The ride test is more toward the end of the video.
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Agreed. Also, I should have given the caveat that I am notoriously and irritatingly noise-sensitive. Noises that other people don't hear often bother me a lot. I may be getting an e-bike for my wife soon, and I'm eager to compare the noise level of whatever she ends up getting.
I agree that the wiring is surprisingly nice. I did not know that the ports are functionally equivalent—very nice!
Good point about the battery display. It is a 5-segment display on mine. I think the stunlocker app gives a percentage.
McCorby
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My girlfriend has a Trek Verve + with the Bosch Active Line motor. It is incredibly quiet, but it also puts out considerably less power.
Yes, to me, the cables kinda look like miniature coax cables, with just a single terminal pin in the center of the connector. They are very simple and elegant.
My original display gave percentage like the one in the video that I posted above has, but it did not have Bluetooth. The one I upgraded to with Bluetooth for some reason doesn’t give percentage.
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Thanks all... I should have mentioned my use will be mtbing so the climbing is the main concern. The programming sounds very useful. Have heard the motor not cutting out during shifting is hard on the components (chain, gears) so I'd be thinking about that when shifting and might be more of a concern for mtb?!
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
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- Europe
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- Mazovia, PL
Specialized e-bikes have three assist levels, too.
FlatSix911
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- Silicon Valley
I think you will find that the Shimano E8000 has plenty of power to climb... I would focus on the controls and customization features that are available on the app.
Here is a good comparison article on the mid-drive MTB motors... the E8000 came out on top in 2019 and has now been eclipsed by the new Shimano EP8 in 2020.
e-MTB mid motor shootout: Bosch Performance Line CX vs Shimano STEPS E8000 vs Yamaha PW-X vs Brose | electric bike reviews, buying advice and news - ebiketips (road.cc)
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Good article. I like the "paddle shift remote to switch between modes" set up sounds ideal to me rather than pushing buttons also the battery range being the winner.
I think I read somewhere it has a walk assist mode?? which if true is important to me..
FlatSix911
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The Shimano mode shifter design is excellent... walk mode is standard and may have to be enabled by your local dealer.
The Shimano system is probably the most intuitive from a mountain biker’s point of view. The paddle shifter user to change modes is the same unit that their Di2 mountain bike drivetrain uses, and it’s excellent: easy to find without looking at it, and easy to use with a nice positive feedback. The LED screen is small but clear, with colour-coded modes so you can see where you are at a glance.
That screen looks good too.. nice and protected also good if you to have to set the bike upside down on the bars too fix a flat on the trail.The Shimano mode shifter design is excellent... walk mode is standard and may have to be enabled by your local dealer.
The Shimano system is probably the most intuitive from a mountain biker’s point of view. The paddle shifter user to change modes is the same unit that their Di2 mountain bike drivetrain uses, and it’s excellent: easy to find without looking at it, and easy to use with a nice positive feedback. The LED screen is small but clear, with colour-coded modes so you can see where you are at a glance.
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Found doing a Google search. Hopefully that's the case with the one I'm looking at.
"It’s incredibly straight forward to activate walk assist. Just press and hold the bottom button on the left switch unit until ‘walk’ appears on the display, then press the bottom button again to activate."
"It’s incredibly straight forward to activate walk assist. Just press and hold the bottom button on the left switch unit until ‘walk’ appears on the display, then press the bottom button again to activate."
I have walk mode on my E8000 bike. I have not used it yet beyond testing it.
Regarding the switch units, Shimano makes several variations. Below I show the left side—the side that controls the assist level—but there is an equivalent right side. Different bikes come with different controls, but I think they're all interchangeable.
A key thing to note is that only the SW-E6010 and SW-E6000 have a third button. This button is useful for cycling through the information display. I've read that some people whose bikes came with trigger controls swap it out for the SW-E6010, at least on the left side, so that they can get this third button. I think if you don't have this button then you need to use the small button on the bottom edge of the display in the center of the handlebars.
My bike came with SE-E6010 on the left and right sides, and I find it quite un-ergonomic for shifting the Di2 derailleur (right side). It's fine on the left because I don't shift assist levels nearly as often as I shift cogs. But on the right, no matter how I position it, I have to move my hand out of the way to shift. Also, I've noticed that when my hands get too cold I get a lot of missed shifts and double shifts. So I am going to keep the SW-E6010 on the left but swap it out for the SW-M9050 on the right. I don't need the third button on the right. Apparently the SW-M9050 build quality is worth the extra cost over the SW-M8050.
SW-M9050-L (XTR series)
SW-M8050-L (XT series)
SW-E6010-L
SW-E7000-L
SW-E6000
Regarding the switch units, Shimano makes several variations. Below I show the left side—the side that controls the assist level—but there is an equivalent right side. Different bikes come with different controls, but I think they're all interchangeable.
A key thing to note is that only the SW-E6010 and SW-E6000 have a third button. This button is useful for cycling through the information display. I've read that some people whose bikes came with trigger controls swap it out for the SW-E6010, at least on the left side, so that they can get this third button. I think if you don't have this button then you need to use the small button on the bottom edge of the display in the center of the handlebars.
My bike came with SE-E6010 on the left and right sides, and I find it quite un-ergonomic for shifting the Di2 derailleur (right side). It's fine on the left because I don't shift assist levels nearly as often as I shift cogs. But on the right, no matter how I position it, I have to move my hand out of the way to shift. Also, I've noticed that when my hands get too cold I get a lot of missed shifts and double shifts. So I am going to keep the SW-E6010 on the left but swap it out for the SW-M9050 on the right. I don't need the third button on the right. Apparently the SW-M9050 build quality is worth the extra cost over the SW-M8050.
SW-M9050-L (XTR series)
SW-M8050-L (XT series)
SW-E6010-L
SW-E7000-L
SW-E6000
My current ebike has the button type shift, have yet become used to it, should be no need to have to look at anything except the trail.
I'll experiment with that on my current ebike but after thirty plus years it's second nature to blindly use a shifter.
McCorby
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That’s how mine works. You do need to make sure you’re in a higher gear, otherwise it can be too slow.
I’m almost positive that a dealer will not need to enable it. Bosch is another story though for some bike manufacturers. I don’t think Trek with Bosch even allows it to be enabled. At least that was the case for a while. My girlfriend’s Trek Verve + it can’t be enabled by the dealer anyway.
Interesting .. didn't think about needing different gears for walk assist but that would work well for different grades.
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