Shimano steps is not a good choice (no spare parts for the drive)

anton.somora

anton.somora

New Member
Region
Europe
My e6100 motor broke down after riding only 100 km. The internet suggests that this is not an isolated problem. Plastic gears are probably not a good choice in terms of durability.
What bothers me more, however, is that Shimano sells almost no spare parts for their motor. I really didn't count on that when I bought it :(. After the warranty, if something goes wrong (and it looks like it will) , you are left to replace the motor, which costs about 500 - 1000 Euros. I now regret not choosing a Bosch engine, or rather a Bafang for which parts can be ordered anywhere and are relatively cheap.

My eBIke (Kona Dew-e dl) has has exactly the same problem as this post:
electricbikereview.com

Shimano e6100 Motor issue - Clunking and Whirring

Hi, new member here with a question. My Shimano e6100 equipped Merida has barely reached 200km total and started making a clicking/clunking noise. The noise was only apparent when the motor was providing assistance, and noisier as the torque applied to the pedals increased. I shot a video of the...
electricbikereview.com electricbikereview.com

Another posts with similar problems:

Shimano Steps E6000 motor parts - Australian Cycling Forums - Bicycles Network Australia

Australian Cycling Forums by Bicycles Network Australia is a community for bike topics and discussion
www.bicycles.net.au www.bicycles.net.au

Replacement parts for DU-E7000 motor

Hey guys, The DU-E7000 motor on my BMC Trailfox AMP decided to stop working - was making a grinding sound and i had no assist in any modes. Since I do not have warranty and against Shimano's better judgement I decided to open the motor. There i found a plastic cog connecting the cranks to the...
www.emtbforums.com www.emtbforums.com

Out of warranty shimano repairs

As a shimano e8000 owner thats awaiting a warranty repair/replacement drive unit i am starting to think about whats going to come of these motors after they come out of warranty and fail. There does not seem to be any repair service or spare motor parts availability. Does shimano expect us to...
www.emtbforums.com www.emtbforums.com
 
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Bafang has millions of gear hub motors with "plastic" gears in them. If your motor had metal gears in it you would be complaining about the noise. You will also find issues on the internet with Bosch, Brose, and every single brand of motor. Suggesting that every single e6100 is bound for failure as you suggest in your title is just not true. Non are bullet proof nor immune to quality issues. Having an early hour failure on one motor does not guarantee early hour failure with the next motor you get.
 
The fact that my engine broke down is just a side plot. Honestly, I don't care what those cogs are made of. I am not suggesting in the title that every steps motor is problematic. I just state: Shimano is not a good choice. And in the post I was trying elaborate this: because long-term usage will be require motor purchase, because no spare parts.
Bafang 1 cog broken = 1 cog purchase
Shimano 1 cog broken = 1 motor purchase
 
some things are more likely to fail right away than after a long period of time; hopefully you'll get a warranty replacement, at no cost, and be back on the road again.

internet anecdotes about product failures are just that. if there are 1,000,000 of this product sold, and .1% have a problem, there will be hundreds of complaints on the internet. if there are 1,000 of this product sold, and half of them have a problem, there will be hundreds of complaints on the internet. it is impossible to determine which situation is which since the vast, vast, vast majority of people happily using the product don't post on the internet!
 
I totally get what Anton.somora is saying. He is not complaining that his bike broke down. What he is getting at is that, if you own a Shimano motor, and it breaks you will not be able to buy parts for it to fix it. You will have to go out and buy a complete motor at a higher expense then it would be to just buy a part for the motor like you can for a Bafang or a Bosch.

So for those that are looking at E-bikes and it comes equipped with a Shimano motor be prepared for the extra expense of fixing it if you have motor problems. I agree with him. These companies who are producing these should be following up with replacement parts. Just think if you went out a bought a new car and you had engine problems and you find out that the car manufacturers do not make replacement parts for your car. Kind of ridiculous.

Also with everyone complaining about climate change and the huge amount of waste that gets discarded would it not be better to be able to repair these things instead of having to throw the whole thing in the garbage just because of one small defective part. We need to start fixing and repairing instead of discarding. Less waste ,better place.

Bruce
 
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Breakdowns at only 100km is ridiculous and totally unsat. But you are not alone. Their new EP8 motor has quality control problems as well and the turnaround time for warranty replacement is a joke: https://www.mtbr.com/threads/new-shimano-ep8-failure-anyone-else-out-there-with-a-warranty.1182976/

Here's an E7000 motor failure with pics: https://www.mtbr.com/threads/shimano-steps-e7000-motor.1180603/

On forums like this one as well as the ebike forum on mtbr (skip the bs ebike hate posts, which are plenty), you learn things: Like R&M with the Rohloff electronic shifter leaks hub oil...... High end Stromers are often problematic and getting help from the US distributor is a spotty thing...... Brose had a ton of internal drive belt failures bricking the motor (allegedly now, fixed. Time will tell on that one)....... Yamaha and Bosch do not offer rebuilt internal sensor boards, torque sensors; gears for the Yamaha are non-existent; Bosch I believe might have a rebuilt kit with a couple gears included but don't take that as gospel). Basically, the higher end motor manufacturers do not allow the owner to make their own repairs. And that's not right and has to change.

I see alot of bike companies have latched onto Shimano in the past few years, which is going to be a big mistake once the warranty repairs come in, like yours. Kind of wonder if in trying to muscle in on market-share, Shimano offered a sweetheart deal to these bike companies. It's hard for me to equate the company that makes such a bulletproof derailleur system on my Haibike is the same business that makes such an unreliable, untrustworthy for the long term, ebike drive and battery system.

I certainly wish you well and hope you continue to provide pressure to those responsible for honoring their warranty replacement. Please keep us informed of the outcome.
 
anton.somora said:
After the warranty, if something goes wrong (and it looks like it will) , you are left to replace the motor, which costs about 500 - 1000 Euros. I now regret not choosing a Bosch engine, or rather a Bafang for which parts can be ordered anywhere and are relatively cheap.
Click to expand...


You linked to emtb , are you aware of Performance line bearings ? ( https://www.performancelinebearings.com/ ) As well as replacement bearings, they can often supply second hand parts , including gears.

Unfortunately, secondhand parts aren't much use when there is a weak point in a motor, eg the brose belt, or the yamaha plastic gear that strips from full power pedal strikes, Incidentally, you CAN buy that gear from yamaha but it's expensive enough nobody does.
 
Here is the thing there is a time when you should just replace parts and a time to replace a whole unite and as whole the world tends lean to much on the throw it away side of things.
 
PDoz said:
You linked to emtb , are you aware of Performance line bearings ? ( https://www.performancelinebearings.com/ ) As well as replacement bearings, they can often supply second hand parts , including gears.

Unfortunately, secondhand parts aren't much use when there is a weak point in a motor, eg the brose belt, or the yamaha plastic gear that strips from full power pedal strikes, Incidentally, you CAN buy that gear from yamaha but it's expensive enough nobody does.
Click to expand...
Performance Line Group worldwide partners, including Performance Line Bearings (now eBike Motor Centre), won't service Shimano STePS motors.

For one explanation as to why, here it is from the founder's keyboard:

STEPS E8000 Motor Service

There was one shim washer between the case and one 6900ZZ that was in five pieces. This was replaced Hi PoppyRex, thank you for posting your results. Can you please give more information or pictures of the shim washer replacement
www.emtbforums.com www.emtbforums.com

As I understand it, this applies to all Shimano STePS motors (e5000, e6100, e7000, e8000, and EP8).
 
I cannot believe in that survey.
If it were true, our Forum would be bombed with posts of furious Shimano STEPS motor users. But it is not. I have looked at the e-bike brands represented in the survey and the list is very limited. (The survey looks amateurish to me).

Anton: You motor has been replaced. Very good it broke early. No point to worry. I've been in these Forums for more than two years. There was a time when Specialized had issues with their Brose motors. Several people reported broken motors in their Spec e-bikes: either the motors or entire e-bikes were replaced under the warranty. Nowadays, you don't hear about broken Specialized motors anymore. I guess your case Anton belongs to the similar class of circumstances. Don't worry. Just ride on!
 
It is enough to read the discussion on that Forum. The users there have laughed the report down!
 
So the story continues, now it's error E010 that randomly appears while driving and interrupts the assistance. After switching it off and on though everything works again, but during my 20 km it happens a few times. In the etube the error is logged as e01020 A sensor abnormality was detected. Looks like a motor replacement again :(.

Shimano E8000 E010 Shutdowns

Update 6/12/21: After 14 months of dealing with the E010 problems discussed below the bike shop finally got to talk to someone a Shimano who knew what they were doing. It turns out the bike has a memory for error events (new feature?) which can be downloaded from the bike computer. In my case...
www.emtbforums.com www.emtbforums.com
 
anton.somora said:
So the story continues, now it's error E010 that randomly appears while driving and interrupts the assistance. After switching it off and on though everything works again, but during my 20 km it happens a few times. In the etube the error is logged as e01020 A sensor abnormality was detected. Looks like a motor replacement again :(.

Shimano E8000 E010 Shutdowns

Update 6/12/21: After 14 months of dealing with the E010 problems discussed below the bike shop finally got to talk to someone a Shimano who knew what they were doing. It turns out the bike has a memory for error events (new feature?) which can be downloaded from the bike computer. In my case...
www.emtbforums.com www.emtbforums.com
Click to expand...
I'd have more sympathy for you if 7 or your 12 posts here weren't you complaining about Shimano and their entire motor line. Many of your Shimano references don't even refer to the same motor that you have. Every model motor they make can't be all having the exact same issues. I have an e8000 with 750 miles on it and I am very happy. Try to contribute other positive things to the forum and you might get some help.
 
As you wish:
I'd like to share with you my excitement about the electric bike I bought for commuting to work. The plan was that I would get on the bike in the morning and get to work as quickly as possible while enjoying some fresh air. However, I got so much more. No more panting up hills while passing cyclists on carbon road bikes, zigzagging between stationary cars in the city. It does take longer, but you stretch a bit along the way, you air your head out, and morning coffee with colleagues just tastes different. The bicycle, however, has a brain of its own. Sophisticatedly, it constantly reminds you what a luxury it is to have 250 watts at your disposal at all times and without fatigue. Along the way, just as you're barreling through throngs of cyclists, he tell yourself to take a break. Suddenly, the pedals get heavier and you're pushing frantically, but it's not enough. So you give it a little indulgence and pedal on without it. But it's not the same, you try to persuade him, you threaten him, he gives in now and then, but in the end he lets you know that he's the boss. And you have to accept that and ride him. But as you ride him and he doesn't ride you, your leg muscles grow and somehow you realize that maybe you don't need that brain motor on the bike. And for that, I'm really grateful. If you want to experience the joy of cycling, buy an e-bike with a Shimano motor first. You're guaranteed to start loving biking without motor.
 
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rich c said:
I'd have more sympathy for you if 7 or your 12 posts here weren't you complaining about Shimano and their entire motor line. Many of your Shimano references don't even refer to the same motor that you have. Every model motor they make can't be all having the exact same issues. I have an e8000 with 750 miles on it and I am very happy. Try to contribute other positive things to the forum and you might get some help.
Click to expand...
Shimano e8000, e7000, and EP8 all use the same torque sensor, the failure of which is the primary cause of the E010 error. My e8000's sensor failed at ~2500 miles, and I took excellent care of it
 
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