Using Lake Garda’s Bike Festival as the launching ground, SHIMANO introduced their dedicated e-mountain bike drive unit. We’ve had the opportunity to check out this state-of-the-art piece of kit and pool together all the vital information for you. So what distinguishes the SHIMANO STEPS MTB motor from those of Bosch, Yamaha & Co.?
Part of Shimano’s thought process when it came to developing the e-mountain bike specific components was the aim of making the ride as natural as possible and giving it handling that would feel like a regular mountain bike. The core piece is the 70 Nm drive unit, the DU-E8000, with a suitably compact design to render it fit for bikes with shorter chain stays, here’s where handling and manoeuvrability benefit. Moreover, the design permits a low Q-factor of just 175 mm. Shimano have designed it to fit securely onto the bike, specifically kitting it out for use on the trails. Cooling fins on the driveside are in place in to prevent the motor from the overheating. There’s an optional chain retention device that can be attached to the unit to keep the chain secure on rough ground. The motor is powered by a 500 Wh battery (BT – E8010), which is said to last up to 1,000 charges.
The power assist modes for the motor are controlled using a handlebar-mounted lever with a design much like the electronic gear shifters on the XT Di2 range, for switching between three modes (Eco, Trail and High Power). The computer is also very similar to the electronic shifting set, although it’s a bit larger and changes colour to display the current level of pedal assist; a practical and simple solution for a quick glance while riding. Just like the recently launched computer for the XT Di2 groupset, the SC-E8000 also has a Bluetooth connection that can pair with your smart phone, tablet or computer to change the settings and customize the set-up.
Depending on your type of riding, you can set the STEPS up with either a 34T or 38T chain rings, as well as combining it with current Shimano gearing. When it comes to cranks, Shimano have created both a hollow version and a solid crank arm. The STEPS MTB drivetrain is also compatible with mechanical shifting, but SHIMANO highly recommend the new XT Di2 as a sparring partner. Both the XT Di2 and the XTR Di2 are fully compatible with the system, relying on energy from the motor’s battery. The bar-mounted cycle computer can also reveal the current gear you’re riding in.
As e-mountain bikers we’ve unfortunately gotten pretty chummy with chain breaks and chain sucks, so we were also hoping that the cassette, chain and rear derailleur would have been fine-tuned and optimized for use on e-mtbs.
First impression
An answer to the ever-important question of how the all-new SHIMANO STEPS MTB rides still eludes us at this moment in time. But both on the stand and on paper, this SHIMANO system has got us hooked. Switching through pedal assist modes by using a classic-looking gear shifter is both simple and ingenious. They’ve kept the computer display compact and discrete without sacrificing any relevant information.
However, the best part is the integration of their own well-known electronic shifters, which marked the first step a few years ago for mountain bikes towards an electric future. It’s still a shame to see that the cassette, chain and rear derailleur are yet to be adapted specifically for e-mountain bikes, and we’d have loved SHIMANO to turn their expertise to these components. We’re stoked to get out and test the SHIMANO STEPS MTB System to see if it will really live up to SHIMANO’s promises and teach the old dog new tricks.
Words and Photos: Moritz Dittmar
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