Back in March 2025, FAZUA gave their Ride 60 system a hardware upgrade, introducing a new remote control and an optional 480 Wh battery. So far, however, only buyers of new models have been able to take advantage of it. Now comes a software update that’s available to all users of the FAZUA Ride 60 system, no matter which eMTB they ride. With the Firmware Bundle 12, FAZUA aim to noticeably improve the ride feel of their drive system. New features such as the dynamic KickOverrun, automatic sensor calibration and extended standby time are designed to make the system feel more intuitive and deliver a smoother riding experience.
FAZUA, the Bavarian manufacturer known for their compact mid-drive motors, produced their first motor at their Ottobrunn facility back in 2017. The second generation of their mid-drives hit the market in 2022 with the launch of the Ride 60. But the debut was wobbly. Reliability issues and sporadic failures – especially with early production batches – drew well-justified criticism. Since then, however, FAZUA turned things around, stepping up their quality control significantly. During our most recent visit to their factory in winter 2024, we saw the improvements for ourselves– and our real-world testing of various bikes in spring 2025 went off without a hitch. The current batches of the Ride 60 are running much more reliably, and the early teething problems are now a thing of the past.
What’s new in the FAZUA Ride 60 software update? KickOverrun and more
The core specs of the FAZUA Ride 60 remain unchanged with Firmware Bundle 12– 60 Nm of torque and up to 450 watts of peak power in Boost mode. But the latest update introduces a brand-new feature called KickOverrun, which is designed to enhance trail performance.
KickOverrun delivers an extra push when you stop pedalling by extending the motor’s overrun. This especially handy on steep, technical climbs where it’s impossible to throw in a full additional crank rotation– like when tackling ledges or rocky steps. The feature aims to give you more control and momentum exactly when you need it. Bosch users may already be familiar with the concept through Extended Boost, but FAZUA claim their implementation takes a different technical approach.
The update also includes:
- Automatic torque sensor calibration
- Extended standby time – ideal for longer breaks or frequent app use
- Improved system reliability thanks to refined thermal management
According to FAZUA, the update makes the Ride 60 feel noticeably more intuitive, sensitive and natural. But before you can enjoy the new trail feel, there’s one thing you’ll need to do first: install the software update.
How to install the new FAZUA Ride 60 software update
On the FAZUA website, you can download Toolbox 2.24 as well as the Firmware Bundle 12 update for Windows, Mac or Linux. The Toolbox file only needs to be unzipped– no installation required.
Connect your computer to the FAZUA Ride 60 LED Hub using a USB-C cable. To do this, simply lift the LED Hub display at the front to access the connector. Switch on the e-bike and launch the Toolbox, which will automatically connect to the bike. Under the “Update” tab, start the update process by selecting “Local” as the source for the update bundle and choosing your downloaded Firmware Bundle 12 file. Alternatively, you can click “Online” and select Firmware Bundle 12 directly from there. That’s it!
While brands like Bosch and DJI offer more convenient over-the-air updates using an app, the FAZUA update is still quick and easy to install,provided you’re a bit tech-savvy. It takes around 10 minutes, costs nothing and saves you a trip to the workshop.
Our settings in the FAZUA app in detail
As usual, the FAZUA app lets you customise the three ride modes– Breeze, River and Rocket – to suit your needs and preferences. You can adjust three key parameters: the support ratio (how much power the motor delivers relative to your own input), the maximum motor output, and how dynamically the motor responds to changes in your pedalling effort.
You can fine-tune these settings using an intuitive graph interface by shifting the curve points, or by entering numerical values directly. Once configured, a complete set of settings for all three modes can be saved under a custom name, allowing you to adapt the motor system to different ride profiles quickly and easily. There are also several factory presets available– which we really like.
To compare the ride feel before and after the update, we set the River mode with moderate support and medium dynamics to test how well the motor modulates. The Rocket mode, on the other hand, was configured for maximum assistance with a direct response.
How does the FAZUA Ride 60 perform on the trail with the new software update?
For our test, we brought along the Santa Cruz Heckler SL equipped with the latest FAZUA Mode Control and running the new Software Update Bundle 12. For comparison, we also rode the YT Decoy SN MX, which features the FAZUA Ring Control and was still on Software Update Bundle 10.
The FAZUA Toolbox showed identical hardware versions for the motor, torque sensor, battery and display on both bikes. This allowed us to make direct cross-comparisons between the two software versions. Both test bikes were fitted with the standard 430 Wh battery.
Hitting the trail: When pedalling the YT DECOY SN MX with the previous software version, there’s a noticeable delay before the motor kicks in. In other words, you have to get the bike rolling under your own steam first, and then you’re glad when the power finally arrives. If you suddenly stop pedalling, the motor continues to run briefly before cutting off the assistance quite abruptly.
If you ease off the pedals more gradually, the motor responds accordingly and reduces support in a smooth, controlled manner. The system responds well to subtle changes in rider input, but when you start or stop pedaling suddenly, there’s a noticeable lag in response.
Setting off from a standstill is noticeably smoother with the updated Santa Cruz Heckler SL, requiring far less crank movement before the motor kicks in. Needless to say, the amount of initial support you get depends on the ride mode settings, but the quicker motor response is immediately noticeable in a good way. Power delivery also feels significantly smoother and more refined.
One big plus: the irritating clicking noises from the motor’s freewheel, often triggered by sudden support changes, have been eliminated. The assistance now fades out much more naturally when you stop pedalling or hit the 25 km/h threshold – no more abrupt cut-off.
The biggest new addition is the KickOverrun function, which makes a real difference on technical climbs. The motor continues pushing noticeably longer once you stop pedalling. The overrun duration depends on how much force you applied just before: a light pedal input leads to a short overrun, while a more powerful stroke gives you longer support. Legally, the system won’t push beyond two metres.
It takes a bit of practice at first to get a feel for when KickOverrun engages and how long it carries on, but once you get used to it, it feels intuitive. One important thing to note: KickOverrun only activates if you were pedalling properly beforehand. A quick jab from standstill– like with the Bosch motor– won’t do anything on the FAZUA system.
KickOverrun really proves its worth when approaching obstacles like ledges and steps. Instead of forcing a full pedal stroke and risking a pedal strike, you ease off just in time and deliver a well-timed pedal impulse. The motor then delivers a controlled surge that helps carry you cleanly over the obstacle. Sure, it’s not as punchy as a full-power motor– FAZUA’s Ride 60 simply doesn’t have that level of output– but it still makes tricky climbs noticeably easier.
The extended standby time is a welcome improvement too. The motor now stays active for 10 minutes before shutting down if the bike isn’t in use. That’s handy when you’re waiting for your trail buddies at the end of a descent, and especially if you’re logging your ride with the app. If the motor powers down, the app loses connection and the recording stops. You then have to reconnect and restart the session manually. The longer standby time helps prevent that, though an auto-resume feature would be the icing on the cake.
But has the update truly fixed it all?
In steeper sections and on nasty steps, we actually made it a bit further with the YT DECOY SN MX with the older firmware than with the updated Santa Cruz Heckler SL. It felt like the DECOY had a bit more punch when it really counted.
That impression was confirmed when we installed the new update on the YT Decoy SN as well. At first, we were surprised: in the same test spot, the bike felt noticeably less punchy– even though we had Rocket mode dialled in with maximum dynamics. So we switched over to River mode, which we had deliberately set up with lower dynamics, and suddenly the power was back. In fact, it felt more powerful and more controlled than before.
Here’s why: high dynamics mean the motor torque ramps up quickly– but it also drops off just as fast. This becomes a problem when the cranks hit a dead spot or your cadence fluctuates, which was exactly the case on the steps and obstacles we tested. With reduced dynamics in River mode, motor torque builds more gradually and fades more slowly, providing a steadier, more sustained push over a longer period.. The result? With this setup, the FAZUA Ride 60 powered us confidently back up the stairs– proving just how much trail performance depends on getting the settings right.
Conclusions about the FAZUA Ride 60 software update
All in all, the Firmware Bundle 12 is a noticeable and worthwhile upgrade that brings a clear improvement in ride feel. The motor responds quicker and more sensitively to rider input, power delivery is easier to modulate, and the KickOverrun feature offers genuine support on technical climbs, once you’ve got the hang of it. An over-the-air update function via the app would have made the whole package even better, but even so, this is a smart and meaningful update that every Ride 60 user should install.
Tops
- More dynamic support when setting off
- Practical KickOverrun function
- Smooth motor engagement and disengagement
- Faster modulation of motor power
Flops
- no over-the-air update
More info at fazua.com
Words: Ben Krager, Benedikt Schmidt Photos: Robin Schmitt
