Test: Almost exactly a year ago, Bosch presented its e-bike ABS for the first time. It was viewed with a great deal of skepticism, including by us; However, the first tests back then were convincing and now, with the Flyer TX ABS, we had the opportunity for the first time to put the Bosch e-bike ABS to the test over a longer period of time.
Flyer TX ABS: Proven qualities now with Bosch E-Bike ABS
The Flyer TX is not a real new addition to the portfolio of the Swiss e-bike pioneer; the universal e-trekking bike with full suspension has been very popular since its introduction in 2016. With its high comfort factor and the conditional off-road suitability, it moves in the field of tension between classic trekking bikes and mountain bikes. This is exactly what many buyers are looking for, because on the one hand you get the mentioned full suspension with 65 or 75mm at the front wheel and even 100mm at the rear, but on the other hand you also get full equipment with lighting, mudguards and luggage rack suitable for everyday use.
The Flyer TX ABS is a new addition for the 2019 model year and is currently available exclusively as a test fleet at Flyer's headquarters. As the name suggests, it is one of the first production bikes to be equipped with the new ABS braking system from drive manufacturer Bosch, which the company presented to the public for the first time a year ago. The functional principle is probably well known from cars or even more from motorcycles: The system uses two ABS rings attached to the brake discs to monitor how fast the two wheels are turning. In addition, it receives data from the drive such as cadence, speed, motor support, etc. All this information is combined into one image and used to achieve two goals:
- The front wheel should not block
- The rear wheel must not leave the ground during braking
The idea behind it is clear: braking should be more efficient and safer, bold braking should also be possible on the front wheel without fear that the wheel would slip or you could roll over.
https://www.velomotion.de/2017/06/bosch-e-bike-abs-bremse-pedelec/
Can the Bosch e-bike ABS convince in practice?
After switching on the drive, the ABS indicator light mounted on the handlebars lights up, signaling to us: All right, the ABS is ready for use and active. As a driver, you don't have to do more - it is also not possible to (de)activate the function manually. Of course, curiosity and the urge to play were aroused in us from the very first meters and we wanted to test how well the bicycle ABS really works. Unnecessary gimmick or possibly a small revolution in the e-bike market? That was to be found out.
During the first, everyday braking manoeuvres, the Bosch e-bike ABS was pleasantly restrained and the braking behavior corresponded as far as possible to what we also know from other e-bikes with a comparable braking system. Speaking of the braking system: The Magura CMe ABS consists of a 4-piston caliper at the front and a 2-piston caliper at the rear. This combination is also known, for example, from the MT Trail from the same company and makes a lot of sense: The stronger 4-piston caliper at the front takes over the lion's share of the braking power, the two pistons at the rear are easily enough to block the wheel at any time. So far, so well known. The brake callipers are new – visually they are reminiscent of those on the hydraulic rim brakes from Magura and also come with a long brake lever, which is particularly appreciated by occasional riders. In any case, we have nothing to complain about ergonomically.
However, in order to really put the Bosch e-bike ABS to the test, a real endurance test had to be carried out. The scene for the first test scenario was a sloping asphalt road almost a kilometer long. After - thanks to the motor - extremely relaxed cranking up, we let it roll when driving down and even sprinkled in a few crank turns. At a speed of approx. 50 km/h we then plucked up all our courage and did what you shouldn't do in such a situation: We pulled on the front brake with all our strength and several fingers. While such a braking maneuver would have given us free flight hours including a subsequent hospital stay on any other bike, nothing happened with the Flyer TX ABS. The pressure point of the brake was there, we were braked gently without having the feeling that the rear wheel could leave the ground for even a second.
It takes a little getting used to the feel of the brakes during such brute braking, which also rarely happens in practice: the longer you brake, the brake lever moves further towards the handlebars and you can feel a slight vibration. In practice, however, both are negligible: in the best-case scenario, such a long emergency stop with only one brake should never occur here. The Bosch e-bike ABS passed the 'rollover test' with flying colors.
At least as interesting is Bosch's promise that the ABS should prevent the front wheel from locking up during braking in any situation and on almost any surface. The background is clear: the front wheel is responsible for feeding, steering and controlling the bike. If this starts to sway, a fall can usually no longer be prevented. Braking maneuvers are therefore often a dance on the razor blade, especially on gravel roads and in curves.
On a very coarsely graveled forest path, we wanted to put this promise to the test right away. First on a straight stretch - accelerating to 20km/h, full braking on the front wheel. Here, the ABS intervenes much more noticeably in the braking process than on asphalt and you are inevitably reminded of a car or motorcycle. Whenever the wheel locks for a fraction of a second, the ABS throttles the braking power. The wheel continues to turn until it (almost) blocks and then starts again. This repeats in quick succession, causing the front wheel to keep spinning and never quite losing traction, even in deep gravel. At the same time you bring the maximum possible braking power to the ground. The vibration can now be felt a little more clearly in the brake lever, but it is by no means unpleasant.
We provoke this braking behavior again in a downhill curve, also on gravel. Normally, the motto here is: hands off the brake on the front wheel! Nevertheless, we pull the left brake lever with full force and can drive around the corner at reduced speed. Without ABS we would undoubtedly have landed on our noses with a slipping front wheel.
What practical conclusions can be drawn from these two extreme tests? Emergency braking with both brakes is significantly safer and more efficient with Bosch's e-bike ABS. You can now confidently pull on both brakes with full force - the front wheel does not lock, the rear wheel only to a certain extent. Braking performance is much better under hard braking manoeuvres, especially on bad surfaces.
To what extent you need the Bosch ABS on the e-bike - opinions will probably continue to differ. The fact is that the box under the handlebars doesn't do anything that you couldn't do with good braking technique and driving experience. But it is also a fact: Not everyone has a correspondingly advanced braking technique and in the event of emergency braking, even an experienced driver is not immune to it.
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