Following on from the success of their market leading ‘GEN-4’ Performance Line CX motor, which earned a reputation for its power, responsiveness and overall reliability, is the all-new ‘GEN 5’ Performance Line CX motor which aims to up the ante even higher.
From the outside, there doesn’t appear to be any obvious points of difference with the new Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor. The overall shape and size is pretty similar, and its peak power output also remains unchanged over the previous model, however the real innovation is on the inside, which equates to a whole new riding experience.
Quieter
Perhaps the biggest claim that the Gen 5 arrives with is that it’s much, much, much quieter than any Bosch motor/drive unit that has come before. When riding downhill, the external drivetrain (chain, chainring, cassette) is decoupled from the internal drivetrain (freewheel, gearbox, motor). This further reduces the mechanical noise generated by comparable drive units on the trail.
Power
PowerThe new Bosch Performance Line CX motor retains the same 85 Nm of torque and 600 watts of power, but with improved sensor technology, where the motor responds precisely to pedal input, allowing cyclists to tackle any challenge smoothly and with control, which will be a huge advantage to e-MTB riders.
Smarter
Inertial sensors (IMU) measure acceleration and rotation speeds in six dimensions, and recognise inclination and tilt angles as well as vibrations experienced by the bike and rider. This means that the e-MTB “knows” how steep the ascent is and whether e-bikers are on a forest path or a root-covered trail. With the new hill start assist you can ride off in relaxed manner and with full traction. Thanks to the sensors, the e-MTB knows how steep the slope is and provides optimum support. The walk assistance feature, also has a new capability of the drive unit adapting to the pushing speed the off board rider is inputting.
Lighter
The weight of the Performance Line CX has also been reduced by around 100 grams compared to the previous version. Furthermore, its magnesium housing can withstand the toughest conditions. A black powder coating protects against stone chips and damage as well as corrosion.
Battery Tech
To go along with the Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5 motor there are two new batteries; the PowerTube 600 and PowerTube 800. These utilise the same updated cells as the CompactTube 400 battery that debuted with the lightweight SX motor last year. They feature a higher energy density, which simply means more watt-hours at a lower weight;
– Bosch PowerTube 600 Battery – 3kg
– Bosch PowerTube 800 Battery – 3.9kg
To put that into perspective, the new PowerTube 800 is 400g lighter than the old PowerTube 750 battery despite offering greater capacity and since both batteries share the same size, they are easily interchangeable without the need for an adapter.
Partners
PartnersAs you might have expected since Bosch announced the Gen 5 earlier several bike manufactures immediately rolled out new models with the Gen 5 power unit fitted. These include Focus who have a new Jam2, Norco with a new Sight VLT CX and of course Santa Cruz have also thrown a cat amongst the pigeons by unveiling the new Vala. The good news for consumers is that with so many brands quick to embrace the latest Bosch motor there will be plenty of options and likewise price points where you’ll be able to get yourself a piece of the action as soon as bike start to arrive down here in Oz.