This season, a total of three professional teams in the UCI’s E-EDR World Cup enduro racing series have opted for a Shimano motor. Their findings are incorporated into the firmware for the EP801 and EP6 ebike motors, among other things. Shimano presented the latest version of the firmware at Eurobike in Frankfurt am Main. It was then included with every newly delivered ebike and was sent to the workshops of specialist dealers. Now you can finally install the update yourself. All you need is the E-Tube Project Cyclist app from Shimano and your bike with the Shimano EP801 or Shimano EP6.
On a race weekend in the World Cup circuit, it can get crowded in the team tents of the Yeti Fox Factory Race Team, OOLab Team and Rotwild Schwalbe Gravity Team. All three received support from Shimano in 2024 and rode with its ebike drives. In return, they share their experiences of using the motors with Shimano engineers. These engineers travel all the way from Japan for selected races. Usually, they receive unfiltered feedback from the best riders in the world. Parts of this feedback are transferred to the firmware of the motors. In this way, insights from professionals such as Ryan Gilchrist, this year’s winner of the UCI E-EDR World Cup, make their way to your ebike. Basically, the latest firmware update raises an ‘ordinary’ EP801 to World Cup level.
1. Boost mode at a new level
2. Extended assist
3. Customizable Max Speed Cut-off
4. Auto Shift, Version 2.2
1. Boost mode at a new level
In terms of the motor setup, the update brings three major revisions: more support in boost mode, a modified assist and the option to customise the motor’s cut-off.
The level of support for the EP801 has been increased to 400 per cent. When fine-tuning the motor in the E-Tube Project Cyclist app, this corresponds to level 15. However, Shimano has not only increased the value, but also further developed the motor characteristics. Previously, the assistance increased more along a progressive curve. Now the increase is noticeably more aggressive.
The reason for the change is the aforementioned use of the motor in competitive sport. In racing, the cracks need maximum power in one fell swoop from one moment to the next. As a result, the curve is now steeper and the torque of 85 Newton metres and the power of 600 watts are directly available.
2. Extended assist
For years, motor manufacturers have actually tried to eliminate an extended assist of the motor. However, when the going gets extremely steep, stones block the path and the front wheel has to be lifted and only the right line choice prevents from getting off the bike, other qualities are required. Using the at Shimano called Extended Assist Carryover, you can provoke the motor to continue assisting. To do this, you give the pedals a real punch before an obstacle. The Shimano EP801 then provides forward momentum without any additional pedalling.
In the app, the duration of the extended assists can be set to ‘short’, ‘medium’ or ‘long’ using the slider. After the update, the setting is set to ‘short’. It is best to gradually feel your way around to find out what difference ‘medium’ and ‘long’ make to the riding behaviour. The function is directly linked to the pedal pressure. The harder you pedal, the more intensive the extended assist will be.
To switch off the extended assist, simply pedal backwards.
3. Customizable Max Speed Cut-off
You are probably all familiar with the motor fade-out. It refers to the reduction in motor power as soon as the speed limit of 25 kilometres per hour is approached and the motor stops providing assistance when the limit is exceeded. Motor manufacturers normally make this transition moderate so that you don’t suddenly feel like you’re riding into a wall at 26 kilometres per hour.
On a racetrack, however, this proves to be counterproductive. There, the motor has to perform at its absolute maximum right up to the last moment. It is now possible to set when the cut-off occurs and with what vehemence. The initial situation after the update is once again a conservative setup. Once again, you can gradually adjust this more and more aggressively in the app. However, even at the most aggressive level, the motor support does not suddenly disappear completely. The fade-out is still noticeable. It’s just much shorter in time. Chances are that some of you will never want to return to a more moderate setting.
4. Auto Shift, Version 2.2
The motor also contains a large part of the intelligence that controls the automatic shifting of Shimano’s drives. The manufacturer uses this to make a few corrections to the Auto Shift function. For example, the firmware update optimises the time at which the rear derailleur changes gear when accelerating. In future, this should be smoother and more precise, so that the chain does not crack as loudly when changing gear as it sometimes does. Here, too, the riding data from the pros will help you to achieve a more harmonious shifting experience with Auto Shift 2.2.
The second improvement relating to gear changes concerns Auto Free Shift. As a reminder: Auto Free Shift means that the gearing selects the right gear for you to continue riding, even if you are not pedalling. It does this, for example, if you are getting faster and faster on a descent but are coasting and rolling towards a flat section. It then changes to a higher gear ratio. At the same time, the system recognises when you are riding from a descent to the opposite slope onto the next climb and switches to a lower gear ratio.
Previously, the system always took a few moments to recognise these situations. There was therefore a delay in shifting, which robbed the very practical approach of its effectiveness. Now the rear derailleur reacts more quickly to such changes in speed.
Human and ebike drive in harmony
In addition, Shimano was able to improve the interaction between Auto Shift and the overriding of the function by manual shifting on your part. If you start a descent with Auto Shift activated, the function will now only switch off temporarily as soon as you take over the shifting yourself. When the descent ends, Auto Shift then returns automatically.
All the new features relating to Auto Shift apply to both the Shimano EP801 and the EP6. In terms of the motor, the increased boost mode and extended assist are reserved for the EP801 alone. Both units benefit from the customizable cut-off.
You can transfer the firmware update to your Shimano ebike by updating the E-Tube Project Cyclist app to version 5.3.2 or higher. You can find the app in the app stores for Android and Apple.
Ebikes featuring Shimano EP801 and Shimano EP6
Pictures: Shimano Europe B.V.