Launched at the end of last year, ABS systems for electric bikes are finally coming to market. We tested the Bosch one.
ABS on e-bikes is arguably one of the bike industry’s most exciting innovations in 2022. The two competing systems from Bosch and Shimano were announced in mid-summer and while the first bikes to be equipped arrive in stores, we offer you an overview of the performance of the German system. Indeed, we had the chance to try Bosch’s ABS on a Mondraker VAE equipped for the occasion.
If you wish to know more about the operation of an ABS system on a bicycle and in particular its specificities compared to equivalent systems in cars or motorcycles, we invite you to reread our file devoted to ABS published a few years ago. month. If we had to sum up the point, we would say that on pedelecs, ABS is a braking system which consists in preventing the locking of the front wheel, thus preventing the rear wheel from rising.
To read also: ABS on bicycles, how does it work?
Bosch ABS: part of the smart system
But what about the Bosch system in particular? The German is not at his first attempt in terms of ABS on bicycles. A first version of its system was released a few years ago, an experimental prototype which served as the basis for the development of the current system. Exit the huge box to be placed under the handlebars. The new generation ABS consists of two relatively discreet elements. A small control box which is fixed on the fork and two small carbon discs which are superimposed on the brake discs. These are the only two elements that make it possible to guess that an e-bike has such a sophisticated braking system.
The rest is just as essential, but less visible. These include communication between the sensor and the bike’s control unit, but also the algorithm that allows the braking to be dosed according to the loss of grip observed or the type of braking to be performed.
For the moment, at Bosch, this ABS is constrained by two material limits. It is only compatible with the latest version of the Bosch Smart System, and therefore the Kiox display, which reserves it for high-end bikes, and it only works with Magura brakes, since it is with this another German company, of which the props maker is a partner, that the system was developed.
In the future, these two brakes should be lifted, especially if Bosch wishes to widen the development of its ABS, but for the moment, it is a notable constraint.
How do you test an ABS?
How did we test ABS? Admittedly, in a very empirical way, and not necessarily scientific. Our grip essentially consisted of doing something rather unsavory on the bike: braking only with the front wheel, whatever the situation during our test sessions. Of course, this required some adaptation, but the objective was indeed to see how unconventional front braking could be compensated by a supposedly effective ABS.
Our “luck” during this handling, it is undoubtedly to have been able to benefit from quite execrable weather conditions. We were able to experiment with Bosch ABS, in the rain and therefore on wet ground, but also on fresh snow and ice. We have also multiplied the surfaces between road, paths and even slippery cobblestones.
What is Bosch ABS worth?
The first lesson from our test is that the Bosch system is particularly effective. Even at 30 km/h downhill, on slippery ground, you don’t lose control by crushing the front brake with your hand. On this point, the promise is kept. The wheel never locks and the micro-braking performed by the system has always allowed us to stop without a hitch. Even our attempts on icy cobblestones allowed us to notice a glaring difference in braking with a traditional hydraulic disc system.
Then it’s quite interesting to see how Bosch has integrated its ABS into its ecosystem. Of course, the controller allows the braking system to be deactivated (although this option has no real use). But it also allows, via the display, to have statistics on its braking (mainly distance and braking time). Finally, it should be noted that ABS only activates above 6 km/h, which therefore leaves the possibility of locking the front wheel when stationary or at very low speed for certain repositioning maneuvers for example.
In the end, the Bosch system really impressed us. By its efficiency, but also by its ability to be forgotten. Indeed, the interest of an ABS is obviously not to brake only with the front wheel. Its purpose is to compensate for delicate braking or to assist the cyclist in an emergency situation.
In fact, it is very easy to forget its existence, as in a car, being content simply to know that it is active and that it can intervene if necessary. If we had to change our habits to see its effectiveness, it was during a “classic” situation that it impressed us the most. Indeed, during these two weeks of testing, we happened to have to manage an emergency situation, an unfortunately fairly standard case on the bike. That of a door that opens a few meters from us as we arrive at full speed (on a cycle lane, let’s specify). Here, there was no question of favoring front braking and judging its quality. We braked with four irons, by reflex, because the situation demanded it. Our Mondraker stopped a few centimeters from the half-open door and our braking system probably had something to do with it. Obviously, it is impossible and even less desirable to reproduce this situation identically with our usual VAE. Therefore, it’s equally impossible for us to tell you how much more efficient Bosch’s system proved to be than our more conventional equipment. What we cannot deny, on the other hand, is that the ABS was particularly effective, which ended up convincing us of its relevance.
Grip Verdict
Several lessons can be learned from our Bosch ABS test. The first is that it is an efficient process that fulfills the mission for which it is intended. This is the basis, of course, but it is worth remembering. The second is that contrary to the criticisms it may suffer (and which are the same as those that accompanied the launch of ABS on cars and motorcycles), it is not a device reserved for beginners. You can be a seasoned cyclist, traveling several thousand kilometers a year and still be confronted with emergency braking. In this case, ABS is invaluable simply because of its ability to assist the driver. As for the rest of the time, it is simply a valuable ally, which works in the background and is completely transparent to the cyclist. On the other hand, knowing that he is there, ready to act, is a source of welcome serenity.
Having said that, it’s worth looking at a more negative aspect: its price. This is particularly high since the additional cost of an ABS system is estimated at 500 euros on the final price of a VAE. This is significant, and such a prohibitive price will undoubtedly slow down its adoption. This is all the more unfortunate since, in our opinion, it is a particularly effective device for reducing the number of cycling accidents.
