SHIMANO EP6 (01) PDF Document

The SHIMANO STEPS User’s Manual contains the following information regarding basic operations when riding:

• Basic operations when riding.
• How to operate assist bicycles that use flat handlebars, such as city, trekking, or MTB type bicycles.

Riding precautions include:

• Be sufficiently familiar with how to start the power assisted bicycle before riding on busy streets. You may start the bicycle unexpectedly, which may result in an accident.
• Be careful not to let the hemming of your clothes get caught in the chain while riding. You may fall and be seriously injured.
• Keep your fingers away from the chainrings, sprockets, and chain. They can be seriously injured if caught in the drive train. For DU-EP801 and DU-EP600, please note that when FREE SHIFT is enabled, the chainrings may rotate due to the operation of the drive unit, even when you are not pedaling.
• Ensure that head and tail lights can turn on before riding the bicycle.

Safety precautions include:

• Be sure to remove the battery and charging cable before wiring or attaching parts to the bicycle. Failure to do so may cause an electric shock.
• Do not touch the drive unit when it has been continuously used for a long period of time. The surface of the drive unit becomes hot and could cause burns.
• Clean the chain with an appropriate chain cleaner regularly. Intervals between maintenance depend on the use and riding circumstances.
• Never use alkali- or acid-based solvents such as rust cleaners. If those solvents are used the chain might break and cause serious injury.
• Be sure to follow the instructions provided in the manuals when installing the product. Only use SHIMANO genuine parts. If a component or replacement part is incorrectly assembled or adjusted, it can lead to component failure and cause the rider to lose control and crash.

Safety precautions include:

• Never modify the system. Doing so may cause a system error.
• Use the product under the supervision of someone responsible for safety, and only as instructed. Do not allow anyone (including children) with reduced physical, sensory, or mental capacity, or those without experience or knowledge, to use the product.
• Do not allow children to play near the product.

Before riding the bicycle, check the following items. If any problems are found, consult your place of purchase or a distributor:

• Does the drive train perform gear shifting smoothly?
• Is there any looseness or damage in the component parts?
• Are the components securely installed to the frame/handlebar/stem, etc.?
• Do any abnormal noises occur while riding?
• Is there sufficient charge remaining in the battery?

Avoid wearing clothing that may get caught in a chain or wheel, as this may cause an accident.

Maintenance instructions for cleaning products are:

• Do not use the thinners or harsh solvents to clean the products. Such substances may damage the surface. When cleaning the products, use a cloth moistened with a neutral detergent diluted with water.
• The chainrings and sprockets should be periodically washed with a neutral detergent. In addition, cleaning the chain with neutral detergent and lubricating it can be an effective way of extending the life of the chainrings, sprockets, and the chain.
• Use a damp, well wrung out cloth when cleaning the battery and plastic cover.

The steps to charge the battery (Example of external type battery) are:

1. Connect the battery to the charger.
2. The indicator light will be Lit up while charging.

If the light is Flashing, there is a Charge error.

The steps to charge the battery (Example of integrated battery) are:

1. Connect the charging cable to the charging port.
2. The indicator light will be Lit up while charging.

If the light is Flashing, there is a Charge error.

Turn the power ON by pressing the power button on the switch unit (assist switch). Wait a while before pressing the power button again after the power has been turned OFF.

The display for the [BASIC] assist profile on the cycle computer shows the following assist modes based on the LED2 indicator:

To switch between automatic and manual gear shifting with a 3-switch type or MTB type shift switch, press the A button on the shift switch (right side of the handlebar).

To switch between automatic and manual gear shifting with a 2-switch type shift switch, press and hold X and Y on the shift switch (right side of the handlebar) until the display of the cycle computer switches.

To stop and switch to walk assist mode, press and hold Y on the assist switch (left side of the handlebar) until it reaches the following state:

• Cycle computer: [WALK] is displayed
• 5-switch type: LED2 lights up blue

Carefully push the bicycle while pressing Y again. The drive unit operates while Y is pressed to assist you in pushing the bicycle. When the drive unit is operating, the LED and screen displays change (LED2 flashes blue on 5-switch type).

To exit walk assist mode, press the button (X button) on the upper side of the assist switch (left side of the handlebar).

Walk assist operates at a maximum of 6 km/h. Be careful because the bicycle starts moving just by pressing Y.

The specifications for the drive unit of the SHIMANO EP6 system are:

When the battery level is low, system functions will be shut off in the following order:

1. Power assist/FREE SHIFT
2. Electronic/automatic gear shifting, Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), light

* FREE SHIFT and the Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) are only supported by the DU-EP801 and DU-EP600.

Do not attempt to modify your drive unit’s output power or maximum assist speed. Doing this may increase the risk of serious injury to yourself and others. It may also put you at legal risk if the modification violates national or regional regulations. SHIMANO STEPS systems detect whether the system has been tampered with and display an error code (E295) that indicates tampering. If the allowable number of times displaying error code E295 has been exceeded, SHIMANO STEPS will enter Safe Mode (E299), where the assist function of the drive unit will stop.

The error code (E295) can be temporarily cleared by turning the power off, then on again.

The default combinations for the [BASIC] assist profile are:

• [BOOST] / [TRAIL] / [ECO]: A combination of assist modes for sport riding.
• [HIGH] / [NORMAL] / [ECO]: A combination of assist modes for comfortable riding in urban settings.

The level of assistance is categorized in the [BASIC] assist profile as follows:

* 1 Depending on the cycle computer, [NORM] is displayed.

The riding comfort of the assist bicycle is determined by the relationship between the force applied to the pedals and the drive unit output, and the maximum output of the drive unit. [Fine tune] supports a wide range of riding conditions with up to 15 levels of settings. The number of settings registered by default depends on the bicycle.

FREE SHIFT is a function for successfully completing the gear shifting operations of the rear derailleur when the rider is not pedaling. Even if the rider is not pedaling while riding, the drive unit rotates the chainring according to the gear shifting operations of the rear derailleur, and moves the chain to rotate the cassette.

FREE SHIFT can be enabled with automatic gear shifting operations ([AUTOMATIC FREE SHIFT]) and manual gear shifting operations performed by the rider ([MANUAL FREE SHIFT]).

For rear derailleur automatic gear shifting in E-TUBE PROJECT, you can configure the following settings:

• [AUTO SHIFT while pedaling]: Turn automatic gear shifting while pedaling ON or OFF. When turned ON, you can use the switch unit to change to automatic gear shifting.
• [AUTOMATIC FREE SHIFT]: Set FREE SHIFT via automatic gear shifting ON or OFF. When set to ON, automatic gear shifting also operates when the rider is not pedaling.
• [MANUAL FREE SHIFT]: Set FREE SHIFT via manual gear shifting ON or OFF. When set to ON, gear shifting operations can be performed normally when the rider is not pedaling.
• [Shift timing]: Set the gear shifting timing during automatic gear shifting, based on the cadence. You can also set the gear shifting response when the system is subject to a heavy load on a steep rising slope in [Climbing response].
• [Riding scene]: You can select the automatic gear shifting characteristics according to the style of riding. [MTB] is suitable for rough terrain with many steep slopes and speed changes. [Pavement] is suitable for riding on paved surfaces with few steep slopes in city streets. It is also suitable for situations where the bicycle frequently stops due to traffic signals.
• [Start gear]: Set the lower limit for the gear position to automatically shift to when starting from a stop during riding. When subject to a heavy load on a rising slope, the system makes starting from a stop even easier by shifting to a lower gear position than that set here.

For automatic gear shifting settings of an internal geared hub in E-TUBE PROJECT, you can configure the following settings:

• [Shift timing]: Set the gear shifting timing during automatic gear shifting, based on the cadence. You can also set the gear shifting response when the system is subject to a heavy load on a steep rising slope in [Climbing response].
• [Start mode]: Automatically shifts to the set gear position when the bicycle is stopped to make it easier to start pedaling again. If you gear shift into a gear that is lower than the gear position set while the bicycle is stopped, the gear will not shift up automatically.

If the error persists, stop using the bicycle and swiftly contact your place of purchase or a distributor for assistance.