Bosch Performance Upgrade 2.0: What 120 Nm Means for Your Riese & Müller

When Bosch released the 100 Nm Performance Upgrade last year, I thought that was the big news. Twelve months later, they have gone further. As of 1 May 2026, the new Performance Upgrade 2.0 takes the Bosch CX motor up to 120 Nm of torque and 600% rider support. The over-the-air rollout started on 4 May. It is free, and most current Riese & Müller owners will see it land in the eBike Flow app this week.

This post explains what is changing, which R&M bikes get what (it varies, and that is where most of the coverage gets it wrong), and exactly how to install it.

If you bought your R&M from us in the past two years, this matters. If you bought one before the Smart System era, sadly it does not, and I will be straight about why.

What changed

The Bosch CX motor has had a busy year. It started at 85 Nm, increased to 100 Nm with last year's Performance Upgrade, and now gains another step to 120 Nm with Performance Upgrade 2.0. Maximum support has also climbed from 400% to 600%. That support figure means how much the motor adds to whatever you are putting through the pedals. Push 100 watts, get 600 watts of help. Up to 15 km/h, in the modes Bosch has marked as compatible.

For comparison, the DJI Avinox motor that has been getting headlines tops out at around 111 Nm. Bosch is now ahead.

How it affects your ride

Torque is what gets you moving. More torque means a heavier bike, a steeper hill, or a fully loaded Load5 cargo run is less of a fight. Most R&M owners will feel the difference in three places:

1. Pulling away from junctions and hills. Less downshifting, less standing on the pedals.

2. Steep climbs at low cadence. The motor pulls harder before you have to spin up.

3. Cargo and touring loads. A Load5 with a full box, or a Charger5 with panniers and a passenger seat, is much less work.

I have not yet had the chance to install Update 2.0 (I'm waiting for it to drop in the app) and ride it back-to-back against the 100 Nm version, so I will not pretend to know exactly what the next 20 Nm feels like in the saddle. 

What I can tell you, having ridden the 100 Nm version on every R&M we sell, is where last year's step from 85 to 100 Nm made the biggest difference, and where I expect this next step to do the same. The answer is hill starts, steep off-road, and heavy loads. With another 20 Nm and a 600% support level, I expect the bike to flatten the hill rather than just climb it. On Load5 with a full box, it will be the difference between a careful start and a relaxed one. I will write a follow-up with proper ride notes once I have done the install.

Which Riese & Müller bikes get what

This is the section to read carefully, because not every R&M is the same and the update is not one-size-fits-all. There are two questions to answer.

Question 1: Which app does your bike use? If you manage your bike with the Bosch eBike Flow app, you are on Smart System, and you are in scope for at least part of this update. If you use the older Bosch eBike Connect app, you are on the previous Bosch eBike system and there is nothing in this update for you.

Question 2: Which motor do you have? Within Smart System, what you actually receive depends on which Bosch motor variant your bike was built with. The table below maps the Riese & Müller lineup to the answer.

If you are not sure which group you are in, the quickest way to find out is to open the Bosch eBike Flow app on your phone, tap your bike, and look at the system info screen. The app shows you the motor model and any pending updates in one place. If your bike is not in the Flow app at all, you are on the older Connect-app system and the table's bottom row applies to you.

How to install it

Bosch has made the installation pretty simple.

1. Update the eBike Flow app to the latest version (App Store or Google Play).

2. Switch your bike on, with the motor and battery awake.

3. Open the app and connect to your bike via Bluetooth.

4. If Update 2.0 is available for your bike, you will see an install prompt on the home screen.

5. Tap install and let it run. Bosch says it takes around five minutes. Keep the bike awake and the phone in range.

6. Once it is done, you can configure the new modes. The slider that controls the support level goes from -5 to +5. Plus 5 turns on the new 600% support; 0 keeps it at the older level.

If you want the maximum power, set the slider to +5 in the modes you ride most (Auto, Turbo, eMTB+, Race, Cargo). If you want a balance between performance and battery range, leave it lower. You can always change it later.

What does this cost you in range and wear?

Bosch is open about this. Higher performance values use more battery and put more load on the chain and sprockets. The peak number on the spec sheet is not the everyday number. Run at 600% support and 120 Nm all the time and you will see your range drop and your drivetrain wear faster.

In practice, you will probably do what most riders do: turn it up for the climbs and the cargo runs, leave it lower for cruising and the long days. The Flow app makes that one tap of a slider rather than a workshop visit. If you find yourself wishing you had more bottom end on a particular section of a familiar route, dial it up. If you would rather have the range, dial it down.

The other things in the update

Performance Upgrade 2.0 also bundles in a few smaller changes worth a quick mention.

• Extended Boost lets you keep getting motor assistance for up to two metres after you stop pedalling. Configurable in the Flow app. It’s most useful for riding off-road when your pedalling isn't consistent, e.g., steps or logs, etc. It caught me off-guard on the Moustache Game when I dabbed my foot down but the bike kept powering itself! Yes, I fell off!

• Drivetrain Tensioner locks the freewheel for trailside maintenance. More relevant if you are out on rough trails.

• Trick Check detects jumps and wheelies for eMTB use. Less relevant if you are on a touring or commuter R&M.

• Live Data for Garmin Edge computers, for those who run a separate cycling computer alongside the Bosch display.

The R&M and Bosch picture in 2026

A year ago, the conversation around premium e-bikes was that DJI and a few others had surpassed Bosch in raw torque. Bosch has now answered that, twice, in twelve months. The Bosch CX BDU384Y is now the most powerful mainstream pedelec motor on the market, and it is on every current standard Riese & Müller bike we sell.

What that means in practice is that the case for R&M is back to where it has always belonged: ride feel, build quality, the touring range with their dual battery setups, the dealer network, and the support after the sale. Those are the long-standing strengths. The motor is no longer a compromise.

Frequently asked questions

Does my Charger4 get the update?

It depends. R&M sold the Charger4 across the transition from the old Bosch eBike system to the Smart System, so there are two camps. If your Charger4 manages itself with the eBike Flow app, it is on Smart System with the older Smart System CX motor (BDU374Y), and you get the 600% support boost. Your torque stays at 85 Nm; Bosch is explicit that this motor's torque cannot be raised any further. If your Charger4 uses the older eBike Connect app, you are on the previous Bosch eBike system and there is nothing in this update for you. The same logic applies to Nevo4 and the other Smart System R&M bikes.

Will this damage my motor or void the warranty?

No. This is an official Bosch update, applied through their own app. It is supported by the standard motor warranty. The trade-off is wear and range, which Bosch is open about, not safety or warranty.

Do I need a new battery?

No. The update is to the motor firmware. Your existing battery works as before. The new 12 amp fast charger Bosch announced at the same time is a separate product, launching at the end of 2026, and we will write about that closer to the time.

What if no update appears in my Flow app?

A few possibilities. Your bike may already be running the older Performance Upgrade and the new one has not rolled out to your specific motor yet. Check again in a few days. If your bike is on the older eBike Connect app, the update does not apply. If you are on a Performance Line Speed (HS) variant in the UK, the support boost may not be offered to UK customers. Drop us an email at hello@ebikeist.com if you want a hand checking.

Get in touch

If you bought from us, we are here to help you make sense of any of this. If you have not bought from us yet but are weighing up an R&M against another brand, the buyer's guide walks through the comparison properly, and you are welcome to come and ride a demo from our showroom in Little Dartmouth. The hills around here will tell you everything you need to know about a 120 Nm motor.

Browse our in-stock Riese & Müllers | Charger5 | Nevo5 | Superdelite5 | Delite5 | Homage5 | Load5

For the full Bosch announcement and motor compatibility list, see Bosch's official Performance Upgrade page: bosch-ebike.com/en/performance-upgrade.