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 owners with an eligible variant will see it land in the eBike Flow app this week.

This post explains what is changing, which variants of which R&M bikes get what (and which do not), and exactly how to install it.

If you bought your R&M from us in the past two years and the variant matches, this matters. If you bought a Vario or an Automatic, this update is not for you and I will be honest about why.

What changed

The Bosch CX motor has had a busy year. It started at 85 Nm, climbed to 100 Nm with last year's Performance Upgrade, and now reaches 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 with an eligible variant 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 am still 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 variants get what

This is the section to read carefully. The upgrade is approved at the variant level, not the model level. A Charger5 Touring qualifies. A Charger5 Vario does not. Same model, different variants, different outcomes.

Three 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 at least part of this update applies to you. If you use the older Bosch eBike Connect app, you are on the previous Bosch eBike system and nothing in this update is for you.

Question 2: which model is it? Approved for model year 2026: Charger5, Charger5 Mixte, Delite5, Homage5, Load5, Multicharger3, Multitinker2, Nevo5, Superdelite5.

Question 3: which variant? This is where the answer changes most.

Variant-by-variant compatibility

Variant	Drivetrain	Approved?	What Update 2.0 gives you
Touring (e.g. Charger5 Touring)	Shimano Cues 11-speed derailleur	YES	Full 120 Nm + 600% support
Rohloff	Rohloff E-14 14-speed hub	YES	Full 120 Nm + 600% support
Vario	Enviolo 380 continuously-variable hub	NO	Excluded. No torque uplift, no support boost.
Vario HS	Enviolo 380 (Speed pedelec)	NO	Excluded. (UK HS support is also limited for separate reasons.)
Automatic	Enviolo Automatiq automatic hub	NO	Excluded.
CORE (e.g. Touring CORE)	Performance Line PX motor	PARTIAL	600% support boost via app update. Torque unchanged at 90 Nm.
Pinion / Pinion HS	Pinion MGU on FIT system	n/a	Different motor system. Not in scope of this update.
HS (Performance Line Speed)	Speed pedelec, 45 km/h	UK: NO	Bosch has stated the support boost on Speed motors is USA / New Zealand only.
Pre-Smart System (Connect app)	Older Bosch eBike system 2	NO	This update is Smart System only.

If you are not sure which variant you have, the model badge on the frame and the drivetrain (chain vs belt, derailleur vs hub) will tell you. Or open the Bosch eBike Flow app on your phone, tap your bike, and look at the system info screen; the motor and system data are all there.

Why Vario and Automatic are excluded

In a phrase: the Enviolo continuously-variable hub gear cannot tolerate the higher input torque. Vario uses the Enviolo 380; Automatic uses the Enviolo Automatiq. Both are clever pieces of engineering; both have a maximum input-torque rating. Pushing the motor to 120 Nm or running 600% support through that hub would risk drivetrain damage and would not be covered by warranty. Bosch and R&M have made the conservative, correct call: those variants are excluded.

Rohloff variants are approved because the Rohloff Speedhub is rated for higher torque. Touring variants are approved because they run a derailleur and a normal chain or belt, where the torque path passes through standard chainring-and-cassette mechanics that can handle it.

It is possible Enviolo will certify a higher torque rating on a future hub generation. If they do, this will change. For now, owners of Vario and Automatic R&Ms can expect the same 100 Nm / 400% setup they already have. The bike is not less than it was; it is just not getting more.

How to install it (if you're eligible)

Bosch has made the installation 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.

If you do not see an install prompt and you believe you are on an eligible variant, double-check the variant; that is the most common reason. If the variant is right and the prompt still has not arrived, give the rollout another few days. The OTA is staged.

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 is most useful for riding off-road when your pedalling is not consistent, for example over steps or logs. It caught me off-guard on the Moustache Game when I dabbed my foot down and 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 Touring or Rohloff Riese & Müller we sell.

Frequently asked questions

My bike is a Vario. Why am I excluded?

The Enviolo continuously-variable hub gear is rated for a maximum input torque. Pushing your Bosch motor to 120 Nm would exceed that limit and risk damaging the hub. Warranty would not cover it. Bosch and R&M have made the conservative, correct call: Vario and Automatic variants do not get the upgrade. Your bike is unchanged; the silky CVT shifting you bought is exactly as it was on the day of delivery.

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. Variant rules still apply on top: if your Charger4 is a Vario or Automatic, it is excluded regardless of which app it uses.

Will this damage my motor or void the warranty?

No. This is an official Bosch update, applied through their own app, restricted to variants Bosch and R&M have approved. 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. First, check your variant: if it is a Vario or an Automatic, the update is not coming. If you are on Touring or Rohloff and on a Bosch CX motor, 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.

I have a Pinion or a UBN Five. Does this affect me?

Not directly. Pinion variants use the Pinion MGU on the FIT system; the UBN Five Commute uses Fazua Ride60. Both are different motor systems, separate from Bosch's announcement.

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.

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