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At Eurobike 2024 in Frankfurt, the Bosch booth glimmered with promise. Polished eBikes stood like futuristic sculptures, their frames sleek and engines humming with potential. Crowds buzzed around, captivated by the brand’s cutting-edge offerings. As I approached the display, my expectations soared. Bosch ‘a titan in the eBike industry’ had built its reputation on innovation, inclusivity, and reliability. This was a chance to see their ecosystem up close, to explore their app and experience the seamless integration they touted.
But ten minutes into fiddling with the Bosch eBike Flow app, my excitement gave way to frustration. The promise of simplicity, of enhancing my ride, felt buried beneath a cluttered labyrinth of options and modes: Eco, Eco+, Normal, Sport, Sport+. The sheer volume of details turned what should have been an empowering experience into an overwhelming one. And then the questions started: *Who was this for?* How could such a complex system cater to Bosch’s diverse user base, from tech-savvy millennials to older riders looking for straightforward assistance?
I wasn’t alone in my skepticism. Research confirmed what my gut told me, many users were exasperated. In online forums and review sections, eBike enthusiasts shared their struggles with Bosch’s app design. “Why does it have to be so complicated?” one rider lamented. “I just want to get on and ride.” Older users, in particular, expressed frustration, finding the interface not just…
