Specialized Mission Control App v2.x Now Available

[Specialized Rider Care]

I understand your words here but surely the responsibility to remove the restriction is down to the user not the manufacturer, as long as the manufacturer complies with the law at the point of sale your responsibility is ended.

The Specialized bike I bought was/is still sold as a dual wheel size bike, 27.5” and 29”, now you are telling me that I have to drive more than 300 km when I want to change wheel size? - That is the trip to my specialized dealer.

We're riders too, and we agree with you that this is frustrating. Having a good feature disappear is a shame, and absolutely no-one here wanted to remove it or to be seen as the fun-police.

However we're taking care to be as responsible as possible as we work towards a sustainable future for eBikes. In particular regulators are rightly changing their stance to eBike "tuning" - recent changes to EU law make those responsible for product design/engineering personally liable for non-compliance here. It was perceived that wheel-circumference adjustment was being used by the majority to circumvent the law and we had to respond .

We understand that this feature is important to you and that not everyone is just around the corner from their LBS. We'll raise this with our product teams - they read your comments too.

 

[khorn]

We're riders too, and we agree with you that this is frustrating. Having a good feature disappear is a shame, and absolutely no-one here wanted to remove it or to be seen as the fun-police.

However we're taking care to be as responsible as possible as we work towards a sustainable future for eBikes. In particular regulators are rightly changing their stance to eBike "tuning" - recent changes to EU law make those responsible for product design/engineering personally liable for non-compliance here. It was perceived that wheel-circumference adjustment was being used by the majority to circumvent the law and we had to respond .

We understand that this feature is important to you and that not everyone is just around the corner from their LBS. We'll raise this with our product teams - they read your comments too.

To be honest that was one of the main reasons as to why I bought the Levo in the first place so yes, this is a very very important feature for me personally. Why you then still are advertising the 2018 models as dual wheel size bikes I find close to fraudulent.

If you are interested, this particular community can provide you with feedback way above average - Lets just take the newest version of the MC(old one too for that matter), it simply looks like some 10 year old boy designed it and even worse, implemented features simply do not make sense if you are just a little bit serious in your riding. When designing new software its no shame to take a sneak peak at the the competitors having success in the same environment - That for sure you have not done!

Finally, In Denmark the speed limit is up to 45 kph if you have an insurance on your bike - How do you intend to cope with that?

Karsten

 

[Sophie777]

We're riders too, and we agree with you that this is frustrating. Having a good feature disappear is a shame, and absolutely no-one here wanted to remove it or to be seen as the fun-police.

However we're taking care to be as responsible as possible as we work towards a sustainable future for eBikes. In particular regulators are rightly changing their stance to eBike "tuning" - recent changes to EU law make those responsible for product design/engineering personally liable for non-compliance here. It was perceived that wheel-circumference adjustment was being used by the majority to circumvent the law and we had to respond .

We understand that this feature is important to you and that not everyone is just around the corner from their LBS. We'll raise this with our product teams - they read your comments too.

If it is true that from a legal standpoint you cannot allow purchasers of your bikes to change the wheel circumference; then from a legal standpoint you shouldn't be marketing and selling these bikes as dual wheel-size bikes.

 

[khorn]

What are the oter systems aps like? Does shimano even allow you to fine tune motor settings ?

I have no experience with Shimano engines but from a road DI2 point of view experience, it’s crap as well. Here we are talking Specialized launched their consept as a integrated tech AND bicycle.

Karsten

 

[Kimmoi]

In the coming weeks we will adapt our retailer software to enable them to adjust wheel circumference at bike set-up for you (please note only real world scenarios will be possible).

And i dont have to pay anything for this, of course?
Anyway, i am gonna sell my Levo now and look some other bike. It is not Specialized. That’s for sure.

 

[khorn]

@Specialized Rider Care Maybe a little off topic in this thread but I would really like to know how you can sell the base 2019 Levo HT with the Suntour fork without being embarrassed? My wife’s bike is a size small and in the softest setting on preload the sag is less than 10% for her(I’m 110 kg and I can get 22% sag in softest setting). Basically she is riding with a rigid fork so why not put one on the bike in the first place. Even more funny there’s a lock out on the fork as well - why is that when the fork is rigid anyway ?

Karsten

 

[PetarHolland]

Please, put back the "display always on" function for mission control app!

 

[Maastricht]

@Specialized Rider Care

Current plan is to release a change to the app authentication process - this is a must on our side. Unfortunately the previous app won't support it and we are not partnered with the company that built it any longer. When we go ahead with that change (currently planned for 1st Nov) there is a chance that the old app may still work if you remain logged in but once you log out you will never get back in - we'd paint the picture that from Nov 1st it won't work.

Let's look at this another way - what are the functions on the previous app that you are missing in the newest version?

I have ordered the Levo 2019 model with the 2.1 motor. I am a new customer and haven't had one of your bikes before. I invested a lot of time researching and comparing several bike and motor brands with each other. I was convinced to choose for your bike with the Brose motor. Due to the lack of sound (internal belt concept) and due to the additional added value which a 3rd party (BLEvo) was able to offer as well. For me the main reason in that perspective was related to the heart rate monitor and smart power which are part of the BLEvo app.

Of another Specialized Rider Care post on this forum I have understood that due to advise of your legal team. (based on European eBike safety standard EN 15194:2017) You therefore felt forced to close a door whereby 3rd party apps were bypassing local speed limits via reducing wheel circumference further than you designed or intended. I assume you are speaking about BLEvo and other similar apps as well.

From my point of view these 3rd party apps where adding much more value to the rider when comparing them to Mission Control then just a risk for Specialized that these apps are being used for bypassing local speed limits.

Within the post above where I am referring to you were asking about missing functions on the previous Mission Control app. For me BLEvo should be more the benchmark of missing functions compared to the current Mission Control app rather then the previous Mission Control version. As I haven't used the previous version I can't answer this question but I would be very happy with a version of Mission Control in future time which includes all the functions of the BLEvo app besides bypassing the speed limit then.

If this is not an option I still hope you leave the door open for 3rd party app developers. (but at least try to block the speed limiter) My experience is that 3rd party app developers are much more quick to adapt new functions then big corporations like Specialized are able to. However I hope I am making a false assumption here and you will prove the opposite by adding to Mission Control for example key BLEvo added values like:
- HR monitor incl. smart power
- More extensive and detailed measurement data (power rider and power motor support), battery power left and screen layout (to be choosen by the user)
- Power adjustment settings by 1% instead of the big 5% steps

As said at this moment I am waiting for my new bike which is currently on hold due to the noise issue. The lack of noise was one of the other reasons which made me choose for the Levo driveline. I am therefore very happy that you take this issue very serious but if I had known this issue and the mayor 2019 software change upfront I maybe would have choosen for the more open software minded and more quiet 2018 Levo model. Although I have bought a new and expensive 2019 model (compared to the 2018 model) I unfortunately still haven't got a happy and very confident feeling that I made the right choice.

I hope you will understand my concerns and feedback and will do everything to solve the 2019 noise issue and develop at least develop your own Mission Control app as good as currently the BLEvo functions are. (except for the speed limiter adjustment ;-))

Thanks for your understanding and support in advance!

 

[Konafahrer]

From my point of view these 3rd party apps where adding much more value to the rider at when comparing them to Mission Control then just a risk for Specialized that these apps are being used for bypassing local speed limits.

Within the post above where I am referring to you were asking about missing functions on the previous Mission Control app. For me BLEvo should be more the benchmark of missing functions compared to the current Mission Control app rather then the previous Mission Control version. As I haven't used the previous version I can't answer this question but I would be very happy with a version of Mission Control in future time which includes all the functions of the BLEvo app besides bypassing the speed limit then.

+1 - BLEVO is the benchmark

Excellent post, thank you.

 

[Matt b]

We're riders too, and we agree with you that this is frustrating. Having a good feature disappear is a shame, and absolutely no-one here wanted to remove it or to be seen as the fun-police.

However we're taking care to be as responsible as possible as we work towards a sustainable future for eBikes. In particular regulators are rightly changing their stance to eBike "tuning" - recent changes to EU law make those responsible for product design/engineering personally liable for non-compliance here. It was perceived that wheel-circumference adjustment was being used by the majority to circumvent the law and we had to respownd .

We understand that this feature is important to you and that not everyone is just around the corner from their LBS. We'll raise this with our product teams - they read your comments too.

Could specialized look into adding a shuttle mode for older bikes please.

 

[VaseLEVO]

Could specialized look into adding a shuttle mode for older bikes please.

You mean older bikes as in 2018 levo that are still on sale and 2019 Kanevo with same older motor and battery? He he he. If they are still on sale as new they are not "older" yet and in my humble opinion we shouldn't need to even ask not be treated like a step child. Maybe 3rd party apps can add similar functionality.

 

[Matt b]

You mean older bikes as in 2018 levo that are still on sale and 2019 Kanevo with same older motor and battery? He he he. If they are still on sale as new they are not "older" yet and in my humble opinion we shouldn't need to even ask not be treated like a step child. Maybe 3rd party apps can add similar functionality.

I'm pretty sure blevo could, but I don't want to risk my warranty.

 

[Mountie]

I guess the EMTB with connected bikes is a brave new world manufacturers and consumers need to adjust to.

 

[PetarHolland]

I guess the EMTB with connected bikes is a brave new world manufacturers and consumers need to adjust to.

True, but IMHO, the mission control app is the only weak point of the Specialized emtb range

 

[Specialized Rider Care]

Could specialized look into adding a shuttle mode for older bikes please.

Hi Matt, thanks for asking. Shuttle mode is unique to the all new Levo, it's not a function that can be retro-active through Mission Control. This was answered elsewhere on the forum by others - but I'll try to provide more detail.

The new Levo uses the Brose Drive S Mag motor - which has a new feature from Brose that they call 'Flex Power Mode', essentially power delivery is controlled according to pedal force (torque - as per our previous gen Levo bikes) and also now cadence. This is hardware related - it's unique to this new motor. As a result, you get a significantly faster response from a standing start and thus the new Levo is much quicker when pulling away or starting up a steep hill compared to most other bikes. Mission Control "sees" that a new Levo is connected and displays Shuttle mode, enabling you to slide between 0% support (fully torque controlled) and 100% (overall power controlled, which is a combination of torque and cadence).

Hope that makes sense - and sorry we can't make it available to existing Levo Gen 1 owners.

 

[mymodel6]

Hi Matt, thanks for asking. Shuttle mode is unique to the all new Levo, it's not a function that can be retro-active through Mission Control. This was answered elsewhere on the forum by others - but I'll try to provide more detail.

The new Levo uses the Brose Drive S Mag motor - which has a new feature from Brose that they call 'Flex Power Mode', essentially power delivery is controlled according to pedal force (torque - as per our previous gen Levo bikes) and also now cadence. This is hardware related - it's unique to this new motor. As a result, you get a significantly faster response from a standing start and thus the new Levo is much quicker when pulling away or starting up a steep hill compared to most other bikes. Mission Control "sees" that a new Levo is connected and displays Shuttle mode, enabling you to slide between 0% support (fully torque controlled) and 100% (overall power controlled, which is a combination of torque and cadence).

Hope that makes sense - and sorry we can't make it available to existing Levo Gen 1 owners.

Will higher capacity batteries be made available for the previous models?

 

[ccrdave]

Hi Matt, thanks for asking. Shuttle mode is unique to the all new Levo, it's not a function that can be retro-active through Mission Control. This was answered elsewhere on the forum by others - but I'll try to provide more detail.

The new Levo uses the Brose Drive S Mag motor - which has a new feature from Brose that they call 'Flex Power Mode', essentially power delivery is controlled according to pedal force (torque - as per our previous gen Levo bikes) and also now cadence. This is hardware related - it's unique to this new motor. As a result, you get a significantly faster response from a standing start and thus the new Levo is much quicker when pulling away or starting up a steep hill compared to most other bikes. Mission Control "sees" that a new Levo is connected and displays Shuttle mode, enabling you to slide between 0% support (fully torque controlled) and 100% (overall power controlled, which is a combination of torque and cadence).

Hope that makes sense - and sorry we can't make it available to existing Levo Gen 1 owners.

thank you thats an excellent discription but as a compromise can we have accelleration response setting put back please. Until you removed it it was a useful tool for tuning the response of the motor under various situations especially when climbing steep stuff. I notice the control is reinstated for the 2019 models and seeing as we used to have this in 2017/18 models can you put it back please

 

[bekolu]

This is hardware related - it's unique to this new motor.

Do you mean this is Brose motor software related? I thought the Mag motor has the same sensors like the Alu Version, just the frame is made of magnesium??

 

[bekolu]

Understood. No promises but will share this with our product teams, seems like a fair request.

By the way, any feedback from the product teams?

 

[Mountie]

Anyone else suffering with the new mission control alpp crashing 100% of the time on startup started last night. App starts to open and then crashes out on iPhone.

 

[mymodel6]

Anyone else suffering with the new mission control alpp crashing 100% of the time on startup started last night. App starts to open and then crashes out on iPhone.

No, because Blevo...

 

[Sherman]

Do you mean this is Brose motor software related? I thought the Mag motor has the same sensors like the Alu Version, just the frame is made of magnesium??

According to Brose Drive S Mag 2019: New compact lightweight Brose motor with a new assistance mode – eMTB-News.de the Flex power mode is only available for Mag S models. The old Levos and Alu S motors provide cadence information too, so it all sounds product differentation by software to me. But what do I know, there's probably something more to it.

 

[Matt b]

Hi Matt, thanks for asking. Shuttle mode is unique to the all new Levo, it's not a function that can be retro-active through Mission Control. This was answered elsewhere on the forum by others - but I'll try to provide more detail.

The new Levo uses the Brose Drive S Mag motor - which has a new feature from Brose that they call 'Flex Power Mode', essentially power delivery is controlled according to pedal force (torque - as per our previous gen Levo bikes) and also now cadence. This is hardware related - it's unique to this new motor. As a result, you get a significantly faster response from a standing start and thus the new Levo is much quicker when pulling away or starting up a steep hill compared to most other bikes. Mission Control "sees" that a new Levo is connected and displays Shuttle mode, enabling you to slide between 0% support (fully torque controlled) and 100% (overall power controlled, which is a combination of torque and cadence).

Hope that makes sense - and sorry we can't make it available to existing Levo Gen 1 owners.

Thanks for your reply, it's great to see someone is listening.

 

[Matt b]

thank you thats an excellent discription but as a compromise can we have accelleration response setting put back please. Until you removed it it was a useful tool for tuning the response of the motor under various situations especially when climbing steep stuff. I notice the control is reinstated for the 2019 models and seeing as we used to have this in 2017/18 models can you put it back please

Would doing this be similar to a shuttle mode?

 

[ccrdave]

Would doing this be similar to a shuttle mode?

I dont know I havent used shuttle mode but when I had this facility before it did alter the response of the motor in such a way as you would get a lot more power as soon as you touched the cranks, you did need to "tune" it via the slider because in some situations it woud shoot you forwards too fast but as long as you understand it and what it did it was in my opinion a good function and I was a bit pissed when they took it away

 

[Swissrob]

Specialized Rider care, comments on the walk mode vary from useless to a bit shit so this needs some work. Might I suggest that this function have it's own channel in MC so we can tune it to a speed? So if I set it to 8 kph it uses the wheel magnet to achieve this speed regardless of what gear it's in. If I need to walk my bike it's because it fcn steep, so I would have been in the lowest gear before dismounting to walk at this point I then need to put it in the highest gear to get the walk mode to be useful. I just want to jump off hit the button to get a few metres and keep riding or I want to walk a steep shortcut so I would then need to set the speed lower.

 

[Lazy Biker 84]

This is what my old mission control tells me about my battery. Can't connect to the new one. What should my firmware be at now?
Thank you!

 

[Specialized Rider Care]

This is what my old mission control tells me about my battery. Can't connect to the new one. What should my firmware be at now?
Thank you!

Two answers:
1) There is a worthwhile update available for your battery firmware - once updated it will read 10.23.x - this opens up the opportunity for you to have separate Peak Power settings for each support mode. Bottom line is that you'd notice more control over your range in ECO mode and more power available to you in TRAIL mode, should you wish. If you take the bike to your LBS they should be able to do the update for you - ask them before paying a visit though.

2) The fact that you are on an older revision of battery firmware shouldn't stop you connecting to the new app. You shouldn't need to delete the old app to pair with the new app, but the recommendation is to a) close the old app from running any background processes and b) forget the bike from your Bluetooth phone settings if you have difficulty connecting to the new app, then re-pair from the new app.

Hope that helps.

 

[Specialized Rider Care]

Specialized Rider care, comments on the walk mode vary from useless to a bit shit so this needs some work. Might I suggest that this function have it's own channel in MC so we can tune it to a speed? So if I set it to 8 kph it uses the wheel magnet to achieve this speed regardless of what gear it's in. If I need to walk my bike it's because it fcn steep, so I would have been in the lowest gear before dismounting to walk at this point I then need to put it in the highest gear to get the walk mode to be useful. I just want to jump off hit the button to get a few metres and keep riding or I want to walk a steep shortcut so I would then need to set the speed lower.

Which bike are you riding Swissrob? If the new Levo, check that you have the latest firmware because the walk assist is great with the latest motor firmware due to the way the new Brose Drive S Mag motor delivers instant power. (Bikes were shipped before the latest motor firmware was released by Brose but if retailers do the hand-over using our firmware-update system then everything will be up to date when a bike is purchased). If the previous generations of Levo or a Kenevo, the speed-sensor magnet needs to pass the sensor for the motor to permit assist levels - and that sometimes means walking the bike forward or back a little before it engages, I've been stuck on a rock-face trying to push the Levo uphill until the magnet passes the sensor myself so I understand your comment.

There are several legal restrictions around the use of walk assist that we have to adhere to, the latest Brose motor design improves the way we navigate these restrictions but two simple guidelines that all manufacturers have to adhere to: 1) 6kph max assist speed 2) Speed must be validated (i.e. by a speed sensor) - and assist must cut above 6kph.

 

[Specialized Rider Care]

Please, put back the "display always on" function for mission control app!

Hi - if you mean you want to ride with the map or statistics screen but cannot because the screen goes into screen-lock (depending on your settings) after 1 minute or so, then I understand your question. This is a feature that I know the team are working on and should be delivered within the next 2 or 3 updates. If that doesn't answer your question - please could you provide a little more information?