Bosch Speed Sensor

[DCx01]

When I first saw my new 2021 Cube Stereo Hybird 140TM (I’d just ordered online without trying or seeing one) I did wonder what the hell was going on with a 1980’s style magnet on the spokes. At that very moment I thought that was going to cause issues.
68 miles in and bang, the Bosch 4th Gen motor died and went into limp mode. Error code appeared a moment later and I had a tough old ride home.
The Kiox is up to date, battery fully charged - the error code refers to a speed sensor fault. Absolutely no surprise. Shows it’s a wise decision to view a bike before buying - I wouldn’t have had I really taken notice of this 80’s speedo mechanism. All this tech and let down by a sensor and some cheap magnet. Rubbish.

 

[Mteam]

You know all motors use the same kind of speed sensing mechanism, its either a magnet on the spokes or a magnet on the brake disc,but they all work in the same way.

What's actually happened with yours? Has the spoke magnet moved away from the sensor, or has it fallen off? Or has the sensor itself moved? Or does it all look correct but youre still getting an error.

 

[DCx01]

Ha, no way! ??‍
See, I’ve not been to shops and had a look at the little details.
Not sure, I had planned to take it in and get a diagnosis done. Wheelbase have been great and said they will pay any diagnostic work as I live miles away. Had pneumonia this week as a Christmas treat so didn’t get there.

 

[Mteam]

Ha, no way! ??‍
See, I’ve not been to shops and had a look at the little details.
Not sure, I had planned to take it in and get a diagnosis done. Wheelbase have been great and said they will pay any diagnostic work as I live miles away. Had pneumonia this week as a Christmas treat so didn’t get there.

Just have a quick look at it and see if the magnet is still lined up correctly on the sensor, it the magnet slips on the spokes and moved away from the sensor you'll get this error.

On the sensor there is a vertical line on the sensor body towards the cable end of the sensor, the magnet needs to pass in front of this line.

If you download the bosch manuals (freely available from bosch website), there's a section that shows you how the magnet is supposed to be positioned relative to the sensor.

 

[DCx01]

But I do know the magnet is in line and faced up, in line with the correct part of the sensor and double checked. I’d been riding to a friends house along a cycle lane and on the way back it died. No warning, but fine, stoped at traffic lights, pulled off and knackered.

 

[Mteam]

But I do know the magnet is in line and faced up, in line with the correct part of the sensor and double checked. I’d been riding to a friends house along a cycle lane and on the way back it died. No warning, but fine, stoped at traffic lights, pulled off and knackered.

Sounds like a real fault then, if the magnet is still on the spokes and positioned correctly.

 

[DCx01]

Yes, frustrating.

I can’t even turn the magnet it’s so well done up.

 

[Mteam]

Yes, frustrating.

I can’t even turn the magnet it’s so well done up.

You could check that the speed sensor cable is correctly plugged into the motor. If you remove the non drive side motor protector/cover, you can see all the different cables and where they attach to the motor. They're all just on push in plugs, maybe the speed sensor connector has not been fully pushed in?

 

[DCx01]

Lovely. I’ll do that. Thank you.

 

[All4Fun]

Is the gap between sensor and magnet correct, it should be 5-17 mm.
We do have here a bike with equal problems, gap was around 30 mm, changed it to 5 mm, still problems, now it's on 12 mm, until now no problems.

What type of sensor is it anyway, reed- hall- or....?

 

[mxtyphoon]

You can check the sensor wiring, etc with an ohm meter. When the sensor passes over the magnet the reading will be pulled down. Had to figure this out when I had pinched and broke a wire to the sensor putting in a dropper post. ? no problems with over 2,000 miles since.

 

[ChrisCM]

I’ve done over 1500 miles on my Cube Kathmandu with the same sensor, absolutely no problems, I’ve ordered a new Cube Stereo Hybrid 140 with the same sensor, not worried, it’s a new bike, the dealer will sort if foc.

 

[andyadam]

When I first saw my new 2021 Cube Stereo Hybird 140TM (I’d just ordered online without trying or seeing one) I did wonder what the hell was going on with a 1980’s style magnet on the spokes. At that very moment I thought that was going to cause issues.
68 miles in and bang, the Bosch 4th Gen motor died and went into limp mode. Error code appeared a moment later and I had a tough old ride home.
The Kiox is up to date, battery fully charged - the error code refers to a speed sensor fault. Absolutely no surprise. Shows it’s a wise decision to view a bike before buying - I wouldn’t have had I really taken notice of this 80’s speedo mechanism. All this tech and let down by a sensor and some cheap magnet. Rubbish.

i cant imagine why anyone would buy any bike without at least doing some research or trying one !
i have the 160 tm, and the first thing i ordered was an extra three magnets , i never wanted to be away in the wilds and limping home ! (found them for a real cheap price) they live on the front spokes just in case but fortunately the magnet has never moved a mm it means i also have a spare should i ever meet someone who needs one, i believe in karma going full circle
this is probably just a fault that will be easily repaired under warranty, bosch make thousands of motors and systems, even the best equipment fails or was made by the apprentice or new guy, or that rushed bike on a friday afternoon, thats life, it sucks and it would p*** me off mightily too, but bosch have the best warranty out there as far as i'm concerned , one of the reasons i went with the cube/bosch

and maybe the last kiox download was corrupted, update it again before anything else

 

[DCx01]

i cant imagine why anyone would buy any bike without at least doing some research or trying one !
i have the 160 tm, and the first thing i ordered was an extra three magnets , i never wanted to be away in the wilds and limping home ! (found them for a real cheap price) they live on the front spokes just in case but fortunately the magnet has never moved a mm it means i also have a spare should i ever meet someone who needs one, i believe in karma going full circle
this is probably just a fault that will be easily repaired under warranty, bosch make thousands of motors and systems, even the best equipment fails or was made by the apprentice or new guy, or that rushed bike on a friday afternoon, thats life, it sucks and it would p*** me off mightily too, but bosch have the best warranty out there as far as i'm concerned , one of the reasons i went with the cube/bosch

and maybe the last kiox download was corrupted, update it again before anything else

I didn’t want to buy a Cube but it came down to price and interest free credit. I don’t always look at cars I buy, not too bothered about the houses I’ve bought - it’s a car/bike/house that’s on budget and has what I need. The Cube had the piggy back shock, something that was missing in a rubbish YT Jeffsy I bought blind. I could have changed the shock but decided to get rid as it was shite. The Specialized Enduro that replaced it is a far better beast, in every single way. The forks on the Cube are fantastic and the rear shock works well under my big load.
In terms of magnet, it has to be more than that and a fault. I’ll find out on Tuesday. Know this has dragged on, but 74 miles in, Bosch or Bish Bash Bosh, it’s shite and poor.
Mate has an £8k Levo. It’s like an enduro but with less travel and a £4K motor and battery. Utter madness paying out so much for these bikes really. The Cube is slack, fits the bill but I just don’t get the tech on these machines where a 1980’s piece of tech dictates the success or failure of a £4.7k bike. It’s very poor.
I’ll feedback on Tuesday.

 

[DCx01]

Right. It’s been in and it’s working again....

No sensor issues, no magnet problems - an update was needed apparently. Why the first 5 rides didn’t have any issues and then bang, I’m not sure. Did 20 test miles today and no issues whatsoever. Slightly frustrating, but ‘only’ £25 for the diagnostic work and update to be done. I now have slightly more torque apparently. How the bike suddenly knew it needed an update and why it suddenly thought it needed an update is anyone’s guess.
Hope that’s the last of all that. Think I’ve a bit to learn about all this as well as confidence in the whole ebike world. Rode my Enduro last week and just loved it. Far more fun and without relentless hills, didn’t miss the ebike really. Felt so lightweight.
Decided to buy the security update on the app for £8.99 which stops the bikes being used ever without the Kiox screen I own.

 

[DCx01]

So, another update. My bike died again now have 112 miles in her and again the bike is back in the shop. After ‘sorting’ with Bosch diagnosis in-store, the fix didn’t work once again. The issue was taken directly to Bosch who said it was a speed sensor cable. On taking the cable out it seems it was crushed and not fitted correctly. Cable was replaced. All fine... of course not.
6 rotations of the pedals and the code returns and the bike died.
Ballache

 

[andyadam]

So, another update. My bike died again now have 112 miles in her and again the bike is back in the shop. After ‘sorting’ with Bosch diagnosis in-store, the fix didn’t work once again. The issue was taken directly to Bosch who said it was a speed sensor cable. On taking the cable out it seems it was crushed and not fitted correctly. Cable was replaced. All fine... of course not.
6 rotations of the pedals and the code returns and the bike died.
Ballache

time for a full refund under not fit for purpose !

 

[DCx01]

time for a full refund under not fit for purpose !

Starting to get frustrated, that’s for certain