Known Issues & Problems with Elby Products + Help, Solutions & Fixes

[Ann M.]

No ebike is perfect, this is a thread dedicated to sharing known issues or problems with electric bikes from Elby as well as any help and solutions you know of. Sometimes that means a DIY fix and other times it can mean a recall, software update or part replacement by a dealer.

Please be respectful and constructive with feedback, this is not a space for hate speech. In many cases, representatives from the company will see feedback and use it to improve their product. In the end, the goal is to enjoy riding and help each other go further and be safer.

 

[Bcry]

What about the so-called Bluetooth feature? Anybody get it to work? I was told the app is NOT supported.

 

[Bcry]

Here is the latest message from Elby regarding their defunct app:
Hello from Elby Mobility.

The original Elby E-bike APP was developed in partnership with BionX to work specifically on the BionX system using an integrated Bluetooth module on the Elby bike. Due to the BionX receivership in Feb 2018 the maintenance of the APP lapsed resulting in the lose of functionality. The Elby Company was purchased in Jan 2019 and the status of the APP was identified in spring of 2019. We have been working with the original developer of the Elby/BionX to see if it can be brought back online with no success. The APP developer is launching an updated version of this APP under their own brand and we are now in discussions with them on making this new APP work with our bike.

There are other APPS (such as Strava and Map My Ride) that will offer similar functionality except displaying battery state-of-charge. The battery state-of-charge is displayed in two locations on the Elby bike, the color display and the Control ring.

We appreciate your business and thank you for being part of the sustainable transportation movement.

I have been using Strava, which is a nice app (free with in app purchases). It is not completely integrated with the Elby, since it cannot provide info on battery, etc. and as far as I can tell does not connect in any way with the bike Bluetooth, but I have not noticed any Bluetooth signal coming from the bike i.e. my iOS does not register such a signal. Will try the map my ride app to see how it works.

 

[Bcry]

Here is the latest message from Elby regarding their defunct app:
Hello from Elby Mobility.

The original Elby E-bike APP was developed in partnership with BionX to work specifically on the BionX system using an integrated Bluetooth module on the Elby bike. Due to the BionX receivership in Feb 2018 the maintenance of the APP lapsed resulting in the lose of functionality. The Elby Company was purchased in Jan 2019 and the status of the APP was identified in spring of 2019. We have been working with the original developer of the Elby/BionX to see if it can be brought back online with no success. The APP developer is launching an updated version of this APP under their own brand and we are now in discussions with them on making this new APP work with our bike.

There are other APPS (such as Strava and Map My Ride) that will offer similar functionality except displaying battery state-of-charge. The battery state-of-charge is displayed in two locations on the Elby bike, the color display and the Control ring.

We appreciate your business and thank you for being part of the sustainable transportation movement.

I have been using Strava, which is a nice app (free with in app purchases). It is not completely integrated with the Elby, since it cannot provide info on battery, etc. and as far as I can tell does not connect in any way with the bike Bluetooth, but I have not noticed any Bluetooth signal coming from the bike i.e. my iOS does not register such a signal. Will try the map my ride app to see how it works.

That’s simply bs and the company knows it. When you pay $3000 for a bike and one major feature doesnt work, that’s close to fraud (their ad still touts Bluetooth app). As far as BT connectivity, it doesn’t register on my iPhone, so I wonder if even that is a lie.(Early reviews, from around 2015, do report that the mystery app and BT are integrated in the bike. My model, purchased 2019, maybe different, BUT the Elby folks should be at lest honest about it. Btw I have queried the company, without success and pointed out the false advertising to Amazon but so far nothing. (Amazon did offer a $100 refund, however).

 

[Bcry]

My Elby, purchased 8/2019, stopped working. Took it out for a spin today and for the first mile or so, worked well. stopped for a bit, about an hour, and when I started up a steep hill under full assist, I heard a click and the assist quit. The Bionx controller and display remained on, showing 90 percent charge, and the assist (or regen) display also functioned, but the motor did not respond. Checked all connections, and they seem tight. Turned off all equipment, removed battery, and still nothing. Any ideas? Addendum: noticed that speed indicator while peddling stayed at 0mph. Elby support is sending out a mobile tech to investigate. Must say Elby was quick to respond. Update: Elby sent a mobile bike repair van to my house a day after being contacted. The tech checked out the bike, reconnected all the various cables and reported that it seemed as if the motor was dead. Elby promised a new rear wheel, but before the tech departed, as we were putting the bike away, the motor came on and as of thee days later works fine. I imagine that the reconnection of cables did the trick. Perhaps the power cable came loose and the reconnection fixed it but who knows. Elby support gets high marks, however, for reacting quickly and offering easy resolution. UPDATE: A month later still going strong. Again five stars to Elby Support and their local mobile bile repair service.

 

[corgi1]

My Elby, purchased 8/2019, stopped working. Took it out for a spin today and for the first mile or so, worked well. stopped for a bit, about an hour, and when I started up a steep hill under full assist, I heard a click and the assist quit. The Bionx controller and display remained on, showing 90 percent charge, and the assist (or regen) display also functioned, but the motor did not respond. Checked all connections, and they seem tight. Turned off all equipment, removed battery, and still nothing. Any ideas? Addendum: noticed that speed indicator while peddling stayed at 0mph. Elby support is sending out a mobile tech to investigate. Must say Elby was quick to respond. Update: Elby sent a mobile bike repair van to my house a day after being contacted. The tech checked out the bike, reconnected all the various cables and reported that it seemed as if the motor was dead. Elby promised a new rear wheel, but before the tech departed, as we were putting the bike away, the motor came on and as of thee days later works fine. I imagine that the reconnection of cables did the trick. Perhaps the power cable came loose and the reconnection fixed it but who knows. Elby support gets high marks, however, for reacting quickly and offering easy resolution. UPDATE: A month later still going strong. Again five stars to Elby Support and their local mobile bile repair service.

We have two Elby bikes both purchased about 2.5 years ago. Recently mine has started the acting similar to what you described. Took it for a ride and it was working normal then the power assist just stopped. The display was still on and showed I was using an assist level. But there was no assist. I unplugged and reconnected the connector near the right handlebar grip and also the connector near the rear wheel/motor. It started working again. But the next time I went for a ride, the bike would not turn on. After messing with it for a while got it to turn on and it worked for a while then the power assist stopped. Now the same is also happening to my wife's Elby. Went for a ride yesterday and they were both working fine for the first 2-3 miles. Then the power assist just stopped on my wife's bike. Checked the connections and it started working, but as we were riding the display would reboot multiple times. Power assist stopped again and we could not get it to come back on. At this point we are loath to take them out for a ride not knowing if they are going to strand us some where. I know you can ride the bike without power assist, but yesterday were were 5 miles out and gone down a long steep hilly road/ There was no way we could ride them back up the long hill and we had to walk them back.

About 3 weeks ago, I contacted Elby support via email and got a reply that the bikes may need a firmware update. They said they were looking for a dealer shop somewhere near our location but having trouble finding one. I asked if I could perform the firmware update and they said it was possible but could be complicated and I would need a dongle sent to me. I provided my address and have not heard anything back from them. Follow-up emails to Elby support have gone unanswered, same with phone calls.

 

[corgi1]

We have two Elby bikes both purchased about 2.5 years ago. Recently mine has started the acting similar to what you described. Took it for a ride and it was working normal then the power assist just stopped. The display was still on and showed I was using an assist level. But there was no assist. I unplugged and reconnected the connector near the right handlebar grip and also the connector near the rear wheel/motor. It started working again. But the next time I went for a ride, the bike would not turn on. After messing with it for a while got it to turn on and it worked for a while then the power assist stopped. Now the same is also happening to my wife's Elby. Went for a ride yesterday and they were both working fine for the first 2-3 miles. Then the power assist just stopped on my wife's bike. Checked the connections and it started working, but as we were riding the display would reboot multiple times. Power assist stopped again and we could not get it to come back on. At this point we are loath to take them out for a ride not knowing if they are going to strand us some where. I know you can ride the bike without power assist, but yesterday were were 5 miles out and gone down a long steep hilly road/ There was no way we could ride them back up the long hill and we had to walk them back.

About 3 weeks ago, I contacted Elby support via email and got a reply that the bikes may need a firmware update. They said they were looking for a dealer shop somewhere near our location but having trouble finding one. I asked if I could perform the firmware update and they said it was possible but could be complicated and I would need a dongle sent to me. I provided my address and have not heard anything back from them. Follow-up emails to Elby support have gone unanswered, same with phone calls.

Update: I heard back from Elby this morning. They are sending me a dongle and software so that I can try updating the firmware of my bikes to see if that resolves the issues.

 

[Cal]

The motor on my Elby died after 4+ yrs of use. Bought new one from Elby, bike shop installed. Yay.

Then the throttle stopped working. Bought new one from Elby, bike shop installed, worked ok when they tested it in the shop. I witnessed it. But the first time I took it for a ride, no throttle.

It seems to work once in a great while when the bike’s first turned on, before taking it on the road, just holding the rear wheel in the air. Usually it doesn’t do anything other than the tiniest little pulse of power—I feel basically a small jolt of acceleration, much less than 1 second. After that, nothing.

Pedal assist works fine, lights are good, brakes, etc. Only problem is the dead throttle. I’ve checked the connections many times, as has my mechanic.

Any idea what’s going on here, or how to fix it?

 

[Rockroy]

looks like they don't answer their emails either.