Firmware update for charging limit

[bobf]

I just updated Mission Control on my phone and the display firmware on my Creo. No visit to bike shop required. I'm happy to see I can set an automatic upper limit on battery charge. With the limit set, I found that charging stops automatically at 80%, in line with what's been said here about maximizing battery life.

Nice feature, and the Specialized web site has decent documentation of it. That was a pleasant surprise, since I find that overall documentation of the Creo with Mastermind display is somewhat lacking.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

the Specialized web site has decent documentation of it.

A link please?

P.S. A Mastermind e-bike?

 

[Allan47.7339]

He did say it was a Creo Mastermind

This page does not specify whether or not it's for Mastermind:
Mission Control/Using Mission Control/Current: Tune your bike

Tune your bike

support.specialized.com

But it does not appear on my Mission Control app for a 2021 Creo and the FAQ page talks about the Mastermind.
Mission Control/Using Mission Control/Tune your bike/Current: Charge Limit FAQ

Charge Limit FAQ

support.specialized.com

I'm currently at 5400 miles and 57 cycles and I almost always charge on return. If you look at the Mission Control App store page and check the What's New last updated Feb 9, 2023, it talks about the charge limit, It also says feature not compatible with all bikes. Period with no further info.

The screen shot in the FAQ tune page shows two choices that are not on my Mission Control - Charge Limit and Calibrate to Phone Elevation. I don't use Mission Control for riding at all and only occasionally to check the bike stats at home. I also notice the firmware page no longer populates either the current or new.

 

[bobf]

Yes, I have a Creo with MasterMind TCU, can't be used with BLevo. I noticed on Google Play that there was a new release of Mission Control, dated February 10. After I updated, the app said there was a bicycle firmware update available, which I accepted. Screens during the firmware update said "display update," which I take to mean a controller update only, nothing new for the motor or battery. As Allen said, it is pretty well described in the Tune Your Bike and Charge Limit FAQs in the support section of the Specialized web site.

From the descriptions, it seems like the update is compatible with the 2021 Creo. Allen, is this true?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Thank you Allan for your extensive answer, and you Bob for the extra information!

It looks that the new features are not available for SL systems of Gen 1 (although the MC update has been available). Any firmware updates for Gen 1 can be only done at the dealer. No new features for Gen 1 either (at least for Vado SL).

I only use Mission Control on my Gen 1 Vado SL for occasional actions such as controlling the Range Extender use or infrequent checking of any diagnostic messages. I actually set the bike by BLEvo, and a Wahoo ELEMNT Roam v2 satisfies all my ride recording needs.

Similarly to Allan, I fully recharge all relevant batteries post-ride so my SL is always ready to ride.

The calibration of the elevation against the smartphone... BLEvo has now the Calibration feature. It works very strangely. I know the elevation where I live is 92 m asl. The smartphone can propose anything between -44 and 128 m, and the initial value is never true. Of course, entering 92 m makes BLEvo work better. It only shows how unreliable the barometric altimeter of the smartphone could be.

 

[mogulman]

Interesting. I just got an email about it. It says it can only be done by a dealer and that they may charge for it. It's interesting that they put that caveat in about dealers charging for firmware upgrades. Pretty BS. Definitely won't be getting another Specialized bike if they try and charge me.

 

[GuruUno]

My only concern about this (if it is applicable to my 2022 Vado 5.0 and if so, if I choose to do it) is that I base almost all of my rides on the maximum distance that I can achieve with reserve to come back with enough power. Meaning I always plug in every day, and I always get 100%. If I had to charge to only 80%, that means I cannot plan the longer rides unless that 80% is able to be overridden. But again, it's usually dependent on weather, wind, my stamina, etc., so I normally try to set a maximum ride to 45 miles via Smart Control, rarely a 50-mile setting, most times a 30-35 mile ride. I always like to know I can extend the ride if warranted and not have "range anxiety".
With that said, maybe the new chemistry for the battery technology will make all of those "conditions" a moot point in a year or 3. Keep ridin'!!

 

[mogulman]

My only concern about this (if it is applicable to my 2022 Vado 5.0 and if so, if I choose to do it) is that I base almost all of my rides on the maximum distance that I can achieve with reserve to come back with enough power. Meaning I always plug in every day, and I always get 100%. If I had to charge to only 80%, that means I cannot plan the longer rides unless that 80% is able to be overridden. But again, it's usually dependent on weather, wind, my stamina, etc., so I normally try to set a maximum ride to 45 miles via Smart Control, rarely a 50-mile setting, most times a 30-35 mile ride. I always like to know I can extend the ride if warranted and not have "range anxiety".
With that said, maybe the new chemistry for the battery technology will make all of those "conditions" a moot point in a year or 3. Keep ridin'!!

Yeah. I think it only applies if you ride a know route or amount of time and know you won't use the full charge. Otherwise I'd want my battery to be 100. Also. Sometimes if I know I have extra charge, I'd ride farther or a different route.

Kind of a weird thing to be honest. Buy a bike with X size battery but it's better if you only use 60% of it's charge (80-20%). Maybe they should just advertise only 80% of the full battery capacity and build in technology that uses that.

 

[Nonlinear]

I got the update on my 2022 Turbo Vado 5.0. it says it will charge to 80%, then 100% every tenth charge (to recalibrate the battery). I'm not sure if the 100% charge is a good thing or a bad thing... This is from the same company that had batteries charging to 100% in the first place, after all.

 

[rayray]

It’s optional. I’ll continue charging to 100%, so I don’t suffer from range anxiety. Same reason I often carry the range extender needlessly.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I got the update on my 2022 Turbo Vado 5.0.

The update is certainly for the Gen 2, or MasterMind e-bikes. Not a bad thing, as many users do not ride their e-bikes as frequently as Guru or Ray.

Keeping the battery charge in the 20-80% charge range is certainly good for the battery longevity, and it is good Specialized eventually addressed the thing, at least as an useful option.

I actually ride my Vado SL (Gen 1) on a daily basis; I learned it is practical to keep my main battery and Range Extenders charged to 100%. I had a situation in which I had to unexpectedly solve several family related matters to find out my main battery and RE (I had only one RE at that time) were not completely recharged; an experience I would not like to repeat.

On the other hand, I ride my Vado 6.0 on weekends only. I could keep Vado batteries at 80% and only recharge them on Friday night. Still, I can keep them at 80% by manual controlling the charging (the older battery has 5 LEDs, so you know approximate State of Charge during the recharging).

 

[bobf]

Yes, limiting to 80% is optional. Once you've updated the app and your bike, It's easy to turn the 80% limit on and off in Mission Control. See the FAQs mentioned above. If you always charge to 100%, then maybe there no point in the update. Dunno about having to go to a dealer for this. I did it at home. Maybe you need the previous (dealer only) update before you can apply this one. I already had it done.

So far, my bike has received 3 updates since purchase in July. First was to the "display" (controller?) and doable at home. Second was to motor and battery, had to be done by a dealer. Third was this latest one, and in my case it was display only, doable at home. Specialized is in a complicated situation, supporting bikes with different configurations that support different features. Can't wait 'til my 2022 starts to be a legacy - NOT.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

"display" (controller?)

Technically, it is the TCU 2 (Turbo Control Unit Gen 2). By chance, it is also the display on your Creo MasterMind
Good to know you can do your updates Over-The-Air!

 

[GuruUno]

It’s optional. I’ll continue charging to 100%, so I don’t suffer from range anxiety. Same reason I often carry the range extender needlessly.

Range extender only for SL, etc., not Vado. I went that route (extra battery) with a previous Vado, carrying an extra battery (what a bear, + 10 lbs.), etc. Heavy, awkward, and may be used it one time in 1 year. In time, hopefully, just a little more range might be a good thing down the road. After all, things are supposed to get less costly as technology becomes more adopted. Right?

 

[Howie7]

I think this is another upgrade that I shall not be getting for a long while as it’s just so difficult to get to the Specialised bike shop, I’m glad I never did the last upgrade as it has made little or no difference to my riding pleasure. I know how long it takes to charge my bike to 80% from any given residual charge so there’s no problem about stopping at 80% if that’s what I want to do.

 

[GAJ]

I think this is another upgrade that I shall not be getting for a long while as it’s just so difficult to get to the Specialised bike shop, I’m glad I never did the last upgrade as it has made little or no difference to my riding pleasure. I know how long it takes to charge my bike to 80% from any given residual charge so there’s no problem about stopping at 80% if that’s what I want to do.

Agreed.

There is a Specialized dealer within 2 miles but I bought my bike from a shop that had the SL 5.0 in stock for a demo ride. My guess is the shop nearby will charge as they have always been quite expensive anyway on the service side on my non e'bikes purchased there.

Charging for a firmware update is BS.

 

[rayray]

The update is certainly for the Gen 2, or MasterMind e-bikes. Not a bad thing, as many users do not ride their e-bikes as frequently as Guru or Ray.

I have a confession to make; I haven’t ridden since October. I’m not sure which I dislike more while riding at speed, cold or rain, but we get too much of both for me. I stick to walking my dog in the winter.

The good news is I’ve been working out at the gym in preparation for Spring. Oh, and I did charge to only about 80% on my batteries before I stored them for winter, so I guess I WOULD use the update.

 

[Dazmanturbo]

I can't see me using the 80% limit as I don't leave the bike with 100% charge for any extended period. I also have 3 other main batteries they I picked from ebay and I leave these with 70%. I give these spares a charge cycle every 3 month to ensure they operate correctly and had no issue in doing this

 

[GAJ]

Not to mention lying about true range if the max recommended charge is 80 percent.

We should get a 20 percent refund or a free extender battery.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Not to mention lying about true range if the max recommended charge is 80 percent.

I would not put it as harshly as you did.
The user has options:

• Battery longevity (20-80% state of charge), or
• Long range (100% charge).

My choice is long range and I know I'm killing my batteries but at least can set off for really long rides.