Canada to restrict class 3 ebikes to 20mph

[Petropoliskhan]

Do they automatically send the update directly to the bike, or do you take it to a dealer? I haven't had an update installed on my Bosch bikes since the day I rolled them out of the store in 2016.

The speed limit change will happen via an over the air update sent from our headquarters in Switzerland to your Stromer bike. There is nothing that you need to do. The over the air setting cannot be stopped from downloading, and neither a dealer nor a customer will be able to change it back to 45 km/h.
This concerns ALL bikes that are connected to a Canadian address.
It’s apparently not possible to remove the sim card inside the bike. Some people are trying to change the address the bike is registered to. Maybe that’ll work.

 

[Petropoliskhan]

The speed limit change will happen via an over the air update sent from our headquarters in Switzerland to your Stromer bike. There is nothing that you need to do. The over the air setting cannot be stopped from downloading, and neither a dealer nor a customer will be able to change it back to 45 km/h.
This concerns ALL bikes that are connected to a Canadian address.
It’s apparently not possible to remove the sim card inside the bike. Some people are trying to change the address the bike is registered to. Maybe that’ll work.

I guess you’re either lucky or very proficient at fixing whatever issue might arise and have never needed the help of an Lbs.
Not being able to do firmware updates affects the resale value of any bike.
Reduced speed kills the value of any bike.

 

[Rexlion]

The speed limit change will happen via an over the air update sent from our headquarters in Switzerland to your Stromer bike. There is nothing that you need to do. The over the air setting cannot be stopped from downloading, and neither a dealer nor a customer will be able to change it back to 45 km/h.
This concerns ALL bikes that are connected to a Canadian address.
It’s apparently not possible to remove the sim card inside the bike. Some people are trying to change the address the bike is registered to. Maybe that’ll work.

Regardless of what Stromer has said, from a practical standpoint the bike would have to be connected to a network. Around my neighborhood, everyone (including me) has their networks locked and password-protected. Unless the password is entered on the ebike, I do not envision the update happening. So it seems to me that Stromer is "talking through their hat" and most owners have nothing to worry about unless they've already logged their ebikes onto their home network for the sake of automatic software updates.

 

[pmcdonald]

Some more discussion on the Canadian legislation and compliance here: https://electricbikereview.com/forums/threads/canadian-e-bike-class-speed-laws.33845/

Sounds like most of the other name brands were playing ball and following the rules, unless sold for [nudge, nudge, wink, wink] private land use.

Swapping your address sounds like an easy workaround to keep the higher limit. After all, Stromer likely just want to transfer legal liability away from themselves.

Of course, it could be worse. You could have our 25 km/h speed limit

 

[Petropoliskhan]

Regardless of what Stromer has said, from a practical standpoint the bike would have to be connected to a network. Around my neighborhood, everyone (including me) has their networks locked and password-protected. Unless the password is entered on the ebike, I do not envision the update happening. So it seems to me that Stromer is "talking through their hat" and most owners have nothing to worry about unless they've already logged their ebikes onto their home network for the sake of automatic software updates.

It doesn’t connect to wifi. It’s a 3g or 4g connection. This is established as soon as one powers on the bike and enters a zone covered by a cell phone carrier. Of course you don’t have to turn on the bike but if you want to ride it anywhere near a cellphone tower it gets complicated to avoid the forced update. You can refuse the update a number of times but ultimately it will be done automatically.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

What about all of self built bikes people brag about ( w/ 1000+watts power) in this very forum?

They are no friends of mine.

 

[indianajo]

As the diesel dually pickups habitually go 50 mph on the 30 mph rural roads by my property, and the gas 4 wheelers go 60 mph unless they are off road trespassing on my land, Obviously the Canadian government wants to maximize the amount of fuel burnt by transportation. Sales tax on a dually diesel pickup is 15 times sales tax on a mid-drive ebike. The legislature also wish to minimize the amount of damage done by blind deaf brain dead bike riders when they hit a pedestrian. There were 121 pedestrian deaths in my metroplex as of last week, channel 3 news said. None reported that I saw was incurred by a bicycle.
One reason I don't drive motor vehicles anymore is that motor vehicles have too any computers, too many sensors that lose connection, and too much tricky software. Check engine disease is inexorable at 11 years, and with my habits. 22000 miles since new. The wife had to drive our 2018 car with a dinging tire alarm for a month before we determined that the tire installer had thrown the computerized valve stem away.

 

[PedalUma]

 

[PedalUma]

View attachment 141392

 

[Ahood]

View attachment 141392

That is an interesting suggestion. There is a touch screen on the top of the bike you need access to though. Wondering where we need to wrap on the bike to block the cell signal.

 

[m@Robertson]

There is nothing that you need to do. The over the air setting cannot be stopped from downloading, and neither a dealer nor a customer will be able to change it back to 45 km/h.

Pretty obvious they have a sort of back-door that lets them do OTA updates whether the owner opts in or not. Makes sense from a corporate liability standpoint and this is an example of why they'd demand such a thing of their software. If they couldn't just reach out and hobble your bike, they'd have to work a whole lot harder to bring you to heel.

 

[PedalUma]

I had a boating cap. Wool. I put a cleaned Mylar Doritos bag through the shredder and stuffed the lining. It is like space blanket insulation, yet breaths. It may have also helped in the same way as a tinfoil hat, CIA & Aliens. Seriously, did this already pass or is it at midnight? I like to stick it to the man, so I would try several layers on crisps bags, Mylar, on the display. It also means they can remotely kill your bike after five years. I bet they will launch with several attempts over 90-days.

 

[m@Robertson]

If the Canadian government decided all ebikes should be limited to 5 kph... or whatever... Stromer has now demonstrated the ability and exhibited the will to enforce compliance. That should give owners a warm glow knowing they paid so much for that bike and this is part of the benefits package.

 

[PedalUma]

I am kind'a leaning more toward open source with the Right to Repair. Or would that be foolish?

 

[AleksR]

Hi, just read a Facebook post by Canadian Stromer rider Travis Carnahan whose wife, apparently, received this email from Stromer that states the following:

"Dear Canadian Stromer Customers,
Canadian regulations stipulate that all Stromer e-bikes in Canada are not allowed to exceed 32 km/h. Canadian Regulatory Enforcement Officers / Automotive Inspectors have been working closely with myStromer USA to ensure that ALL Stromer bikes new and previously sold (used) comply with these established Canadian laws and regulations.

This means that in the next firmware update, every bike that is connected to a Canadian address will therefore automatically be limited to the 32 km/h Canadian mandate. This change will occur on November 30, 2022, at 12 pm EST. The speed limit change will happen via an over the air update sent from our headquarters in Switzerland to your Stromer bike. There is nothing that you need to do. The over the air setting cannot be stopped from downloading, and neither a dealer nor a customer will be able to change it back to 45 km/h.
Once this update is pushed to all bikes you can verify this by going to the Stromer OMNI of your Stromer and pushing menu / system | about, under the bike type you will see the type CA1038."

Thank you for your understanding. Safe and happy commuting!
Your Stromer Team"

Is this actually happening?
Anybody else heard about this?
Court ? You're in Canada right?

Canadians are more woke than Californians.

 

[Camarodriver]

The speed limit change will happen via an over the air update sent from our headquarters in Switzerland to your Stromer bike. There is nothing that you need to do. The over the air setting cannot be stopped from downloading, and neither a dealer nor a customer will be able to change it back to 45 km/h.
This concerns ALL bikes that are connected to a Canadian address.
It’s apparently not possible to remove the sim card inside the bike. Some people are trying to change the address the bike is registered to. Maybe that’ll work.

Hello all,

I am a Canadian that has two Stromer ST3’s in the family. I have spoken with my dealer and read all I can about this. I have firmware 4.3.9.5 current ou on both bikes. I changed my address to a family member that lives in the USA then I pulled both batteries from the bikes. According to my Canadian dealer that spoke with a Stromer USA rep that “if you had a USA second address like a country house” this would work. He claims that if your bike was registered to a USA address at the time of the firmware push, you would not have it applied.

I now wait for news from my dealer that this worked for others, then I’ll put my Batteries back. I’ll let you all know more as I hear back, I’ll probably buy some foil to wrap my OMNI controller before though!

 

[tomjasz]

Jeebus crisps, would anyone buy a cage with that feature? What a POS eBike maker. The future? Scary stuff from my view. Being ignorant I just googled the brand and model. $7000+ USD for an eBike soon to be hobbled to 20mph? What a fooking ripoff.

Its a shame the Swiss aren’t Nannie’s about the ill gotten money stuffed into their banking system. Phony bastards.

 

[Roamers]

Jeebus crisps, would anyone buy a cage with that feature?

If you are referring to the ability for mfg to do over the air software updates (or any type of control) without your knowledge, very common now.

My Sprinter gets updates periodically. The ability for police to have your vehicle disabled also already here for many vehicles.

 

[AHicks]

I don't care much for the idea of the mfg, or anyone else, being able to mess with my bike, but from a practical standpoint, as a sport/pleasure rider, my bikes are rarely under power doing 20mph anyway. And yes, all of our bikes are easily capable of 20+....

 

[PatriciaK]

Perhaps more effort to change the law might yield a better outcome than trashing the manufacturer for (probably by force) complying with it?

It is rather creepy that one's bike (among other modern technologies) can be controlled from afar, though.