DaveMatthews
Dave's not here. Cheating since 2018
- Region
- Canada
When I was single I had double vision, then I had triplets and started riding a quad.
Canada to restrict class 3 ebikes to 20mph
- Thread starter Petropoliskhan
- Start date
ChezCheese:)
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Kitsap Co, WA
Did I miss the post where it explains how an update is done to an ebike "over the air"? I don't have a "smart" ebike -- I don't have "smart" anything in my house. Except my laptop will get those danged Windows updates without my permission. But it is connected to the internet. Are these Stromer ebikes connected to the internet? Do you have to have Bluetooth enabled in order to ride? I guess I don't understand how it is done...
DaveMatthews
Dave's not here. Cheating since 2018
- Region
- Canada
Although I do not know myself, I thought I read that the Stromer has a SIM card like a smartphone to connect to the cell network.
ChezCheese:)
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Kitsap Co, WA
Must one be connected in order to use the bike?
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
There is a good story somewhere in this Forum...
electricbikereview.com
Stromer St2 Stolen and recovered...30 mins.
It was Tuesday after an early shoot from the city. I came home for a quick lunch. I locked up my ebike at our building’s courtyard. After 30 minutes (2:29pm)I get a notification thru text and email saying my bike is being stolen. I hurried downstairs from my 4th floor apartment. And I saw that...
electricbikereview.com
MinnBobber
Active Member
That anti theft Stromer is the good side of external control.
It can bite you in the butt though…
Did a 74 mile ride and at the end at ice cream social I moved the bike 40 feet to another spot.
Bike was off and it went into theft mode…. Rear wheel gets locked by intentional motor resistance
and I didn’t have code number on me to release
4 block lift rear , push , rest, repeat. Load in car.
Then it strikes me….if that had happened 35 miles out at rest stop, that would have really sucked.
It can bite you in the butt though…
Did a 74 mile ride and at the end at ice cream social I moved the bike 40 feet to another spot.
Bike was off and it went into theft mode…. Rear wheel gets locked by intentional motor resistance
and I didn’t have code number on me to release
4 block lift rear , push , rest, repeat. Load in car.
Then it strikes me….if that had happened 35 miles out at rest stop, that would have really sucked.
Stefan Mikes
Gravel e-biker
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Mazovia, PL
It was his problem, not the Stromer's?
I generally am against any "anti-theft mode" as I know myself and am sure my e-bike would prevent me from stealing my own e-bike
Still, the story of the NY guy was one of the best I have ever read here!
Camarodriver
New Member
- Region
- Canada
After consideration and technical analysis with some technical friends, I think we have a solution for some of the Canadian Stromer owners.
If you managed to turn off your Canadian based Stromer, before November 30th, 2022 to avoid the forced Canadian firmware and your bike remains off, this may work out for you. Kill the SIM card, before turning on your Stromer. The Stromer OMNI-C controller is based on a Sierra Wireless radio model HL-8548. There is an embedded SIM card (eSIM) that you can find on the board. There are many YouTube videos out there that can show you how to heat up the SIM to soften the top and pull out the SIM. This should leave the Radio intact, looking for a cel tower, without an IEMI/SIM to authenticate on the network.
Upon more consideration of this possible fix, it made me think of something as an owner of two Stromers. We should be able to ”opt out” of any connectivity for my ebike. If you do not want to be tracked, the dealer should be able to disconnect any ebike from cellular connectivity upon delivery. It’s a basic right to ask not to be tracked, however, this would also discontinue the alarm service that is included from Stromer and no ÔTA OS updates would be possible, unless you could toggle the SIM service on and off manually for software updates only. If you want to track your own bike without Stromer knowing, just use an Apple AirTag or TILE system, as you wish.
I am considering my options moving forward, I look forward to hearing if anyone out there killed their eSIM and if their Stromer continues to work well without cellular connectivity, which I assume will be fine without a SIM. I heard from a friend this week, that a Canadian owner of a new ST1x was throttled down to 32 Kph on Nov 30th, as he was on a ride! The bike “just started offering less assist” during the ride and he called the dealer to find out about the ÔTA update was today… poor guy and he had just bought the bike.
Any other Canadian Stromer owners running into problems, been affected or are looking for a fix? Please post! Keep your Stromers OFF, until a fix is found. More news shortly.
If you managed to turn off your Canadian based Stromer, before November 30th, 2022 to avoid the forced Canadian firmware and your bike remains off, this may work out for you. Kill the SIM card, before turning on your Stromer. The Stromer OMNI-C controller is based on a Sierra Wireless radio model HL-8548. There is an embedded SIM card (eSIM) that you can find on the board. There are many YouTube videos out there that can show you how to heat up the SIM to soften the top and pull out the SIM. This should leave the Radio intact, looking for a cel tower, without an IEMI/SIM to authenticate on the network.
Upon more consideration of this possible fix, it made me think of something as an owner of two Stromers. We should be able to ”opt out” of any connectivity for my ebike. If you do not want to be tracked, the dealer should be able to disconnect any ebike from cellular connectivity upon delivery. It’s a basic right to ask not to be tracked, however, this would also discontinue the alarm service that is included from Stromer and no ÔTA OS updates would be possible, unless you could toggle the SIM service on and off manually for software updates only. If you want to track your own bike without Stromer knowing, just use an Apple AirTag or TILE system, as you wish.
I am considering my options moving forward, I look forward to hearing if anyone out there killed their eSIM and if their Stromer continues to work well without cellular connectivity, which I assume will be fine without a SIM. I heard from a friend this week, that a Canadian owner of a new ST1x was throttled down to 32 Kph on Nov 30th, as he was on a ride! The bike “just started offering less assist” during the ride and he called the dealer to find out about the ÔTA update was today… poor guy and he had just bought the bike.
Any other Canadian Stromer owners running into problems, been affected or are looking for a fix? Please post! Keep your Stromers OFF, until a fix is found. More news shortly.
Attachments
Petropoliskhan
Active Member
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Brussels
Sounds good! I hope this works for you.
Have you done it or are you waiting to see if it works for others before trying?
Ebiker01
Well-Known Member
Shouldn't Stromer charge a low 799$ fee for their owners to enable them to change their CA address to a temporary US address ? Seems only the ebikes connected to a canadian address will
be affected.
Optional : 1599$ Platinium permanent address change .
ENABLE PPAC ?
Press yes/yes.
be affected.
Optional : 1599$ Platinium permanent address change .
ENABLE PPAC ?
Press yes/yes.
DaveMatthews
Dave's not here. Cheating since 2018
- Region
- Canada
I am under the impression that it connects automatically once turned on
tomjasz
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Minnesnowta
Sadly, so will Stromer thieves.
MinnBobber
Active Member
Petropoliskhan
Active Member
- Region
- Europe
- City
- Brussels
It does or at least as soon as it gets cell network reception.
Ebiker01
Well-Known Member
once it gets the "upgrade" it can't be reverted back. I would have disc. the Sim by now or connect a Sim card with a US address ?
PedalUma
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Petaluma, CA
What if every SIM that is within earshot of a Canadian tower gets the message. That would be easiest. No need for registration data or serial numbers. That would be a mess. Numb and Number. Simple. Like a PSA it keeps flashing the local update. Some in the MI U.P. might get hit but that is collateral and could be appealed case by case. Occam's razor.
I believe updates are reversible, not by the riders though. Stromer seems to have the CA option in all of the the previous firmwares. But the option to switch to non-CA was open to the riders via service menu and seems that is what the sellers did when selling these bikes.
Now with the new firmware that option is removed and the riders are locked to the speed limit of the country they are residing in. I understand how the previous owners feel, I hope there will be a solution for this. However this is not only Stromer's problem, their firmware already had the CA option, the dealers have a greater role in this.
Some positives about Stromer's cellular connectivity:
1. It is a fantastic anti-theft device, by far the best among the ebikes on sale today. In cities like SF where bike theft is notoriously high most of the Stromers are recovered.
2. It is a great system for firmware updates. You don't need to deal with taking your bike to a lbs because they have a crappy encrypted dongle to get a necessary update.
3. The error codes can be checked via cellular connection rather than having the need to take it to a lbs.
Now with the new firmware that option is removed and the riders are locked to the speed limit of the country they are residing in. I understand how the previous owners feel, I hope there will be a solution for this. However this is not only Stromer's problem, their firmware already had the CA option, the dealers have a greater role in this.
Some positives about Stromer's cellular connectivity:
1. It is a fantastic anti-theft device, by far the best among the ebikes on sale today. In cities like SF where bike theft is notoriously high most of the Stromers are recovered.
2. It is a great system for firmware updates. You don't need to deal with taking your bike to a lbs because they have a crappy encrypted dongle to get a necessary update.
3. The error codes can be checked via cellular connection rather than having the need to take it to a lbs.
Stromerino
New Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Vancouver
In my opinion, Stromer has acted unethically, in bad faith and unlawfully toward owners who relied upon representations and descriptions that the bikes, as bundled with certain firmware, are capable of 45km/hr. In violation of consumer protection legislation available in most provinces, Stromer then unilaterally imposed a firmware update limiting these bikes to 32km/hr, without the knowledge or consent of owners, a practice that deceived and misled consumers. Stromer was under no obligation in law to interfere with current owners’ private use and enjoyment of their bikes but did so to appease authorities who control the company’s ability to import/sell new bikes in Canada. To accomplish this conversion, Stromer violated its own privacy policy, as well as Swiss law, by using owners’ personal information and data for an unauthorized purpose; specifically, to identify Canadians’ bikes and restrict their performance, ostensibly, on behalf of Canadian authorities.
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Stromerino
New Member
- Region
- Canada
- City
- Vancouver
I would recommend doing a deeper dive into the source Regulations. As a starting point, the fact a motor-assisted bike has a maximum speed greater than 32 km/hr simply means it does not qualify for the category identified by ICBC in the above screenshot from their website. Importantly, however, laws/regulations in BC do not ban, outlaw, limit or otherwise restrict motor-assisted bikes from travel on public roadways at speeds above 32 km/hr… but don’t rely on me, please DYOR.So now you know:
"Below are universal rules across the provinces in Canada regarding electric bikes (excluding Prince Edward Island, as they have their own set of rules):
- Motors are limited to 500 W output, and cannot travel faster than 32 kilometers per hour on motor power alone on level ground"
Canadian Electric Bike Rules and Regulations
How fast can ebikes go in Canada? Does an electric bike need a license in Canada? If you own an electric bike in Canada, it is important to understand the regulations and rules around electric vehicles. Each province will have their own set of laws so it’s important you know how they vary.ebikebc.com
Specific rules for BC, Canada:
View attachment 141424
Chap, you can protest to Stromer until you're blue
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