Creo Remote Control DIY

[kattanm]

Putting the Levo shifter up by the hood works super well. I can rest my thumb on it and easily ramp up or down on the assist level when I need it. My hands never leave the hoods.

However, I’d really like it if someone figures out how to solder the Levo wire to the e-tube wire so we can simply use the left shifter for up and down. I see someone here is working on that...

 

[sfebiker]

remote control. can you say which part number that remote control is? and a link to the extender bar? and did you have to do any mods to run the cable

Had to remove the metal cable guide where the cable enters the frame. Someday I could use a drill to make the hole bigger.

Remote Specialized part number: Specialized PN S194200007
Order from a Specialized dealer or

Specialized Levo FSR Top Tube Display Remote

This is a remote for the 2019 Specialized Levo's top tube display. S194200007

www.amaincycling.com

Extender bar $13.99

Amazon.com

 

[kattanm]

Had to remove the metal cable guide where the cable enters the frame. Someday I could use a drill to make the hole bigger.

Remote Specialized part number: Specialized PN S194200007
Order from a Specialized dealer or

Specialized Levo FSR Top Tube Display Remote

This is a remote for the 2019 Specialized Levo's top tube display. S194200007

www.amaincycling.com

Extender bar $13.99

Amazon.com

Although if you want to mount the controller by the hood, the shorter of these two would seem to work better than the extender bar above:

Profile Design UCM mount | Bike Mounts & Cases | Singapore Marketplace | TOGOPARTS

www.togoparts.com

 

[taylorpetie]

That is cheaper than the remote, the main thing you need is the plug to the TCU. Here is the wiring diagramView attachment 64672

Dazmanturbo - curious if you've taken a stab at this modification and if so, can you provide a more simplified diagram of wiring? Thanks.

 

[taylorpetie]

I decided to take a shot modifying Di2 left shifter buttons (since the left Di2 shifter is not used in 1x drivetrain), splice the wire and connect it to the LEVO FSR cable, which then connects to the CREO TCU to remotely control the CREO power assist levels. I can report that it does work. While the drawing that @dasmanturbo posted on the second page of this thread (thanks @dasmanturbo) provided some guidance, here is my simplified approach to the DIY. Please note, any modification is at your own risk

What you need:
- LEVO FSR Cable
- Di2 Left Shifter (I have the R8070 shifter)

The short summary: The Di2 left shifter buttons are momentary tactile buttons and can be used to change the power assist levels. All you do is cut the wire enclosure and connect it to the LEVO FSR cable.

DIY:

• Behind the shifter lever, remove the Di2 shifter button unit (see below). Note: you don't have to remove the lever -- just the two screws holding the shifter buttons to the lever. And make sure you don't misplace the 3 springs.
• Remove the shifter hood to expose the Di2 Top Button (if you have one), and remove the two torx screws to lift the Top Button unit.
• Two wire enclosures will be exposed: One that goes to the the Di2 e-tube junction connector, and the other which goes down the lever to the shifter button unit. All I did was cut/spliced the wire enclosure that goes to the the shifter button unit
• 
• Connect the spliced wire enclosure to the FSR wire enclosure. The FSR wire enclosure has 5 wires (only need to use 3 wires), while the shifter button cable enclosure has 3 wires.
• 
• That's it. Test it out before putting everything back.

Here is a video of the end result:

https://imgur.com/CKrBZRH

Here are pics of routing the cable/wires. IMHO, I prefer this DIY instead of the official Specialized CREO Remote Buttons which doesn't look aesthetically clean as the DIY.

 

[kattanm]

Oh wow this is the most bad ass post I’ve ever seen. Damn. Can you please add a pic pointing to the two screws in the first step, a pic of a mounted shifter? Also, did you solder the wires when connecting the Levo cable to the di2?

 

[taylorpetie]

Oh wow this is the most bad ass post I’ve ever seen. Damn. Can you please add a pic pointing to the two screws in the first step, a pic of a mounted shifter? Also, did you solder the wires when connecting the Levo cable to the di2?

Here are the two torx screws holding the shifter buttons behind the lever

Here are the two torx screws holding the top shifter button

Once you lift up the top shifter button enclosure, it will expose two cables. Cut/splice the one that leads to the lever shifter button unit. Think twice, or maybe take a minute to ask yourself do you need the left shifter to work in Di2 setup... before cutting it.

And then connect the cable/wiires from the shifter button unit to the Levo FSR cable.

BTW: If you have enough cable slack, you may just need to remove the top shifter button, and don't have to remove the lever button unit .... because re-installing the lever button unit requires some patience

RE: soldering the wires... I was lazy and just twisted the wires and electrical tape... but i would assume it's better to solder the wires.

 

[kattanm]

Oh wow this gets more interesting by the post! How did you expose the colored wires from each end? Just a sharp pocket knife? This is DIY to the max!

 

[taylorpetie]

A sharp exacto knife would do... but you need to be careful not to apply to much pressure because you'll end up cutting all with wires.... good luck.

 

[eddief]

The end product in this DIY approach is best solution I've seen so far for those of us who have that DI2 lever there. Way more elegant and simple than wiring the yet to be available Specialized Remote Buttons. But...even though I bet I could handle this project I'd be concerned one false move and I blow out some part of the electronics that make the bike the well integrated machine it is. Would hate to kill my $9500 bike. Will wait for official parts.

 

[kattanm]

Here are the two torx screws holding the shifter buttons behind the lever
View attachment 73764

Here are the two torx screws holding the top shifter button
View attachment 73765

Once you lift up the top shifter button enclosure, it will expose two cables. Cut/splice the one that leads to the lever shifter button unit. Think twice, or maybe take a minute to ask yourself do you need the left shifter to work in Di2 setup... before cutting it.

And then connect the cable/wiires from the shifter button unit to the Levo FSR cable.

View attachment 73766

BTW: If you have enough cable slack, you may just need to remove the top shifter button, and don't have to remove the lever button unit .... because re-installing the lever button unit requires some patience

RE: soldering the wires... I was lazy and just twisted the wires and electrical tape... but i would assume it's better to solder the wires.

What's the significance of the red arrow on the right? I see the left one pointing at the wires that need connecting...

 

[taylorpetie]

That's the cable the needs to be cut (it originally connected the Di2 lever shifter button unit to the top shifter button). You then take that cable enclosure of the lever button unit and connect it to the LEVO FSR wires (which is the arrow pointing on the left).

 

[taylorpetie]

I highly doubt they will because 1. they're "specialized" and 2. it requires modification to Di2 shifter.

But, my feedback to Specialized (I doubt they care): When I saw the 2021 CREO Remote, it looked pathetically bulky and way to many wires and an item that was designed in 1970. If you look at the 2021 CREO Remote stock item, the buttons are essentially 'momentary switch buttons'. And you can find a whole bunch of momentary switch buttons on amazon. All this DIY did was replaced the Specialized buttons and used the Di2 momentary switch buttons (i.e. the shift lever buttons) and used a much cleaner, simplified LEVO FSR cable than the mess of cables that comes with 2021 CREO Remote. Of course, everyone has different preferences/likes... and may prefer the stock 2021 CREO Remote (and for some reason, it takes forever to be available in the states).

As with any DIY, just know what you get into... but, I'm confident this will work well for the wife ... since all the buttons and cables are passive components. My wife loves that fact she doesn't have to take her hand off the handle bar (uses the left shifter as typical gearing, but for power assist), or even move her hands to find the buttons, and more important... don't have a bunch of wires hanging out her bike. In fact, specialized could have just taken the existing LEVO FSR cable and expand the diameter of the button mount so folks can mount it on the handlebar and that would have looked better. Anyways, I'll get off my soap box and hope the DIY helps those that are wanting something different.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Not having a switch on the bars right from the get-go was a mistake and trying to solve the problem by putting a mickey-mouse switch under the bar tape is a half-a$$ed solution.
I suspect that Specialized will get around to installing something like what taylorpetie did to his wife's bike.....eventually.

 

[eddief]

When you do this fine DIY remote project does the the DI2 shifter need to be connected to the DI2 battery? Or does the FSR cable provide the required power from the Creo battery?

 

[taylorpetie]

The Di2 shifter does not need to be connected to the Di2 battery/system -- in other words, it can be completely separated/isolated from Di2 system.

However, to reiterate: By cutting the cable between the Di2 top/hood button and Di2 shift lever buttons (i.e. located behind the shift lever), you've pretty much physically removed the shift lever buttons from the Di2 system.

I still have the Di2 top/hood button connected to the Di2 system because the wife uses the top button for controlling the Garmin.

 

[kattanm]

The Di2 shifter does not need to be connected to the Di2 battery -- in other words, it can be completely separated/isolated from Di2 system.

However, to reiterate: By cutting the cable that attached the top Di2 top/hood button and Di2 shift buttons (i.e. located behind the shift lever), you've pretty much physically removed the shift lever buttons from the Di2 system.

I still have the Di2 top/hood connected to the Di2 system because the wife uses the top button for controlling the Garmin.

What about this idea: if you had an extra piece of e-tube, what if you spliced the e-tube plug to the FSR cord (after cutting off the Levo remote). Then, could you just unplug the e-tube currently going into the shifter and plug in your new e-tube plug that is fused to the FSR cord? That would seem to be easier than doing the delicate surgery on the small piece of exposed e-tube in the shifter plus not require you to take apart the shifter since the e-tube plug holes are exposed.

 

[taylorpetie]

What about this idea: if you had an extra piece of e-tube, what if you spliced the e-tube plug to the FSR cord (after cutting off the Levo remote). Then, could you just unplug the e-tube currently going into the shifter and plug in your new e-tube plug that is fused to the FSR cord? That would seem to be easier than doing the delicate surgery on the small piece of exposed e-tube in the shifter plus not require you to take apart the shifter since the e-tube plug holes are exposed.

I tried that first and it didn’t work for me — I wish it was that easy. But, you should give it a shot, because I may have missed something.

 

[kattanm]

I tried that first and it didn’t work for me — I wish it was that easy. But, you should give it a shot, because I may have missed something.

Ugh that’s a bummer. In theory, it should be the same exact solution right? Same wires, plugs, holes, etc.?

 

[taylorpetie]

e-tube cable has 2 wires only. Somewhere between the top hood button and the e-tube junction connector, it went from 3 wires to 2 wires.