Does the Garmin e-bike Remote work with Ebikemotion equipped bikes?

[kattanm]

It would be nice if this remote, say, mounted on the inside of a brake hood, could wirelessly change the assist level of a bike running Ebikemotion. Anyone tried this?

Garmin eBike Remote | Garmin

Control your LEV-compatible Garmin electric bike with this remote control

buy.garmin.com

 

[lowb35]

I don't know for sure if the remote works, but I have an Edge 1030 that can change the assist level (older Edge computers can't). The Edge is paired to the bike through BT and not ANT+. If the remote is paired to the Edge it might work, but if it's meant to be paired directly to the bike then you may need the Ebikemotion ANT+ adapter.

 

[kattanm]

I don't know for sure if the remote works, but I have an Edge 1030 that can change the assist level (older Edge computers can't). The Edge is paired to the bike through BT and not ANT+. If the remote is paired to the Edge it might work, but if it's meant to be paired directly to the bike then you may need the Ebikemotion ANT+ adapter.

Oh wow. Like what button on the Garmin do you press to change assist levels?

 

[lowb35]

Once I paired the Edge with the bike and I scrolled to the preconfigured Ebike profile, one of the screens has the assist level with +/- buttons allowing me to change the level of assist on the bike. I was pretty excited that this worked. Unfortunately it's my husband's Edge, not mine. Fortunately it's convinced him I need to upgrade my 820.

 

[kattanm]

That's very slick. Which bike are you on? And do you have a link to this Ebikemotion ANT+ adapter?

 

[lowb35]

I have an Argon 18 Subito e-gravel bike: https://www.argon18.com/en/bikes/electric/egravel

I don't know if the bike brand makes any difference since the x35 systems appear to be the same across bike brands. I think I did see somewhere that the newer (2020+) bikes are more compatible pairing with Garmin devices, maybe on one of the Garmin forums. But I had no problems pairing my bike to the Edge 1030 and it worked flawlessly. My Edge 820 paired too but wasn't able to display anything without an additional IQ app. I use this app instead to display battery life and assist level (it doesn't change assist level though): https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/1532f0d9-fd19-4b63-b038-435d8fd670a4

Here's Wilier's ANT+ conversion kit. https://wilier.com/en/products/int/accessories/ant-conversion-kit-mahle-x35-ebikemotion-system.

Depending on which brand bike you have, you should be able to get it from a dealer similar to how you can get the Ebikemotion extender battery. My LBS is an Orbea, Argon 18 and Pinarello dealer so I have options. Though you may not need the adapter if you have an Edge computer and are pairing the remote through the Edge and not directly to the bike. Based on the product page it requires an Edge to work so I think that's correct but I would check on that to make sure. Making sure you have the correct Edge that will work with your bike is more important IMO.

 

[kattanm]

I have an Argon 18 Subito e-gravel bike: https://www.argon18.com/en/bikes/electric/egravel

I don't know if the bike brand makes any difference since the x35 systems appear to be the same across bike brands. I think I did see somewhere that the newer (2020+) bikes are more compatible pairing with Garmin devices, maybe on one of the Garmin forums. But I had no problems pairing my bike to the Edge 1030 and it worked flawlessly. My Edge 820 paired too but wasn't able to display anything without an additional IQ app. I use this app instead to display battery life and assist level (it doesn't change assist level though): https://apps.garmin.com/en-US/apps/1532f0d9-fd19-4b63-b038-435d8fd670a4

Here's Wilier's ANT+ conversion kit. https://wilier.com/en/products/int/accessories/ant-conversion-kit-mahle-x35-ebikemotion-system.

Depending on which brand bike you have, you should be able to get it from a dealer similar to how you can get the Ebikemotion extender battery. My LBS is an Orbea, Argon 18 and Pinarello dealer so I have options. Though you may not need the adapter if you have an Edge computer and are pairing the remote through the Edge and not directly to the bike. Based on the product page it requires an Edge to work so I think that's correct but I would check on that to make sure. Making sure you have the correct Edge that will work with your bike is more important IMO.

Ok wow that's very helpful.
I'm just thinking that a remote switch with real buttons up on the hood would make changing assist frequently easier than the garmin screen which i probably want showing lots of other data...

 

[lowb35]

I agree with you there! I have a Varia though that I use to view most of my data in ride. I’m a better geek than cyclist LOL

 

[kattanm]

I agree with you there! I have a Varia though that I use to view most of my data in ride. I’m a better geek than cyclist LOL

Same! But if I follow your logic, on an eBikemotion equipped e-bike, you ought to be able to add that Willier ANT+ conversion kit and then the Garmin remote bike would change the assist, regardless of which Garmin head unit you were using?

 

[lowb35]

Same! But if I follow your logic, on an eBikemotion equipped e-bike, you ought to be able to add that Willier ANT+ conversion kit and then the Garmin remote bike would change the assist, regardless of which Garmin head unit you were using?

Should. But we are also dealing with Garmin logic here. According to the product page it will work with most of their current and previous generation head units, so it makes sense. The instructions say to pair the remote with both the bike and the head unit so the bike definitely needs ANT+ for this particular remote to work. https://static.garmin.com/pumac/eBike_Remote_QSM.pdf

 

[lowb35]

Looks like someone on the Garmin forums reported that their Ebikemotion bike paired with Garmin after getting an ANT+ adapter - in case this helps: https://forums.garmin.com/sports-fi...dge-1030-to-sync-with-pinarello-dyodo-battery

Also see here for Orbea adapter for sale on this side of the pond. https://www.orbea.com/us-en/gear/accessories/cat/dongle-ant

 

[Ed B]

Doe anyone know what other Garmin head units permit the X35 Assist Level change functionality? Is it just the Edge 1030 and is that the 1030, 1030 Plus or both?

 

[lowb35]

Doe anyone know what other Garmin head units permit the X35 Assist Level change functionality? Is it just the Edge 1030 and is that the 1030, 1030 Plus or both?

I hadn’t come back here to update, but I’m now successfully changing the assist level on mine with an Edge 820. I discovered that the brand new x35 bikes like mine mostly all have ANT+ now (older ones need the adapter). Also, don’t install the ebike specific Connect IQ apps because they interfere with the native Garmin ability to control the x35. That was my original problem with the 820.

My main issue now is the touch screen on the 820 since the +/- controls are on the bottom and I often activate the go home menu by accident, but it does work and I’ve decided to get the Garmin remote to take care of this. The 820’s touch screen is bad anyway and is a well known issue taken care of in the next Edge generation.

PS- The 1030 works too. We don’t have a 1030 plus (yet) but both variants work. Supposedly the 830 works as well. It should since the 820 does.

 

[Ed B]

Great - Thanks for the feedback!

 

[Pilou.be]

Hi all,
I am new on this forum...
I have bought a Wilier Cento 1 hybrid this week. Very good feeling after first ride.
Since it is a new model, it is already equipped with ANT+
At the moment, I have connected my Garmin 830 via the app ebike field. It is working well and having the % of battery and mode on Garmin's screen is already a nice thing.
I have sometimes difficulties to connect with the bike.
Is there a kinbd of "preferred sequence" to connect ?
After some try and errors, It seems that 1ower-on the bike, 2: power-on the Garmin is working well.
Thanks for this clarifications

 

[lowb35]

Update—I just got the Garmin Ebike remote and it controls the bike when paired to a compatible Edge head unit. The instructions say that the remote can also be paired directly to an ebike but it doesn’t pair directly to an ebikemotion bike. I rode tonight with the remote paired to an Edge 820 and it worked great. It was nice not having to take my hand off the bars to change the assist level. For some reason though the remote doesn’t select assist level 0, just 1-3. Can select assist level zero on the head unit. But since I really need the remote more when increasing assist levels especially on rough gravel climbs it works well for my purposes. It’s also nice to be able to scroll up and down through all the assist levels unlike with the ebikemotion button that only scrolls up. The remote also connects and works with an Edge 1030/1030 Plus.

 

[Pilou.be]

Update—I just got the Garmin Ebike remote and it controls the bike when paired to a compatible Edge head unit. The instructions say that the remote can also be paired directly to an ebike but it doesn’t pair directly to an ebikemotion bike. I rode tonight with the remote paired to an Edge 820 and it worked great. It was nice not having to take my hand off the bars to change the assist level. For some reason though the remote doesn’t select assist level 0, just 1-3. Can select assist level zero on the head unit. But since I really need the remote more when increasing assist levels especially on rough gravel climbs it works well for my purposes. It’s also nice to be able to scroll up and down through all the assist levels unlike with the ebikemotion button that only scrolls up. The remote also connects and works with an Edge 1030/1030 Plus.

Thanks for the info.
When you say "don’t install the ebike specific Connect IQ" , you mean the ebike field app ?

So to summarize:
The remote is connected to the Garmin and the Garmin to the ebikemotion, right ?
Was it needed to do something else in the setting of the Garmin ?
Thanks

 

[lowb35]

Thanks for the info.
When you say "don’t install the ebike specific Connect IQ" , you mean the ebike field app ?

So to summarize:
The remote is connected to the Garmin and the Garmin to the ebikemotion, right ?
Was it needed to do something else in the setting of the Garmin ?
Thanks

Yes, I mean the ebike field app. I had it installed and for some reason it interfered with the Edge's native ebike control screen activated when it's connected to an ebike. The native screen allows the Edge to change assist levels and also shows battery level. After I uninstalled the ebike field app the Edge found the ebike in Sensors and the native ebike control screen appeared in my riding profiles.

Both the remote and the bike are connected to the Edge head unit. I didn't have to do anything else in the Garmin settings. Just connected to the bike and to the remote in Settings->Sensors. The only strange thing that happened was that the Edge didn't seem to recognize the up/down assist controls from the remote right away, but after a few minutes it did and then no more issues.

 

[Pilou.be]

Yes, I mean the ebike field app. I had it installed and for some reason it interfered with the Edge's native ebike control screen activated when it's connected to an ebike. The native screen allows the Edge to change assist levels and also shows battery level. After I uninstalled the ebike field app the Edge found the ebike in Sensors and the native ebike control screen appeared in my riding profiles.

Both the remote and the bike are connected to the Edge head unit. I didn't have to do anything else in the Garmin settings. Just connected to the bike and to the remote in Settings->Sensors. The only strange thing that happened was that the Edge didn't seem to recognize the up/down assist controls from the remote right away, but after a few minutes it did and then no more issues.

Hi,
I have received the remote control from Garmin.
I have deleted the ebike field app.
I can see the battery and assistance level (graph) on the garmin screen but the green and red arrows of the remote don't do anything.
I have already switched off-on, deleted, re-install but it doesn't work.
If you have some other tips, I would appreciate.
thanks

 

[lowb35]

It didn’t at first for me either but after a few minutes it did and now it works properly every time. I think the Edge has to learn which switch you have first and defaults to the other switch Garmin sells. Make sure first that the +/- arrows on the Edge work to change the assist level. If they do then you have to make sure the Edge recognizes the commands of the switch. Use the scroll button on the remote to go through screens to make sure the remote is paired properly. Then keep pressing the up and down buttons on the remote until the Edge (and the bike) responds. It may take a few minutes but eventually it will.

When you first wake up the ebikemotion button remember you have to press it once to wake up and another time to select the assist level and the Edge and remote work the same way, except you will be able to scroll up and down. It takes some getting used to but it will work. Since I was able to get it to work on the 820 (and a 1030) I’m sure you should be able to on the updated 830.