Mission Control Versions-are our bikes "bricked"?

[Stefan Mikes]

"I reached out to my BDM (brand development manager) who has the new globe, and he is having the same experience. He was in the store, and we set his bike up with the same issue. No matter how we adjust the distance and elevation it still states 10%. He believes it is an app issue and I am waiting to hear back".

From when is the Globe Haul ST compatible with Mission Control?

 

[GuruUno]

Stefan,

You bring up a valid observation.
I'm guessing that one of 2 things has occurred.
I being lied to by the LBS or they don't have a clue about the products that they sell and support.
I'll be investigating and keep you informed of the outcome (their response to the fact you have provided).
Thank you, as always, for your knowledge. I guess you just can't believe the LBS all the time.
I downloaded the "Globe App" and you are correct, nothing at all there!

Globe App

support.specialized.com

 

[gpburdell]

From when is the Globe Haul ST compatible with Mission Control?

Doesn't have to be for the story to be (effectively) true.

It would be far simpler - and much less expensive - for Specialized's developers to use the same code base for both Mission Control and the Globe app, and just reskin it with a new UI. (in English - take the existing code, change just the parts the user sees and interacts with, leaving the internal stuff the same, and going forward keep the underlying behind-the-scenes code the same for both apps so they have less work to do in future updates/fixes)

Thus the app<to>bike interface code is likely the same for both apps, and thus a bug in the common code base could affect both products / apps.

This is just speculation on my part, but product managers generally try to make logical cost efficient decisions, and sharing a common code base as much as possible would be more cost efficient than trying to maintain two disparate code bases.

 

[gpburdell]

I was with AT&T/Geoplex in Silicon Valley when Al Gore invented the Internet

I was working at an ARPA-net connected university - retrieving weekly updated hosts.txt files 'cuz DNS didn't exist yet - before Al Gore reached the Senate.

Damn I ran Solaris boxes back then too (much respect). I am getting ready to retire but currently running scores of k8s clusters for a fortune 50 company. I love Unix/Linux. I never had to get into management or business (I hold them with great disdain).

Ha, the good old days. I also had a set of AIX RS6000's I took care of for a while.

Eventually I moved into the management realm to lessen the weekend work, interfacing between the business and IT groups since I could translate between the two. It's been rewarding, but I also get why you would have a disdain for such.

I suppose I'll retire eventually, but I enjoy what I'm doing for now and don't wish for something different.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

It would be far simpler - and much less expensive - for Specialized's developers

Only if the Globe App is developed by Specialized, which I doubt.

 

[gpburdell]

Only if the Globe App is developed by Specialized, which I doubt.

Why do you doubt this? In the Apple app store, Specialized is listed as the "developer" for both apps.

While it's certainly possible SBC outsourced development to a third party, rather than manage an internal development team, that would have no bearing on SBC controlling the code base -- and providing shared access to internal and/or external teams handling the app user interfaces.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Why do you doubt this? In the Apple app store, Specialized is listed as the "developer" for both apps.

I could see how the Globe App looked in the Specialized U.S. website. It does not look like a Specialized app. Besides, the Globe App is unavailable in the European app stores for obvious reasons

While it's certainly possible SBC outsourced development to a third party, rather than manage an internal development team, that would have no bearing on SBC controlling the code base -- and providing shared access to internal and/or external teams handling the app user interfaces.

The application was certainly written by (not "outsourced to") the Chinese manufacturer of the motor and the system.

Globe App

support.specialized.com

 

[Elkman]

The latest firmware updates were to keep users from overcharging the battery pack and so stopped charging at 80%. I can see the need for this if people insist on recharging after every ride. I wait until the SOC is around 20% before charging the battery and so did not have the update applied on my bike.

 

[GuruUno]

By the way, upon further discussion with the LBS manager regarding hsi statement of, ""I reached out to my BDM (brand development manager) who has the new globe, and he is having the same experience. He was in the store, and we set his bike up with the same issue. No matter how we adjust the distance and elevation it still states 10%. He believes it is an app issue and I am waiting to hear back", he told me the the BDM has several Specialized e-bikes and was not referencing the Globe in that statement. Yea, ok, maybe, but why make THAT statement and then bail from it with that kind of answer after questioning it as per Stefans observation that the Globe doesn't use Mission Control. Very, very odd.
So, I went to ANOTHER dealer, he put a claim in and in 1 day the response was (I posted that in another thread, but here it is again), and yes, I did that process several times to no avail.

 

[dynamic]

*sigh* It is quite obvious to me that Specialized support and warranty department is built around a parts replacement strategy. This makes a ton of sense pre e-bike. Mechanical problems will typically be straight up parts replacements. Furthermore, they seem to heavily depend on the LBS diagnostic skills, which again, makes sense on purely mechanical bikes.

Specialized seems to still be stuck in mechanical world when supporting ebikes. Software is hard. Version controlling software is harder. Doing these things in the confines of something like the apple app store is an art form. Wrapping that around electronic parts that may not be working correctly creates a huge range of variables to isolate and prove.

Specialized is particularly bad at this. If you ever need specialized for anything other than shipping out a part: good luck.

I feel your pain.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A well trained Specialized LBS has no issues with e-bikes. As I mentioned elsewhere, only 4 Specialized stores have been allowed to operate in our 5 million people province, the biggest and richest in Poland. The stores that make or exceed the sales quota, and are perfectly trained in bikes and e-bikes are the survivors.

Cheers. (The current photo. I'm on yet another 100 km ride now) .

 

[GuruUno]

A well trained Specialized LBS has no issues with e-bikes
Maybe they need to have a higher level of competency here in the US.....as e-bikes have aways been well ahead of the US in most other places until recently.

 

[dynamic]

A well trained Specialized LBS has no issues with e-bikes.

Stop talking in absolutes. Because you haven’t experienced an issue requiring mothership intervention doesn’t mean they don’t happen.

And yes, it is possible some LBS have everything they need in house to solve problems. But, that isn’t reasonable in all regions. It is quite possible that issues with smart control or pedal pace on the automatiq are more prevalent than we know simply because a lot of people may not use those features.

The LBS is literally incapable of preventing specialized from releasing a broken software update. What is your magical LBS going to do to prevent that?

 

[GuruUno]

Well....here is the latest.
I followed the info as provided in the screenshots that I posted/supplied from Specialized.
I deleted the app (Mission Control).
I reset the display/head unit. (held +/- 45 seconds)
I removed the previously associated bluetooth device on my iPhone (it would not 're-pair' until the previous association was removed).
I redownloaded Mission Control and authenticated.
I added the bike with my account.
I set the time, date, etc, etc.
I activated 'Smart Control', still acts the same way, no 'Smart' assistance, slug, 10% max assistance no matter what slider controls are set to.
My question is, was and will continue to be, can the firmware be a problem, and as a troubleshooting step, if it could be "rolled back" to validate that yes it is or no it isn't to either resolve or move forward with the oddity of the functionality of the 'Smart Control'.
Also, if others who have/use Mission Control validate it works for them or not ((Smart Control) and what firmware revision they are using on the display, the motor and the battery.
Thank you.