New Spec App?

[merulu]

FYI. I think this only applies to the 5 with the built-in Varia.
View attachment 159195

The radar options actually show up for my Varia 315 on a Como 4, so it's not limited to the built in radar. This is pretty annoying since I like some aspects of the new app (e.g. auto lock when turning off) but don't want to lose things like radar control, or only recording rides greater than a certain length.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I use BLEvo similarly to @Calcoaster. That is, my Wahoo performs various roles for my Vado and Vado SL while BLEvo runs on the smartphone in my pocket.

Now I am against keeping a smartphone on my bars. Even a Quadlock can fail in rough terrain or in a crash. A smartphone has not enough battery charge for a 12 hour long day. It is susceptible to precipitation. It cannot be really operated in gloves. GPS bike computers have been designed for cycling and they connect to Specialized e-bikes.

The Specialized has turned out to be useful for me. I rode for a group road racing workout two days ago. My Wahoo was active for the whole trip but Specialized was active for the workout only, giving me the essential info such as actual average speed for that fast ride. Or, realistic average leg power figure of 111 W. Or, average electrical assistance power of 260 W.

I'm still confused about the full charge reporting by BLEvo. BLEvo has kept me believe the full charge of my black battery was 500 Wh. Now, when Mission Control told me the charge has been 556 Wh, BLEvo woke up and reported the same...

 

[CLR]

The radar options actually show up for my Varia 315 on a Como 4, so it's not limited to the built in radar. This is pretty annoying since I like some aspects of the new app (e.g. auto lock when turning off) but don't want to lose things like radar control, or only recording rides greater than a certain length.

Presumably they will bring more of the MC features over to the new app. Pretty easy to switch between them in the meantime, though probably not something you’d want to do mid ride.

 

[mschwett]

I use BLEvo similarly to @Calcoaster. That is, my Wahoo performs various roles for my Vado and Vado SL while BLEvo runs on the smartphone in my pocket.

Now I am against keeping a smartphone on my bars. Even a Quadlock can fail in rough terrain or in a crash. A smartphone has not enough battery charge for a 12 hour long day. It is susceptible to precipitation. It cannot be really operated in gloves. GPS bike computers have been designed for cycling and they connect to Specialized e-bikes.

The Specialized has turned out to be useful for me. I rode for a group road racing workout two days ago. My Wahoo was active for the whole trip but Specialized was active for the workout only, giving me the essential info such as actual average speed for that fast ride. Or, realistic average leg power figure of 111 W. Or, average electrical assistance power of 260 W.

I'm still confused about the full charge reporting by BLEvo. BLEvo has kept me believe the full charge of my black battery was 500 Wh. Now, when Mission Control told me the charge has been 556 Wh, BLEvo woke up and reported the same...

BLEvo is only reporting a figure that the specialized firmware is calculating. perhaps the new app triggers a recalculation for a stored value.

unless BLEvo has a battery drain module which checks the voltage and current over an entire ride to near exhaustion of the battery (and then compares it to a known curve for the same
battery type) i believe it would be difficult to estimate the total capacity.

 

[mschwett]

The radar options actually show up for my Varia 315 on a Como 4, so it's not limited to the built in radar. This is pretty annoying since I like some aspects of the new app (e.g. auto lock when turning off) but don't want to lose things like radar control, or only recording rides greater than a certain length.

that’s fantastic news, since they never added the radar overlay to MC!

 

[Stefan Mikes]

BLEvo is only reporting a figure that the specialized firmware is calculating. perhaps the new app triggers a recalculation for a stored value.

unless BLEvo has a battery drain module which checks the voltage and current over an entire ride to near exhaustion of the battery (and then compares it to a known curve for the same
battery type) i believe it would be difficult to estimate the total capacity.

That makes the things easier to understand. Thank you!

P.S. I can think of BLEvo misinterpreting the firmware data in the past and now being updated.

 

[rochrunner]

I can't get it to connect to my SL 5.0. It pops up a message "Unable to execute behavior: Connect to this bike". Thinking to start over, I selected "Remove bike" from the menu but that didn't do anything at all (bike still shown on SA screen). I tried a few other things like restarting the phone, etc., with the same result.

Mission Control comes up and still connects right away. Is there possibly a requirement to uninstall MC?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Is there possibly a requirement to uninstall MC?

Not. Both work on my w bikes.

 

[CLR]

Mission Control comes up and still connects right away. Is there possibly a requirement to uninstall MC?

I’m MC, make sure you disconnect from the bike. No need to delete it. You can only connect to one of the apps at a time.

Another thing SA doesn’t do: connect to my HR strap. Guess I’ll stick with MC until they port over all the features I actually use…

 

[Calcoaster]

I’m MC, make sure you disconnect from the bike. No need to delete it. You can only connect to one of the apps at a time.

Another thing SA doesn’t do: connect to my HR strap. Guess I’ll stick with MC until they port over all the features I actually use…

Just took my second ride using the new app. It seemed to work well but like you, it didn’t record heart rate. I don’t see any options to pair a HR monitor with the app either. My polar monitor works fine with the old MC and with BLevo. I’ll stick with using BLevo and my garmin 130.

 

[Ben J]

Another thing SA doesn’t do: connect to my HR strap

I connect my HR strap to the bike and the app records it from the bike just fine. I also have a page on my TCD that is speed/rider power/heartrate.

I recorded a ride today with the new app. It did upload to Strava automatically but didn't mention it anywhere. That's okay with me. Too bad about komoot, though.

The new map is easier to read. I'm not sure if the normal colors are due to the new app or being stuck in light mode, but I liked it. If you backtrack on your route it's almost impossible to see the dot indicating where you are against the blue line (bearing in mind that I'm old and I'm riding with contacts for distance vision). I found that the app quit tracking my position much more often than the old app, and I had to keep hitting the "center on ride" button. It still has no "track up" mode, still north up.

I appreciated the blending of the stats page and the map page. I wish the stats were bigger/bolder though (see above re: old eyes).

 

[GuruUno]

I quickly review the diuscussions here. However, I do not see any reference to the new app providing the similar functionality of "set -it-and-forget-it" 'Smart Control'.
I've used it, love it, and today tried to use the new app, and could not have any enthusisaism about it.
Am I missing something or is it no longer a "feature" that was previously available?
My 1st impression is that the 'tuning' is much like the Blevo app....but that is not what I need or want.
I want the 'Smart Control', which for me, was a flawless 100% easy, providing setting.
Anyone?

 

[CLR]

I connect my HR strap to the bike and the app records it from the bike just fine. I also have a page on my TCD that is speed/rider power/heartrate.

I forgot that was an option! i just paired the HR monitor directly to the head unit. I have a similar page on the display. Thanks.

 

[GuruUno]

YEA!!!​

FAQs​

Will the Specialized App offer Smart Control, Charge Limit, and other current features of Mission Control?
We will be adding Smart Control and Charge Limit to the Specialized App in a future release. We have a lot of new features in the works as well–stay tuned!

 

[mfgrep]

So now all I need to figure is how I can use a Garmin Varia simultaneously while I use the new Specialized app....or Blevo. I don't want an additional head-unit Wahoo or Garmin or similar. I'd love it if the Varia overlaid atop BLevo or Specialized App or Google Maps etc.

A mirror is great. I've been thinking seriously about the Varia radar. A local cyclist was rear ended Monday night by a vehicle....not someone that I know....it simply happened along a route that I often travel. I don't fear death, however, I would prefer to keep my faculties and not be killed on my bicycle if at all possible. Ugghhh....the poor guy. I don't know the circumstances but he was riding with a friend at 10:30pm when it happened. Yeeesh.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

A mirror is great. I've been thinking seriously about the Varia radar. A local cyclist was rear ended Monday night by a vehicle....not someone that I know....it simply happened along a route that I often travel. I don't fear death, however, I would prefer to keep my faculties and not be killed on my bicycle if at all possible. Ugghhh....the poor guy. I don't know the circumstances but he was riding with a friend at 10:30pm when it happened. Yeeesh.

Leaving the thread topic aside for awhile, I'd like to say the knowledge of the number of cars following my e-bike will not help if a driver wants to kill me, so the plain rear-view mirror and riding with my ears listening to the ambient shall do. (That is, I don't need the Varia; and I think any cyclist using headphones or ear-phones is somebody with a death wish).

One of the most dangerous things is when a driver overtakes you at the "envelope thickness distance": a Varia or a mirror cannot help there. Another dangerous manoeuvre is the left-turn (in the right hand traffic countries): either the driver following you understands what you are doing or you're dead seconds after.

There's yet another thing but it is specific to Poland. In Germany, Denmark or the Netherlands, the driver must give way to the cyclist riding a bike path across. The Poland's law reads the right-of-way belongs to the vehicle that started the manoeuvre first. Meaning, most of drivers will force the priority but minority of them would yield. It is such a dangerous rule that I prefer to stop before the bike crossing in any doubt.

 

[Creo rider]

Another missing feature I just found: Can't link to/export to Komoot, only Strava. And no auto-export setting.

I did find "always on" and "auto stop/start", they're in a separate settings menu only available from the record screen.

Ben J - Did you find the "Auto-start" option? I can only see the "Auto-Pause" option with nothing about auto-start. When recording rides with the new SA app do you have to start recording manually or will it start recording automatically?

 

[CLR]

Leaving the thread topic aside for awhile, I'd like to say the knowledge of the number of cars following my e-bike will not help if a driver wants to kill me, so the plain rear-view mirror and riding with my ears listening to the ambient shall do. (That is, I don't need the Varia; and I think any cyclist using headphones or ear-phones is somebody with a death wish).

While I generally agree with this- I have Varia and a mirror on my bike- at Class 3 speeds the wind noise is such that I can't always hear a car coming up behind me. And at those speeds I'm watching ahead of me much more than looking in the mirror. IMHO, the Varia definitely has a place on a fast bike.

 

[GuruUno]

Hmmm, I sorta agree regarding the radar.
But, IF the option at time of purchase were to delete it, and spend the money saved on this, it might be a berrer choice.
https://cyclesafetyusa.com/

 

[mfgrep]

While I generally agree with this- I have Varia and a mirror on my bike- at Class 3 speeds the wind noise is such that I can't always hear a car coming up behind me. And at those speeds I'm watching ahead of me much more than looking in the mirror. IMHO, the Varia definitely has a place on a fast bike.

I am beginning to agree. On Sundays I ride with a couple of 'old timers' both of which are on e-bikes. One uses a Varia and at first glance I thought "meh"....too much trouble. After a few rides I began to see the benefits that the Varia provides.....which is an acute sense of 'awareness'. No...of course the Varia will not prevent you from getting killed by an idiot driver that is stoned and texting on their phone. That said....the Varia will inform the cyclist of what is happening behind them and that 'awareness' is an added safety factor....no question about it. These guys get to talking among themselves and quickly become unaware of traffic around them....The Varia is a good reminder for them.

The guy that uses the Varia also wears hearing aids.....and via bluetooth the Varia 'dings' him through his hearing aids to let him know what is going on. For him.....100% Varia all the way.

I would be interested in having the Varia....particularly the non camera and non tail light (cheap) version. Unfortunately I don't believe that the Varia will overlay the other app(s) that I have on my phone and (a) I don't want to buy a 2nd head-unit Wahoo, Garmin or similar and (b) I like seeing either GPS or BLevo stats while I am riding and don't wish for my sole view to be the Varia app.

I did read recently that "Ride with GPS" has an agreement with Garmin and Varia works alongside the RideWithGPS app....but I haven't looked into it further.