Smartphone Hub crashed during firmware update

[Private Joker]

Hi All,

Hoping someone else has some knowledge on this as its a pain to get my bike to the shop.

I recently purchased a new bike (Cube Katmandu Pro) and replaced the Intuivia with a Smarthphone Hub. Used it for a couple of rides with no issue. This replaced an outgoing Cube Hybrid which I had also added a Smartphone Hub to.

Yesterday it notified me of an update for the Hub in the COBI app. I went ahead to apply it as I have on my previous bike. When the hub reset itself my phone lost its bluetooth connection to hub. I tried resetting bluetooth, and still no luck connecting. The help suggested doing a "factory reset" in the app to remove the hub. I did that.

Basically the display now sits with two circular arrows (I assume that means its trying to update). Or occasionally moves over to an:

x x
___

On the display. If I reset it a few times it goes back to the update icon. I try to pair my phone again (since its now no longer associated) with the COBI app, but it never see's it and keeps coming up with the try again interface. I used this phone for two years without issue on my old Bosch Smartphone Hub. So I know the phone is fully compatible without issues.

Is there a way to kick the Hub out of update mode? Resetting using the power button just seems to keep it in this firmware update mode loop.

 

[Private Joker]

Forgot to add. At this point, the bike is no longer an e-bike since there is no way to turn on the electric drive

Hopefully someone knowledgeable can help me bail this out. I can't imagine Bosch engineers only thought of a happy path scenario where the firmware update would never disconnect / lose pairing with the phone. I assume there is some undocumented way of recovering from this.

 

[retiredNH]

First, you don't need a phone to use the bike. We have two Trek Allant 8s with smartphone hubs. I ride with a phone. Spouse does not, and has no problem. The hub has a basic readout built in. You turn on the bike via a small switch on the right side of the hub/mount.
Second, don't know if you have android or apple, but with my android phone, my approach for fixing problems is to start with rebooting the phone. If necessary, I next delete the app's data and cache. It's in the settings. If all else fails, I'll uninstall and re-install. You might also check to make sure bluetooth is working in general - see if you can pair to something else.

Good luck! Let us know what works.

 

[Private Joker]

First, you don't need a phone to use the bike. We have two Trek Allant 8s with smartphone hubs. I ride with a phone. Spouse does not, and has no problem. The hub has a basic readout built in. You turn on the bike via a small switch on the right side of the hub/mount.

Thanks for your reply. Under normal circumstances you are correct.

However in this case, the hub is stuck in firmware update mode. That means its 100% non-functional until its out of this update mode. You turn it on and you get the icon shown below. The buttons do nothing, there is no response from the unit. Holding the power button down for 15 seconds just reboots it, shows the BOSCH logo and then goes back to the below.

It seems while the hub is in this mode, it will not pair with the COBI app at all. Maybe there is some kind of button combination to force it out of this mode.

To get this to complete my hope was completing the upgrade with the COBI app. I tried the uninstall/reinstall. I cleared cache and data settings etc. Keep in mind this phone has worked all last year with my previous bike/hub combo - so unlikely to be the cause. However just to be 100% sure I tried on another phone and couldn't connect. I assume the hub (or COBI app) does not allow the pairing process to work while it is in this update mode. The phones both see the bluetooth broadcasting. If I try to manually connect from the bluetooth settings, the system will even show the bluetooth icon on the hub. But outside of that it does nothing.

 

[Alaskan]

I would expect someone from Bosch will chime in here once they arrive at work and read about your issue. The Bosch team has been quite helpful here. Hopefully there is a way to deal with this update failure without having to go into a Bosch certified bike shop,

 

[retiredNH]

I see. You've removed the bike battery for a while? I suspect there's nothing you can do except take it to a LBS that has the appropriate tools. No doubt there's a way to externally re-flash the unit's memory. Or they replace it under warranty?

 

[Private Joker]

I see. You've removed the bike battery for a while? I suspect there's nothing you can do except take it to a LBS that has the appropriate tools. No doubt there's a way to externally re-flash the unit's memory. Or they replace it under warranty?

I just powered on my 1 year old Intuivia that's been sitting on my bookshelf from my old bike. It still has power after not being used/plugged in for a year. I kept the battery out overnight, but the unit still had power this morning.

I really hope that's not the only solution isn't to bring it to a dealer. I'll never do an update again if it can fail so catastrophically. It's been a very long time since I've seen an update process that didn't have the robustness to manage a connection failure and recover from it.

 

[AguassissiM]

Have you tried to disconnect the battery for few days?
Ups... should have read the whole thing beforehand...

 

[Private Joker]

Have you tried to disconnect the battery for few days?
Ups... should have read the whole thing beforehand...

To add to the above:

Given it comes to the same place after a hard reset - this upgrade state is kept in nonvolatile memory. So total power loss would likely do nothing.

 

[William - Bosch Team]

I'm looking into this with our team. I'll get back ASAP once I have more info.

 

[William - Bosch Team]

So far, nothing solid. These types of issues are difficult to diagnose from afar. Visiting your local Certified Bosch dealer is not an option?


[updated]

Please try:

- charging SPH with an external charger (micro USB cable) for approx. 2 hours

- Opening Cobi app on phone, "forgetting" connection with SPH (sounds like you may have done this, but confirming). Try to do this in phone settings as well, if it's an option? (not just in app)

 

[Private Joker]

- charging SPH with an external charger (micro USB cable) for approx. 2 hours

- Opening Cobi app on phone, "forgetting" connection with SPH (sounds like you may have done this, but confirming). Try to do this in phone settings as well, if it's an option? (not just in app)

Tried both of these things and no luck.

The local dealer could not connect with his tools either. He reinstalled my Intuvia while we wait for a replacement unit.

Scary.

Someone should do a root cause analysis on why that failed so catastrophically. I suspect there is some recovery procedure that our German friends have not made easy to find.

 

[retiredNH]

Tried both of these things and no luck.

The local dealer could not connect with his tools either. He reinstalled my Intuvia while we wait for a replacement unit.

Scary.

Someone should do a root cause analysis on why that failed so catastrophically. I suspect there is some recovery procedure that our German friends have not made easy to find.

Don't count on it! My experience with the hub leads me to believe that software is not a strength of these folks. Neither is documentation. And I'm still trying to figure out what "Rydies" is...

 

[William - Bosch Team]

Tried both of these things and no luck.

The local dealer could not connect with his tools either. He reinstalled my Intuvia while we wait for a replacement unit.

I'm sorry to hear none of this worked.

If I'm understanding correctly, your dealer contacted Bosch and has a warranty SPH on the way for you?

 

[Private Joker]

I'm sorry to hear none of this worked.

If I'm understanding correctly, your dealer contacted Bosch and has a warranty SPH on the way for you?

He kept the unit, it's only 1 week old. I assume he's getting it warrantied. He was in touch with the North American distributor I believe.

 

[PedalUma]

Avoid proprietary systems.

 

[webcurl]

Avoid proprietary systems.

Can happen to any system.

 

[Private Joker]

Avoid proprietary systems.

Who makes a quality mid-drive e-bike system that is non-proprietary and you can actually sue if they manage to burn down your house?

 

[AstroTurf]

Who makes a quality mid-drive e-bike system that is non-proprietary and you can actually sue if they manage to burn down your house?

funny guy... NOT

start another thread, don't sewer this one!!!

Jim

 

[PedalUma]

The very best electric bikes do not 'look' electric and outperform the ones from stores. Firmware is open source and parts are readily available in a few days at a fraction of the cost of proprietary systems. It is like Linux or Firefox. And you never need to visit a dealer. Or wish for Right to Repair Legislation to pass. Here is a photo of this type of bike that will eat store bikes for lunch and feels like a bike and not an electric motorcycle. Less is more. Dumping the gee-wiz gizmos such as "Bluetooth" helps along with ditching unnecessary connectors and wires. Zoom to see the torque sensor mid-drive. The final photo is a battery. You can see the connector at the water bottle cage and the display on the left handlebar by the grip.