Specialized Creo 2 owners

My love fest with my new Creo 2 has hit a bump in the road. The motor power assist has been completely stopping momentarily while I'm pedaling on every ride. It happens about 2-5 times per ride. So far it only happens in sport or turbo mode. It's very random and is just for short moments. My favorite bike mechanic at our local bike shop has been on vacation, but is back this week. I'm going to bring the bike in and see what they can figure out. (the mastermind display isn't turning off just the motor power for short moments.)
 
SbSteve said:
Is it similar to the amount of power cut out that happens when you shift gears? Perhaps there is a problem with the cadence sensor.
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Two things happen at the same time. While I'm pedaling the power from the motor cuts out momentarily. Then in those moments, the mastermind display doesn't turn off, but the miles per hour drops from whatever it is to zero. Then if I keep pedaling, the power starts up again and the mastermind display starts acting normally. I did do some research and found somewhere on the internet with Creo 2 trouble shooting info. Two possibilities I saw there are cadence sensor issues or the motor overheating. But who knows? I suppose the other issue to mention is the motor doesn't seem as quiet as it did when I first bought it. It's a new bike with about 300 miles on it. I'm going to let my local bike shop figure it out. They're awesome folks and I've got a good relationship with them. My favorite bike mechanic at this shop gets back to work from vacation sometime this week. I'll probably bring it in towards the end of the week.
 
Mr. Max said:
Two things happen at the same time. While I'm pedaling the power from the motor cuts out momentarily. Then in those moments, the mastermind display doesn't turn off, but the miles per hour drops from whatever it is to zero. Then if I keep pedaling, the power starts up again and the mastermind display starts acting normally. I did do some research and found somewhere on the internet with Creo 2 trouble shooting info. Two possibilities I saw there are cadence sensor issues or the motor overheating. But who knows? I suppose the other issue to mention is the motor doesn't seem as quiet as it did when I first bought it. It's a new bike with about 300 miles on it. I'm going to let my local bike shop figure it out. They're awesome folks and I've got a good relationship with them. My favorite bike mechanic at this shop gets back to work from vacation sometime this week. I'll probably bring it in towards the end of the week.
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What is your cadence? It sounds like you are pedaling at very low cadence and under load. The SL system is designed for a cadence of around 70 rpm.
 
Allan47.7339 said:
What is your cadence? It sounds like you are pedaling at very low cadence and under load. The SL system is designed for a cadence of around 70 rpm.
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Agree, pedaling an SL under 70 rpm is very inefficient ā€” meaning that a lot of the applied electrical power will go to motor heating instead of forward propulsion. This will be felt as a loss of motor power.

The pertinent Specialized documents and videos I've seen urge riders to stay above 70 rpm on at least the SL 1 and Creo. They put the motor's efficiency sweet spot at an optimal cadence of 80-90 rpm.

That'll be uncomfortable for some, but luckily, it's my body's sweet spot as well. And I can confirm: Really feel my SL's motor weaken below ~70 rpm. The sweet spot is about 80-95 rpm.

So for best results, use your gears and assist levels to keep an SL as close to optimal cadence as you can. Especially when you're climbing or fighting a headwind or soft surface.

If you pay attention, you'll feel the reward for optimal cadence, and you may find your own preferred cadence creeping up to meet it as a result. Mine's gained ~5 rpm in 6 months without trying. The motor and I are one at 88 rpm now, and it feels good.
 
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Thanks for your feedback folks. I'll be honest I don't ever think about cadence. I just pedal at whatever rate feels best. I am getting older. That's for sure! Maybe I'm slowing down? If this problem ends up being "operator error" it's probably the best solution. I'll start playing with cadence. I'm still going to bring the bike in to the shop later this week and let them take a look at it. Thanks again!!
 
I took the Creo 2 to the Specialized shop where I bought it. My favorite bike tech there doesn't think that it's a low cadence issue like some folks here have said, but he's not sure what the issue is. He's filed a report with Specialized to get more feedback. I guess the bike was filled with a variety of error messages. He said that it might take a few days to hear back from Specialized. I'll let you folks know how it plays out.
 
My LBS got a really interesting message from Specialized after reviewing all of the error codes on my new Creo 2. They think it might be a defective battery and are sending out a new battery and wiring harness. I think the plan is to install a new battery, reset the system and recalibrate all of the sensors. Again, we'll see how it plays out. Cheers!!
 
Mr. Max said:
Thanks for your feedback folks. I'll be honest I don't ever think about cadence. I just pedal at whatever rate feels best. I am getting older. That's for sure! Maybe I'm slowing down? If this problem ends up being "operator error" it's probably the best solution. I'll start playing with cadence. I'm still going to bring the bike in to the shop later this week and let them take a look at it. Thanks again!!
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sounds like your LBS and specialized will have it sorted! the input that the motor is most efficient at higher cadence is absolutely true - but it should reliable and smoothly deliver power all the way down to the lowest cadence you can keep rolling at.

efficiency does drop as your cadence gets lower but what really drops is power, since power is torque * rpm, basically. and this why you need the right gears on a mid drive bike, you want to have a gear that corresponds to 60-100 RPM for whatever speed/grade you're riding.

i don't recall the source of this chart, and it is from the SL 1.1, but you can see that at 20RPM efficiency is still 50%, vs 80% at 80RPM. a big difference, yes, but shouldn't feel like the motor isn't working. note that the torque is still high, higher in fact than at 80RPM.

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Thanks mschwett! That's really interesting.

I don't want to say too much more about my Creo 2 issues until I learn more about what's really going on. One thing I can say is that I'm surprised by how much more information Specialized mechanics get when hooking a bike up to their diagnostic system vs what I get as a consumer through the Specialized App. When I tried to figure out what was going on with my bike all the Specialized App said was "system healthy." My LBS said they could see there were at least a dozen instances of the motor power cutting out and a variety of other error codes all going back to the first ride. I only owned this bike for 3-4 weeks before I took it in to my LBS. I couldn't have ridden it more than 15-20 times in that time. So the motor power cutting out 12 or more times is a lot.

I should also say, I have complete faith in my local bike shop to do whatever is necessary to make this right. I'm actually not worried at all. Fortunately, I've got other bikes to ride while I'm waiting for this one to come home again. I mean it's spring finally! It's time to ride.

Hopefully whatever is going on with my bike will be corrected soon. Until then, thanks for everyone's positive support!
 
Mr. Max said:
Thanks mschwett! That's really interesting.

I don't want to say too much more about my Creo 2 issues until I learn more about what's really going on. One thing I can say is that I'm surprised by how much more information Specialized mechanics get when hooking a bike up to their diagnostic system vs what I get as a consumer through the Specialized App. When I tried to figure out what was going on with my bike all the Specialized App said was "system healthy." My LBS said they could see there were at least a dozen instances of the motor power cutting out and a variety of other error codes all going back to the first ride. I only owned this bike for 3-4 weeks before I took it in to my LBS. I couldn't have ridden it more than 15-20 times in that time. So the motor power cutting out 12 or more times is a lot.

I should also say, I have complete faith in my local bike shop to do whatever is necessary to make this right. I'm actually not worried at all. Fortunately, I've got other bikes to ride while I'm waiting for this one to come home again. I mean it's spring finally! It's time to ride.

Hopefully whatever is going on with my bike will be corrected soon. Until then, thanks for everyone's positive support!
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I never did a follow up on my alloy Creo 2 issues. I wanted to make sure that my situation was really resolved.

It appears that my Creo 2 alloy version was a lemon. Out of the 6-7 weeks that I owned it, it was in the shop for roughly half that time. The problem was the power was cutting out while pedaling leading to crazy error messages. Like the bike saying that I had gone 600+ miles on a ride when I had only gone 4 miles. Specialized first thought here was a problem with the battery. They replaced the battery, the wiring harness and added in a battery stabilization unit. That didn't fix it. Next they replaced the mastermind display unit. that didn't fix it. My local bike shop then asked Specialized to replace the bike. Specialized didn't want to do that, but agreed to keep replacing parts until the bike was fixed. Next they were going to replace the motor. I said that since I had lived without the bike for half the time that I owned it and because I now felt like this bike was cursed, I said that I didn't want a replacement bike, I wanted an upgrade.

I ended up getting a nice discount from both Specialized and my local bike shop on a carbon fiber Creo 2. I had to pay some more cash, but I got the full price I had paid for the alloy Creo applied to the new bike and plus a nice discount. I've ridden the carbon fiber Creo 2 a few hundred miles or so with zero problems. I really like the new bike a lot! The blue carbon fiber Creo 2 is so beautiful. Anyway, that's the end of that story. I have no idea what was wrong with my alloy Creo 2, but I'm very happy that I don't have to think about it any more.
 
Yes that is how the warranty should be handled

I got a $7057 wall hanger, my Creo 2 comp is unsafe to ride, Lbs and Specialized will not fix it, the lbs put on a new cassette, chain, chain ring, tires, brakes pads, rear hanger, and the rear of the Creo 2 "pops" my local lbs and Specialized will not fix the issue, my lbs will not step up to the plate and I am holding the bill, I really need my bike, I work 7 days a week, I am totally sick, bike is unsafe to ride, they know it and I know it
 
Mr. Max said:
I never did a follow up on my alloy Creo 2 issues. I wanted to make sure that my situation was really resolved.

It appears that my Creo 2 alloy version was a lemon. Out of the 6-7 weeks that I owned it, it was in the shop for roughly half that time. The problem was the power was cutting out while pedaling leading to crazy error messages. Like the bike saying that I had gone 600+ miles on a ride when I had only gone 4 miles. Specialized first thought here was a problem with the battery. They replaced the battery, the wiring harness and added in a battery stabilization unit. That didn't fix it. Next they replaced the mastermind display unit. that didn't fix it. My local bike shop then asked Specialized to replace the bike. Specialized didn't want to do that, but agreed to keep replacing parts until the bike was fixed. Next they were going to replace the motor. I said that since I had lived without the bike for half the time that I owned it and because I now felt like this bike was cursed, I said that I didn't want a replacement bike, I wanted an upgrade.

I ended up getting a nice discount from both Specialized and my local bike shop on a carbon fiber Creo 2. I had to pay some more cash, but I got the full price I had paid for the alloy Creo applied to the new bike and plus a nice discount. I've ridden the carbon fiber Creo 2 a few hundred miles or so with zero problems. I really like the new bike a lot! The blue carbon fiber Creo 2 is so beautiful. Anyway, that's the end of that story. I have no idea what was wrong with my alloy Creo 2, but I'm very happy that I don't have to think about it any more.
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The Creo 2 Comp is a much nicer bike and better value. The Creo 2 E5 is the bare bones model, doesn't take as wide of tires etc.
 
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