Specialized Mission Control App Details & Settings

[Admin]

Hi guys! From what I've observed, all Specialized electric bikes use the same smartphone app called Mission Control. It offers many features, and has expanded over the years as new generations of ebikes have launched. In general, it allows you to refine the power output of each assist level, connect to wireless fitness devices (like heart rate monitors), interact with other apps such as Strava and Kamoot, and plan routes! One of my favorite mapping features is the ability to plan rides in such a way that you are guaranteed to arrive without fully depleting the battery pack. You can also maintain a specified heart rate by having the bike raise or lower assist power. Mission Control is available for iOS and Android smartphone devices.

Pros:

• This is one of my favorite apps because it's the same for all generations of Specialized Turbo electric bikes and offers GPS, distance time and battery level planning, assist level adjustment, integration with Strava and Komoot, brightness adjustability, beep and vibration on off settings, and it's fairly intuitive.
• This is a tangential pro, but since the TCD2 display provides a USB-C charging port with 5 Volt 1 Amp output, you can charge or maintain a smartphone device and use the route planning and GPS features longer while riding! Some other ebike systems aren't offering USB charging on their displays.
• It's neat that you can re-arrange the readouts on MasterMind display units, and even make your own view with all of the stats you care about! It's very customizable... to be clear, you arrange them on the smartphone and then they appear on your LCD display panel on the bike! This is true for the TCD2 and TCU displays.
• I love that with the bike lock feature (which disables the motor and will beep if the bike is shaken) you can unlock using the smartphone app or using a pin on the LCD display panel! This is great for if your smartphone runs out of batteries or you just don't have it, but still want to ride (or maybe let a friend ride).
• There's a "Fake Channel" setting in the app that allows information about cadence, heart rate, or rider power to be sent to a separate hardware device such as a Garmin GPS!
• It's neat that the app shows your battery charge level and an estimate for battery health. This could allow for self-diagnostics of issues without needing to go to a dealer.
• Not only with the Mission Control app get fixes and improvements over time, it can also send updates to the bike! This saves you a trip vs. having to go to the local dealer to get the latest display, motor controller, or battery updates that Specialized may release.
• The app appears to allow owners to specify that they bought the bike second hand, which could be useful for warranty tracking and setting new passwords.
• I like that the app has a dark background, like night mode. This is easier on my eyes and probably uses less electricity. There may be a setting to change light/dark modes but I didn't see it.
• You can set the default assist level, so the bike would always start in Eco, Trail, or Turbo and you wouldn't have to click up or down every time. As a side-note, I love that the TCD2 allows you to arrow up or down and then the settings menu goes around vs. having dead stops at the top and bottom... it just saves clicks and is a nice subtle thing that I appreciate.

Cons:

• In the user profile area when setting weight and height, the units aren't specified... and that's very confusing. I wasn't sure what to put in there even though I wanted it to be correct. I assume it must be based off of the units for the system such as metric or imperial, but it would be much better if there was a marking or guide on the menus. Also, it seems like the user inputs here can be erased or even changed, and that there's a bug which has been documented by owners here.
• I wish that the on/off settings for beep, vibration, and display brightness were built into the control pads on the bike (the TCD2 and TCU) vs. in the app. It would be easier to adjust them there, and not everyone wants to download and use a smartphone app.
• It's interesting that you can pair Mission Control with BLE fitness devices like heart rate monitors, but not Ant+. I think the displays themselves pair with Ant+ and must have that wireless standard built in while not all smartphones do. It's just interesting that they are separated like this.
• As cool as the locking and alarm systems are, they do not alert you by phone if the bike is being tampered with... they just beep and disable the motor. I think that in order for the bike to have a GPS tracking and mobile alert system, the display panels would need a cellular chip and probably a monthly fee. This sort of thing does exist as an aftermarket accessory, check out Boomerang Bike. It would be cool if Specialized added something like this someday in their hardware and gave you an option to subscribe for extra security and tracking.

As always, I appreciate corrections, additional points I might have missed, and general thoughts on other great apps that get things right

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Again, thank you for a great review!

There's a "Fake Channel" setting in the app that allows information about cadence, heart rate, or rider power to be sent to a separate hardware device such as a Garmin GPS!

Just a little correction here, @Court. Specialized TCD-w and TCU units have had the Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) and LEV ANT+ (a protocol for sports devices, e-bike specific) since 2020 (earlier for some models such as Levo). The whole concept of the LEV (Light Electric Vehicle) ANT+ is you do not use the Fake Channel. You simply turn your Specialized e-bike on, and your Garmin Edge or Wahoo ELEMNT will discover the e-bike as a Sensor. "Fake Channel" is meant for older, not LEV ANT+ compatible devices (thank you @mschwett for that essential piece of information!)

LEV ANT+ in practice. (Specialized Turbo Vado SL with the TCU controller, and Wahoo ELEMNT Roam). The data in yellow frames all come from a LEV ANT+ compatible e-bike, including extender battery charge %. Another brand I am aware of that supports LEV ANT+ is Giant with their newer models. Note: Fake Channel has been intentionally disabled in Mission Control there.

You can set the default assist level, so the bike would always start in Eco, Trail, or Turbo and you wouldn't have to click up or down every time.

That is indeed a great feature, which was added in recent months. Before, Turbo e-bikes were starting in the assist Level 2 (Sport or Trail).

Important to mention: Mission Control behaves very differently depending on the Specialized Turbo e-bike model used. That is, any major model (Vado, Como, Tero, Creo SL, Vado SL, Como SL, Levo, Kenevo, Levo SL, Kenevo SL) come with e-bike model-specific control set. For instance, the MasterMind TCD-w e-bikes will get the haptic feature, theft lock etc. Levo and Kenevo get mountain biking specific features such as Acceleration Response or the mode for riders preferring crank spinning to pedal mashing etc. It is impressive that Specialized could integrate so many individual model-specific features in a single app!

Again, a great review!

 

[mschwett]

a nice additional feature of mission control - rides logged using mission control are automatically uploaded to specialized’s cloud, and can then be viewed with the specialized “ride” app which contains quite a bit more detail.

some selected screens of data. it’s very similar to what’s available in strava, except for the “power curve” feature, and segments of course. unlike strava, battery usage, mode of the bike during the ride, etc are all also available.

 

[Calcoaster]

Overall power 214W and average HR only 102? That’s amazing.

 

[mschwett]

Overall power 214W and average HR only 102? That’s amazing.

i have a heart condition that (along with the meds i take) keeps my heart rate unusually low. basically it can’t / i won’t let it get above 130. resting is around 40…

 

[Calcoaster]

i have a heart condition that (along with the meds i take) keeps my heart rate unusually low. basically it can’t / i won’t let it get above 130. resting is around 40…

I‘m glad your condition doesn’t stop you from maintaining a very high level of fitness, and doing that in an enjoyable way.

I like to use the Specialized Ride app to get ore info from Mission Control too. I run MC on my rides with my phone in my pocket and use my garmin for info during the ride. The Garmin is much better at stopping and starting the timer at stops than MC/Ride. That makes my ride speeds look a lot slower with MC than the Garmin.

I wrote Specialized customer support asking for them to give even more motor power details with the Ride app, and referenced Blevo as an app that shows more details. They said the Ride app is designed for use with their ‘smart helmets’ and they don’t have plans to improve its Ebike data functions. I wonder if a smart helmet can only pair with a smart head? My dumb helmet fits just fine, so I guess I’m out of luck.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I wrote Specialized customer support asking for them to give even more motor power details with the Ride app, and referenced Blevo as an app that shows more details. They said the Ride app is designed for use with their ‘smart helmets’ and they don’t have plans to improve its Ebike data functions. I wonder if a smart helmet can only pair with a smart head? My dumb helmet fits just fine, so I guess I’m out of luck.

Specialized has actually killed BLEvo with their Mastermind. They should better hire Paolo Dozzio to make the MC better.

 

[kahn]

i have a heart condition that (along with the meds i take) keeps my heart rate unusually low. basically it can’t / i won’t let it get above 130. resting is around 40…

Years ago, I had an irregular rhythm and while they tried diagnosing me, put me on beta-blockers. They checked me weekly and I went in and my pulse was 28! She called the cardiologist and he said to stop the blockers but I refused since the irregular was more disconcerting to me. He and I argued and we compromised, I'd cut the pill in half and take a less dose! They never did figure what's what but it eventually passed. I do tend to have a low resting pulse, or, at least, I did. While awake but sitting I drop to about 55 or so. Sleeping it's down to your kind of numbers. Right now, sitting at my desk and doing this it is 56. But I'm way overweight these days!

 

[Jim in Central CA]

a nice additional feature of mission control - rides logged using mission control are automatically uploaded to specialized’s cloud, and can then be viewed with the specialized “ride” app which contains quite a bit more detail.

some selected screens of data. it’s very similar to what’s available in strava, except for the “power curve” feature, and segments of course. unlike strava, battery usage, mode of the bike during the ride, etc are all also available.

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What an awesome ride! All through the City and it looks like you went over the peaks, too. Respect! I would LOVE to do that.

 

[mschwett]

What an awesome ride! All through the City and it looks like you went over the peaks, too. Respect! I would LOVE to do that.

come visit any time, i have lots of routes around the city from 20-50 miles, with one to three mountains car traffic is honestly fairly slow in the city proper, lots of closed/slow streets, bike paths, etc.

 

[mschwett]

Years ago, I had an irregular rhythm and while they tried diagnosing me, put me on beta-blockers. They checked me weekly and I went in and my pulse was 28! She called the cardiologist and he said to stop the blockers but I refused since the irregular was more disconcerting to me. He and I argued and we compromised, I'd cut the pill in half and take a less dose! They never did figure what's what but it eventually passed. I do tend to have a low resting pulse, or, at least, I did. While awake but sitting I drop to about 55 or so. Sleeping it's down to your kind of numbers. Right now, sitting at my desk and doing this it is 56. But I'm way overweight these days!

yeah, irregular rhythm can be anything from a curiosity to a nuisance to a life-ending event lol. mine were closer to the latter, but now well controlled with a mix of surgical procedures, hardware (ICD), meds, and some software adjustments to the brain lol. no more running until i feel like my lungs are going to explode.

beta blockers are miserable, i take a tiny amount of one because adrenaline is a major contributor to arrhythmia. but most of the heavy lifting is from antiarythmic and heart failure drugs.

 

[kahn]

yeah, irregular rhythm can be anything from a curiosity to a nuisance to a life-ending event lol. mine were closer to the latter, but now well controlled with a mix of surgical procedures, hardware (ICD), meds, and some software adjustments to the brain lol. no more running until i feel like my lungs are going to explode.

beta blockers are miserable, i take a tiny amount of one because adrenaline is a major contributor to arrhythmia. but most of the heavy lifting is from antiarythmic and heart failure drugs.

Sounds as if you have it pretty much under control. While still being diagnosed (ultimately to no avail), I had three cardiologists in the room, all listening to something. Well, at first there were two and then my lead said "Let's get Golden Ears" (no kidding) a younger partner, in to the room. I felt like an exhibit. Yes, she said, there's something but I can't place it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess whatever IT was passed. Thankfully. But you are definitely doing something right with the trips you keep posting - so keep it up.

 

[mschwett]

Sounds as if you have it pretty much under control. While still being diagnosed (ultimately to no avail), I had three cardiologists in the room, all listening to something. Well, at first there were two and then my lead said "Let's get Golden Ears" (no kidding) a younger partner, in to the room. I felt like an exhibit. Yes, she said, there's something but I can't place it!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I guess whatever IT was passed. Thankfully. But you are definitely doing something right with the trips you keep posting - so keep it up.

it really takes an electrophysiologist and an EP study in the catheter lab to diagnose arrhythmia. if it’s not slowing you down, not worth the trouble and cost and risk!

 

[Saratoga Dave]

Just bumped into this thread while browsing around. Now that I am also in the CCC (Creo Cardiac Club) I figured I’d comment a bit. About three years ago around Christmas I went to my regular doc for my annual physical… while listening to my heart and taking my blood pressure he all of a sudden gets this thousand yard stare going, says “hold on a minute”, walks out of the room and returns with an EKG machine. Half an hour later I’m in an ambulance on the way to the ER with a heart rate over 200 that I‘d had no idea about. Several exciting hospital adventures and a couple of months later, I was and am living with A/Fib which has been controlled completely (so far) since going to Sotalol as the main heart drug. My resting heart rate is around 45, if it gets much over 150 I fall off the bike and wonder where the ambulance is, and the rest of the time things just roll along.

Who knew? I’d had the issue for some amount of time going in and out, and never really known it. In fact, in that first hospitalization, they never could get my rate down so sent me home after three days still racing like a son of a gun. My main doc called to check on me several days later, asked what my heart rate was, and when I told him it was 238 he almost had a stroke. Told me the only way he wouldn’t call an ambulance was if I got in the car that exact minute and had my wife drive me to the (different) hospital.

So it was all very exciting, and god bless the ebike industry. My continued riding has improved my strength to the point where I just bought the Creo to further take control of my own progress, using far less assistance than I was with my very powerful Yamaha Civante. I can ride the Creo without power most of the time and when I do kick it in, I still have to do a hell of a lot more of the work than I did before, which for me is a great thing. The best part of the Creo is that it’s a damn good road bike that happens to have a secret identity ready to swing in and help out when I need it. Still have my ToughRoad for days when I want to take it easier or just feel the power, so to speak, but that Creo is the one parked right inside the garage door now.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Not as dramatic story as yours Dave but still might be entertaining

2013. As I didn't feel well, I paid for a cardiac examination (I had no health insurance, so it cost some money). Eventually, the doctor told me to walk onto the treadmill. After just 30 seconds, he told me to stop walking, and we had an interesting dialogue:
-- You've got the HR of 200 just after 30 seconds of walking! How come?! Don't you ever walk?! -- The doctor shouted at me.
-- No. No walking. In our neighbourhood, everybody drives a car...
-- You need to move! Move! Do something!
-- Could I ride a bicycle? -- Sure!

And I bought my first bike in years.

Some time had passed. A doctor -- a friend of the family -- visited us.
-- Have you measured your blood pressure recently? -- He innocently asked.
-- No? -- Do it. I couldn't fail noticing you heavily breathed when you were reaching to the top shelf of your cupboard...
Diagnosis: Blood overpressure.

Some more years later. I was on a bike trip with my friend. I could not continue the ride.
Diagnosis: Arteriosclerosis. Two surgeries and a clear warning I could lose my leg, and then the other one.

Thanks to any deity (if it exists) for inventing e-bikes! I still have both legs. I'm still alive.

On topic: The two e-bikes I'm left with are Specialized. Not without a reason.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Specialized Mission Control has got new looks.

Perhaps just an impression but I feel the app works better now. Instantly connecting to my SL, for instance, no issues when changing the Range Extender mode...

 

[Onimaru]

I noticed that this weekend. I feel like I liked the older GUI with bigger tiles. But I agree with you. It is definitely snappier.

 

[kahn]

I don't like change. I, too, noticed on my rides. I preferred the old start/stop modes.

 

[bobf]

Just got a Turbo Creo and so far its great. Mission Control, however, can't seem to find the internet. I can't view maps or open any of the help topics. I know my phone is connected, because other apps work just fine. I have a Droid Turbo running Android 6.1. Any ideas as to what is going on? Bluetooth link to the bike is fine, and the tuning functions seem to work.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

I don't like change. I, too, noticed on my rides. I preferred the old start/stop modes.

As I work with software, I have noticed users typically are negative to the new looks of a program or an application. After short time of using the new version, they cannot even work with the old old one, so fast they forget the previous incarnation...