Specialized Turbo - No Security Features Working and now No App Connection.....fixed.

[jamesfox]

Please uninstall the Specialized App. It might re-enable BLEvo. Of course restart your phone after the uninstall.

No. That doesn't work. Once the new app connects to the bike it flashes a new programme to the BMS to lock out all comms via bluetooth with any other app. It is over for BLEVo. This is the official announcement from BLEVo
See link https://www.emtbforums.com/threads/blevo-game-over-with-mastermind-tcu.227

 

[Stefan Mikes]

No. That doesn't work. Once the new app connects to the bike it flashes a new programme to the BMS to lock out all comms via bluetooth with any other app. It is over for BLEVo. This is the official announcement from BLEVo
See link https://www.emtbforums.com/threads/blevo-game-over-with-mastermind-tcu.227

James, it is not necessarily so (I know the statement of Paolo Dozio).

When I found the Specialized App underbaked, I also found making it the Companion App denied any access to BLEvo. What I did was uninstalling the Specialized App, "forgetting" the Bluetooth connection, and pairing my Vado with the phone again. Now, BLEvo works with my older Vado. Moreover, reinstalling the Specialized App but taking care not to make it a Companion App again allows me using either BLEvo or SA (one app at a time). FYI, my Vado electronics are equivalent to 2020 Vado 6.0, which is a non-standard Specialized e-bike (45 km/h or 28 mph).

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Necessary to mention: Paolo Dozio's message explains that BLEvo would not work with the new Mastermind e-bikes because Mastermind has its Bluetooth channel encrypted.

 

[jamesfox]

James, it is not necessarily so (I know the statement of Paolo Dozio).

When I found the Specialized App underbaked, I also found making it the Companion App denied any access to BLEvo. What I did was uninstalling the Specialized App, "forgetting" the Bluetooth connection, and pairing my Vado with the phone again. Now, BLEvo works with my older Vado. Moreover, reinstalling the Specialized App but taking care not to make it a Companion App again allows me using either BLEvo or SA (one app at a time). FYI, my Vado electronics are equivalent to 2020 Vado 6.0, which is a non-standard Specialized e-bike (45 km/h or 28 mph).

 

[jamesfox]

Stefan
How do I make it forget the bluetooth connection. And how do I stop it becoming a companion app?

 

[jamesfox]

Necessary to mention: Paolo Dozio's message explains that BLEvo would not work with the new Mastermind e-bikes because Mastermind has its Bluetooth channel encrypted.

View attachment 176327

Stefan
I think the new app flashes a Mastermind TCU status to the battery so hence the possibility it blocks other bluetooth connections.

 

[Stefan Mikes]

Stefan
How do I make it forget the bluetooth connection.

After uninstalling the Specialized App.
You go to your phone Settings, Bluetooth, identify the WSBC Serial Number of the e-bike in the list of connections, tap the name and select "Forget" or "Unpair". This is how it works on Android.

Next, you restart your phone, revisit Settings/Bluetooth, identify your e-bike in the list of available connection and try pairing it. You would probably get a message "App is required" or something similar. You go to BLEvo and Seach for the Bike. At some point you might be asked to enter the PIN.

And how do I stop it becoming a companion app?

At the best, do not re-install the Specialized App. If you must do it, one of the first messages SA issues is "Make Specialized App a Companion App?" which you shall deny.

The details might vary for your phone or e-bike but that's how it generally works.

Stefan
I think the new app flashes a Mastermind TCU status to the battery so hence the possibility it blocks other bluetooth connections.

I don't think so. My two older Specialized e-bikes didn't get any update from the Specialized App. Yes, Bluetooth was temporarily blocked by the Specialized App. It is because making the SA the Companion App reserves the Bluetooth channel for the exclusive use by SA.

 

[jamesfox]

UPDATE
I sent a help request to Specialized.com in the USA. They referred it back to Specialized tech UK who emailed me promptly asking for further details. I sent the following report of our observations to them.

Observations
1. In order to connect any of the batteries including the new one, I have to "add a bike". Selecting an existing bike does not work - it does not connect.
2. When I connect the new battery the "tune" settings are saved no matter how many times I go in and out of the "tune" page on the app. This is expected behaviour.
3. With both my old batteries, if I go to the "tune" page and adjust the settings and then leave the page, when I go back in sometimes the settings are the same, sometimes they are different. Usually after going in on the 3rd time the settings are all fully reset to the highest values so I'm confident that these settings are not holding even after the first time.
4. On the home page under "Bike Status" it lists "Firmware status". When I enter this page there is a status under "System" which I presume is the firmware status (?) but there is no option to flash new firmware. Perhaps this was an option on the previous app?

It would seem that there is a hardware problem with the old batteries possibly related to the firmware which possibly needs to be upgraded. However as per point 4 there is no way for a user of the app to push a firmware update for the batteries.

Today I had the following reply from Specialized UK
Thanks for the Info, at the moment the only update I have been given is that it is the process of being updated in the app for gen one bikes to be connected, but have no time line as yet.

So, Specialized accept there is an issue with Gen 1 bikes/batteries which has escaped their attention so far. Given that there must be thousands of Gen1 Levos still in regular use there is a likelihood that this is a potentially massive problem waiting to reveal itself in the coming months. Or, I may have two batteries that just coincidentally are malfunctioning as regards the connection with the new app and settings.

Concluding: For now, anyone with a Gen1 Levo should not connect their bike with the new Specialized (black) app. Stick with your current tune settings and just try using BLEVo app if you need to tune a bike. To do otherwise is to risk making your bike redundant.
I will run an update as and when I hear more from Specialized
As mentioned in previous posts if you connect to your Gen 1 bike using the latest Specialized app your blue tooth channel will be blocked for connecting to BLEVo

 

[jamesfox]

Further Update
It has been about a month now without any further update from Specialized Uk customer care so I'm not hopeful of any assistance. However I have found a 'work round' for anyone caught out with the new 'Mission Control' app not working with Gen 1 Levo's. Here's how I managed to get my tune settings reconfigured again. I had an old phone in my drawer from a few years ago. I charged it up and it had the old Red logo Mission Control app on it which I could still use to connect to my Bluetooth.
To use this method it is important that your old phone does not connect to WiFi because you must avoid signing into your Specialized account online otherwise it will force the new app on you and you may not successfully then be able to Tune your Gen1 Levo. Also, turn off Auto Update Apps in your phone settings, otherwise the new app may be loaded without you knowing.
So , keep an old phone with the old Mission Control app for Tuning purposes and forget about using the new app.

It may be that Specialized may want to make older emtb's redundant or they may have a genuine glitch in the software which remains unresolved. Time will tell.

 

[mschwett]

It may be that Specialized may want to make older emtb's redundant or they may have a genuine glitch in the software which remains unresolved. Time will tell.

most likely both, lol. they’re mostly aware of all the issues caused by various combinations of bike version, firmware version, and apps but have deemed it a low priority to fix problems that, left unresolved, might encourage the purchased of new bikes

 

[jamesfox]

most likely both, lol. they’re mostly aware of all the issues caused by various combinations of bike version, firmware version, and apps but have deemed it a low priority to fix problems that, left unresolved, might encourage the purchased of new bikes

I'd rather use the old Mission Control anyway. As far as Tuning goes the old interface is more intuitive and straightforward to use. Updated software rarely offers more advantage to the user. New software is across the board is a 'pay more or get locked out proposition'

 

[jamesfox]

most likely both, lol. they’re mostly aware of all the issues caused by various combinations of bike version, firmware version, and apps but have deemed it a low priority to fix problems that, left unresolved, might encourage the purchased of new bikes

Or discourage!