Orbea Gain

[Southernguns]

So here is what is probably a really dumb question. I use a Garmin so I don't use the ebikemotion app when I ride. I occasionally turn it on to change power levels or see the exact charge amount but that's about it. Today I went into the engine setting and was surprise to see that there is an "odometry" field that had kept track of the total miles on the bike. I actually think that's a good thing, since it's a record I want to have, but how does the app know this if it's almost never turned on? Is it just the revolutions of the motor or something?

Hi Solom01,
My use of the ebikemotion app mirrors yours and I have never noticed the "odometry" field in the rare times I use the app. Could it be a recent change to the app ?
But yes the bike itself must be logging the distance. When I log on to www.ebikemotion.com and assuming you have registered ? under My Profile / My ebikes
it will give you your ebike serial No, the activation date and the miles/kms the bike has completed. It must update the My ebikes mileage whenever you connect via the app? I also use a Garmin and record all my rides on garminconnect and the mileage I have recorded is pretty close to what shows on My Profile page.

It has always been on the website and I think it was on the app when I first started using it, but only when connected to the bike - I could be wrong on this though, as my memory isn't the best. The app has had many recent updates of course.

What is interesting is that if I look online at the 'dashboard ' section of the website it has my total km covered as only the rides I actually recorded on the app listed in the 'activities' section, but if I look in the 'my bike' section it has the total km covered as the actual total distance that I have covered (double the kms listed in the 'dashboard' section). As I have a new frame with a different serial number, but the components are that from my old frame, then I guess the recording of the total km could be coming from either the motor in the rear wheel or some sort of GPS built into the iwoc. It would be interesting to see if it was ridden without turning the iwoc on whether it still recorded the total miles. Or (when out of warranty) if the rear wheel was replaced with a normal wheel for a short ride whether this would effect the recording of the total distance. The cynical me thinks that Orbea definitely record via GPS in order (even if the app isn't being used) to identify where their bikes are being ridden, by what type of rider (serious, occasional...), how often and for what type of riding (road, gravel, hill climbing...). This would certainly allow them to focus their advertising and sales to maximize profits and gather and sell data to other companies.

 

[Scaleyback]

It has always been on the website and I think it was on the app when I first started using it, but only when connected to the bike - I could be wrong on this though, as my memory isn't the best. The app has had many recent updates of course.

What is interesting is that if I look online at the 'dashboard ' section of the website it has my total km covered as only the rides I actually recorded on the app listed in the 'activities' section, but if I look in the 'my bike' section it has the total km covered as the actual total distance that I have covered (double the kms listed in the 'dashboard' section).

Yes, mine is the same just a few rides recorded before I gave up using the app each ride. But total mileage keeps accumulating.

 

[Solom01]

Hi guys. I think that in the dealer app if they replace major components like the frame and motor the dealer has to enter it into the database so Orbea is aware that it's still the same bike/ owner even if it has been altered. I guess that's also a way for them to know if major work has been done by a non-dealer. I hope it's GPS, my life is a bore so I could care less what they know, but if it is GPS maybe in the future it could be used to locate stolen bikes or find someone who has been hurt.

 

[Storck]

Hi guys. I think that in the dealer app if they replace major components like the frame and motor the dealer has to enter it into the database so Orbea is aware that it's still the same bike/ owner even if it has been altered. I guess that's also a way for them to know if major work has been done by a non-dealer. I hope it's GPS, my life is a bore so I could care less what they know, but if it is GPS maybe in the future it could be used to locate stolen bikes or find someone who has been hurt.

This week here in UK its come to light all Mercedes-Benz cars that are leased have a GPS fitted in them, unknown up to now by the public. It appears this is something the EU are looking into. Could be illegal?

 

[Southernguns]

My last 2 leased citroen vans have both been fitted with GPS which is used should it be stolen. The boss can also pay for a 'follow me service" which I hope he is too tight to pay for!!!

I notice that when signed in on the emotion website there is some option (I cannot remember its name) to enable alert mode. I guess this could be for if it is stolen maybe? Does anyone know?

 

[Storck]

My last 2 leased citroen vans have both been fitted with GPS which is used should it be stolen. The boss can also pay for a 'follow me service" which I hope he is too tight to pay for!!!

I notice that when signed in on the emotion website there is some option (I cannot remember its name) to enable alert mode. I guess this could be for if it is stolen maybe? Does anyone know?

No, I think it's for personal alerts ie. Max HR when reached or food intake etc.

 

[NickWi]

...........and it doesn't stand out so it doesn't take away from the "stealthy" nature of the bike.

Talking of which, or not as the case maybe, my Range Extender battery arrived today. To say it looks a bit like a water bottle is like saying I look a bit like George Clooney. Yes I've got two eyes, a nose, mouth etc and they're arranged in the usual format, but good looking I ain't; and neither is the Ranger Extra battery. It is very obviously a battery and not a water bottle so the stealthy element goes out the window.

Full report to follow after rides with it over the weekend.

Well, it does what it says on the tin. It recharges the main battery as you ride along! I know that sounds like stating the bleeding obvious, but it does it smoothly, unobtrusively and if you didn't know it was only the main battery that could power the motor you'd swear it was the Range Extender Battery (REB from now on) doing it as the Iwoc power display on the bike stayed on White for the entire ride with the REB display slowly going through the change what's left colous as it used up its juice.

With both batteries powered up the phone app says 200%, you don't get a breakdown by battery, maybe one for the suggestion box. The bottle cage and glorified elastic band held everything in place, no rattles and I couldn't feel the extra weight when riding. Looking down to see what colour the Iwoc button on the REB became a new habit and it turned from White to Green at about 15miles. When it eventually died at 46miles (and if the button on the REB did the red flashing thing for less than 10% power left I didn't notice), but when I did noticed it had expired I stopped and looked at the power in the main battery on my phone. It said 95%. The REB could have died anytime in the last mile, but I was riding uphill on a busy and narrow country lane and I had other things to concentrate on.

The ride today wasn't particularly hilly, I average 13mph with 1,600ft of climbing in 50.2miles (and yes, I had to ride around the block to get that magic extra couple of fractions of a mile in). I rode mostly on Green Level 1 with the occasional foray into L2 or L3 for the odd hill or two, but boy was it hot today. 30deg C the weather man says and I believe him. For those of you who live in warmer climates that may not sound much, but to us Lilly White Brits, trust me, that’s hot. I’ve just had a tot up, I got through 3⅓ litres of water out on the ride, plus tea before and several large glasses of water when I got home.

So, my conclusion (albeit after only one ride with a REB); Well as I said previously it’s an ugly bugger, but the REB does what it’s supposed to do. 46miles down and with 95% left in the main battery I know I, (no I’ll rephrase that), I know a rider with better legs than me could easily have ridden 100 plus miles using power assistance, and that's an extended range. How it would cope with more climbing and/or steeper hills I don’t know, but as it stands, for my type of riding, at my speeds and for the gentle undulating terrain in my part of the world, it does what it says on the tin, and does it very well.

 

[Solom01]

Nickwi, thanks for the report, sounds great and it keeps you in Orbea's good graces if they're spying. 30 sounds good, it's about 33.5 here in SW Florida and 95% humidity so it's like biking in a sauna. What doesn't kill you makes you strong, right?

 

[Scaleyback]

How long are your chains lasting on the Gain guys ?
I changed my D30 105 chain today at 1,000 miles I checked it with the Park Tool CC2 chain checker and it shows my chain 0.5% worn. I read where 11 speed chains should be changed at 0.5 and 8/9/10 speed at 0.75.
I was told by a bike mechanic/technician that the ebike chains wear quicker
due to the power going through them. My normal bike chains certainly last a lot longer than 1,000 miles. N.B I do try to keep my chains clean and oiled.

 

[Scaleyback]

I got through 3⅓ litres of water out on the ride, plus tea before and several large glasses of water when I got home.

You must have a ‘nuclear grade’ bladder ? If I consumed that amount of fluids before and during riding I would spend more time behind a hedge p***ing than
pedalling.

 

[NickWi]

How long are your chains lasting on the Gain guys ?
I changed my D30 105 chain today at 1,000 miles I checked it with the Park Tool CC2 chain checker and it shows my chain 0.5% worn. I read where 11 speed chains should be changed at 0.5 and 8/9/10 speed at 0.75.
I was told by a bike mechanic/technician that the ebike chains wear quicker
due to the power going through them. My normal bike chains certainly last a lot longer than 1,000 miles. N.B I do try to keep my chains clean and oiled.

Yeah, that's about what the chain lasted on my D20 (Sram 1x11 with a KMC chain). I replaced it with the same as I needed a quick replacement, but next time I'll look around for options. 1,000miles for a well looked after chain isn't very good in my books. I've also developed a creak, and as of today a slight knock from my bottom bracket. Again having done only 1,800miles on my Gain, not impressed.

Lastly your mechanic is getting confused between e-bike drive types. With crank driven type drives he's right, extra power IS being transmitted by the chain and that's got to take its toll. On hub driven type bikes it isn't. In fact, surely the opposite should apply. Oughtn't a hub driven bike be easier on the chain?

 

[NickWi]

You must have a ‘nuclear grade’ bladder ? If I consumed that amount of fluids before and during riding I would spend more time behind a hedge p***ing than pedalling.

Yeah, I did have to nip behind the hedge on a couple or three occassions, but I was also sweating bucklets. That absorbant foam band on the inside of your helmet that rests against your forehead certainly earned its money today stopping the sweat running down and into my eyes. I've also got to say modern wicking fabrics really do do a good job a shifting your sweat to the outside so you don't actually feel sweaty.

 

[Solom01]

You're absolutely right Nickwi. Mid-drives are hard on chains, hub drives bypass the chains totally. Heck one of the advantages of a hub drive is that if your chain breaks you can still use the motor to keep moving.

 

[Southernguns]

No, I think it's for personal alerts ie. Max HR when reached or food intake etc.

Ah, that would make sense. Although I am pretty good remembering to take food:-) hehe

 

[Scaleyback]

Lastly your mechanic is getting confused between e-bike drive types. With crank driven type drives he's right, extra power IS being transmitted by the chain and that's got to take its toll. On hub driven type bikes it isn't. In fact, surely the opposite should apply. Oughtn't a hub driven bike be easier on the chain?

No, the mechanic is not confused, I am !
It was the mech who serviced my Bosch powered MTB (don’t have it anymore)
who told me this. It’s me who’s ‘lumped’ all ebikes together without giving it any thought.