Orbea Gain

[Chislenko]

As I've probably said before I have a medical need for assisted cycling, I can't ride a 'normal' road bike for more than 1 or 2 flat miles, even my 8kg Rose, otherwise I'd still be riding it and not an ebike. So running out of battery is a big problem for me! The introduction of the Orbea Gain in 2017/18 was a lifesaver for me as that was the period I was beginning to find riding was becoming very difficult and I was faced with the prospect of having to stop cycling altogether.

So am I correct in assuming from your post if you don't have the app there is no way of telling how much battery you have used / left? No other form of indication on the bike itself?

 

[youngoldbloke]

So am I correct in assuming from your post if you don't have the app there is no way of telling how much battery you have used / left? No other form of indication on the bike itself?

No You get a rough indication from the colour of the Iwoc display. This explains the operation https://www.ribblecycles.co.uk/blog/how-to-operate-ribble-e-bikes/ Once the flashing red displays the battery runs down very quickly

 

[Dadam]

So am I correct in assuming from your post if you don't have the app there is no way of telling how much battery you have used / left? No other form of indication on the bike itself?

As @youngoldbloke says you have the Iwoc display for broad bands of capacity, but if you have one of the LCD display/control unit (standard with the 2021 onward bikes) you also have a full percentage of battery. You can also pair the bike to a Garmin or similar computer and set battery level as a display field.

 

[harbell]

I'm now under the impression the ANT+ upgrade comes in two vatiants -- one with Trio+, and the other as a dongle. The Trio+ option provides both the handlebar mounted assist-level up/down/on-off and ANT+ wireless and connectivity to the LEV display or Garmin, whereas the dongle is just ANT+ (no switch). The ANT+ install manual refers to these twotwo install options.
I wish they sold a 32mm/split dropbar vesion for D-bikes!

 

[Chislenko]

@harbell

Unfortunately, I didn't understand a word of your posts 😟

 

[harbell]

@Chislenko
I'm trying to add two things to my bike (2019 Orbea Gain D30) related to the X35 ebikemotion system:

1. a Trio controller -- the physical up/down/on-off switch that controls the assist level,
2. ANT+ wireless.

Identifying the right parts, and knowing compatibility is the purpose of my posts.
(In my orig post I incorrectly identified my bike as 2017 -- I think it's newer, perhaps 2019).

 

[Chislenko]

@Chislenko
I'm trying to add two things to my bike (2019 Orbea Gain D30) related tomthe X35 ebikemotion system:

1. a Trio controller -- the physical up/down/on-off switch that controls the assist level,
2. ANT+ wireless.

Identifying the right parts, and knowing compatibility is the purpose of my posts.
(In my orig post I incorrectly identified my bike as 2017 -- I think it's newer, perhaps 2019. But I may be wrong).

To be honest I am a complete technophobe, I Just do not understand all this ant+ dongle y cable etc. I wasn't having a go I just have no idea of this stuff.

 

[harbell]

H All,
I have a 2019 Gain D31 (gravel bike w/ drop bars), and tho I've used it 2 years I can't stand the one-button Iwoc controller. My wife has a ~2019 with flat bars and the Trio switch, so I'd like to add that. I'm also curious about the LEV display and Garmin 830/1050/etc... So I have a few questions. BTW, I have ZERO patience with phone apps requiring cloud accounts, so I don't use the ebikemotion/Mahle App.

1: So far my research leads me to believe I can add a Y-cable and ANT+ dongle in the top bar. That will support a LEV display and/or/both a Garmin. Yes?

2: Although the Trio switch is intended for flat bars, electrically is it compatible? Just use a Y-cable? I realize I'll have to tear down one side of my drop bars (prob left) to get it up next to the neck (and confirm the bar cross-section diameter). A Trio controller switch is more important to me than the ANT+ and LEV display... just a dumb switch to relive me of the 1-button Iwoc control. I guess the LEV display would give me a up/down power assist control, but that little Trio switch is so darn handy!

3: Is there any reason I cant add both? Two Y-cables to add both the Trio AND the ANT+ dongle, and have a Trio switch, LEV display, and Garmin all working in unison? The cost isn't prohibitively expensive to give it a try, I just thought I'd ask here in case this is a known quantity, or to avoid damaging something if electrically, if that'd be the result.

Thanks everyone!

UPDATE:
So I added a Trio+ w/ ANT+ to my Orbea 2019 Gain D31 (this is a combined ANT+ dongle and Trio switch, so only one device provide both features!). The Trio switch is made for the F-series flat bars, so has only a ~22mm dia thru-hole. I added an auxiliary 22mm mounting bar which stands off of my ~32mm dia dropbar by 1-1/2", to which I mounted the Trio+ switch. I snaked the wire through the headset and connected it via a Y-cable (included with the Trio+). No firmware update needed. It works just like the base Trio on my wife's 2019 Gain F30. Sooooo much nicer for changing assist levels than fooling with the iWoc switch.

AND I confirmed that it has ANT+ by pairing it with a Garmin 520 Plus that I happen to have laying around. (I admit the bike data displayed by the little 520+ is crude -- just assist level, speed, and battery level -- and the batt level icon-% is tiny. I'm also a little confused why the Garmin 520+ is so slow at showing roads on the map, and that it shows roads I wouldn't expect it to know about (e.g. wouldn't expect to be in an internal database), as if it's trickle-downloading street data in real-time.... somehow.

Next stop, PulsarONE display. But since I'm feeling pretty gaga over Garmin map navigation, I may also get a Garmin 840... PulsarONE when I just want basic bike info, and Garmin for longer rides or when I'm feelin' geeky. (Tho I could use the ebikemotion app, I'm trying to avoid bringing along my phone and being constantly connected to the 'Net)

 

[robyfron]

I’m a week late with this, but it was my D20 1st Birthday last week, so he’s my thoughts and observations on one-years ownership and approx 1,500miles of riding. No particular order, just as thoughts come to mind.

i. My bike came with 40mm Kenda Flintridge gravel tyres, absolutely horrible on the road, it felt like riding through treacle. I changed them to a pair of 32mm Marathon Plus; V heavy and a dull ride. In the end I swapped to a pair of 28mm Pirelli P Zero 4S and they’re great. I knew the bike would come with 40mm mixed use tyres and I knew I was going to have to change them to make the bike what I wanted, but it was the right spec, at the right price (and given that Gains were rarer than rocking horse do doos at the time), it was both in stock and thet dealer was offering an Easter holiday 10% dscount I snapped it up knowing I’d have to make a couples changes to suit my use.

ii. Tyres (and changing saddle) aside, I’ve left the main components stock and everything still goes, starts, stops as it should. The groupset is Sram Riva l (1x11) and year later it’s clicking as smooth, fast and accurate as the day I got it. The OEM saddle is a good one, (Prologo Kappa) and it might suit some, but it’s not the shape of my bum.

iii. Paint. Mines a bright Orange one and the paint isn’t a robust as it should be. I’ve several chips where I’ve accidently caught the frame when taking off my front light. That said, everything washes down and cleans & polishes up nicely.

iv. Accessories. I’ve added a pair of Crud Roadracer MK3 mudgaurds, a black alloy rack (sorry can’t remember the make) as well as a rackpack bag and the usual lights, bottle cages and computer mounts.

v. Ebikemotion App. Used it a few times to start with but it drained the battery faster than stolen Corsa on a Saturday night. I now only ever use it, out of curiosity really, to so see what’s left in the battery post ride. I’m not bothered at all by the data it produces about how much power/assistance you were using and when. Interesting to start off with, but I rapidly lost interest. The Cadence sensor is hopelessly inaccurate.

The ebikemotion app also has an auto function to automatically change the assistance level depending on your heart rate, provided of course you’ve paired your HMR to your phone. It’s rubbish. For me it didn’t kick in early enough on a hill then continues to give full assistance once you’re over the top of the hill. Maybe I didn’t explore settings full, but a manual change in anticipation of a hill does it for me.

vi. Talking of changing power assistance levels, I agree with the Top Tube button being a bit of phaff, but you do get used to it, however it would take leap of the imagination to design something better.

vii. Still talking about Power Settings, I reduce the power of the lowest power setting to either 50% or 75% depending on the hilliness of the ride. I’ve kept level 2 & 3 at 100% on the grounds I’m riding an ebike FFS and what’s the point of lugging round all that extra weight if you can’t put the bugger into full power and make those hills easier.

viii. Range, pretty much what Orbea claim, though it’s bit less in cold temperatures. As long as you remember it's an electrically assisted bike rather than and electric powered bike you'll be okay.

ix. Rival 1 Hydraulic Disc Brakes; Bloody Brilliant, the best brakes I’ve ever had!

x. What don’t I like? Not that much really. As mentioned above changing the power lever is a bit of a phaff, but as I also said, you get used to it. It of course weighs in at much more than any modern road bike, but at 13.5kg it’s no more than my old 531st touring bike and I’ve pedalled across large parts of France and the Alps on that without regret. Removing the rear wheel isn’t as easy as on a steam powered bike, but no worse than any hub geared bike, however one of the most annoying things are the questions. Is that and ebike? Where’s the battery, is that really the motor, what’s the range, how heavy is it and many many more. I don’t mind answering them, but maybe I should approach Orbea and ask for some commission.

As I said these as just my ramblings and apologies for the length of the post, but if you’re thinking of buying an Orbea Gain I’d thoroughly recommend it. It is as Orbea say, designed to enhance your ride, not dominate it

hi I am new. I have a question. I am thinking to buy a used D20 2020. how many km can you do it with a charge? Any example? Is it suitable for long distance, like 100 km and 1000 m elevation? thank you

 

[IanSmithCSE]

Good morning,

hi I am new. I have a question. I am thinking to buy a used D20 2020. how many km can you do it with a charge? Any example? Is it suitable for long distance, like 100 km and 1000 m elevation? thank you

I have a Ribble ALe which as far as I can tell is a very similar bike.

If I wanted to sell it to you I would show you the app that says my range is 80 miles on a full charge,

If I was being honest after a boozy night the commute on a fairly flat route can use 50% of the charge in 18 miles.

I do recommend that you download the Mahle app and when you see the bike, or trust the seller if he has the app, it will tell you the number of charge cycles as this is one of the main factors in determining remaining battery life. A four your old battery (2020) would worry me regardless of the number of charge cycles though.

The X35 was originally marketed under the idea of "Just enough power" and aimed at fit roadies who just needed a bit of help on the really steep/long bits. It is a long way from being almost an e-moped where the rider can do very little.

Overall I don't think that is really possible to usefully advise on range as rider fitness is so varied. But I would say that 100km is towards the limit or possibly beyond it for the 250Wh battery, depending upon your fitness level and any (10%-20%) battery degredation is likely to hit the range hard. You can buy a range extender for around £550+ but this has a slightly lower capacity than the main battery and as far as I understand it acts as a charger for the main battery.

Bye

Ian

 

[youngoldbloke]

Lots of posts regarding range in this thread. Essentially depends on how fit you are and how far you are capable of riding at speeds above the 15.5 mph assistance cut off - the more you need to use the battery the shorter your range. Try searching the thread.

 

[Dadam]

hi I am new. I have a question. I am thinking to buy a used D20 2020. how many km can you do it with a charge? Any example? Is it suitable for long distance, like 100 km and 1000 m elevation? thank you

As others have said it varies. I have a D40, 2023 model. I have used 78% battery on a hilly 50k ride and 22% on a flat 100k where the motor was off almost the whole time except for the last 10k.

I was looking back at recorded rides from my Garmin data and did a table. Thread here