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)