Anybody bought the speedi planetary magnet?

[cakepanda]

Yep, that'd be me and my replies a couple of posts above. In fact, I never ever started selling them them for Bosch. I tested a PLANET3 with a 1,5:1 ratio on a Mondraker Crafty RR and I believe I was the first person to have their hands on that bike (EU wide) as it was before official release. For 2 days it worked fine even with a 3:1 PLANET3 device. Then the errors started but it wasn't limp mode, it was just a speed sensor error because Bosch hadn't implemented anything regarding Limp mode back then. Over the next couple of months those updates came but I never sold one device because it was untested. Then a customer from the UK asked and I said he can try on his own responsibility and I sent him a device that had a 1,6:1 ratio. It was fine for 400 miles and then he got a limp mode error. Then we tried a 1,4:1 ratio device as he was very friendly with his bike shop and that one caused a limp mode within 500-600 miles. Then I said we're not doing a PLANET3 for Bosch because I saw in the software that they have pre-defined gear ratios for the motor. Most of the time it's not a problem, but if you spend enough time in low speed pedaling outside of what's "possible" or within their range - you are inevitably getting a limp mode error. However, when someone goes and copies a product and starts mass-producing and marketing it, then things like long term testing take a back seat. Both Shimano and Bosch shouldn't be attempted with a mechanical derestriction device. Stick to chips for Bosch (but better made, smarter ones - like PLANET3-E - which is not yet available for Smart System but it is for older Bosch connector types up to CX Gen4 Non-SS) OR stick to eMax Tuning for Shimano as it's the most elegant and best supported solution out there. I don't care that it's a competitor's product - it's the best for Shimano and I have no problems recommending it.

Alex, thank you for your comprehensive and honest reply. This is the suspicion that I had. To try to mitigate the gear ratio issue, I switched the front chainring for a slightly larger one, and stopped using the bottom two gears entirely - clearly this was not enough. I kept reminding myself to work out the min/max gear ratio I could use with the 1.5x gear reduction from the Speedi, but never actually got round to it. I imagine that I probably shouldn't have used the bottom 5 gears or so but it would have made going up hill with 2 kids on the back somewhat impossible.
Totally agree with the eMax for Shimano - the best solution and I have no fear that it will report an error (though only been using it for 50 miles so far).
I'm going to look at the best chip for the Bosch Smart system. All of the research I have done doesn't seem to favour one device as all appear to be able to throw the error code at some point.
Just wish that there was a software hack available for Bosch.

 

[cakepanda]

Alex, thank you for your comprehensive and honest reply. This is the suspicion that I had. To try to mitigate the gear ratio issue, I switched the front chainring for a slightly larger one, and stopped using the bottom two gears entirely - clearly this was not enough. I kept reminding myself to work out the min/max gear ratio I could use with the 1.5x gear reduction from the Speedi, but never actually got round to it. I imagine that I probably shouldn't have used the bottom 5 gears or so but it would have made going up hill with 2 kids on the back somewhat impossible.
Totally agree with the eMax for Shimano - the best solution and I have no fear that it will report an error (though only been using it for 50 miles so far).
I'm going to look at the best chip for the Bosch Smart system. All of the research I have done doesn't seem to favour one device as all appear to be able to throw the error code at some point.
Just wish that there was a software hack available for Bosch.

Yep, that'd be me and my replies a couple of posts above. In fact, I never ever started selling them them for Bosch. I tested a PLANET3 with a 1,5:1 ratio on a Mondraker Crafty RR and I believe I was the first person to have their hands on that bike (EU wide) as it was before official release. For 2 days it worked fine even with a 3:1 PLANET3 device. Then the errors started but it wasn't limp mode, it was just a speed sensor error because Bosch hadn't implemented anything regarding Limp mode back then. Over the next couple of months those updates came but I never sold one device because it was untested. Then a customer from the UK asked and I said he can try on his own responsibility and I sent him a device that had a 1,6:1 ratio. It was fine for 400 miles and then he got a limp mode error. Then we tried a 1,4:1 ratio device as he was very friendly with his bike shop and that one caused a limp mode within 500-600 miles. Then I said we're not doing a PLANET3 for Bosch because I saw in the software that they have pre-defined gear ratios for the motor. Most of the time it's not a problem, but if you spend enough time in low speed pedaling outside of what's "possible" or within their range - you are inevitably getting a limp mode error. However, when someone goes and copies a product and starts mass-producing and marketing it, then things like long term testing take a back seat. Both Shimano and Bosch shouldn't be attempted with a mechanical derestriction device. Stick to chips for Bosch (but better made, smarter ones - like PLANET3-E - which is not yet available for Smart System but it is for older Bosch connector types up to CX Gen4 Non-SS) OR stick to eMax Tuning for Shimano as it's the most elegant and best supported solution out there. I don't care that it's a competitor's product - it's the best for Shimano and I have no problems recommending it.

Alex - I have read your website with great interest. Is there going to be a Planet3 solution for the Smart System??

 

[Alex @ PLANET3.bike]

Alex - I have read your website with great interest. Is there going to be a Planet3 solution for the Smart System??

Thank you Yes, there is and rather soon. I mean, the chip already works but I'm solving the connector problem. I've hit some "snags" with machining of the molds for these but I'm hoping that the wire EDM machine is going to get fixed soon as it's already been delayed by ~2 months because of this malfunction. The same PLANET3-E chip that works for Bosch CX Gen4 works on the Smart System (I've simply cut the wires and soldered in the converters from new round connectors to old square type).. but this isn't an elegant solution that I want to provide to potential customers.

Also, I don't know if I'm willing to dabble in the "Rim magnet" problematics with the Smart System. I'm aware of the solutions out there that use an electromagnet to mimic the rim magnet but the chip is fed real speed data from a separate speed sensor that's then located so it works via a hub/spokes magnet. As this requires motor removal in most cases and isn't really DIY friendly I'm going to focus on the bikes that are non-rim magnet versions first. If you contact a bike manufacturer they can give a green light to have the rim magnet switched to a regular external speed sensor and that'd be my go-to solution. Some manufacturers are cunts (like Orbea) and rarely grant an exception, but most others are fine if you simply say you've got multiple wheel sets and the sensor on the valve is cumbersome for whatever reason bla bla, they'll grant you a Bosch intervention to switch the motor firmware to a version that doesn't use the internal sensor.