Bosch Smart motor 2022 - walk assist problems

irie

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
Subscriber
May 2, 2022
2,572
2,628
Chichester, W.Sussex, UK
Mine works fine, just need to select a really low gear so that it gives minimum rear wheel drive. But some conditions it's better to push the bike, like when it's really slippery and the rear wheel will just spin.
A year later still working fine. A benefit of having a Trek Rail Gen 2 which doesnt have software updates which often appear to introduce more new errors as the old ones are fixed. Good reason not to be a beta tester for Bosch's latest and greatest tbh.
 

nandewar

Member
Aug 13, 2020
25
6
Australia
It's not so much that there is fundamental difference between the old and newer versions, it's that there is a glaring technical error seemingly caused by Trek's use of the proprietary speed sensor cable and/or magnet. Every other bike brand on the smart system has no issues it seems, and now that mine is working properly, neither do I. It does seem ridiculous that given the pages of discussion around this issue, nobody at Trek or Bosch appears to be aware of the problem or able to solve it. In the dealer the other day, there was talk of replacing the motor unit! If it turns out this is a simple magnet orientation or mis-wiring issue as it appears after my revelation yesterday, I wonder how many motors have been replaced because of this and still to o avail?
My Focus (with Smart System) has the walk mode issue as well. I will try flipping the magnet and see if that helps. Thanks for the input.
 

jaumebtt

Member
Nov 30, 2022
7
1
spain
Trek has designed for the RAIL and POWERFLY a piece that modifies the position of the sensor with respect to the brake disc magnet, the little that I have tried finally works!!!

IMG_4577.jpg
 

Tuan

Member
Jul 24, 2023
2
1
Switzerland
Finally, the walk assist problem with my Trek 9.8 2022 has been solved. It was a back-and-forth between my dealer, Bosch, and Trek, and as usual, neither Bosch nor Trek wanted to acknowledge that such a problem exists. The motor was checked by Bosch with the result: everything is okay. Bosch advised my dealer to discuss the case with Trek again. Eventually, it became clear that the motor had been programmed by Trek for a rim magnet (fitted over the valve) and not the original brake disk magnet. The impulse of the valve magnet is detected as it passes close by the motor. So now, I have a magnet over the valve with the original brake disk detector removed. I simply don’t understand why the motor could not be reprogrammed to brake disk detector, and why, apart from the walk assist, the speed and distance measurements were correct with the brake disk detector.

I hope this helps!

1718970167049.jpeg
 

Arminius

Well-known member
Subscriber
Jul 26, 2022
587
983
Rhein-Ruhr Delta, Germany
Finally, the walk assist problem with my Trek 9.8 2022 has been solved. It was a back-and-forth between my dealer, Bosch, and Trek, and as usual, neither Bosch nor Trek wanted to acknowledge that such a problem exists. The motor was checked by Bosch with the result: everything is okay. Bosch advised my dealer to discuss the case with Trek again. Eventually, it became clear that the motor had been programmed by Trek for a rim magnet (fitted over the valve) and not the original brake disk magnet. The impulse of the valve magnet is detected as it passes close by the motor. So now, I have a magnet over the valve with the original brake disk detector removed. I simply don’t understand why the motor could not be reprogrammed to brake disk detector, and why, apart from the walk assist, the speed and distance measurements were correct with the brake disk detector.

I hope this helps!

View attachment 142488
That solution / explanation was mentioned here in July 2023……Bosch Smart motor 2022 - walk assist problems
 

andybobbill

Member
Aug 9, 2023
28
15
UK
Just following up on jaumebtt's post earlier. I've also got hold of an adaptor and it definitely seems to work properly now. At least, it works in the repair stand so time will tell in the long run. Fingers crossed this is the solution for those of us afflicted by the issue. Image attached to show how it works in situ with the existing sensor. Took me a few minutes to figure out how it was supposed to be oriented!
IMG_3787.JPG
 

JP-NZ

E*POWAH Elite
Feb 17, 2022
1,195
910
Christchurch - New Zealand
Just following up on jaumebtt's post earlier. I've also got hold of an adaptor and it definitely seems to work properly now. At least, it works in the repair stand so time will tell in the long run. Fingers crossed this is the solution for those of us afflicted by the issue. Image attached to show how it works in situ with the existing sensor. Took me a few minutes to figure out how it was supposed to be oriented!
Nice, Ive got the same model, will await further testing from you and see if it works well in all areas. I don't really used the walk mode much though.
 

jaumebtt

Member
Nov 30, 2022
7
1
spain
I have tried it a little more and the conclusion is that it improves a lot but not 100%, the speed is still not constant but I repeat that at least it is usable, not like before when it was useless.
 

jaumebtt

Member
Nov 30, 2022
7
1
spain
attention!!! I have installed the HOPE magnet and it works perfectly, along with the Trek piece that I mentioned previously.
tempImageiVGThO.jpg
 

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