Flashing US firmware in Europe?

[Kendoji]

Here's a question for this naughty section of the forums. :-o

I'm not interested in the dongles that make a 25km/hr bike assist up to 50km/hr. But I would love it if it was possible to flash the US firmware on a bike to have it just go 32km/hr, which seems a more reasonable limit to me. Has anyone heard of this being possible?

 

[Kernow]

It would certainly be enough without the Downside of the halved readings etc from a de restricting chip , however you can remove or turn off a chip easily and have the bike back to standard easily and quickly . Us firmware would still be illegal but not removable easily for use in public places etc

 

[Kendoji]

Yep true, that's a great point. I think part of my reluctance with the dongles is that I don't trust my ability to contain myself if the bike will assist to 50km/hr. I have a Stromer speed pedelec that goes 45km/hr and it is incredible fun on the road. The power is virtually irresistible, though, and I often find myself riding it like a twat through the city at terrifying speeds despite my best efforts to contain myself. I don't want to face that kind of temptation off road as well.

 

[Kernow]

Have to agree on the road you have to behave but assistance over 20 is quite weak and hard to sustain anyway unless you have modified gears, /But you can just turn it
off but off road I guess it depends where you ride. A dongle won’t make you climb faster and I couldnt go any faster on the downs than I do on a pedal bike. Most mtb with 1x gearing are pedalled out at about 22 anyway and you can’t pedal at 100 plus rpm on a rough downhill .
I think everyone gets the idea it’s going to 30 mph as easily as it does 15

 

[njn]

It is my understanding that there is no US firmware for Shimano.

 

[Kendoji]

Ah that’s possible. That would explain why some of the reviewers on YouTube mentioned that they were testing European versions of the Focus bikes with the ‘low’ limit.

 

[njn]

I may stand corrected, checked mine again and it cuts out at 20mph. Just updated the firmware and saw some notes, but it looks like it's minor. I also noticed the e tube app uses location. Maybe a GPS spoofer app would work.

Product information MTB

Powerful SHIMANO STEPS motor is strong enough to handle the steepest of trails, yet intuitive enough to give you just the right amount of support every pedal stroke along the way.

• Designed specifically to give you that natural feel of riding a normal MTB.
• Weighs only 6.2 lbs, one of the lightest motors on the market.
• Stable, smooth intuitive power for improved bike handling over every section of trail.
• Solidly supports speeds up to 20 mph.

ファームウェア更新情報　詳細｜E-TUBE PROJECT｜シマノ

Jul 12, 2017 4.1.0 Adopting for USA specifications
Additional function
1. Riding characteristic setting
2. Cassette sprocket combination setting

 

[Kendoji]

There are dongles available now but they make your computer show only half the speed. There are folks working on one that doesn’t do that, if/when it comes out I’ll probably get it.

 

[100 Cols]

I wonder how the feds came up with 25kmh as the max assistance speed. Seems pathetic considering it's easy to pedal faster than that UPHILL on a normal bike

What is an uphill? Lightly ascending "faux plats" below 3% positive slope are not usually considered as "uphills" IMHO, they are just faux plats, flat sections.

Which is why I'd like to claim that for an average cyclist it is absolutely NOT easy to pedal faster than 25 km/h UPHILL, far from that (you might be an exception, a superhero professional cyclist or something). Using http://kreuzotter.de calculator, we can estimate that you'll need to produce more than 3 W/kg to pedal a 2% faux plat faster than 25 km/h with a racing bicycle. Already that is NOT an easy task - and we are not even riding UPHILL here.

 

[100 Cols]

Gary, I guess I'm questioning mostly because I'm frustrated, sitting inside and not being able to walk nor ride. Sorry.

Anyways, my point was that going 25 km/h uphill is not easy. Your KOM stuff on short sprint segments kind of proofs my point, it requires harder than easy effort. Then again, I do agree, 25 km/h is a frustratingly low limitation. 30 or 32 km/h would be more reasonable, more useful, more fun, but would take huge europe-wide lobbying to make a change.

 

[Kendoji]

The hard limit at 25 is so annoying. I imagine it would be possible and a good compromise to have assistance taper off gradually from 25 up to, say, 35. But yes that’s just wishful thinking, the chances of the limit changing Europe-wide at this point is extremely small.

 

[Japuserid]

Had a great ride today, really went for it, covered 26.8 miles in 1h 39 mins ave speed 16 mph, max speed downhill not pedalling 30.8, hardly earth shattering, IMHO the restriction of 250 watts is all that is really required.

 

[davosaurusrex]

I had been having the exact same thought and found this. Was trying to get onto the Shimano Steps USA website today but no joy, assume the IP address is rhe issue. Might have ro try a dodge, the 20mph limit would be perfect

 

[Blackbird]

I had been having the exact same thought and found this. Was trying to get onto the Shimano Steps USA website today but no joy, assume the IP address is rhe issue. Might have ro try a dodge, the 20mph limit would be perfect

SHIMANO STEPS – the e-bike system for CITY, TREKKING and MTB

This link should work.

 

[davosaurusrex]

Well I tried deleting the E Tube app and downloading again with a fake IP app running with a US address but it wouldn't connect. Possibly I was too impatient?
Gave up on that and updated the firmware for the motor and E6000 controller (display unit was already up to date) with a fake GPS app making the phone think it was in the middle of Utah but no joy. Might be that the restriction is in the control unit (which is the logical place I guess), might be that I need to try a US IP address again. Might be something else entirely. Bah.

 

[Blackbird]

Well if the problem lies into downloading the app just use a vpn, there are free ones around.

 

[davosaurusrex]

That's what I tried but it struggled to download E Tube via the VPN.

Also thought that the motor/controllers might be set to a specific region when first registered before they get to the customer?

 

[Blackbird]

Sounds like a very real possibility, maybe that setting can only be changed with manufacturer equipment. You could try e-mailing shimano north america, say you bought a EU spec bike but live in the US and ask if it is possible and if so how, to change the limiter.

 

[davosaurusrex]

I imagine they'd want serial numbers then, Shimano aren't stupid. In fact we're probably being watched right now. Remember, just because you're paranoid it doesn't mean people aren't talking about you.....!

 

[Tori]

My partner just unlocked the speed limit on her Shimano Steps 8000 equipped Merida E160. We both took turns riding out in the dark and it is pretty damn fun. She can mess with torque, power and speed settings per mode in the Emax software. She also had to buy an interface box to mediate between the Steps display and PC.

The exercise has cost her $400 AUD, but she was smiling and said it was worth it.

 

[davosaurusrex]

Any details on what she bought please Tori, and do you know if speed, odo etc are still correct?

 

[Tori]

Yeah it was a Shimano SM-PCE1 Di2 bike / PC linking device. It connects to the PC via a USB and has a plug for the Shimano Steps display unit.

She is using it with Emax software. The box cost her about $300 bucks (Australian dollars) and she paid about $100 bucks for the software key. It displays correctly, ODO works correctly - she has just removed the speed limit from the bikes operating parameters.

 

[davosaurusrex]

That is very interesting indeed Tori, thanks. Do you happen to know if the software works on multiple bikes or if you have to purchase a license key for each one? I did try the enquiry form on the website but it got bounced due to anti-spam software for some reason. I have a couple of friends with Shimano ebikes so could make it a lot cheaper

 

[Kendoji]

Ah yes I remember seeing that option online. Works as long as you don’t update the Shimano software to 4.3.4 or higher. Shame it got blocked by Shimano.

I’m waiting for a dongle to be created that still displays the real speed on the display.

 

[davosaurusrex]

Answered my own question - text says separate license for each bike. Unfortunately it also says Shimano purposefully borked it with the firmware update to 4.3.4 in January (as well they might) and so they don't sell the software anymore, bah! I assume your partner's bike is still running 4.3.3? Seemed the perfect solution, from excited to gutted in the space of a few hours!

 

[Tori]

Answered my own question - text says separate license for each bike. Unfortunately it also says Shimano purposefully borked it with the firmware update to 4.3.4 in January (as well they might) and so they don't sell the software anymore, bah! I assume your partner's bike is still running 4.3.3? Seemed the perfect solution, from excited to gutted in the space of a few hours!

Stay excited. Lisa's bike is only two weeks old or so - it was running the latest firmware from Shimano. She simply rolled back to the earlier (hackable) firmware before she did the de-restriction.

 

[Tori]

Here is a pic of the Di2 box :

 

[davosaurusrex]

Thanks again Tori. How did she revert to the earlier firmware?

Also how did she get hold of the emax software? Apparently it's not available for sale ( over here at least) any longer

 

[Tori]

Thanks again Tori. How did she revert to the earlier firmware?

Also how did she get hold of the emax software? Apparently it's not available for sale ( over here at least) any longer

I am not sure, but I will get her to post up the process from my account later on. Stay tuned.

 

[Blackbird]

does this software completely derestrict your bike or can you set a max speed?