GIANT Traumas. Are they BATTERY firmware related?

trailaddict

Active member
Jul 7, 2021
326
377
Alps
Yesterday, 24.07.2023, a new Version of the RideControl App has been released for iOS and Android.
I had to manually update the App because it was not advertised automatically like other apps, but this might be related to my Phone or its settings.

When connecting my bikes, an update of the SmartGateway was advertised.
It is Version 20230719000.

I've reached out to GIANT Support Team to get some details what is changed / fixed in this version.
 

Megavolt

Member
Jul 21, 2022
35
39
Moscow Russia
Yesterday, 24.07.2023, a new Version of the RideControl App has been released for iOS and Android.
I had to manually update the App because it was not advertised automatically like other apps, but this might be related to my Phone or its settings.

When connecting my bikes, an update of the SmartGateway was advertised.
It is Version 20230719000.

I've reached out to GIANT Support Team to get some details what is changed / fixed in this version.
Hi!
That's good news, thanks for the info, we'll be installing these wonders 🍻 🤠
 

Megavolt

Member
Jul 21, 2022
35
39
Moscow Russia
According to GIANT support, the bugs of the previous version 20230609000 have been fixed with 20230719000.
Hey, everybody!
I confirm after the update and three cycles of charging to 100% , there is no need to remove the battery anymore.
Whether this update solved the problem with overheating of the motor, I can not say for sure, my friend now on a Giant Reign in the Altai mountains, he had this problem, I do not know if he updated, there the connection is not very good, this place is remote from internet connection.

WhatsApp Image 2023-07-29 at 14.16.01.jpeg
 

cappuccino34

Active member
Nov 24, 2020
530
329
Helmshore
It would be super easy for motor companies to diagnose if a chip is fitted, so why wouldn't they?

If cadence/wheel revolutions > 1.75 whilst delivering torque for more than a second or two then it's chipped.
 

funnel

Member
May 15, 2020
69
26
World
It would be super easy for motor companies to diagnose if a chip is fitted, so why wouldn't they?

If cadence/wheel revolutions > 1.75 whilst delivering torque for more than a second or two then it's chipped.
The chip fakes wheel revolutions so your formula wouldn't work. The only way they could detect the faking of wheel revolutions it is by some external speedometer that uses GPS or some other method that is not connected with the wheels.
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,690
5,157
Weymouth
The chip fakes wheel revolutions so your formula wouldn't work. The only way they could detect the faking of wheel revolutions it is by some external speedometer that uses GPS or some other method that is not connected with the wheels.
all of our bikes have software algorithms that use torque and cadence to determine the current delivered to the motor......and what speed that would typically relate to. Continued operation where that speed falls outside the algorithm norms over any pre determined time range...maybe averaged over several hours.........can be detected.
 

funnel

Member
May 15, 2020
69
26
World
all of our bikes have software algorithms that use torque and cadence to determine the current delivered to the motor......and what speed that would typically relate to. Continued operation where that speed falls outside the algorithm norms over any pre determined time range...maybe averaged over several hours.........can be detected.
How would they determine you're going on like a 2000m high mountain vs a long straight road with the same average power?
 

Mikerb

E*POWAH Elite World Champion
May 16, 2019
6,690
5,157
Weymouth
Ok. So how do you determine you don't ride high upwind on a straight road for like 2 hours straight?
because you dont do that for 300kms:LOL:...........it is probably gathering enough data over time to average out different riding conditions.
 

cappuccino34

Active member
Nov 24, 2020
530
329
Helmshore
The chip fakes wheel revolutions so your formula wouldn't work. The only way they could detect the faking of wheel revolutions it is by some external speedometer that uses GPS or some other method that is not connected with the wheels.
Exactly, the rear wheel frequency is halved (usually); but nobody is going to be using a chainring smaller than 30 with a rear sprocket larger than 52, so if the rear wheel speed frequency received by the motor controller is lower than the specified ratio of the cadence then the rear wheel frequency must be being manipulated, if there's torque being applied for more than a second or so (required for situations like a broken chain where a cadence overspeed is possible but only momentarily).

Manipulating electronic diagnostic functions is part of my daily job, BTW.

You definitely DON'T need to know actual speed from another source to diagnose a manipulated wheel speed frequency when the gear ratios have known fixed limits.
 

Kiwiscoot

New Member
Jan 14, 2025
2
0
Christchurch, New Zealand
I bought a second hand 2021 Giant Trance X E Pro 3 that was the patrol bike here at our local mountain bike park. It has had a hard life over the 2500 km it's done. It had the auto switch off issue and after that I was normally not able to switch it on. The control LEDs would just flash on and off. Only way was to remove the battery, wait a bit and the put the battery back. Sometimes that would not even work.
The power button on the controls were very worn, so I replaced the MY21 controls with a new one. The Ride Control App updated it on the first connection after that. After this I took the motor with all the wiring out the bike. The pins on the bike's discharge connector had a bit of wear, so I put spacers in under the connector to space the connector about 1 mm deeper into the battery. I cleaned all connectors in the wiring and the battery thoroughly before re-assembling (I am an electronics engineer with experience in military missile development) with small cable-ties holding each of the connectors together. Everything seemed to work ok thru numerous tests. After fitting everything back in the bike it ran fine for 6kms but cut out when I crossed over a railway line on my first ride after this. I could switch it on and it has not done that again. Even after 20 kms of rough terrain. However that once off did not give me full confidence that it is fixed. I had the bike cut out on me resulting in a hard 42km ride back with no assist before I did all this work.

Interesting thing tho is my battery firmware does not relate to anything I have seen on the internet. My 625wh battery firmware comes up as 0B001400 on the Ride control app with the hardware as 2019-something. Battery condition is 92% with 93 full charges. Taking the bike in on Friday to have the firmware updated and waiting for an 800wh battery from overseas.
As a side note, I also have a 2023 Giant Trance X analogue bike that I put a CYC Photon motor and a 540wh battery on. This is a good 6kgs lighter than my 2021 model. The ride is quite different (more analogue) but I like both, each has pros and cons.
 

Evolution Stu

E*POWAH Master
Jun 30, 2019
458
451
Blackpool. U.K.
**3 year anniversary**

Just thought i would pop a fresh status update on here:
Bike is still ridden every weekend and still to date has never failed since that battery firmware update.
My pal Phils is the same and he rides more then me.

Thats 3 full years of trouble free riding in all conditions.
(Including snow)

Shes even had some upgrades like the MY24 Fox 38 and X2 to cushion my often very poor landings at bike park wales and Glentress! LOL

IMG_6415.jpg


There is not a shadow of doubt that the GIANT / Panasonic battery firmware caused me that 2 years of trouble and money.
 
Last edited:

Kiwiscoot

New Member
Jan 14, 2025
2
0
Christchurch, New Zealand
Stu, that's good to know. Thanks for the update. Taking mine in today for my 625wh battery firmware update, 2317 version I believe?

I am waiting for an 800wh battery from Europe. None to find here in NZ. Do you know what the firmware version is for that? Would think it should have the latest, but who knows.
Here is the beast in all it's glory with countless scuffs and scratches.
20250116_081530.jpg
 

Kiwi Giant

Active member
Feb 11, 2020
120
134
New Zealand
Hi from Wellington NZ.

I certainly hope your problems are battery firmware related and these can be resolved. I replay my story of a similar issue from Sep 2022:

My tale of woe which I hope is now over. Back in late July I was riding up the Colonial Knob summit track when at the 9km point I experienced the dreaded sudden off! The RideControl switched itself off, no fault lights, so I removed the battery and refitted it numerous times, no improvement, no fault code lights, the RideControl would not switch on again, so a slow ride home. I took the bike into Giant Wellington.

They replaced the RideControl under warranty. It took about 2 weeks for parts to arrive in country and fit. After collecting the bike, I was prepping it for its first ride in the garage on the workstand and with it switched on, another sudden off - again no lights, no fault codes. Battery removed and refitted, no improvement. I replaced the battery with a new 800Wh battery that I had just purchased and not yet tried, initially no improvement, then following further battery removal/refits normal operation resumed. A couple of short 5km rides with the 500Wh and 800Wh carried locally without fault.

Next day - Another attempt to ride from home around my Colonial Knob loop, at the 11km point RideControl yet again switched itself off, same, same. I continually tried to switch it back on whilst slowly riding home. Normal ops resumed on the downhill return at the 13km point so I carried on. For the remainder of the ride (17km) including 2 x 250m climbs on Porirua Tip Track and Old Coach Road Track it all operated OK.

Different batteries made no difference so it didn't look like that, RideControl replaced so it wasn't that, I took off the lower cover and pulled apart all the connectors, dry, clean, and no corrosion so not that.

Another ride on the flat the following day - at the 6km point RideControl yet again switched itself off. This was on pavement, no hills, no load to speak of. Very frustrating! More frustrating though was on the return at 12km point I tried the RideControl again and found is was working OK. Not for long though at 13km it switched itself off and would not switch on again. Bike returned to Giant Wellington.

Another long wait, but the guys there are great and extremely thorough. This time they discovered that the Motor to Battery Cable had a fault, another couple of weeks wait for a replacement part and fit. Specifically the fault appears to be in the back of the battery connector where the wires enter the battery terminal fitting, it appears that it is not uncommon for moisture to penetrate this area and corrosion to form. They had another bike with a similar problem in the shop and it was fizzing in this area. It looked like the back of the connector where the wires entered had been dumped in salt water.

So 3 good track rides now, two big climbs and one flat without issue. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

October 2022

I had hoped that this thread was closed with the replacement of the battery connector back in September but unfortunately it was not to be... In mid October after 250 trouble-free kilometres the "sudden off" reoccurred. The bike went back to Giant and the motor has now been replaced.

I got the bike back early this week and so far I've covered 60km with no issues. Fortunately it was a hard fault so Giant Wellington stripped a new Stance and swapped items one at a time until they got to the motor. I'm hoping that this has finally solved the issue, if nothing else the bike is practically new electrically with only the charging point and loom and the rear wheel speed sensor remaining from original. Again Giant have been fantastic about solving the problem.

Since the motor replacement I have had over 2 years of trouble free "motoring". However I did do a Bafang conversion to a Trek Marlin 7 I owned and this has taken the pressure off my Giant.
 

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