LEVO / KENEVO GEN 2 7.4.2 Firmware Issues

[Specialized Rider Care]

EXCITING FIRMWARE "UPDATES" (UPDATED 09/03/2021)

Thanks to the help of our beta testers once again today we released our newest motor firmware 7.4.2 for 2.1 Motors available via Mission Control Over The Air Updates. The OTA process has been further improved and firmware developed with the feedback given by our Beta testers.

To update and find out what has changed in the latest firmware install Mission Control 2.4.5, see further details below.

See previous post here regarding last 2.1 Motor firmware release and warranty extension >> warranty extension firmware update


What are over the air (OTA) updates?

Over The Air (OTA) updates will allow you to update any Levo gen 2 (MY19-21) and Kenevo gen 2 (MY20-21) TCU and 2.1 Motor to the latest available firmware using your phone, supported by IOS and Android.


How can I carry out OTA updates for my LEVO / KENEVO GEN 2?

Download and install the latest version of Mission Control, connect to your bike, navigate to > Diagnose > you will see an update icon next to "Device updates".

Enter into Device Updates and here you will see your current version of firmware and the latest available version.

To find out what has changed in this firmware version and the previous firmware versions refer to the release notes by clicking on "Find out whats new here." under the firmware table.

If you want to update then click on "Update my bike". Please read the notice information carefully before updating, also note batteries cannot be updated OTA and you will not be able to roll back to the previous firmware version.

You do not need to remember all of this as we have a video walking you through the process available on our SBCU YouTube channel.

UPDATE LINK >> (HERE)

Whilst you are there why not check out all the other helpful Mission Control videos available on our SBCU YouTube to make the most of the app and set up of your Turbo Bike.

How to track your rides in Specialized Mission Control
Managing your Turbo ebike with the Specialized Mission Control app
How to connect your Turbo ebike to Specialized Mission Control
How to tune your Turbo ebike in Specialized Mission Control
How to use Smart Control in Specialized Mission Control
How to manage your settings in Specialized Mission Control


UPDATE FAQ

What version of Mission Control do I need to update my bike?

Please update to the latest Mission Control 2.4.5 to gain from all the latest features including the firmware release notes.

Note: Version 2.4.3 onwards will also allow you to update OTA but will not show release notes.

I cannot see device updates?

Try logging out of Mission Control, shut down the app, reopen the app and log back in.

I cannot update my bike?

Try logging out of Mission Control and back in.

What if I do not want to update my bike OTA, what should I do?

If you do not want to update your bike using Mission Control please contact your retailer who will be able to update your bike to the latest firmware in-store after the 9th march.


Also find further information at Specialized Support pages >> Specialized Support - Device Updates


If you have any questions please post on this thread.

Thanks, Specialized Team!

NEW 2.1 MOTOR FIRMWARE RELEASED (09/03/2021)

New Motor firmware 7.4.2 for 2.1 motors is now released to all riders via Mission Control.

In order to install via Mission Control please refer to the updated post on this thread >>HERE<<

To find out what has changed in this latest firmware release please refer to our new firmware release notes in Mission Control under "Find out whats new here." before updating.

Please feedback on your experience on this thread!

Enjoy, Specialized Team!

MODERATOR EDIT :

Copied from the Firmware update thread to reduce clutter in that thread.

If you think you have problems in the 7.4.2 update with reduced power, or even if you think it's the same as before - post your results here.

Ideally. Bike type/year. MC screen captures of your firmware page. MC screen captures of your assistance/config page.

Anything else specific, such as none standard chainrings, cassettes.

Subjective posts of just "I've got less power" will be deleted as they're no use to anyone.

 

[RebornRider]

For the terminally lazy (like me!)

 

[congerball]

I noticed that...after having a new motor installed with the updated 7.4.2 firmware the acceleration setting was reset to 0%...soon cranked that back up to 100% ?

 

[RebornRider]

LBS did the update, I ride every day so I am very tuned to the bike's performance, I notice a loss of full power of between 5-10% in really hard climbs. Climbs I struggled hard to get up (like only just made it) I can no longer get up. Does anyone else notice a drop in full power at the extremes of performance. 7.4.2 update, 2021

You really need to log your rides with something like BLEvo to record motor power consumption and rider power input. That's the only way to know for sure whether or not you are getting less assistance. Of course, it you don't have any logs from your previous firmware, then you have nothing to compare to.

Which is exactly my point!

 

[Mcharza]

thanks, I will check my settings.

I change the acceleration settings to 20%. Perfect for tight mtb trails

 

[#lazy]

Is your acceleration setting been set back to 40% cos mine went to zero after the update and felt under powered on climbs , back to 40 was good again !

 

[TLSP]

Hi, I also updated the firmware last weekend and did a test the next day expecting something good but definitively the bike lost a lot of power on turbo mode. I have acceleration set to 20% and revised that after update it was also in 20% but the punch of the bike is much more less than it was. Not sure if the power it delivers is also lower but I am quite dissapointed. If each update is made to have less problems with motors, belts or batteries under warranty but giving customers less performance, we should complain. (note, I have turbo model in 55% power / 75 peak power)

 

[Zimmerframe]

If each update is made to have less problems with motors, belts or batteries under warranty but giving customers less performance, we should complain. (note, I have turbo model in 55% power / 75 peak power)

Well, I said in another thread I wasn't going to defend Spesh comments anymore because I felt like a stalker ..

But I have to ask ..

Lets say Spesh came along and said, hey everyone ... If we drop your power by 10% we guarantee no more motor failures and better battery life .... You'd complain ? But if they didn't , let me guess... you'd complain ?

As it is, they haven't done that .. I'm just curious .. There seems to be a subset of society who will just literally complain about anything whether it's true or not without actually spending anytime investigating something first.

You're probably noticing that the power delivery is smoother, so not as abrupt - and therefore doesn't feel as immediately powerful.

For everyone who keeps complaining that they have less power. Just run up Mission Control. Make sure your turbo settings are all on 100. Put it on battery diagnosis and ride as hard as you can .. The app will show you how many amps are being used. If it's drawing 20 amp peaks, then you're getting the same 100% power you always did and big evil specialized haven't secretly stolen your power.

 

[silverstone]

Hi, I also updated the firmware last weekend and did a test the next day expecting something good but definitively the bike lost a lot of power on turbo mode. I have acceleration set to 20% and revised that after update it was also in 20% but the punch of the bike is much more less than it was. Not sure if the power it delivers is also lower but I am quite dissapointed. If each update is made to have less problems with motors, belts or batteries under warranty but giving customers less performance, we should complain. (note, I have turbo model in 55% power / 75 peak power)

7.4.2 has voltage compensation
This means you have a little less power as on older firmware with fully charged battery.
But you will have the same power untill the battery is full discharged!
I think you can really feel it at the beginning. But the more power you have at the end of a long ride is really usefull.
I also think that the voltage drop and the loss of power with an empty battery is a lot stronger than it is on other motors, like shimano for example!

If you are really unhappy with that, you could maybe downgrade to 7.4.1!
Voltage compensation should be the only change...

[Edit]
I just checked it on my bicycle. Unfortunately it's not possible to downgrade to 7.4.1
I personaly like this feature, but I really think this is something that should be possible to turn on or off by the mission control app!

 

[RebornRider]

This isn't meant to insult anyone, but human senses are easily deceived. It happens to all of us. That's why illusions work. As a product design engineer (for more than 30 years!), I have to reply on measurements. Anecdotal feedback can suggest what to measure.

If you who are convinced that the recent firmware update resulted in reduced motor power output, you need to log a ride and post your results along with you assistance setting. How much power are you putting through the pedals and how much battery power is the motor using? When you do the arithmetic, does the result say that you are getting the amount of peak assistance you expected? Are you getting the same amount of assistance as you got with your previous firmware version?

Before anyone types their correction, I realize that motors are not 100% efficient. If the motor is consuming 200 watts from the battery, it's providing less than 200 watts to the chain ring. But motor power consumption (battery volts and amps) is all we have.

Before you type your angry rebuttal, I'm not saying that there is not a reduction in assistance. Maybe there is. The way to prove it is to measure it. Relying on how it feels is highly susceptible to error.

 

[BushLevo]

I updated my 2019 Levo a few days ago with 7.4.2. I went for a 2 hour ride immediately afterwards and detected (felt) no discernable difference with the default ECO and TRAIL modes (I almost never use TURBO) in terms of power delivery, and Walk Assist seems to be same as 7.4.1 which is o.k. for me.

It may be my imagination, but 7.4.2 seems to have a slightly shorter motor overrun when you stop pedalling...about 1 second compared to 1.5 seconds previously. Also, the overrun duration seems to vary according to how much power the motor is delivering when you stop pedalling. The more power, the longer the overrun. Or maybe I just wasn't paying much attention with 7.4.1.

 

[Mao]

Hey guys,

It's obvious few last updates degraded the performance and feeling of Turbo Levo. It's a disappointment for me too.
I wanted to ask all, who have upgraded to 7.4.2.;
Has this latest version at least improved the riding performance (especially when climbing really steep hills with difficult terrain) from 7.3.6?

In other words, I am at 7.3.6 now and it is offering me the upgrade to 7.4.2. I want to know, will the upgrade at least improve what we lost with 7.3.6 (I mean real "turbo" performance and ability to overcome more difficult uphill terrains and also one of the reasons, why we bought this bike and not some other)?

Also, is there improvement from 7.4.1 to 7.4.2?
Which version should I stay at?
Is 7.3.6 the worst in terms of weaker performance delivery?

 

[Zimmerframe]

The update steals that very last bit of energy you need to get up that very steep technical section. Climbs i struggled with but could achieve are now not possible. Bummer

Can you put up screen shots showing your firmware versions and your assistance settings ?

Also state your cassette range/type and chainring size. As previously asked, can you take a screen shot of your battery in diagnosis mode whilst you're riding hard so we can see the Amps you're pulling.

 

[Ben Turbo]

I also feel there is less power, under 15% there is "more" assistance. But in turbo it is not the same (Turbo 100%, PP 100%, acc 100%) is less powerfull then before whith (Turbo 100%, PP 100%, acc 40%).

Fw 7.4.1 was good but 7.4.2 is not making me happy.

I would like to go back to 7.4.1. Asap

 

[#lazy]

As a bike rider MTB rider of 35 years, a eMTB rider for one and a half, almost a daily rider and very in tune with my bike, I can tell there is a 5-10% loss in power at the extremes in Turbo. its A day and night difference.

That’s enough proof for me ?? How is 5% night and day ?
2psi lower in the tyres could make it feel 5% slower or the extra coffee and cake before ride !

 

[Zimmerframe]

So you say. But if you want to try to find out why and rectify it, you'll need to give more information. You could just have another issue going on but in you're head you've attached it to the firmware update.

 

[Zimmerframe]

5 -10%(at least quote me correctly) loss means I can longer climb the difficult terrain I have been riding for months, so night and day for me. If you are a cruiser then it will not affect you. If you are an aggressive performance-oriented rider it is a big change and you will notice the change. To me, it is quite a dramatic change.

Without knowing the terrain you're riding, it's difficult to picture exactly what you're implying. I know for me on really steep and and technical terrain you can't use turbo as it will most likely just spin up the tyre. It would also be impossible to spin at the necessary cadence to not be overheating the motor as you're timing pedal positioning if you were in Turbo.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Ha in my head. This change happened right after the update after I re-set all my settings to what they were and after I re-installed my Misson control app. So the critical thinking part of my mind lays the blame on the 7.4.2 update. Nothing else changed.

It might be. But as I've said, the more information you provide, the more chance someone here might be able to make a suggestion to correct something, or if rider care read it, they can check your bike/motor/stats if the information's here.

At the moment literally all you've done is keep saying the same thing without providing any information. We don't even know what your previous firmware was that you changed from.

Keep in mind that like can be full of co-incidences. We often spend hours searching for a problem we're convinced happened because of a change we made, when often it's something entirely different. I'll repeat myself, all I'm saying is the more information you provide, the more chance there is of rectifying it so you have the bike performing as it was for you.

 

[#lazy]

Do you work for Specialized?

No but if they need a test rider with my experience I’m free !
I rode mine last weekend and sessioned Pitch Hill in Surrey which has about 10 short but very steep and rough DH runs with a 5-10 mins uphill footpath . I smashed it for an hour and was knackered but the bike seemed no different to how it rode before . On the step techy climbs I prefer trail for better traction and it performed superb !
My birthday today btw ?

 

[Zimmerframe]

My birthday today btw ?

Happy Birthday !!!! I thought you'd at least have done a birthday ride video for us ! (not in your birthday suit).

 

[#lazy]

Cheers ? will do some filming soon with clothes on

 

[thbo]

I sold my 2020 Levo Comp (with motor replacement july 2020) yesterday, and today the new owner updated the motor to latest firmware, and the bike gives NO support on any levels. Diagnosis in app looks fine, and tuning has been adjusted and saved again, as well as factory reset.

Anyone have any tips??! Else I have to drive along way to pick it up again and refund him.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Thats funny, now you are suggesting riding techniques? Your not listening you are just defending. I am over and out on this conversation. I know what I feel and so it seems do a few other riders who like to punch up hill in turbo mode. Lets see how this thread develops as more riders upgrade.

I'm not defending anything, as I said in my other post you could well have a problem, but at the moment we don't know if it's firmware or something else. My point was that just from what you'd said, it was difficult to picture the situation you're describing, as I doubt for most it's a situation they would ever encounter in the real world. I can't think of a climb I couldn't get up if I had 10% less power, I'd pedal harder, use a lower gear, bounce !

Whilst I'm not doubting you, so far all you've done is repeat yourself and multiple reply with the same responses to different people's comments. This might just be frustration on your part, but historically on the forum when you see this - 9/10 it's not genuine - it's just someone making things up. I don't think you are, but you're not giving anything to prove it or identify it.

The more questions which have been asked, the more you've evaded and repeated. You say you're not happy with it, but you've not provided any screen shots so no one can actually help you.. Maybe you just want to complain and you're not really interested in fixing it ?

If everyone just says "it's crap" and provides nothing more, how do you determine a pattern of where the problem occurs. Maybe the update does cause an issue on a certain batch of motors, but with no screen prints, no one can work that out - so it will never be fixed.

As the moderator said in the first post in the thread, please provide information and not just say - it's crap ...

 

[Zimmerframe]

I sold my 2020 Levo Comp (with motor replacement july 2020) yesterday, and today the new owner updated the motor to latest firmware, and the bike gives NO support on any levels. Diagnosis in app looks fine, and tuning has been adjusted and saved again, as well as factory reset.

Anyone have any tips??! Else I have to drive along way to pick it up again and refund him.

I'd get him to check the power cable first, not in properly, dirt/metal in there/cleaned it with something none conductive/gave it it's first jet wash . Sounds like there's no power going to the motor, but the supply to the TCU is fine ?

 

[thbo]

I'd get him to check the power cable first, not in properly, dirt/metal in there/cleaned it with something none conductive/gave it it's first jet wash . Sounds like there's no power going to the motor, but the supply to the TCU is fine ?

I tested it after washing it yesterday. Then he testsrode it. All fine. This happened after just updating the motor today. If there were actual no power to the motor I would guess the app diagnosis would say something about that? Yes, the TCU and app works fine and doesn’t report anything unusual.

I was thinking the tuning settings had been messed up since he had newly connected his bike and only could register the bike today. But tuning has been reset and adjusted many times now.

 

[Mao]

The bike has lost its punch. Now it is a bit boring and it is no longer the bike I test rode and loved and purchased. It is a different bike.

Well said, I feel like it is becoming a boring bike with such updates...

Levo’s performance is (was?) one of the main reasons for people to buy it.

Updates are not supposed to change characterisitics of something you decided to pay premium for. If you are protecting the motor or components by restricting the performance, it’s just a trick. If they are under-sized fix that.

 

[Zimmerframe]

I tested it after washing it yesterday. Then he testsrode it. All fine. This happened after just updating the motor today. If there were actual no power to the motor I would guess the app diagnosis would say something about that? Yes, the TCU and app works fine and doesn’t report anything unusual.

I was thinking the tuning settings had been messed up since he had newly connected his bike and only could register the bike today. But tuning has been reset and adjusted many times now.

I'm not sure. The supply is split 12v for the "systems" and 36v for the main motor drive, so it might not detect any systems faults - I thought it did error though if it detected a supply issue. uhmmmm ... I'd still check the cable/plug/socket. You don't want to drive all the way there, pull the plug, put it back, jump on the bike and it's fine.. What charge % is the battery showing in diagnostics in MC ?

 

[thbo]

I'm not sure. The supply is split 12v for the "systems" and 36v for the main motor drive, so it might not detect any systems faults - I thought it did error though if it detected a supply issue. uhmmmm ... I'd still check the cable/plug/socket. You don't want to drive all the way there, pull the plug, put it back, jump on the bike and it's fine.. What charge is the battery showing ?

Where is this cable? Something I can tell him to do easily?

The battery is apparently showing 85%. Charged an hour this morning.

 

[Zimmerframe]

Where is this cable? Something I can tell him to do easily?

Just the cable you pull off to charge it at the bottom of the battery/motor. Sometimes if people are unfamiliar they don't put it back on correctly and sometimes they'll end up attaching things magnetically to the charging cable if they're not aware it's magnetic which then deposits those things in the socket causing power loss.

 

[thbo]

Just the cable you pull off to charge it at the bottom of the battery/motor. Sometimes if people are unfamiliar they don't put it back on correctly and sometimes they'll end up attaching things magnetically to the charging cable if they're not aware it's magnetic which then deposits those things in the socket causing power loss.

The cable you pull off to charge it? You mean the lid to the charging port?