Motor Power Fluctuating

[jimmyjam]

Hi all - I have a late 2019 Levo. I've been riding it a lot recently and have noticed that sometimes on accents, trail mode can feel underpowered when switching from eco. This usually is fixed by stopping the bike on the hill and starting in trail mode. I've never fiddled with the power settings and it's not to do with the gearing. It's not the end of the world, just a bit annoying!

Anyone else had a similar experience?

 

[Mikerb]

Pedal assist is governed in the software by both cadence and torque. I find it best to have some overlap in the settings between ECO and TRAIL. It sounds like your trail setting is only producing more power than your ECO at higher torque and lower cadence than when you choose to switch modes.

 

[Jeff McD]

Pedal assist is governed in the software by both cadence and torque. I find it best to have some overlap in the settings between ECO and TRAIL. It sounds like your trail setting is only producing more power than your ECO at higher torque and lower cadence than when you choose to switch modes.

Hey Mikerb, have a related problem and wondering if you have any advice? 2020 Levo. Steep sections of mountain single track trails with close vegetation that go on and on for 10-20 min repeatedly during a 2-3 hr climb. Absolutely requires the use of turbo to keep the RPMs up to prevent stalling out, with repeated short ultra steep sections every few minutes requiring all out effort slightly off the saddle/chest lowered as far as possible, almost maxing out heart rate. I've noticed that after about 7 to 10 min into these climbs the motor assist decreases all of a sudden down to trail assist after you ease off on pedal pressure on the slightly less steep section that follows.
It's hot here in Hawaii but we are at 6000 ft elevation in early morning so temperature is not all that bad, maybe high 80s Fahrenheit. We initially thought this was overheating of the motor. However I have discovered an effective workaround that contradicts this theory. As soon as I notice it, if I suddenly pedal extremely fast so that I can coast for 2 seconds until the motor assist unhooks, then immediately start pedalling again, it is right back to turbo assist and will remain at that level for several minutes until it dies off again after another ultra steep up.
I do try to spin always with the E bike but on these sections RPMs drop down to 50-60 for 10-20 seconds and it's right after this that it happens. So I experimented with putting out even more effort and keeping the RPMs up at about 70-80 and it still does it.
Maybe some software protection algorithm (torque sensor?) that kicks in for some reason? I end up having to do this repeatedly during the 3000 ft ascent whenever it turns really steep, maybe 20 or 30 times during the extended climb to mtn top.
My settings are eco 35%/60%, Trail 50%/85%, turbo 85%/100%, with acceleration set to 40% for all three modes. The run-on of 40% acceleration helps me get up over big rocks/logs on steep climbs. Maybe I have to do without this? Are you suggesting an overlap between trail and turbo of perhaps trail 50%/90% and turbo 85%/100%?
Any idea what might be causing this and if different settings might get rid of it?
Appreciate the help.

 

[Levo-Lon]

Pedal assist is governed in the software by both cadence and torque. I find it best to have some overlap in the settings between ECO and TRAIL. It sounds like your trail setting is only producing more power than your ECO at higher torque and lower cadence than when you choose to switch modes.

Sounds about right.
I adjusted my eco settings, 30% to 50% , I can't tell much difference between eco and trail.

 

[crbnred]

I have had similar experience on a 2020 Levo Comp tester last week. First the motor was not engaging at all while TCU was producing blinking red/blue diodes. Then a thought perhaps dreaded power cable was at fault so I cleaned the connector. Then was working okay-ish couple miles then Eco and Trail had the same support (I think at Eco level) while Turbo powered like - Turbo, changing Mission Control app settings provided no difference. Then after couple miles the motor stopped powering completely all the while electronics worked, the mission control app was even showing temperature of motor etc. Just no power delivered from motor. Dealer hooked it up to diagnostics and it showed no error. They still do not have resolution so I don't know (happened on Thursday before holidays). I recommend to bring affected bikes to dealer.

 

[jimmyjam]

I've experienced uphill sections where the Trail mode feels no different to the Eco mode when I change down from one to the other - it feels like I am cycling with the brakes on. On another day, same trail and hill - it's fine. Normally, on hills, my Trail mode just wants to keep on accelerating to max speed. Sometime on Eco mode on flat trails, I might be doing 10 miles an hour but it won't let me accelerate any more as if it's in limp mode. All this with at least 60% battery left.

 

[Mikerb]

Hey Mikerb, have a related problem and wondering if you have any advice? 2020 Levo. Steep sections of mountain single track trails with close vegetation that go on and on for 10-20 min repeatedly during a 2-3 hr climb. Absolutely requires the use of turbo to keep the RPMs up to prevent stalling out, with repeated short ultra steep sections every few minutes requiring all out effort slightly off the saddle/chest lowered as far as possible, almost maxing out heart rate. I've noticed that after about 7 to 10 min into these climbs the motor assist decreases all of a sudden down to trail assist after you ease off on pedal pressure on the slightly less steep section that follows.
It's hot here in Hawaii but we are at 6000 ft elevation in early morning so temperature is not all that bad, maybe high 80s Fahrenheit. We initially thought this was overheating of the motor. However I have discovered an effective workaround that contradicts this theory. As soon as I notice it, if I suddenly pedal extremely fast so that I can coast for 2 seconds until the motor assist unhooks, then immediately start pedalling again, it is right back to turbo assist and will remain at that level for several minutes until it dies off again after another ultra steep up.
I do try to spin always with the E bike but on these sections RPMs drop down to 50-60 for 10-20 seconds and it's right after this that it happens. So I experimented with putting out even more effort and keeping the RPMs up at about 70-80 and it still does it.
Maybe some software protection algorithm (torque sensor?) that kicks in for some reason? I end up having to do this repeatedly during the 3000 ft ascent whenever it turns really steep, maybe 20 or 30 times during the extended climb to mtn top.
My settings are eco 35%/60%, Trail 50%/85%, turbo 85%/100%, with acceleration set to 40% for all three modes. The run-on of 40% acceleration helps me get up over big rocks/logs on steep climbs. Maybe I have to do without this? Are you suggesting an overlap between trail and turbo of perhaps trail 50%/90% and turbo 85%/100%?
Any idea what might be causing this and if different settings might get rid of it?
Appreciate the help.

It is not something I have experienced and I have done some some pretty gnarly rocky climbs albeit not in those temperatures. The difference between pedal assist and max power in each of the settings is the amount of torque you have to apply. You get the % set motor power of pedal assist with lower rider torque input. In turbo it is definitely the case that a higher cadence is required than in trail. Personally I see no reason to restrict the total amount of power in either trail or turbo. My settings are Acceleration zero. ECO 35/50 TRAIL 50/100 TURBO 100/100. On the vast majority of climbs I rarely use turbo for more than a few seconds at a time and always well in advance of a section I judge will need it. I also find I rarely use a gear lower than the 9th cog. Even on gnarly climbs meeping up momentum and finding the easiest track is key. Hope that helps.

 

[Jeff McD]

It is not something I have experienced and I have done some some pretty gnarly rocky climbs albeit not in those temperatures. The difference between pedal assist and max power in each of the settings is the amount of torque you have to apply. You get the % set motor power of pedal assist with lower rider torque input. In turbo it is definitely the case that a higher cadence is required than in trail. Personally I see no reason to restrict the total amount of power in either trail or turbo. My settings are Acceleration zero. ECO 35/50 TRAIL 50/100 TURBO 100/100. On the vast majority of climbs I rarely use turbo for more than a few seconds at a time and always well in advance of a section I judge will need it. I also find I rarely use a gear lower than the 9th cog. Even on gnarly climbs meeping up momentum and finding the easiest track is key. Hope that helps.

Thanks Mikerb, thinking about your reply, I've decided to see if setting TURBO to 100/100 will prevent the power drop off out of curiosity. Won't leave it there since I don't want excessive battery drain but just to see if it is a "settings driven" thing.
I've always had a need for speed and the climbs were just the means to get up for the screaming downs. Now the ebike lets me get these thrills even going up ungodly steep trails once you develop the reflexes to handle the bike's weight at those speeds. So twice the fun!