New RideControl App

[7869hodgy]

Nobody wants to admit this app even exist.
It's a huge failure.

I'm sure Giant has a cohesive strategy going forward, but their failure to aggressively occupy this new territory, leaves me mystified.

FYI - I am not a programmer. How is it a failure? It works fine on my bike (2020) and has since ownership (June 2020 - 2000km). The light on at start up is probably a safety feature.....lights on automatically. A quick press of the button, even in thick gloves, is hardly a chore to switch it off.

 

[Trancer]

FYI - I am not a programmer. How is it a failure? It works fine on my bike (2020) and has since ownership (June 2020 - 2000km). The light on at start up is probably a safety feature.....lights on automatically. A quick press of the button, even in thick gloves, is hardly a chore to switch it off.

I'm sorry but it IS a chore. The button is too small and too close to other buttons for hassle-free operation when wearing thick gloves.

I agree, the default to on is probably considered by some to be a "safety" feature but anyone needing confirmation that their lights are on is beyond help anyway.

 

[DrStupid]

FYI - I am not a programmer. How is it a failure? It works fine on my bike (2020) and has since ownership (June 2020 - 2000km). The light on at start up is probably a safety feature.....lights on automatically. A quick press of the button, even in thick gloves, is hardly a chore to switch it off.

It's cool that yours works, and has all the features you like.

Seriously I might have taken on a bad attitude with Giant over spare parts, water ingress, and ebike apps. Otherwise, I do love my bikes and would do it again.

I am calling out Gaint, to be creative! Lead the way, Imagine.

The fact that I had to wait almost a year to get an app that would connect, is a good place to start describing failure, from my point of veiw.

To be honest, I lost interest in the app, and this is the greatest measure of failure I can point out.

There is nothing interesting in the app. No dial a workout heart rate manager, No plan a ride battery management tool, no cool statistics to analyze the rides. Nothing to see here.

For the first 16 months, I didn't even have an odometer. Lol?.

Giant has no vison when it comes to the application side if the ebike world, this seems obvious to me?

 

[Evolution Stu]

That damn App REMOVED the only feature the 2020 had over the 2019 model.
AUTO MODE! It took them from April to December (IIRC) to fix it.

Now that was a bloody epic failure surely?

 

[cappuccino34]

That damn App REMOVED the only feature the 2020 had over the 2019 model.
AUTO MODE! It took them from April to December (IIRC) to fix it.

Now that was a bloody epic failure surely?

Elaborate.....

When new (May 2020) mine booted up in eco mode I think, but the app required it to be updated and now it boots in auto mode, which I don't like.

We didn't bother updating the wife's because she didn't want the faff of adjusting it every time she turned it on.

 

[Evolution Stu]

On one of the updates of the old app, way back in summer, when you engaged auto mode it simply changed light indicator and left you in the power mode you were previously in.

loads of us tested it and sure enough, It literally just changed the status light!!

It was well documented somewhere on here by many of us. We had to wait for the new app release to fix that cock up!!

 

[cappuccino34]

On one of the updates of the old app, way back in summer, when you engaged auto mode it simply changed light indicator and left you in the power mode you were previously in.

loads of us tested it and sure enough, It literally just changed the status light!!

It was well documented somewhere on here by many of us. We had to wait for the new app release to fix that cock up!!

Mmm, for a company of this size it's not good is it?

It seems more like a hobbyist project.

 

[Evolution Stu]

Mmm, for a company of this size it's not good is it?

It seems more like a hobbyist project.

Annoying mate. Had only had the MY20 a couple of months when they broke it.

Didn’t use auto mode often anyway so wasn’t a massive issue but it was one of those annoyances that niggled me because that was the only damn upgrade the bike had over my MY19 and I knew it was broken.

I used to use it on the tougher technical sections and found it good for getting the assistance just right without wheel spin but don’t bother anymore as I’ve improved my own skills I guess.

To this day though auto is not as good as it was new. It’s jerky now and just not as linear in its ramp up as it was out of the box.

I assume it’s probably all the anti-cheat box algorithms at play. ?‍

 

[Softsand]

Annoying mate. Had only had the MY20 a couple of months when they broke it.

Didn’t use auto mode often anyway so wasn’t a massive issue but it was one of those annoyances that niggled me because that was the only damn upgrade the bike had over my MY19 and I knew it was broken.

I used to use it on the tougher technical sections and found it good for getting the assistance just right without wheel spin but don’t bother anymore as I’ve improved my own skills I guess.

To this day though auto is not as good as it was new. It’s jerky now and just not as linear in its ramp up as it was out of the box.

I assume it’s probably all the anti-cheat box algorithms at play. ?‍

Funny thing is that we have 2x 2020 bikes with the Pro motor (Liv Intrigue and Giant Trance). My Giant had a motor swap under warranty and since then, despite having the same firmware as the Liv, they provide totally different assistance riding them in Auto. The Giant seems slow to provide assistance but the Liv rides like mine did when it was new.

 

[Evolution Stu]

Hmm.
That is interesting and perhaps the missing Metric as mines on Motor number 3.

Perhaps the auto assistance issue is in the latest motors. Interestingly, my latest motor is MUCH quieter than the previous two.

 

[cappuccino34]

Hmm.
That is interesting and perhaps the missing Metric as mines on Motor number 3.

Perhaps the auto assistance issue is in the latest motors. Interestingly, my latest motor is MUCH quieter than the previous two.

Mine is very much noisier than the wife's.
I took them both to the shop "it's normal".
Mine sounds like it's got a bad bearing. They just said ride it and see if it breaks. ?

 

[Evolution Stu]

Mine is very much noisier than the wife's.
I took them both to the shop "it's normal".
Mine sounds like it's got a bad bearing. They just said ride it and see if it breaks. ?

My mates has just had his MY19 Trance 1 motor replaced and it is a LOT louder than his last one. The LBS pointed it out before he even picked it up.

they have ordered him a second new one and told him he was free to pick it up and use it for now due to shipping delays with new one over Xmas etc and to our surprise it’s definately getting quieter every ride.

An unexpected lack of quality control and consistency in even the Yamaha parts.

 

[cappuccino34]

My mates has just had his MY19 Trance 1 motor replaced and it is a LOT louder than his last one. The LBS pointed it out before he even picked it up.

they have ordered him a second new one and told him he was free to pick it up and use it for now due to shipping delays with new one over Xmas etc and to our surprise it’s definately getting quieter every ride.

An unexpected lack of quality control and consistency in even the Yamaha parts.

I do wonder if it's REALLY Yamaha manufactured, or made in Taiwan along with everything else under licence.

 

[vickriz]

So, the one thing I really miss on the new app vs the old is the ability to rename the bikes - I have three Giant/Liv eBikes and now I ahve to try to remember their associated numbers.

 

[Evolution Stu]

So, the one thing I really miss on the new app vs the old is the ability to rename the bikes - I have three Giant/Liv eBikes and now I ahve to try to remember their associated numbers.

Me too.
When me and my mates connect we all see three bikes.

Who’s is who’s?
We have no bloody clue.
Another failure by GIANT there.

 

[DaveMatthews]

Another update

 

[vickriz]

IOS got v1.3.0 update - still no ability to rename bikes.

 

[andyb2]

I've installed the latest android version, but no firmware update to the bike, and I couldnt find anywhere to change the default light-on status

 

[cappuccino34]

Mmm, doesn't seem to be any different to the previous one.
I've never used the ride planning/navigation stuff though myself.
Bike settings are apparently no different.

Android phone.

 

[Wootism]

I've installed the latest android version, but no firmware update to the bike, and I couldnt find anywhere to change the default light-on status

There is no option. They just made the decision for us to activate the light at startup. I bet 90% of the owners doesn’t even have a hardwired-light.

 

[KuRi]

Do you know if the default light on can be reverted to default off??? What an annoying feature is that?!!??!

 

[cappuccino34]

Do you know if the default light on can be reverted to default off??? What an annoying feature is that?!!??!

I don't think it can yet.
Yes, it's annoying, so is default to 'auto' mode or whatever it's called on power up. Didn't do that before the first firmware update.

 

[Wernher]

It’s a 2020 Trance E+2 Pro.
If your bike doesn’t turn on after the update, I advice you to leave the battery in and wait a few hours so that the update can be completed in the background.
I took out the battery when it didn’t start up, maybe that was the wrong thing to do.

The issue with the bike not turning on after switching it off seems to be an issue with the Bluetooth connection. I noticed you have to disconnect the app everytime after you used it before you switch the bike off, then it doesn't refuse to start again. If you don't, it is as if the bike is switched off but the control still talks to the app. It's weird but at least there's a good workaround. To be honest this app is really just good for basic tuning and to keep the bike's firmware/software up to date. Apart from that, using a Garmin or Lezyne bike computer is a better option.

I also find the light auto on setting quite irritating.

Another thing that really irritates me is that they don't provide a proper description of what they changed everytime they update the app or the bike's software.

The only thing that's changed from the old App is that you can now see the distance the bike has traveled and the connection isn't automatic anymore when you switch the App on. Arguably that's more reliable but is you forget to disconnect before you switch the bike off it stops the bike from turning on again.

And I seem to have a return to some of the annoying mid ride shut offs that was previously cured. After two years in the bike and 5400 kilos, I would think twice about buying a Giant again.

I'll list my experiences in another thread some time when I get the time to do so, but let me just say that Giant didn't keep up with the industry and the App is just one part of the story.

 

[Johnny rider]

I’m hoping they will add the heart rate monitor function

 

[cappuccino34]

Previous to the last firmware update, my bike wouldn't turn back on after resting for about an hour. It was especially annoying when you stop somewhere for lunch because I had to keep going to turn it back on after fifteen minutes, just to make sure that it wasn't off for an hour.
You could make it demonstrate the fault at will because it did it every time. Swap the battery to or from another bike and the fault went with the battery.
Anyway, due to lockdown we haven't stopped for lunch for a while, so it hasn't been a problem.
I'm going to be selling it when my new bike arrives and I wanted to get to the bottom of the battery problem before passing it on to someone else. So I've been trying to replicate it again and I've borrowed a spare battery from the LBS so I'm not left stranded and it doesn't seem to do it any more.
I'm wondering if it's an firmware change that's fixed it or maybe it just doesn't do it in colder weather?

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

 

[jeanmarc]

Previous to the last firmware update, my bike wouldn't turn back on after resting for about an hour. It was especially annoying when you stop somewhere for lunch because I had to keep going to turn it back on after fifteen minutes, just to make sure that it wasn't off for an hour.
You could make it demonstrate the fault at will because it did it every time. Swap the battery to or from another bike and the fault went with the battery.
Anyway, due to lockdown we haven't stopped for lunch for a while, so it hasn't been a problem.
I'm going to be selling it when my new bike arrives and I wanted to get to the bottom of the battery problem before passing it on to someone else. So I've been trying to replicate it again and I've borrowed a spare battery from the LBS so I'm not left stranded and it doesn't seem to do it any more.
I'm wondering if it's an firmware change that's fixed it or maybe it just doesn't do it in colder weather?

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

This is SCARY stuff... Has the last firmware update corrected the situation?
I've installad the new app and upgrades but cannot go riding yet, too much snow here. ?
Cheers!

 

[CraigR]

This is SCARY stuff... Has the last firmware update corrected the situation?
I've installad the new app and upgrades but cannot go riding yet, too much snow here. ?
Cheers!

Previous to the last firmware update, my bike wouldn't turn back on after resting for about an hour. It was especially annoying when you stop somewhere for lunch because I had to keep going to turn it back on after fifteen minutes, just to make sure that it wasn't off for an hour.
You could make it demonstrate the fault at will because it did it every time. Swap the battery to or from another bike and the fault went with the battery.
Anyway, due to lockdown we haven't stopped for lunch for a while, so it hasn't been a problem.
I'm going to be selling it when my new bike arrives and I wanted to get to the bottom of the battery problem before passing it on to someone else. So I've been trying to replicate it again and I've borrowed a spare battery from the LBS so I'm not left stranded and it doesn't seem to do it any more.
I'm wondering if it's an firmware change that's fixed it or maybe it just doesn't do it in colder weather?

Has anyone else had similar experiences?

Sounds like a bad battery to me. The battery probably has something wrong with it and is close to a tolerance setting in the firmware or something heat/cold related in the circuitry of the battery. You have already isolated the problem to that battery as the fault moved with the battery from bike to bike and another battery doesn't do the same thing on your bike. New firmware may have changed a tolerance setting, but that doesn't mean the battery still doesn't have issues. I know you want to sell your bike and not spend money on a new battery, but I don't see any other solution other than replace the battery. Unless you are an electrical engineer with sophisticated lab equipment I don't think you or the LBS can debug the problem any further.

Edit: I just saw this post. Maybe you have this issue. I haven't heard of this before, but LBS for this guy seems to think this is "not an uncommon" issue with Giant bikes. (1) Not another one....Trance E+3 2021 won’t start - EMTB Forums