May 20, 20196 yr there is no way to change the software on a bosch bike not even a dealer can remove the speed limit motors are locked in at the factory.
May 20, 20196 yr We all know what the law is as far as it's written. You didn't answer the question on whether a Bosch or Yamaha powered ebike would be illegal when you can change the speed limit by applying a simple procedure. I'm challenging your interpretation of the law because in a previous post, you implied that they would be illegal. My interpretation is that they are not illegal as long as you weren't riding the bike with it set illegally. I think it's you that's confusing and worrying people. I did answer the question and haven't just implied illegality. I clearly stated the illegality was definite. If the rider can change the speed limit by integral controls without using tools, the pedelec is technically illegal in Great Britain since the change is under rider control. In contravention of the law the rider is capable of matching or exceeding the assist limit when riding the bike, both being illegal. You are wrong on your interpretation as the DfT has made absolutely clear. But as I posted, why argue the point when the increased speed is illegal under any circumstances? That alone makes the existence of that software change useless as it cannot be used legally. Therefore it is you causing uncertainty for no good reason whatsoever. .
May 20, 20196 yr You can change the speed with a simple push of a button without a dongle! Exactly, an illegal "off road switch" as defined by the DfT. .
May 20, 20196 yr Exactly, an illegal "off road switch" as defined by the DfT. . my off road switch cost 130 quid
May 20, 20196 yr It’s a good job your not taking this a bit too seriously . Lighten up, this is supposed to be fun. I was having a laugh, don't get so uptight. You'll need to look elsewhere if you're looking for an argument, sorry.
May 21, 20196 yr there is no way to change the software on a bosch bike not even a dealer can remove the speed limit motors are locked in at the factory. I guarantee that it can be done. I've seen it working.
May 21, 20196 yr I guarantee that it can be done. I've seen it working. About the same time the DfT was ruling against "off road buttons", the EU were making changes outlawing any method of altering e-bike motors from the legal settings. I believe it was member shemozzle999 who posted the details on that. Bosch were the first to comply. If it's true that the current Bosch units can have the assist speed changed by button presses alone, then they too are technically illegal under the EU wide rules. Those rules apply here too since, apart from the DfT rulings, we were an original signatory to EN15194 technical standards. They will continue to apply here since the Great Repeal Bill has written EN15194 into UK law. .
May 21, 20196 yr I guarantee that it can be done. I've seen it working. But does it involve adding 3rd party hardware or firmware or perhaps modifying the Bosch firmware?
May 21, 20196 yr Author I guarantee that it can be done. I've seen it working. A verbal guarantee isn’t worth the paper it’s written on.
May 21, 20196 yr Author So before removing my contraption I thought I’d bike the 6 miles to work this AM at full tilt (25mph) strangely I didn’t see a sole let alone a police man. Probably because at 5:30am nobody’s daft enough to be on a disused railway, just me and the rabbits Needless to say, for the 1/4 mile of normal road I rode sedately My journey home will be a mix of bridal-ways and woodland trails and I’ll be lucky to get into double figures, due to the terrain (again I don’t expect to see many people, perhaps the odd horse rider (most horse riders are odd anywho imo)
May 21, 20196 yr (most horse riders are odd anywho imo) Living close to a large riding stables, I can vouch that here's a lot of truth in that. .
May 21, 20196 yr A verbal guarantee isn’t worth the paper it’s written on. I beg to differ. It is worth the paper it's written on!
May 21, 20196 yr The vehicle inspectorate's simple time over distance check. 25 instead of 15.5 mph will be very easy to detect. . It is relatively easy to propel my Orbea Gain without assistance for long distances above the cut-off 15.5mph, so how can anyone determine whether or not the cut-off speed had been tampered with?
May 21, 20196 yr I guarantee that it can be done. I've seen it working. I will take your word for it, I can't see any reason why you would make it up. I would think though, altering the software of a Bosch motor would be beyond the capabilities of 99.9% of pedelec users so Bosch are complying with the law by making it virtually impossible to hack their software. If it was an easy thing to do then no doubt instructions would be all over YouTube and other places on the net.
May 21, 20196 yr It is relatively easy to propel my Orbea Gain without assistance for long distances above the cut-off 15.5mph, so how can anyone determine whether or not the cut-off speed had been tampered with? Its not just the speed that is recorded the system also records if the motor is powered up or not. So in your case lets say the system is recording that you have done 20 mph, it will also record that the motor was not powered up at the same time. At least that is I think how it works, but I am sure some of the experts will provide a more detailed reply.
May 21, 20196 yr I will take your word for it, I can't see any reason why you would make it up. I would think though, altering the software of a Bosch motor would be beyond the capabilities of 99.9% of pedelec users so Bosch are complying with the law by making it virtually impossible to hack their software. If it was an easy thing to do then no doubt instructions would be all over YouTube and other places on the net. if he cant post any proof of this or how it is done then not much point saying you can do it and provide no proof of this. the only thing i can think of is changing the wheel size which i can do on my bike with the old display but if you went to far would get a 503 error.
May 21, 20196 yr how can anyone determine whether or not the cut-off speed had been tampered with? Depends on the bike. Some only have rotation sensing to get the motor running so the tester could just spin without effort. Those with pedal effort torque sensing to deliver power tend to be easy to roughly detect when the power cut off occurs, certainly within about two miles an hour. It's when the hard work begins. So any worthwhile defeat amount is easily detected. .
May 21, 20196 yr the only thing i can think of is changing the wheel size Which is a modification so illegal anyway, departing from the CE approval specification. Owners are caught both ways by the type approval exemption conditions. If a setting is possible with rider's button presses to increase the speed, it's illegal. If the change requires tools it's an illegal modification from specification. And in all circumstances using the increased speed breaches usage law. .
May 21, 20196 yr but all it got you was a couple of mph more and if you kept going would just throw up a 503 error.
May 21, 20196 yr If it was an easy thing to do then no doubt instructions would be all over YouTube and other places on the net. This is exactly the point of discussion. The question is how easy does it have to be to be illegal? what you've done is express your opinion on what you feel is reasonable. In my opinion, it's a daft clause in the regulation. It should be eliminated. The rule should be that it's illegal to ride a bike with a cut-off over the legal limit and nothing more. The problem is how to prove that somebody was doing that. The guys that wrote the clause about the deristriction switch probably had in their mind a simple binary switch that was easily switchable with a simple press of the button, but now that's being interpreted in different ways, so we have to answer whether it's OK if you have to press two buttons, or three, or four, or how many?
Join the conversation
You are posting as a guest. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.