X35 firmwear update.

[youngoldbloke]

It would be very interesting to find out if they are specific. The current situation is disgraceful.

 

[lazybloke]

I've been in touch with a store on the list and the response was a negative. Basically unless the bike was provided by the store in the first place they won't do the firmware update. Also, if not performed correctly the update can damage the battery. So there's another reason for not offering the service to non customers. Meanwhile I've been in touch with Ribble who've been very helpful and I'm returning my bike to them for the upgrade even though some carriage costs are chargeable to me. I hope this might be helpful to anyone reading this thread.

Not sure if it was open when you wrote the above, but there's now a reasonably local Ribble store at Bluewater.

Although whether or not they have a workshop is the question, as the place doesn't resemble any traditional bike shop. It's more like a surgically-clean exhibition space with a few gleaming bikes on spotlit podiums!

 

[Lentilbake]

I did get a response from an 'expert' on Ribble Live chat, they say that any Mahle dealer can do the firmware update using the files supplied by Mahle on their website so I'm going to try a dealer from the above list. I We have a Ribble 'showroom' in Bristol and that was the first place I tried some time ago, they don't do firmware updates or any other servicing, they just sell bikes. They told me that they have mobile mechanics but they only operate around the Preston area (very useful). Ribble now charge £75 to send/return a bike to Preston for a 'free' firmware update under the two year guarentee, is that even legal under the consumer law? I would seriously not recommend buying a Ribble unless you live near their base in Preston, great bikes but lousy after sales service. Will update here if I get anywhere with the firmware update. I suppose I could spend £130 on the GCU cable and do it myself, Mahle give quite clear instructions on their website on how to do it....

 

[Lentilbake]

Here's an interesting thread https://ebikesforum.com/threads/anyone-update-mahle-x35-firmware-themselves.4159/..

 

[Lentilbake]

Here's the Mahle information on updating firmware, how difficult can this be? Why is it so hard for Ribble to 'approve' local dealers to do this? Mahle actually give the GCU cable to their dealers. When I last spoke to Ribble about it they intimated that the 'special' cable wasn't generally available, Really? https://mahle-smartbike.com/firmware-update/

 

[Lentilbake]

One of my local eBike shops will do the update for £45 but as I've got two bikes to do I'm going to buy the cable (£124) and do it myself! Will post how I get on.

 

[Tenkaykev]

One of my local eBike shops will do the update for £45 but as I've got two bikes to do I'm going to buy the cable (£124) and do it myself! Will post how I get on.

If you get on ok then perhaps you could lend out your cable to others in a similar situation for a fee to help recoup your costs.

 

[Lentilbake]

My thoughts exactly, I've got at least 3 other x35 bikes belonging to friends to do already! On another note, I've had information from several people that going directly to Mahle (via a bike shop usually) for faults on batteries that have failed in the guarantee period has been more successful than trying to get Ribble to act.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

Does one actually need these updates? Assuming all is working well anyway that is.

Seems like a right pfaff.

Your bike will go out of support, in October 23, and implode when descending a hill.

 

[Lentilbake]

Can anyone here make head or tail of the Mahle firmware numbering? On the website the latest version is Q3.2 (19.9.22) but this number seems to have little relationship to the firmware versions listed on the app. Mine is as in the attached photo. Can anyone having the Q3.2 version installed please post what the details look like in the app.

 

[Lentilbake]

Does one actually need these updates? Assuming all is working well anyway that is.

Seems like a right pfaff.

If you have no problems (possibly because you've got a very recent new bike and already have the latest firmware?) then you don't need to update. My wife's bike flashes a pink light every time it's charged up to %100 and you can't use assist until you mess around with it. I use the Pulsar One display controller and it doesn't work reliably unless you have the latest firmware. All computer systems will have bugs and will need fixing and optimising, it's the modern way of things I'm afraid.

 

[Lentilbake]

For those who are interested in this... I've been having a dialogue with Mahle about the versions etc and they are either being 'technically thick' or deliberately obtuse! I asked how the Version numbering given in the app and on the my-smartbike website were related i.e if I updated to the latest vQ3.2 from their website how would this be shown in the app versions for controller/joystick/battery shown in the app/website. They though I was talking about App update versions which they helpfully explained had nothing to do with bike firmware (really?!). I've attached a pic of the data from the my-smartbike website.

 

[Lentilbake]

A quick response from Team Mahle:
'If you update this bike with the Q 3.2 version , you will be able to see the changes in the Joystick Firmware information
Instead of iM2EM101 you will have iM2EM126'

I've asked if the other controllers listed (battery/smart controller) will also be updated but I think they are fed up with me now and haven't responded..

 

[Lentilbake]

So, after quite a few emails, I have the information I asked for. If you update to VQ3.2 (the latest download from Mahle) the Joystick controller will be iM2EM126, the battery controller firmware will be 4B and the Smart controller will stay the same at 4107 (see my data from the website above). I don't know if this is useful to anyone(!) or if I'm just satisfying my slight compulsion for consistency. Anyway, when I get my GCU cable I will update the bikes and see if the Pulsar One works properly on my bike and if the flashing pink light on my wife's bike stops.

 

[Lentilbake]

UPDATE: Mahle have now issued Q3.3 of the firmware and, using my new GCU cable I followed the exact procedure given on the Website to update my wife's bike. On the first attempt the Joystick controller was update to iM2EM126 (success!) and the lights on the GCU were flashing alternately red/green indicating that one update had failed (I was expecting this) so I went through the procedure two more times with the same result, the Battery controller firmware remained at 45. Awaiting a response from Mahle about this.