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Just a quick question. A friend has a Whyte ebike with a Bosch motor and is planning on taking it to the US (he’s UK based) where the top speed is 20mph and not 15mph as it is here.
He wants to know if there’s any easy (and cheap) way of changing the settings on his motor. Obviously if he goes into a UK bike shop they’d just think he’s taking the piss and wants a faster bike back here than the law allows and will most likely tell him to bugger off.
Is there a way to do it before he leaves the country or is there some kind of geolocation lock on the motor/app that means he’ll have to wait until he’s out there.
He’s a bit of a miser so won’t want to spend a fortune doing it.
Any help greatly appreciated.
Depends which motor. In most cases a USA dealer will be able to change it. Don't ask a UK one.
Cheers, I think he was hoping to do it before he got out there so as to not waste time trying to track down someone reliable to do it out there and eat into his holiday time. There’s nothing worse than getting to a destination (normally Morzine for me) and then having to track down the part/service you need.
He’s taking it for a holiday? How is he planning on getting it there? That and I wouldn’t risk messing with the motor just for an extra 5mph whilst on holiday…
Any Bosch dealer in the USA will be able to update the region code in the software and increase the speed limit to 20mph. As I understand it a UK dealer is not able to do this as the dealer portal is region locked, they will however be able to reset it to the EU region.
How is he planning on getting it there?
The bike shouldn't be a problem, the battery, OTOH...
And if the battery isn’t attached, the top speed of the motor is largely irrelevant.
Its probably going to be easier to just fit a "tuning" box like volspeed rather than try and find a local bosch dealer to update it I would guess, but even then its probably not worth it just for a holiday - I'd just ride it with the 15mph limit
Probably a really daft question, but why is he wanting it changed? If it is for a holiday, then he'll be coming back (so will need it adjusted again - apparently insurance is null & void if an ebike has been tweaked for a higher speed - BC also state that if the ebike has been chipped and the BC member has an accident, the BC insurance stuff won't cover any claims).
> Probably a really daft question, but why is he wanting it changed?
Possibly riding with American eBikers, who'd have a 20mph speed limit? I imagine it would be hard to keep up with others without the assist.
There may be batteries available for hire, there certainly are in Finale.
Was wondering about this, but with so many bikes having custom battery packs, seems a minefield.
just for an extra 5mph whilst on holiday…
Innit.
He’s a bit of a miser so won’t want to spend a fortune doing it.
Jesus Christ.
Has your friend considered just changing the limit over here and not bothering going all the way to America. He could probably hire an e-bike while there more easily.
I have no idea how he was planning on taking/renting a battery, I just think he didn’t want to be 5mph slower than everyone else for the 6 weeks he’s in the US.
I doubt very much he's going to be able to fly with the battery...
Although I do wonder if anyone has tried and had it confiscated.
So has he medical issues that will stop him putting some extra effort in for the 6 weeks?
If not, I'd suggest saving the cash and hassle and just go ride his bike whilst away on holiday...
Best option is to take the motor out and then create an eBay account in the US via a proxy server and rent a PO Box near to where he’s staying. Buy a few items to build up some positive feedback (torx+ drivers to refit the motor for example) and get them shipped to the PO Box. Then when he’s about to go over there buy a used motor and fit that. Saves the hassle of trying to convince a dealer “I’ll change it back when I return to the UK, honest”. Also removes all the unnecessary worry about keeping up with new holiday friends who may/may not like people with inferior 15mph bikes - pah!
"rent a PO Box near to where he’s staying"
...in the name of Chuck U. Farley?
Before he goes to all the trouble of changing the speed and finding a way to ship the battery there (this is very difficult! The NZ rally abandoned plans to be ebike specific because of the trouble getting e-bikes there, and it’s sponsored by an airline!) he best also check if where he’s going will allow e-bikes. The rules on where you can ride an ebike in the USA are quite different to in the uk - in Moab for example he’d find he was restricted to just a few trails compared to non powered MTBs.
– in Moab for example he’d find he was restricted to just a few trails compared to non powered MTBs.
And that in the land of the free! Almost like the idea of sharing the trails with someone razing about with 20mph of assist is not a good idea!
I don’t own an ebike. I’d love to, but have nowhere near the funds.
I’ll pass on the info about how difficult (impossible) it is to travel with an ebike. Ta
So to ask - how does anyone take an eBike away?
(He says nervous of getting a ferry to Ireland this summer)....
“ (He says nervous of getting a ferry to Ireland this summer)….”
I presume if you can take an electric car on the ferry then you can take an ebike too. It’s flying where there are super strict rules on dangerous cargo.
Yeah most of the area I've ridden in us don't allow e bikes, in Arizona I'd say it's less than a quarter that do.
>quote broken again>
to ask – how does anyone take an eBike away?
(He says nervous of getting a ferry to Ireland this summer)….
</broken quote>
you can take them by boat,train etc no problem , its just flying where there are restrictions on the size of the battery. You're allowed to fly with batteries up to 160wh in capacity, and then they must be in hand luggage, and each person is not allowed more than 2.
My ebike has a range extender battery that is 160wh in size, so I've flown to spain with the ebike , left the main battery (360wh) at home, and taken the range extenderin my hand luggage
Best option is to take the motor out and then create an eBay account in the US via a proxy server and rent a PO Box near to where he’s staying. Buy a few items to build up some positive feedback (torx+ drivers to refit the motor for example) and get them shipped to the PO Box. Then when he’s about to go over there buy a used motor and fit that. Saves the hassle of trying to convince a dealer “I’ll change it back when I return to the UK, honest”. Also removes all the unnecessary worry about keeping up with new holiday friends who may/may not like people with inferior 15mph bikes – pah!
If you were going to do all that, you might as well save yourself a bunch of hassle and just buy a second-hand e-mtb out there, then sell it before you fly home. Though really I guess you'd want a stateside friend to sort out the logistics etc.
There's a YouTube video - Rob Rides emthbs or something like that - where they flew with e-mtbs minus the battery with no issues fwiw.
Personally I'd be looking at emtb hire options rather than the potential ball-ache of all this.
This is the YouTube vid: