E-motion app for Orbea Gain

[Roybosch]

Hi, 1st post from myself and it might be unusual. When using the e-motion app during my cycling activities on my new Orbea Gain, my phone battery is totally wiped out in around 90 minutes.
My iPhone is a couple of years old but the battery usually lasts 2 days between charges with normal usage.
I’m sure the app is supposed to be used ‘live’ it shows current speed, miles travelled, battery condition, cadence, power use plus a few other snippets of information.
I have been cycling for 2-3 hours recently and cannot download the map showing the route travelled.
Anyone here had similar issues
I love the bike and the extra assistance it allows my old knees
Cheers
Roybosch

[stodd]

Are you keeping the phone display going the whole time? Possibly fairly bright for outside usage. That will chew through battery regardless of what apps are running.

[MikeDee]

Having an external battery for your phone makes sense when using the app. I have one made by Topeak that mounts under the stem. I had no trouble downloading a map.

[robgul]

My comment would be why bother with the app - just enjoy riding the bike (I love my Gain) ...

The battery indicator on the bike is a pretty good guide . . . .and if you want some stats get a Garmin that gives you navigation and loooooong battery life.

Rob

[MikeDee]

I stopped using the app and mounting the phone on my stem. It was useful in understanding how the bike works, but now that I understand that, it's not too important. My Garmin is more accurate anyway.

[BertYardbrush]

I've more or less given up on the Ebikemotion app. I use it at the end of the ride to see how much battery I've got left.
I've also used it to change the power settings on the motor, 80% on green, 90% on amber. It's toned down the assist and increased the range.
It's not possible to upload a preplanned route so it's no good for navigation.
Would be much better if it just did the basics well.

Still waiting for the aux battery. In Jan they said March, latest is "soon".

[NickWi]

I'm with the other users on this one. The App was interesting to start with, but now I only use it to change the power levels before a ride and see how much battery is left after a ride. I guess it's bit like Strava, some people love all the speed v heart rate v feet climbed stats or where they are on the leaders board. Me, a quick glance to look at the route I've riden, check out a couple of the headline figures and that's it. Then, as the OP said, the App drains the battery on the phone like nothing else when it's paired up and doing its stuff.

Lastly, and this is just my personal preference, but I don't like having my phone the the bars or stem where it's exposed to the elements and vibrations. For me it's an Elemnt on the bar, the phone in the bag on my rack and a smile on my face.

[peterb]

I've found the app unreliable and annoying at times, but the recent updates seem to have resolved some of the problems, though the cadence and ascent figures (230 rpm, and -168% on recent ride) don't make much sense to me. It also cuts out sometimes for no reason. I use it all the time, I don't use Garmin or any other device, and save and upload ride details to the dashboard - the process now seems to work fairly reliably. I find the speed, % battery, and range-remaining displays particularly useful, and the assistance level figure on the left of the screen very helpful when changing levels. I originally used a Huawei P9 Lite with a 2200 mAh battery, which lasted no time at all, and had to be supplemented with a powerbank. I now use a dedicated Motorola MOTO E5 with a 4000mAh battery, and after a 1hr 22 min ride this morning had 73% phone battery remaining, which suggests just over 5 hours battery life, which should cover any ride I'm likely to do on the Gain. I use a GUB G85 phone holder on the bars and as for weather proofing I simply use an appropriately sized plastic bag if rain threatens!

[MikeDee]

I've found the app unreliable and annoying at times, but the recent updates seem to have resolved some of the problems, though the cadence and ascent figures (230 rpm, and -168% on recent ride) don't make much sense to me. It also cuts out sometimes for no reason. I use it all the time, I don't use Garmin or any other device, and save and upload ride details to the dashboard - the process now seems to work fairly reliably. I find the speed, % battery, and range-remaining displays particularly useful, and the assistance level figure on the left of the screen very helpful when changing levels. I originally used a Huawei P9 Lite with a 2200 mAh battery, which lasted no time at all, and had to be supplemented with a powerbank. I now use a dedicated Motorola MOTO E5 with a 4000mAh battery, and after a 1hr 22 min ride this morning had 73% phone battery remaining, which suggests just over 5 hours battery life, which should cover any ride I'm likely to do on the Gain. I use a GUB G85 phone holder on the bars and as for weather proofing I simply use an appropriately sized plastic bag if rain threatens!

Cadence in the app means motor rpm. The ascent figures use the GPS in the phone. Garmin Edge units use a barometric altimeter in addition to GPS for better accuracy.

[octave531]

Has anyone ever managed to get the Heart Rate auto assist function to work?

[Grandad]

Not having a smartphone I was originally a bit worried about not having access to the additional information provided by the app. Robgul's advice "don't worry - the button does all the essentials" put my mind at rest. This thread seems to largely validate that.

[NickWi]

Has anyone ever managed to get the Heart Rate auto assist function to work?

I tried it several times when I first got my Gain (D20 Alloy 1x11) two years ago, but it didn't react quick enough for my liking. It wouldn't increase the power assistance until my heart got too high and once I was over the top of the hill it continued to stay in the now unnecessary high power assistance as my heart continued to pump at it's fast rate until I cooled down. Maybe if you've got long steady hills it'll work well, but on the short sharp steep buggers we have in my neck of the wood, you'd end up being three quarters of the way up the bank before it would increase the power setting. I preferred the pre-emptive get the assistance in early manual method to stop my heart rate getting too high in the first place.

I know you can fiddle with the default setting, but to tell the truth I’d had enough of it by that point, couldn't be bothered to experiment and haven't used the feature since.

[MikeDee]

Has anyone ever managed to get the Heart Rate auto assist function to work?

I tried it and there is too much lag. Also, heartrate is not reliable. Often I get a false high heartrate or none at all. Just the nature of a HR monitor and your heart.