Impulse & Panasonic Tuning Dongles!!

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Hi Guys,

Excuse the exclamation marks but I am very excited here to announce we will be supplying the Tuning dongles for both Panasonic and Impulse Motors..

As you probably know we are already the exclusive UK supplier for the Bosch tuning dongles to date. Therefore we have delved into other motor makes. The Panasonic and Impulse dongles will also be made available exclusively through us.

This is just a heads up really to say the final touches are being made and they are in production. But I'm sure (gathering from my emails on a daily basis) that people will also be excited by this.

The Dongle will be made for Impulse motors and 36v versions of the Panasonic motors, not the 26v versions so I am sorry for anyone with a 26v. But the 36v has the speed sensor where all the magic happens.

For anyone wondering what I am talking about here is a link to the Bosch tuning dongles we already supply - The Bosch tuning dongle changes the cut off speed from 15mph to roughly 30-35mph!

At present I still need to finish a few bits off (before you bombard me), English instruction manual, pictures, further info etc. But expect to see them available over the next month or so.

As I am sure there will be many people after these I am asking anyone interested on the first batch of these to get in touch with me to deposit one and secure your name to it.

I have not yet announced these properly, nor are they listed on my website, but thought I would give you guys a heads up of what's happening soon.

Oh and Flecc of course I will provide a link for your website as soon as I have them listed on mine

Regards
Martin

 

[Hugh]

Good luck with them Martin. It's good to see someone bringing in this kind of stuff. I know there are all the issues about legality/ on or off road/ etc etc, but having someone selling it who's interested in the kit and uses it themself is good.

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Good luck with them Martin. It's good to see someone bringing in this kind of stuff. I know there are all the issues about legality/ on or off road/ etc etc, but having someone selling it who's interested in the kit and uses it themself is good.

Yes totally agree.
Hugh you are a great example and have helped others decide for a dongle having one yourself and expressing your views. I think you'd be surprised how many other users on here have a dongle fitted to their Bosch.. No names mentioned.

With legalities it's one of those things. Obviously the idea is that you can ride to wherever you are going. Once you hit the off road stuff it can simply be plugged in. Then when back on the road, just unplug it to disable it.

I sell them for off road use only.
Once fitted in store I make sure the customer leaves with the dongle in their pocket.
Everyman and his dog probably plugs it back in round the corner!

As far as I see, there are people who like to 'tinker' in this world (like me).
Who want to see maximum performance out of their machine.
I know the cut off is due to legalities in place but lets face it.. It's dam annoying sometimes!

If I can provide a user friendly kit that allows this and is easy to fit its a much better prospect.
I'd rather that than the end user cutting 'secret' wires here and there and messing things up!

It's funny how many emails I have had this evening as a result of this post!

Regards
Martin

 

[flecc]

Oh and Flecc of course I will provide a link for your website as soon as I have them listed on mine

Regards
Martin

Thanks Martin. Although my website doesn't cover anything on the 36 volt series, I will be adding a note about them and will add a link to your information on the dongles.

 

[103Alex1]

Question for you Martin - the Impulse LCDs (so far as I'm aware) have a wheel size setting which records mileage and speed independently of the wheel size parameters which drive the motor assist cutoff parameters. Therefore, accurate speed and mileage readings can be obtained on the LCD regardless of the settings which regulate motor cutoff speed.

Do your dongles interfere with the LCD readings on the Impulse like I recall they were reported to on the Bosch system ? Also is this a doubling of the max assist or have you managed to design them so as to allow a proportionate increased max assist yet ?

 

[hech]

I'm afraid I find all this a little distasteful.
I do wish Martin and the other ebike salesmen on the front line every success; we do need enterprise and industry in this new environment and the more stressed out, hot headed, purple hooted car drivers metamorphosing into alpine fresh, vascular friendly, lily pink ebike commuters the better.
That said the hypocracy of this fiendish dongle business is more overwhelming than a lung full of carbon monoxide and tablespoons of pure nicotine, trust me, I'm a toxicologist.
If you believe the current legislation is out of date and inappropriate then make your voice heard and lobby parliament, but meanwhile stock the bikes the public actually require . If and when the carnage ensues, perhaps we will get a clearer perspective and more sensible regulation. Afterall, that is the way of it for our parliamentary representatives, government agencies, and multinational corporations, we at least have some sense of proportion.


-Yes, am back in training for that Pompous Nonsense of the Year Award again.
Martin, am sure your bikes sell great and are great.

 

[melspea]

I'm afraid I find all this a little distasteful.

Me too but the way I see it, selling a piece of kit which has no purpose other than to change an ebike from within legal parameters to something manifestly different and distinctly illegal is, at the very least, distasteful if not actually criminal.

Melissa

 

[amigafan2003]

if not actually criminal.

Well, it's not criminal - there's no debate about that.

I thought we all rode ebikes here, not high horses!

 

[flecc]

I'm afraid I find all this a little distasteful.

But Martin sells Haibikes like this one. I would never buy this if I was predominantly road riding, the inverted motor unit to give huge ground clearance and the consequential very high riding position speak of one thing only, off-road extreme.

Of course there will be those who also use the performance unleashing dongle for maximum on-road speed, but as I remarked once before, at 30 mph on a bike many will end up "off-road" quickly enough!

Anyway, anyone who can afford the bike can afford the fine!

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

I'm afraid I find all this a little distasteful.

Another late night post from hech here. Makes me wonder if a little tipple has played a part!
As with other posts you have made here; I feel the negativity from a mile away.

I understand your stated views on the 'dongle' subject.
But the simple answer is (without getting the thesaurus out and playing the adjective game)
If you don't want one or don't agree with them; then simply don't buy one..

We have got through these dongles at an astonishing rate, which tells me one thing - there is a market for them and some people do want them.

At the end of the day its people like me (ebike salesmen) that put all their energy, their heart and sole to bring ebikes and the related products to market and push them across the UK.
If it wasn't for this then the market would not grow and you wouldn't be in a position with so many ebike choices on the market and forums like these to post on. After all we (as trade members) pay the rates and costs here to keep the forum up and running.

I find your last post a little distasteful at most; as a lot of people come here to gather information on the ever growing sport. People know these dongles are for off road use so your post doesn't really contribute to anything helpful. (Although sometimes can be an interesting read )

Anyway lets keep those smiles up, be civil and talk ebikes!!

Regards
Martin

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

But Martin sells Haibikes like this one. I would never buy this if I was predominantly road riding, the inverted motor unit to give huge ground clearance and the consequential very high riding position speak of one thing only, off-road extreme.

Pretty much sums it up flecc cheers!

Martin

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Question for you Martin - the Impulse LCDs (so far as I'm aware) have a wheel size setting which records mileage and speed independently of the wheel size parameters which drive the motor assist cutoff parameters. Therefore, accurate speed and mileage readings can be obtained on the LCD regardless of the settings which regulate motor cutoff speed.

Do your dongles interfere with the LCD readings on the Impulse like I recall they were reported to on the Bosch system ? Also is this a doubling of the max assist or have you managed to design them so as to allow a proportionate increased max assist yet ?

Hi Alex,

Right back to useful tech talk now!

I understand on the Impulse systems you can change the wheel parameters to technically up the speed cut off. This has to be done with the factory update device each time. This can then allow the bike to reach speeds of around 25mph in doing so. (Fast enough for most!)

Yes you are totally right in the fact that the dongles do change the LCD readings, they work in the same way as the Bosch ones do. This means that the speed readout has to be doubled to attain the correct speed. For example the LCD is reading 17mph but you are actually doing 34mph.

As with the Bosch dongles these will have to be purchased for the correct wheel size, 26" 700c & 29".

I think there are a couple of benefits using the dongle over changing the software settings.
1) It will allow the bike to reach higher speeds than 25mph.
2) It will allow quick changing between modes 'on the fly' for example you can plug and un-plug the dongle according to your riding conditions as opposed to a software upgrade and downgrade each time.

As for range, this is not much difference to changing the software settings, as the motor is still working past the normal cut off rate therefore using more power. Although I have found that users with the Bosch have dropped down the assistance levels. For example with no dongle they were using Turbo or Sport modes, now with the dongle plugged in and the extra speed assistance levels they are dropping it down to Eco or Sport which is levelling out the range somewhat. The fact of the matter is, if you used the bike in maximum assistance with out the dongle, then done the same mileage and assistance level with the dongle plugged in, you will use more power as the motor is working for a longer duration as opposed to cutting off every time you exceed 15mph. That said you will get to your destination faster

Hope this helps!

Martin

 

[103Alex1]

I understand on the Impulse systems you can change the wheel parameters to technically up the speed cut off. This has to be done with the factory update device each time. This can then allow the bike to reach speeds of around 25mph in doing so. (Fast enough for most!)

I think it would be less in practice on a 26" wheel bike but in principle it would probably be up to about this or thereabouts. As with all these things, subject to the bike having high enough top end gearing to deliver the additional speeds especially as gradients increase.

I think there are a couple of benefits using the dongle over changing the software settings.

1) It will allow the bike to reach higher speeds than 25mph.

2) It will allow quick changing between modes 'on the fly' for example you can plug and un-plug the dongle according to your riding conditions as opposed to a software upgrade and downgrade each time.

1) I think you'd have to work pretty hard to actually achieve that on the flat on a crank drive even with assistance ...

2) .... or alternatively, just switch off assist when you've reached the assist speed you want or don't ride like you stole it in your highest gears and it'll achieve a similar result ! The dongle is a double or quits option - to me the double is too high for most bikes and the dongle-free is simply regulation-compliant.

As for range, this is not much difference to changing the software settings, as the motor is still working past the normal cut off rate therefore using more power. Although I have found that users with the Bosch have dropped down the assistance levels. For example with no dongle they were using Turbo or Sport modes, now with the dongle plugged in and the extra speed assistance levels they are dropping it down to Eco or Sport which is levelling out the range somewhat.

Be interested to try it on the Impulse and see what effect it really has. You can decrease power draw just by riding in a slightly lower gear at a lower speeds or decreasing pedal effort if you're worried about range. The only time the power use will rise significantly and range decrease noticeably is if you actually ride the bike at high speeds drawing high power. On steeper hills you won't hit 15mph with either a Bosch or Impulse motor so the theoretical availability of higher assist speed ought to have no effect at all. However, changing the Impulse software profile to 'sport' will have a noticeable effect on hill climbing performance with or without a dongle and will have an equally significant impact on range - with or without a dongle.

I have to admit that other than the logistical and other complications of a service unit modification I can't see the dongle having any real benefits over that (save for 25-30mph assist speed potential which as flecc says could easily wind the average user "off road" !) - and it'll interfere with your LCD readouts and mileage clocking too

 

[flecc]

I have to admit that other than the logistical and other complications of a service unit modification I can't see the dongle having any real benefits

Possibly a switch to enable dongle/no-dongle modes to be selected?

I haven't looked into how this is wired but imagine that's possible, so useful for reversion to legal on-road.

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Possibly a switch to enable dongle/no-dongle modes to be selected?

I haven't looked into how this is wired but imagine that's possible, so useful for reversion to legal on-road.

Yes this can be wired in fairly easily. Remember though that if it is done by a switch it becomes instantly illegal whenever it is on the road even when turned off.

We have actually worked on the Bosch kits to wire into the lighting output allowing the user to turn the dongle on/off by use of the light button on the Bosch display.

Would have to look further into this integration on the Panasonic / Impulse unit itself, but a 2 way external switch should be an easy mod.

Although remember the dongle can easily be plugged/un-plugged for operation.
By the way as we have built it all into a headphone jack, the user can get a 3.5mm jack extension lead for a few quid and extend the cable to the bars for easy operation. Neat eh?!

Regards
Martin

 

[funkylyn]

Another late night post from hech here. Makes me wonder if a little tipple has played a part!
As with other posts you have made here; I feel the negativity from a mile away.

I understand your stated views on the 'dongle' subject.
But the simple answer is (without getting the thesaurus out and playing the adjective game)
If you don't want one or don't agree with them; then simply don't buy one..

We have got through these dongles at an astonishing rate, which tells me one thing - there is a market for them and some people do want them.

At the end of the day its people like me (ebike salesmen) that put all their energy, their heart and sole to bring ebikes and the related products to market and push them across the UK.
If it wasn't for this then the market would not grow and you wouldn't be in a position with so many ebike choices on the market and forums like these to post on. After all we (as trade members) pay the rates and costs here to keep the forum up and running.

I find your last post a little distasteful at most; as a lot of people come here to gather information on the ever growing sport. People know these dongles are for off road use so your post doesn't really contribute to anything helpful. (Although sometimes can be an interesting read )

Anyway lets keep those smiles up, be civil and talk ebikes!!

Regards
Martin

Martin, If I was you I would take more notice of the last two sentences of Hech.......remember his great 'late night' sense of humour......

btw....is there such a thing as a Tonaro dongle ???

Lynda

 

[Martin@e-bikeshop]

Martin, If I was you I would take more notice of the last two sentences of Hech.......remember his great 'late night' sense of humour......

btw....is there such a thing as a Tonaro dongle ???

Lynda

I know, but I like to keep posts to the point.. He has a good heart and after all it does add a little humour to the site I suppose. My reply was written before my morning cuppa anyway, so was a little blunt

As for the Tonaro, nothing in the works as of yet, although you could donate yours for testing!
That said I'm sure a PM, decent wiring diagram and an hour of Flecc's time could work something out!

By the way Lynda, I think I missed you at the Redbridge event? Managed to catch up with Dave, his mate and a few others but was rushing around so much I didn't get to meet everyone.

All the best

Martin

 

[Scimitar]

It's a good trick - riding a high horse with head up backside.

 

[shemozzle999]

Who needs a dongle?

KTM FREERIDE E ROCKIN' BARCELONA - YouTube

 

[Blew it]

Amazing what can be achieved on 15 mg Caffeine!

Great video shemozzle, thanks for posting.