Mahle is continuing to develop its My SmartBike App. The application for Mahle M40, Mahle X20, Mahle X30, Mahle X35 and Mahle XS drive systems is receiving a major update. According to the manufacturer, it will be more customisable and easier to use in future.
As with numerous other ebike systems, the app plays a central role at Mahle these days. What started out as a nice little extra has become an important tool that connects us riders with our ebikes. Ideally, it opens up options that allow us to turn an ebike with a Mahle drive into our very own special ebike with a Mahle drive. We might, for example, have adjusted the riding modes so that they tend to drain the battery less whilst riding. Or the display might show the information we want to see at a glance in a particularly prominent and large format. And perhaps we have completely disabled a function in the app that the manufacturer considers indispensable, but which we do not need at all.
More versatile options for personalising the display
This form of personalisation is one of the key focuses of the update for the My SmartBike app. To implement this, Mahle is introducing a new, customisable display. In fact, the manufacturer had some catching up to do in this regard. Whether in terms of the number of different views or the design options for a single view with various data fields, systems from Bosch, Specialized, Shimano or Avinox offer far greater freedom. Following the update, you will also be able to customise the dashboard to your own preferences with Mahle. The manufacturer is moving away from a fixed design. Instead, it announces that users will be free to decide which data appears at any given time. Unfortunately, the information available to us does not specify exactly what options this entails, nor how many screens, in what display formats, and with how many data fields will be available in future.
Less complexity leads to more intuitive menu navigation
As well as considering what the app can be used for, Mahle has focused extensively on how to improve the user experience. Anyone who uses the app regularly will quickly notice that the user interface now looks different. Behind the new look lies a new structure. You should be able to navigate from one menu item to another more quickly and intuitively. Mahle has attempted to streamline the structure and make key functions more easily accessible. Tasks that previously required several clicks are now designed to be less complex. In addition, the manufacturer has worked on fundamental details such as readability. That, at least, is the theory. Whether the concept works for you will certainly become clear in the first few days and weeks following the update.
As usual, you can find the new version of the Mahle My SmartBike app in the Apple App Store for iOS devices or in the Google Play Store for Android devices. According to the manufacturer, the download is now available in the stores.
Pictures: Mahle Smartbike Systems
New app is just hopeless Too many Activities not saved and mileage records/ riding time way off etc
No replies from Mahle to several emails
Since the X20 MySmartBike update, the app no longer records any ride data. I hit the start button to ride, finish the ride, look at the app, and all I see is a black screen. Only option is to close the app and re-launch, which shows zero data from a just completed ride. Truly the worst cycling related app available.
The app does not start first time. It has to be closed down completely and restarted. Sometimes more than once.
As it starts it runs a video of people riding bikes. Because it is a video it hijacks anything you were listening to on Bluetooth headphones. Do we need to see this video anyway every time the app finally starts.
If you’re using a heart rate monitor you get a message about it every time which has to be cleared.
All the above mean you’d better not have put your gloves on yet.
The app crashes during rides and has to be reloaded. Make sure you stop to do this!
Sometimes the app jumps to the activities screen mid ride. Stop, take your gloves off, get back to the screen page you wanted it to show.
The information screens for assistance levels 1 to 3 are customisable so you can choose which data items are on the screen. But not in Smart assistance mode. Oh no.
There is a lot of white space on the information screen. The old app had more data items and more screens.
The old app worked fine. This version does not.