In terms of worldwide sales, GIANT is a "giant" among bicycle manufacturers. But what about the in-house e-bike app RideControl? In this article, you will find all the information you need to answer this question.
For a company like GIANT, own e-bike app is a must. After all, more and more e-bike riders are replacing the conventional e-bike display with their smartphone. This is mainly because modern smartphones are more powerful than any bike computer or comparable device, have a high-quality display and, in combination with the right app, open up a wide range of customisation options.
However, the functions of e-bike apps as well as their performance in practice differ significantly.
In this article, you will get an overview of the market leader’s app. You will find out how to get GIANT RideControl, what you can do with it and what users say about the app’s functionality. We will also introduce you to an alternative that works with any e-bike.
The manufacturer – a few words about Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd.
The likelihood that you have never come across a GIANT bike is almost nil. After all, the Taiwanese company “Giant Manufacturing Co. Ltd.” is considered the market leader in the two-wheeler segment. And the selection of GIANT e-bikes is correspondingly wide. Whether high-performance mountain bike, trekking bike or e-bike model for the city, in the brand’s range you will find the right bike for almost every purpose.
The special features of GIANT e-bikes include the SyncDrive motor developed in collaboration with Yamaha and the battery with fire protection housing integrated into the frame. The bikes are also “eye-catchers” thanks to their elegant, slim silhouette. And with company Liv, GIANT has even launched its own e-bike brand aimed specifically at women.
Giant is one of the leading e-bike manufacturers, but can the in-house app also convince in practice?
The GIANT RideControl app at a glance
GIANT has had an app with the resonant name RideControl in its range for a few years now. You can get the app for free in Google PlayStore for an Android phone and Apple App Store for an iPhone. After downloading the app on your mobile phone, all you have to do is to register and connect with your bike.
Important note: GIANT RideControl is compatible with all GIANT and Liv e-bikes from model year 2019.
Features of the GIANT app RideControl
Currently, the GIANT RideControl app opens up the following possibilities:
Adjusting the motor settings
With the help of the GIANT RideControl app, you can adjust the motor setting to your needs – depending on your choice between “aggressive performance” or comfortable ride.
The special thing about it: For individual settings, you can choose not only the five usual support modes, but also 11 micro support levels.
Navigation
What many e-bike apps do not offer is a navigation function. But RideControl is different. GIANT RideControl app lets you to adapt the map view and provides information on battery capacity and remaining range, for example. This prevents you from being negatively surprised by your battery status during your “long and epic adventures”.
If you have sporting ambitions associated with e-biking, you can set training goals and let the compatible RideControl EVO display keep you up to date on the calories burned, for example.
Route recording
Your routes can be recorded, saved and exported to Strava.
Diagnostics
Finally, the GIANT RideControl app offers you a diagnostic function. This means that you can check the central components of your e-bike.
Visually, none of this is a revelation. However, the app convinces with its clarity. In addition, the data fields of your “Ride Page” can be individually adapted.
How good is the app for GIANT e-bikes in practice?
The range of functions of GIANT RideControl does not offer any big surprises. But this is also not necessary for a convincing e-bike app. However, the situation is different when it comes to functionality. In this respect, user reviews paint a more disappointing picture.
Despite regular updates, many users complain about connection problems, display errors and crashes. With 2.1 stars on Google and in the App Store, the overall rating is rather poor.
The RideControl app thus joins the ranks of e-bike apps that sound promising in theory but fail in practice due to poor functionality.
There is a little hope, however: because the latest update of the app has just been released. Perhaps it will deliver on the promises made in the advertisements and ensure flawless performance in the future.
Due to connection problems, display errors and crashes, Giant’s e-bike app is unfortunately not convincing at the moment.
Alternative for your e-bike – the PowUnity app
It’s quite possible that GIANT will get to grips with the problems surrounding its app in the future. But what options do you have if you need a reliable e-bike app now and don’t want to take any risks?
Well, there is the PowUnity app. It can be used regardless of manufacturer, whether you ride a bike from GIANT, Haibike or another brand.
But that’s not the only advantage. In combination with the BikeTrax GPS tracker, you get highly efficient theft protection and an app for reliable route recording:
The GPS tracker is invisibly mounted inside your e-bike motor and sends the current location to the PowUnity app every 10 seconds.
If someone tries to steal your e-bike, the PowUnity app immediately alerts you on your smartphone.
If you react too late to prevent the theft, you have an excellent chance of getting the stolen bike back. With our GPS tracker and the PowUnity app, you can track the real-time location of your e-bike throughout Europe (thanks to wide cell phone coverage) and send it directly to the police via the app.
In addition, the PowUnity app automatically records all your routes, which you can export to Strava or Komoot, for example.
With the PowUnity app for the BikeTrax GPS tracker you benefit from best theft protection, uncomplicated route management and many other features.
From 2023, the PowUnity app will be upgraded with additional functions. You will then be able to use it as a display, view speed and performance data and even plan maintenance directly via the app.
So far, no update has solved the dilemma: The GIANT RideControl app is convincing in the preview with a small but coherent range of functions and a clear design. In practice, however, it works more poorly than well. Whether this will change with the latest update remains to be seen.
But if you want to be on the safe side, the combination of the PowUnity app and the GPS tracker BikeTrax is the way to go. You will benefit from highly efficient theft protection, reliable route tracking and soon many other functions. On top of that, it doesn’t matter which e-bike you ride and there is no need to wait for a “miraculous” update.
Hier erklären wir dir, wie du erkennst, welche Bosch-Version des Motors in deinem E-Bike verbaut ist.
If you have a Bosch "Active Line" motor, then it is a Bosch Generation 2 or 3 motor.
Hast du dein E-Bike in den Jahren 2020 - 2021 neu gekauft und hat dieses einen „Performance Line CX“ oder „Bosch Cargo Line“ Motor, dann ist es ein Bosch-Motor Generation 4 - nicht smart.
Wenn du dein E-Bike 2022 neu gekauft hast, dann ist darin ein Bosch-Motor Generation 4 - smart verbaut. Dies erkennst du auch, wenn am E-Bike eine „LED Remote“ Steuerzentrale angebracht ist.
Sollte diese Information nicht aus der Beschreibung deines Bikes mit Bosch-Motor hervorgehen, dann bekommst du diese Information bei Deinem E-Bike Händler.
Wenn du einen BikeTrax GPS-Tracker für E-Bikes bestellst, bekommt du eine Schritt-für-Schritt-Montageanleitung mitgeliefert. Darin wird Dir im Detail erklärt, wie du deinen BikeTrax GPS-Tracker einbaust, wo du diesen platzierst und auf welche Details du achten sollest.
Wenn deine Motorhaube die Tretkurbel wie auf der Abbildung umschließt, machen wir es dir leicht: Den Kurbelabzieher kannst du im nächsten Schritt schnell und einfach mit einem Klick bestellen und er wird dir zusammen mit dem GPS-Tracker geliefert.
Nähere Informationen dazu:
Bei einigen Elektrofahrradmodellen kann die Motorabdeckung (1) erst entfernt werden, nachdem die Tretkurbel (2) mit Hilfe eines Kurbelabziehers (3) abmontiert wurde. Erst dann kannst du BikeTrax in den Motorraum einbauen.
Kann der GPS-Tracker für E-Bikes mit
-Motor auch für andere E-Bike Motormodelle verwendet werden?
Im Großteil der Fälle benötigst du nur ein anderes Anschlusskabel. Dieses kannst du im Nachhinein bei PowUnity erwerben. Lediglich in Ausnahmefällen muss der komplette GPS-Tracker bei einem Motorwechsel ausgetauscht werden.
In diesem Fall brauchst du den Kurbelabzieher für Fahrräder:
Bei einigen Elektrofahrradmodellen kann die Motorabdeckung (1) erst entfernt werden, nachdem die Tretkurbel (2) mit Hilfe eines Kurbelabziehers (3) abmontiert wurde. Erst dann kannst du BikeTrax in den Motorraum einbauen.
Wenn deine Motorhaube die Tretkurbel wie auf der Abbildung umschließt, machen wir es dir leicht: Den Kurbelabzieher kannst du schnell und einfach mit einem Klick bestellen und er wird dir zusammen mit dem GPS-Tracker geliefert.
In diesem Fall empfehlen wir dir die HexLox Sicherungsschraube:
Musst du deine Tretkurbel abziehen, bevor du den GPS-Tracker im Motorraum verbauen kannst, dann kannst du nach der Montage von BikeTrax die Inbusschraube (1) deiner Tretkurbel zusätzlich mit der HexLox Security Schraube 8 mm (2) sichern.
Ist dieser sogenannte HexLox Inlay in die Inbusschraube eingesetzt, kann niemand mit einem herkömmlichen Werkzeug deinen Motorraum öffnen und schon garnicht erst auf den Gedanken kommen, den GPS-Tracker zu entfernen.
Für Specialized E-Bikes mit Brose Motor gibt es einen speziellen Brose-Anschluss. Wähle den „Brose für Specialized E-Bikes“ Anschluss aus, falls Du ein Specialized E-Bike fährst. Für alle anderen E-Bike Hersteller, welche einen Brose Motor verbaut haben, gibt es einen einheitlichen „Universal“ BikeTrax-Anschluss.
In diesen Fällen empfehlen wir dir die Akku-Erweiterung für BikeTrax
Wir liefern dir BikeTrax immer mit einem Zusatz-Akku, um einen sicheren und stabilen GPS-Empfang zu gewährleisten, sollte das E-Bike mal ausgeschalten und der Akku entfernt sein. Er hält im Stand bis zu 3 Wochen.
Wir empfehlen aber unseren Kunden, die ihr E-Bike längere Zeit nicht nutzen, wie z. B. in den Wintermonaten oder während eines längeren Urlaubs, für den GPS-Tracker die Akku-Erweiterung zu bestellen. Diese beinhaltet einen weiteren Zusatz-Akku und ein Y-Kabel, an das beide Akkus angeschlossen werden.
Wie erkenne ich, welche Bosch-Version des Motors in meinem E-Bike verbaut ist?
Hast du einen Bosch „Active Line“ Motor, dann ist es ein Bosch-Motor der Generation 2 oder 3.
Hast du dein E-Bike in den Jahren 2020 – 2021 neu gekauft und hat dieses einen „Performance Line CX“ oder „Bosch Cargo Line“ Motor, dann ist es ein Bosch-Motor Generation 4 – nicht smart.
Wenn du dein E-Bike 2022 neu gekauft hast, dann ist darin ein Bosch-Motor Generation 4 – smart verbaut. Dies erkennst du auch, wenn am E-Bike eine „LED Remote“ Steuerzentrale angebracht ist.
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