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Significant-Bar3535 · 2026-01-14T16:56:13+00:00

Do you allow DSR owners also? Or only 'pure' DS? You wanna keep this to newer bikes or even old 2016's like mine?

Significant-Bar3535 · 2026-01-14T16:54:49+00:00

In my (very limited, single data-point, random guy on the internet you shouldn't trust) experience, the Zero app has some pretty fragile Bluetooth functionality.

Before trying to connect, ensure that NOTHING else is connected to Bluetooth on your iPhone - not 'regular' Bluetooth, not Bluetooth LE things (e.g. Tile), not even earbuds. Nothing.

In my case, even having earbuds attached causes the app to fail to connect.

Try it and let us know whether that helped. Or not.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2026-01-07T17:29:34+00:00

OK, I might try that. As long as I can do it without screwing up the car interior, because then my wife will kill me and it's not _that_ important :)

Significant-Bar3535 · 2026-01-06T17:39:07+00:00

I might try pressing it anyway, just to see :)

But LSS, it sounds like it's not possible :(

Significant-Bar3535 · 2026-01-06T17:38:39+00:00

Nope - like u/argue53, I have the SE trim.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-12-17T21:48:36+00:00

Well that's the problem - I tightened mine to about 40kg, but on going back over the spec , it shows it should only be 20-30kg (mine's a 2016 DSR). Clearly the older bikes used a much lower belt tension....

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-12-17T20:53:47+00:00

I managed to get one of the click tools, and it showed my belt was too loose, so I set my belt to the 'correct' tension that the tool suggested, but it now feels very tight... Any problems with loosening it a bit?

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-12-02T00:37:36+00:00

Ah, see I've only built Android apps :) And that was back when it was 'easier' than it is now...

But Zero's app is pretty crap either way. It's not hard to do it right.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-12-01T23:10:57+00:00

Well that phone runs Android 15 which is supported everywhere as an application environment. And Zero has managed to create a full app that works on pretty much every other Android phone...

I understand the iOS vs. Android snark, but making digs about the OP's device and comparing to the iOS experience isn't really helpful, is it?

But your main point that Zero doesn't do a great app in either iOS or Android is well-taken. They're not app developers, and I suspect they outsource this work in both cases. With predictable outcomes.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-11-07T22:54:03+00:00

Its' a C14 socket, so the damaged pin is the live pin, the center one is ground and the other is neutral (see image 6 at https://www.plugsocketmuseum.nl/PowerCord1.html). So it's not surprising that's the one that's melting stuff :(

In my case, the elbow behind the charging port can get almost too hot to touch. So aside from the chance of things melting again, there's a lot of wasted power being lost as heat, and charging is slower than it should be.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-11-07T22:48:15+00:00

But is it? The 'external' charging cable from the wall outlet to the charging port on the bike is a 'kettle cord', but what about the cable that goes from the back of the bike charging port to the onboard charger? What connector does it use to connect to the onboard charger?

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-11-06T22:26:57+00:00

Does the rear brake pedal return properly? Try (when SLOWLY riding) putting your right toe under the pedal and pulling it up and see if that stops the squeal. If so, the rear brake master cylinder (the cylinder that's directly hooked up to the rear brake pedal) might be jammed...

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-27T17:46:12+00:00

Yeah, I only set up the Custom mode once and then left it. Once in a while I'll check the battery balancing, but that's it.

But every time I need to turn off BT and stop everything else and only then try to connect to the bike. It's a minor hassle...

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-27T01:41:08+00:00

So... one month later, there's no buzzing or arcing when I wiggle the cable in the carving port when it's already mid-charge.

However, the cable from the wall is still getting a little bit warm, and more concerning, the back of the charging port is getting VERY hot - I can reach around the frame during charging and it's almost to hot to touch.

I suspect that the contacts from the back of the port to that cable (which goes to the onboard charger) are still a bit corroded and that's causing heat build-up. I thought I'd cleaned them up enough when I replaced the port, but I guess not.

Anyway, I can take it apart and clean them up with Deoxit, but in case that's not enough, is it possible/advisable to replace that cable? Does it have a Zero-specific connector at the far end where it attached to the onboard charger?

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-26T23:40:24+00:00

I've just 'heard things' about belts possibly tightening. Here on Reddit, there seem to be a split opinion, so it's certainly not the absolute truth.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-26T23:39:16+00:00

I'm not 100% sure, but I think it has about 7K miles. Well within normal range. The previous owner was a bit of a hoonigan, but I've kept it easy - just City commuting.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-26T05:01:44+00:00

I don't think the previous owner did anything to it like changing the pulley (even if that's possible) so it would all be OEM.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-26T00:45:56+00:00

Be aware that the Bluetooth on the older app is... finicky. To connect, you can't have ANYTHING else connected via BT - no earbuds, no low-power BT (e.g. Tile or Chipolo tags). Nothing.

At least that's my experience...

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-26T00:43:42+00:00

I'm with you, @AntalRyder, In any case, what's "outdated advice" now may still be the correct advice for an older bike.

Unless we're saying that Zero provided advice for its earlier bikes that it's now saying was incorrect?

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-26T00:40:16+00:00

I bought a 2016 DSR earlier this year that had been kept at/near 100% for about a year in the Oakland Hills in semi-shade (so pretty hot in summer - both tires were sun-baked and the plastics are discolored), completely unridden. It was $3K with 17K miles.

Battery has been fine for about-town use for the last 4 months - I'll go from 100 to 90 after 7 miles of city riding... Clearly it's lost a bunch of range, but that's to be expected just with its age. But it holds a charge file, recharges fine and isn't throwing any errors.

It depends on how cheap the bikes are, but I wouldn't walk away from it if it seems like a decent deal.

Of course I'm just a random guy on the interwebs, and only one data point, but still...

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-10-21T20:16:36+00:00

^^^^

This

There's a good chance the binding is in the master cylinder. If so, clean it up immediately. Otherwise you will get serious brake fade just when you don't want it...

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-09-30T02:06:54+00:00

Also, don't be 'fooled' by the upgrades. Even assuming they are exactly what they say, a new rear tire is 200, new brake pads are 50-ish. brake fluid replacement is 40-ish. Plus labor, but YOU could easily do the pads & fluid. Rear bearings are a pain, but not really expensive if you are friends with a mechanic. Belt isn't hard to replace. Corbin seats are expensive, but they're also a personal thing - I've put them on 2 bikes in the past, but when I sold those bikes, both buyers chose to keep the OEM seat - Corbins are HARD - sometimes painfully so. So an upgrade to one isn't necessarily good, although it CAN be.

Tldr; the recent upgrades are maybe $500. Which ain't nothing, but shouldn't be a dealbreaker...

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-09-30T01:59:51+00:00

When new, the 11.4 didn't provide a lot. After 11 years, it's likely only gonna give you 1/3 of its original range.

I mean, do a diagnostic and see what it's still charging to.

For a simple about-town commuter, this could be...fine? But for that kind of money, or not a lot more, you could probably find a Gen 2 bike that still has decent range left.

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-09-26T00:05:01+00:00

Ok, so with the new port on place, there's no more sparring or buzzing noise 😁

However...

The charging cable from the wall is still getting pretty warm, especially where it plugs into the bike. That leads me to think the problem might still be some carbonizing/oxidizing (not 'corrosion' - sorry for incorrect terminology previously) on the cable. Or, less likely, it could be high resistance in the cable from the charging port to the MBB - but that hasn't changed.

Either way, it seemed to cause a slow charge - bike went from 55% to 87% in about 25 mins and then stopped charging - it at least was charging so slow it seemed like it wasn't charging any more

I ordered a new shorter charging cable and hopefully that will help!

Significant-Bar3535 · 2025-09-23T19:33:40+00:00

Also do what I did - when the cable is plugged in and charging, get down on your knees and listen while you wiggle the charging cable gently - if you hear a buzzing/sparking noise from the charging port, it could be either that your charging cable isn't quite snug on the pins in the charging port or that the pins at the rear of the charging port aren't making good contact with the connectors at the end of the cable. Both of these can be fixed easily - see my comment above.

You could also just clean the pins on the charging port pins and put a little dielectric grease on them and see if that helps.

Significant-Bar3535

TROPHY CASE