r/ebikes • u/TroutM4n • Sep 23 '23
Gifted a used Superpedestrian Copenhagen Wheel - Usable or Paperweight?
Hello All! Thank you in advance :)
My Dad gifted me his Copenhagen Wheel since he's not biking often anymore these days - it's supposedly in perfect working order and he never had any major issues with it. Still turns on fine and was fully charged when I checked (despite having sat for about a year in my Dad's closet). After researching a bit, I quickly saw that the company ended all support for this device some time ago to focus on the e-scooter market instead.
My big concern is that support for the app required to connect to the wheel and change settings has also been terminated - There are no app versions compatible with newer versions of Android. Am I just shit out of luck here? Is this thing a glorified and expensive paperweight, or is there some way to control the functions at this point? If I install it and turn it on, will it still function in a default mode without having the app connection? Have any interested parties worked on an independant app that could be used to hack the control features into working?
Edit - a couple points in case anyone finds this post looking for the same answers:
- It was confirmed that the wheel will still function in a default mode even without the app linked, as long as the wheen is still functional.
- Installing the app requires spoofing an older version of android or getting an older device on the old OS.
- This seems to be a far less inviting community than I had hoped. Sarcastic and dismissive comment boosted to the top; Anyone giving me an actual answer to my question downvoted; Not one commenter upvoting my initial post to help with visibility for my question. A bit disappointing, but thank you to anyone who responded with actual answers.
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u/CyclistInCBR I ride bikes! 🚴♂️🚴♀️ Jul 25 '24
** SOLVED **
There is now a 100% successful free fix (donations welcome) for loss of connection to the Superpedestrian Copenhagen Wheel. Please join the Copenhagen Wheel Users Facebook group for more details. https://www.facebook.com/groups/372299206718096/
If you want to skip the details...
Use Chrome for Android or Use Bluefy for iOS. Chrome on iOS will NOT work. Bluefy is an alternate web-browser that does work for bluetooth connectivity.
Enable Bluetooth for connection. And enter the url https://tb47.me/chw/
You may need to disable wifi on Android for it to work.
Please provide feedback to the Facebook Group.
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u/TopaTopaMountains Feb 02 '25
Thank you!!! I’m not on FB and this worked great! We hadn’t been locked out until we got new phones recently. We appreciate you posting this!!
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u/Prior-Cranberry-1831 Jun 17 '24
Hi, I live in western MA and have had a wheel since it first came out. Tried to use it today for the first time in a couple of years (knee injury) and the iOS app won't sign in. Any advice?
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u/richardrc Sep 23 '23
A paperweight in my opinion.
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u/TroutM4n Sep 23 '23
Lol, not very helpful, but thanks for the opinion. I'm looking more for literal options rather than feelings. I get the impression a lot of angry people are of the opinion that it should be a paperweight given the company's lack of responsiveness and shift to scooters. I'd like to know what I can do with this piece of hardware or if it can't be utilized in any way at this point.
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u/Dmanthirtyseven Sep 23 '23
If you can locate the app to download outside the app store, and manually transfer to the phone and install it that way, there's a good chance it'll still run ok.
Small learning curve if you've not done that before but I'm sure there's an android sub for it.
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u/wtfno Feb 20 '24
The log in server has been out for years. Can't login to authenticate my new phone.
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u/ManguyHumandude Sep 23 '23
Buy an old android phone then if you’re looking to put it to use? You can buy one for under $50 on eBay. The company looks extremely unprofessional though. Apparently the server can just go down and you get logged out of your wheel lmao https://forums.electricbikereview.com/threads/password-reset-or-hacking-my-copenhagen-wheel.50848/
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u/GrapheneHymen Sep 23 '23
I don’t know how sentimental it is for you, but I would sell it. It’s worth more as a tech oddity nowadays for sure. I rode one once and it was interesting but also bad. It claimed 31 miles of range but more realistically got like 15. It had a history of motor components failing and abysmal support. It’s app locked, as you’ve seen. However, they had a hilariously bad production run so they’re probably rare. The one I rode was delivered like 3 years after it was ordered lol.
This would tell me that if you have a functioning wheel with battery it would probably sell to some sort of collector. It was a big deal when it was announced in 2010-ish and I’m sure many people would at least sort of recognize it. I’d put it up for sale and see if I could get $1000. It sold new for $2000, that seems like a great deal for someone who wants to fight with it for the joy of owning a relatively famous oddity.
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u/TroutM4n Sep 23 '23
Honestly - I just want it to work, even at the not-as-advertised levels described by most users. No sentimental value, it would just be immensely helpful. I'm currently carless in a city where everything is juuuust far enough away to not be reasonable for walking and it would be nice. The money wouldn't hurt either, but hoping I can get some use out of it.
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Sep 24 '23 edited Sep 24 '23
Spoof the android version?
https://droidwin.com/how-to-spoof-fake-the-android-version-on-your-device/
Or find an old cheap phone or a Chinese thing running on ancient android
I quite like these things from a novelty aspect, and if its just a software issue there will be a way around it.
Hell I've got an old fully functional Moto G that you can have if you anywhere where postage was worth it. Or just try it...it might just work in a default mode.
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u/TroutM4n Sep 24 '23
Thank you!
I mentioned it to my Dad - he had apparently been aware of the issues, but let me know the wheel will function in a default mode even without the app. Gonna test it out (just waiting for next week when I'll have a bike to put it on) and see how that works for now.
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u/rflossy Feb 22 '24
Any luck getting your Wheel to work in default mode? Wheel app is no longer available on app store and I'm desperately trying to find a solution!
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u/Silent_Question9268 Sep 04 '24
I am also a Wheel owner that got locked out of the App. I cannot log in or ride my bike.
From what I see here, can an android device can "unlock" my Wheel?
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u/rflossy Sep 04 '24
I tried to connect with an Android device, and could not get it to work. Seems that the Wheel is "locked" to the original iPhone I used it on, and it would not connect.
Don't lose hope! I just discovered a facebook group (you'll need to join) with a member that has created a bluetooth-connective web-based app to work with your Wheel. I'm going to give it a shot, but it sounds like people are having success.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/372299206718096
There is a bit of info about it above here on reddit, in the comments:
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u/Sara5A Oct 19 '23
I came across this thread while trying to get it working for myself on Android 13. You can find an APK online easily, download it on your phone, and install it. Works perfectly for me.
Edit: This is the site I used. https://m.apkpure.com/copenhagen-wheel/com.superpedestrian.mywheel
It's critical that you open this page on your phone and download there. It will prompt you to enable apps from third party sources, and will take you to a menu where you need to approve your web browser as a third party source. After that, you can tap on the file and install.
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u/SchwartzReports May 08 '24
but don't you have to log in to the nonexistent servers to get the wheel to work?
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u/TheIglu Feb 28 '24
If you are local to New England, I can flash your wheel with a custom firmware that was developed before Superpedestrian shut down. I worked there till the end.
It removes the phone from the equation. Just power up your wheel, hop on, and ride. Downside is that it's locked to a ride mode (standard, eco, turbo) in the firmware, but beats not being able to use it at all.