This guide details the steps required to upgrade the controller firmware on CAKE bikes with siliXcon controllers, such as Osa and Kalk.
The process and the information below has been pieced together from various sources over the few months following CAKE’s bankruptcy (mostly the helpful siliXcon documentation, the HackCAKE FB Group, and the Cake Riders Club Discord forum). Please note that whilst these steps are tried and tested, this is not an official guide and should be carried out only at your own risk.
See the “Osa/Kalk controller” thread on Discord for full information, sources, and ongoing discussion. (You can find a Discord invite link on the Cake Riders Club homepage.)
Firmware upgrades are not usually necessary. While there may be some small changes, the performance of the bike will not likely change in any way, and it is possible that introducing new firmware to an old bike can cause unexpected problems. There are some cases where a firmware upgrade might be required (e.g. v2.8+ for use of the Osa XL battery), but in most cases it's recommended to take the “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach when it comes to firmware.
It’s likely that CAKE intended this firmware upgrade process to be used only to install newer firmware for your specific model of bike. However, there’s nothing stopping you installing any available firmware onto your controller (Osa Flex, Osa+, Kalk, etc). But because CAKE’s firmware is closed source and we don’t know what differs between each firmware, it’s possible that running your bike with unintended firmware could result in unexpected problems. It could also be unsafe and/or illegal to use depending on your local regulations.
The controller’s USB connection is not galvanically isolated. Remove/disconnect the battery and wait 15 minutes before connecting to the controller. Do not power the bike when connected to the controller via USB.
The new firmware is retrieved via siliXcon's SRM service. The firmware is available on the SRM for 2 years after CAKE uploaded it (source). This means that after some time, we’ll not be able to install/upgrade CAKE firmware via this method.
To complete the firmware upgrade process you’ll need:
It’s also recommended to take note of your current odometer reading (mileage counter) as this will be reset if you install a version of firmware that’s different to your current version (e.g. v2 → v3).
Download and install SWTools onto your Windows computer as per the instructions at “siliXcon docs: Get SWTools”
service:cAkE81 into the “credentials” fieldAdditional resources:
swid value at the top; this is your current firmware versionNote: You cannot create a backup of your actual firmware to restore to. Instead, you backup your current configuration and note which firmware version you have installed. Then, if necessary, you can re-install that firmware version again later and configure the variables from the export you saved.
Additional resources:
Note: Your odometer (mileage counter) will be reset if you install a version of firmware that’s different to your current version (e.g. v2 → v3).
swid in the previous step to determine the correct firmware variant for your bikeAdditional resources:
The Ident Run process calibrates the controller and the motor. It’s required after a replacing the motor, the controller, or upgrading controller firmware.
See Motor ID Run guide for detailed instructions for each bike.
Let us know how you got on in Discord!