A critical update is required for the SmartSense Gen. 2 (2025+) battery that improves long-term battery health, increases battery life accuracy, and adds the ability to factory reset the battery with a 10 second button hold. If your battery firmware is not 2.22 or later, please perform the update.
To verify the firmware version of your battery, open the Cannondale App and go to Garage. (Add your bike if it’s not there yet.) Tap your bike’s SmartSense card, then scroll to the bottom—the current Battery Firmware version is listed there.
This process will take up to 15 minutes to complete. It can be completed from your mobile phone or desktop computer. When plugged in via USB-C, the radar shows up as a USB device – when you place the firmware update file in a specific folder, it will update the SmartSense firmware. Follow the instructions below for your device. The Cannondale App is not required to complete this update, but adding your bike and SmartSense to the app will make it possible to confirm the latest firmware has been applied.
If you feel uncomfortable with any of these steps, please take the bike to your local dealer who will be able to help you with the process.
Update using your Desktop computer
- Make sure that your battery is charged to at least 50%
- Remove your battery from the bike
- On your computer, download the latest firmware here or by entering this short url: https://bit.ly/battery-fw
- Connect your computer to the USB-C port (protected by a dust cover) on the back of your radar/taillight device. A green LED will appear on the side of the device when connected.
- Open Finder (Mac) or Windows Explorer (PC)
- You should see a new device called “GARMIN”
- If the device does not appear, your cable likely does not support data transfer. Please try again with a cable that supports data transfer.
- Find the firmware file “EXTERN_1.img” on your computer and right click and select Copy
- Open the GARMIN device
- Select the “GARMIN” folder
- Select the “REMOTESW” folder
- Select the “EXTERNAL” folder
- Right click and Paste the file into this folder
- Wait until the file has transferred to the device. This may take a couple minutes.
- Safely eject the radar device. This is an option if you click on the USB icon in the bottom right corner of your home window in Windows OS, or click the Eject icon next to the device in Mac OS.
- Disconnect the USB-C cable from the taillight
- Wait 10 seconds
- Install the battery into the bike
- The bike should turn on for a few seconds, then enter firmware update mode. This will be flashing blue/green on the status LED of the radar and flashing red/blue/green on the battery
- Wait until the status lights have stopped flashing and the system turns on. This will take 10-15 minutes
- Once the system has turned on, check your SmartSense in the Cannondale App to make sure the battery firmware has updated to 2.22 or later.
- Your system is now updated and ready to ride with improved battery life estimates and improved long-term battery health
Update using your iOS device
- Make sure that your battery is charged to at least 50%
- Remove your battery from the bike
- Open Safari on your phone, open a new Tab and download the latest firmware here or by entering this short url: https://bit.ly/battery-fw
- Connect your phone to the USB-C port (protected by a dust cover) on the back of your radar/taillight device. A green LED will appear on the side of the device when connected.
- Open the Files app on your phone
- Open the Browse tab, and you should see the device appear in the Locations list as “GARMIN”
- If the device does not appear, your cable likely does not support data transfer. Please try again with a cable that supports data transfer.
- In the Locations list, open iCloud Drive and open your “Downloads” folder
- Find the firmware file “EXTERN_1.img” – tap and hold the file until the menu appears.
- Select “Copy” at the top of the menu
- Go back to Browse and tap on the GARMIN device
- Select the “GARMIN” folder
- Select the REMOTESW folder
- Select the “EXTERNAL” folder
- Tap and hold on the screen and select Paste from the menu
- Wait until the file has transferred to the device. This may take a couple minutes.
- Disconnect the USB-C cable from the taillight
- Wait 10 seconds
- Install the battery into the bike
- The bike should turn on for a few seconds, then enter firmware update mode. This will be flashing blue/green on the status LED of the radar and flashing red/blue/green on the battery
- Wait until the status lights have stopped flashing and the system turns on. This will take 10-15 minutes
- Once the system has turned on, check your SmartSense in the Cannondale App to make sure the battery firmware has updated to 2.22 or later.
- Your system is now updated and ready to ride with improved battery life estimates and improved long-term battery health
Update using your Android device
- Make sure that your battery is charged to at least 50%
- Remove your battery from the bike
- Download and install the Google “Files” app from the app store.
- Download the latest firmware here or from this short url: https://bit.ly/battery-fw
- Connect your phone to the USB-C port (protected by a dust cover) on the back of your radar/taillight device. A green status LED will appear on the side of the device when connected.
- Open the Files app on your phone
- The radar should appear as “Varia eRTL615” in the “All Storage” section at the bottom of the main screen.
- If the device does not appear, your cable likely does not support data transfer. Please try again with a cable that supports data transfer.
- Go to “Downloads”
- Find the firmware updates that you just downloaded and click on the “More” icon that is 3 vertical dots. The update should be named “EXTERN_1.img”
- Select “Copy to”
- Select “Varia eRTL615”
- Select the “GARMIN” folder
- Select the REMOTESW folder
- Select the “EXTERNAL” folder
- Select “Copy Here”
- Wait until the file has transferred to the device. This may take a couple minutes
- Disconnect the USB-C cable from the taillight
- Wait 10 seconds
- Install the battery into the bike
- The bike should turn on for a few seconds, then enter firmware update mode. This will be flashing blue/green on the status LED of the radar and flashing red/blue/green on the battery
- Wait until the status lights have stopped flashing and the system turns on. This will take 10-15 minutes
- Once the system has turned on, check your SmartSense in the Cannondale App to make sure the battery firmware has updated to 2.22 or later.
- Your system is now updated and ready to ride with improved battery life estimates and improved long-term battery health