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Fobo Bike Bluetooth TPMS - Unboxing and Installation

PortlandZinMan

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A friend of mine has been running these on his two bikes for over a year without an issue - on a ride a few weeks ago, I saw him whip out his iPhone and announce he was doublechecking his tire pressure. I was intrigued as it is something I do before every ride with a manual gauge and it is a pain in the arse...

I finally pulled the trigger and bought a set for the NC at $99 on Amazon. Installation was SUPER easy IF you follow the instructions - there is a definite order to things.

Some things of note – the instructions indicate that metal valve stems are preferred but good condition rubber ones are fine, but need to be monitored. Again, my friend indicated he had no issues with wheel balance or a new set of rubber valve stems, so I am going to risk it (grin) and switch to metal on the next tire change.

Upon installation, I immediately got tire pressure indication on my iPhone that were almost dead on from my professional tire pressure gauge. I also really like the temperature indicators as well.

(Later) actually read the manual all the way through and found a really cool feature - if you are riding with your helmet comms connected to your phone (for example a Sena headset), the Fobo will warn you with an audible alarm if it detects a low pressure condition (like running over a nail). I REALLY like that!! That makes the $99 worth it - that early warning could be a life saver!

Photos are below and I’ll post a follow-up in a few weeks…

IMG_5584.jpgIMG_5585.jpgIMG_5586.jpgIMG_5588.JPGIMG_5589.jpg
 
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So the 2016 model has 90⁰ valve stems, wonder how/if that changes things?! Pretty cool otherwise!
 
Curious about theft. Can someone just come around and unscrew it?


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Curious about theft. Can someone just come around and unscrew it?
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

No issue....Two things - a set reverse screw makes just reaching down and unscrewing it almost impossible - also, it is "registered" to my log in and not usable to anyone else.
 
I've been wanting a set of these pretty bad. I've held off because I worry about adding stress to the valve stems, but I'd assume there'd be stories on the Internet, if there were problems.

I have a question though, when a tire does lose some pressure and you have to add air is there a lot of hassle involved?
 
I've been wanting a set of these pretty bad. I've held off because I worry about adding stress to the valve stems, but I'd assume there'd be stories on the Internet, if there were problems.

I have a question though, when a tire does lose some pressure and you have to add air is there a lot of hassle involved?

Adding air is a snap - they supply a cool tool to disengage the theft deterrent and you are good to go...
 
I wish I had taken a picture of the bike last weekend that had a permanently deformed rubber valve stem from being bent over. To be fair he has had the sensors on a long time and rides long distances. That was a scary sight.

My thing is that I have had metal 83 degree stems long before I began using similar stem-mounted pressure sensors. I had no additional cost involved. Metal stems last pretty much the life of the bike and you will never need to replace them. If I think about the number of tires and valves replaced on my ST1300 alone ( about 21 sets of tires to date ) the Ariete stems were paid for many times over. Any bike I own I change to these at the first tire change.
 
Adding air is a snap - they supply a cool tool to disengage the theft deterrent and you are good to go...

Fobo also sells some "T" valve stems so you can add air without removing the sensor. The hassle of removing the sensor to add a pound of air has kept me from getting these. The T valve would work, but then there's what seems to be a lot more weight (relatively speaking) from that valve set up.

28c7aeb5e294971b1c328c55c5b8238a.png



Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Adding air is a snap - they supply a cool tool to disengage the theft deterrent and you are good to go...

Another must-have tool to keep on the bike at all times if you go this route. Not necessarily a bad thing, but something to keep in mind. Also, if you don't do your own tyre changes, be sure to either remove them before taking the tyres/bike in, or to let the technician know how to properly remove them with the supplied tool. Probably safer to remove them yourself first!!

I have similar (non-BT) TPMS sensors for my RV. There's a couple of optional models to choose from and I know that some of them you have to send back to the manufacturer for battery changes, and others you can use a tiny (think smaller than eyeglass) screwdriver to remove a few screws to remove an outside, weatherproof cover. While you can get replacement batteries at a number of locations (Amazon, drug store etc.), they do also recommend checking the small internal gasket and replacing it if it looks worn or has become misshapen. These look to use the common CR2032 batteries so they must be user replaceable, which is good! Do they also have an internal weather proofing gasket? Assuming that they work in a similar manner, you should also remove them if you're not using the bike for an extended period of time, this will save the battery as tyre pressure activates them.
 
My thing is that I have had metal 83 degree stems long before I began using similar stem-mounted pressure sensors. I had no additional cost involved. Metal stems last pretty much the life of the bike and you will never need to replace them. If I think about the number of tires and valves replaced on my ST1300 alone ( about 21 sets of tires to date ) the Ariete stems were paid for many times over. Any bike I own I change to these at the first tire change.

Totally agree - will be switching to metal on the next tire change....
 
These look to use the common CR2032 batteries so they must be user replaceable, which is good! Do they also have an internal weather proofing gasket? Assuming that they work in a similar manner, you should also remove them if you're not using the bike for an extended period of time, this will save the battery as tyre pressure activates them.

The batteries are replaceable (they even include an extra set). There is a gasket as well. As for removing, they indicate that this is not necessary...the batteries last up to 2 years and take minutes to replace. The iPhone app even shows the current status of the batteries (see photo on message 1).
 
A friend of mine has been running these on his two bikes for over a year without an issue - on a ride a few weeks ago, I saw him whip out his iPhone and announce he was doublechecking his tire pressure. I was intrigued as it is something I do before every ride with a manual gauge and it is a pain in the arse...

I finally pulled the trigger and bought a set for the NC at $99 on Amazon.
These have been on the back burner for me since I didn't have an iPhone. I recently inherited an iPhone 7 from my daughter, so thanks, your thread has moved them up to the front burner.

I decided to pull the trigger too. I ordered mine straight from FOBO in Malaysia, same prices as Amazon, cheaper than eBay, free shipping, and I could get a set of three, that included the T-valves, to use on my NC' and Moto-Mule trailer.

FOBO Trike Combo Deal Silver Set + 3 pcs T-Valves $172.00
(Bad Request)

IMG_3189.jpg

Ray
 
OK - as promised, I am reporting back after 2 months of use - I have to say that this is one of the BEST farkles I have installed. Knowing at any time what the current pressures are, hot or cold, really makes the pre-ride checklist go fast. Knowing that the tire pressures are within safety limits is really nice comfort. I just aired up both tires as they approached the low end of the limits I am comfortable with - that effort took no longer than normal.

I also closely inspected the rubber tire stems and they look like new, so I am OK there. I still plan on going with metal ones on the next new set of shoes, but I am riding confidently.

5 stars...
 
So when you add air you remove the units - I assume you have to use the special tool? Do the units re-sync or re-pair automatically when you screw them back on after adding air?


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I've been wanting a set of these pretty bad. I've held off because I worry about adding stress to the valve stems, but I'd assume there'd be stories on the Internet, if there were problems.

I've been running TPMS on my motorcycles for about 10 years. All of the manufactures of external monitors specify metal stems for a reason.

When a valve stem goes, the loss of air is catastrophic and the results can be deadly, it is simply not worth it. I think the metal stems for the NC cost me about $4.00
 
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