I’ve been riding Rocky Mountain’s Instinct Powerplay SL since spring, and while its range already impressed me, I recently got the chance to try their Overtime Pack 2.0 range extender on the bike. Shortly after I got the Overtime Pack 2.0, Rocky Mountain announced a firmware update that boosts the torque and wattage on their SL eMTBs. I got my test bike updated and hit the trails to see how much extra power it had to offer.

For all the details on the Instinct Powerplay SL Carbon 70 eMTB, check out my recent review. In this article, we’ll discuss how the firmware update affected the bike’s power output and how much extra range the Overtime Pack 2.0 affords. Unfortunately, I also had two technical issues with the bike, but both were quick and easy to fix.

SL Firmware Update – Power Output:

Rocky Mountain’s firmware update for the Instinct Powerplay SL’s Dyname 4.0 Lite motor puts this bike into a blurry category somewhere between mid and full-powered eMTBs. The update increases the motor’s wattage to a maximum of 700W and boosts its torque to 75Nm. The bike’s original output was 550W/65Nm. While the new specs don’t quite match full-powered eMTBs, the Instinct Powerplay SL puts that out while weighing 45lbs.

Here’s one thing that’s great to know: If you get the update but decide you prefer more range over increased power, you can use the Jumbotron display to set the bike back to a configuration that doesn’t compromise its range. The choice is yours!

As soon as I hopped on the updated bike, the additional power was noticeable in every assist mode (Eco/Trail/Trail+/Ludicrous). I’d typically ride in Trail mode just to get across town to the trailhead, but on the first post-update ride, I stayed in Eco. I could tell Eco mode (25% output) was providing a bit more power than before, and realized it could be more usable for easier parts of a ride when you wish to preserve range.

At the climb, I switched up into Trail mode (45% output), and the bike definitely felt more powerful than before. It doesn’t quite match the pre-update Trail+ mode, and this mode is still not going to set record pace, but it’s powerful enough to help considerably on most climbs. As noted with Eco mode, I suspect riders might be tempted to use Trail mode more often, which could balance out the bike’s reduced range with the firmware update. I could happily climb all day with the level of assist provided by the increased Trail mode… but the higher modes ramp up your speed!

Between the four modes, the one I didn’t feel a drastic difference with was Trail+ (70% output). Even pre-update, Trail+ offered enough power to get you up any climb, and it’s the mode I’d guess most riders will spend the most time in. The updated Trail+ mode definitely felt more powerful than the old Trail+; I just felt the differences in the other modes were more obvious.

Ludicrous mode (100% output) is now even more Ludicrous! Using all its power, the Instinct Powerplay SL eagerly pulls you up most climbs as long as you’re simply keeping the pedals spinning. What I noticed after the update was how easily I could climb in a gear or two higher than I would in pre-update Ludicrous mode. This just gets you further, faster: On an hour-long climb test checking battery usage, I went about 20% further this time vs. the same test on the pre-update bike!

The other difference I noticed is how Ludicrous mode would keep me at a fast pace even when my cadence felt a bit slow. It seems 700W is enough power that if you reduce your cadence a bit (like missing a shift before a steep burst), the motor will just carry you along anyway.

The only time the updated bike doesn’t feel noticeably more powerful is when you get into a situation where your pedals are moving too slowly to provoke the motor’s peak output. As stated above, Ludicrous mode will power you through a few slow cranks impressively well, but overall the updated bike still needs its usual cadence range to deliver power generously.

Updated Range, Without Overtime Pack:

Rocky Mountain notes that the firmware update will result in reduced range, so I tracked a few rides on the updated bike. My first test was up the same trail I rode while testing the bike’s pre-update range, and both rides were in Ludicrous mode. Climbing for an hour straight, I used 50% of the bike’s battery. This was only 7% more battery capacity I used on the pre-update test… but there was a difference. This time, I had made it about 20% further up the mountain!

On another ride, I tested Trail+ mode. On this ride, 1:20 of climbing ate up 48% of the battery. I took a break, descended (with a few short pedals) and rode home, and after 2:10 on the trails, the bike had used 56% battery capacity.

Previous to the update, I recorded using 37% of the battery in Trail+ mode over two hours of ride time. The firmware update clearly does reduce the Instinct Powerplay SL’s range, but it’s not too drastic.

Overtime Pack 2.0 – In the Box:

Now let’s talk about the range extender! Included in the Overtime Pack 2.0’s box is the 314Wh battery pack, a cable to connect the battery to the Dyname 4.0 full-power eMTBs, and a charging adapter that connects to the bike’s charger.  

For the Instinct Powerplay SL with the Dyname 4.0 Lite motor, a different cable to connect to the bike and an SL-specific battery mount are both required. Both are sold separately. It would be great if RMB offered two separate packages for full-power or SL bikes, so SL owners don’t have to purchase extra parts and wind up with a cable they don’t need.

The Overtime Pack 2.0 weighed in at 4.28lbs, not including the power cable and mounting hardware. Full MSRP for the Overtime Pack is $719, but it’s currently selling on RMB’s website at $575.

Installation/Charging:

Installing the Overtime Pack was simple. The only issue I had was the torx bolts provided with the SL mount RMB sent me bottomed out in the frame, and would not hold the mount securely! I had to use the Allen key bolts that came on the bike instead.

I had no problems with the Overtime Pack coming loose during my rides. The locking pin makes it easy to remove and re-install: It only takes a half-turn of an allen key to lock in the mounting pin, and it’s easy to feel when it’s properly secured. The cable that connects the Overtime Pack to the bike sticks out slightly when connected, but I never caught a foot or crank on it while riding.

It’s handy to know the Overtime Pack will start charging the bike’s main battery as soon as you plug it in. As you ride, the Overtime Pack feeds its power to the bike’s battery until it dies. The Jumbotron display changes to show you the Overtime Pack is sending power – A little lightning bolt appears in the battery icon.

The Overtime Pack doesn’t have a light to show when it’s charging, but the bike’s charger does have an indicator LED. As long as there’s some juice in the Overtime Pack, you can push its single button to see its charge level. The words “Ride More Faster Further” light up to indicate 25/50/75/100% charge.

Rocky’s claimed 2hr charge time proved accurate, but for some reason, my first charge didn’t do anything! I plugged in the Overtime Pack for two hours, went to ride, and the battery wouldn’t even turn on. After that, every other charge worked fine.

One issue I noticed is that the Overtime Pack would lose some of its charge while sitting around. I left it for five days after a full charge, and found it showing 75% power. The next charge did the same, but another five or six days later, the battery still held at 75%. After more charge cycles, I found the Overtime Pack could sit for three days without losing any power. In sum, you’ll want to charge it relatively soon before you ride with it.

Overtime Pack 2.0 – Range:

I did my range testing with the Overtime Pack after updating the Instinct Powerplay SL, so bear in mind the range should be even better if you haven’t updated your bike (or if you’ve reverted it to a range-saving configuration). I focused on how much range the Overtime Pack itself was providing, and here’s what I came up with after several rides.

First off, I’ll note it’s a funny feeling when you’re climbing and watching your battery capacity increase! In lower assist levels, the Overtime Pack contributes enough power that on my first test, my bike battery went from 22% up to 29% after 50 minutes of steady climbing in Trail mode! While lapping two short descents, the battery went as high as 37%.

I then climbed for another 45 minutes in Trail+, and about 30 minutes in, I checked the Overtime Pack and it was dead. At the end of this climb, the bike’s battery was right back where it started at 22%. On this ride, the Overtime Pack provided enough power for 1:35 of climbing in Trail/Trail+ modes, plus about 40 more minutes of on-trail time.

In Ludicrous mode, the Overtime Pack cannot feed enough power to the bike’s battery to keep up with what it demands. On my first test, 30 minutes of climbing took the main battery from 42-31% with the Overtime Pack plugged in. That ride ended quickly with a battery fault (see below), so I tried again.

On the next ride, I climbed for 1:20 entirely in Ludicrous mode, and this used up 98% of the Overtime Pack’s capacity, plus brought the main battery down from 89% to 73%. Just before descending, I noticed the Overtime Pack was still delivering power, but not much was left. As I descended, the main battery got back up to 78%, but the Overtime Pack was now fully dead. The Jumbotron did not show the lightning bolt icon anymore, and the bike’s battery dropped to 73% as I finished my ride. After 2:40 on the trails, I drained the Overtime Pack and used just 16% of the main battery.

Of course, every ride and every rider is different, but hopefully that gives you an idea of roughly how much further the Overtime Pack 2.0 can take the updated Instinct Powerplay SL.

Technical Difficulties – Re-Calibration:

Since spring, I’ve done a ton of riding on the Instinct Powerplay SL Carbon 70 without any technical issues… but shortly after my bike review was posted, I had a problem with the drive system. Thankfully, it didn’t leave me stranded, and the problem was easily resolved at home.

During one of my rides, the motor suddenly started overdriving after I stopped pedalling, and even driving itself for no reason! Once it started doing this, it did so consistently throughout the rest of that ride, with the motor even kicking in while I was descending trails. When it happened, the motor would drive the chain/cassette but would not output enough power to actually pull the bike along.

After this happened, I shut the bike off and back on, and it showed a ‘safety lock’ warning on the display, saying it’s detecting pressure on the pedals while the bike is not moving (and suggesting a recalibration). This cuts off the bike’s power, but switching the bike off/on again made the error go away, and I was able to finish my ride with assist power.

The motor’s odd behavior had me worried, but Rocky Mountain informed me the bike just needed a calibration. Using the on-board diagnostic menus, I was able to do the quick and easy calibration procedure myself, and since then, the bike has behaved normally.

Battery Fault:

On one of my final rides, I had an issue with the bike’s main battery. After a short climb, I was shooting photos and discovered a battery fault message. The display said to restart the bike, and if the problem persists to see your dealer. I tried restarting it several times, but the problem did not go away. I was now stuck at the top of a trail with no assist power. Since I had the Overtime Pack, I should note that with this error occurring, the pack would not provide power to the bike at all. When I got home, I tried charging the main battery through the bike’s charge port, and it would not work.

Looking into the Jumbotron’s ‘details’ screen, I found a message suggesting checking the battery connection and ensuring it was secure and clean. When I pulled the battery out of the bike, the area around the connection was not dirty.

Thankfully, I then noticed the LEDs on the battery were all flashing green. Randomly, I tried holding the button on the battery down, and after ten seconds, the LEDs went dark. I must have reset the battery, because I plugged the charger directly into the battery and it accepted a charge. When I tried charging it through the bike’s port, it worked just fine, too. I’ve ridden the bike twice since this incident and had no further problems. 

It’s always disappointing to have technical issues with pricey eMTBs, but thankfully, both of the Instinct Powerplay SL’s issues were correctable without visiting a shop or replacing any components. Also, had I known to reset the bike’s battery (which would be easy to do on the trailside), I likely would have been able to continue my ride after the battery fault.

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