<p>My latest blog post: VanSpoof - Prototype 2 - Echo Firmware</p><p><a href="https://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-prototype-2-firmware-1/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mikecoats.com/van-spoof-prototype-2-firmware-1/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mikecoats.com/van-spoof-protot</span><span class="invisible">ype-2-firmware-1/</span></a></p><p>In part 1 and part 2 of building my first VanSpoof prototype, I managed to flash the microcontroller on the PCB with a blinky demo. This time round, let's see about sending and receiving some serial data.</p><p><a href="/tags/code/" rel="tag">#code</a> <a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#eBike</a> <a href="/tags/electronics/" rel="tag">#electronics</a> <a href="/tags/embedded/" rel="tag">#embedded</a> <a href="/tags/firmware/" rel="tag">#firmware</a> <a href="/tags/hardware/" rel="tag">#hardware</a> <a href="/tags/opensource/" rel="tag">#openSource</a> <a href="/tags/reverseengineering/" rel="tag">#reverseEngineering</a> <a href="/tags/rust/" rel="tag">#rust</a> <a href="/tags/rustlang/" rel="tag">#rustLang</a> <a href="/tags/software/" rel="tag">#software</a> <a href="/tags/stm32/" rel="tag">#stm32</a> <a href="/tags/vanmoof/" rel="tag">#vanMoof</a></p>
ebike
<p>My latest blog post: I'm presenting at the 2025 Open Hardware Summit</p><p><a href="https://mikecoats.com/presenting-at-ohs-2025-cta/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mikecoats.com/presenting-at-ohs-2025-cta/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mikecoats.com/presenting-at-oh</span><span class="invisible">s-2025-cta/</span></a></p><p>I'm excited to announce that in one month's time I'm presenting at <span class="h-card"><a href="https://mastodon.social/@oshwassociation" class="u-url mention" rel="nofollow noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">@<span>oshwassociation</span></a></span>'s Open Hardware Summit 2025. My talk's titled "VanSpoof and F**dG3ar: Reverse engineering proprietary bike components to prevent e-waste" and covers everything involved in designing replacement, open source, parts to repair VanMoof e-bikes.</p><p><a href="/tags/electronics/" rel="tag">#electronics</a> <a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#eBike</a> <a href="/tags/hardware/" rel="tag">#hardware</a> <a href="/tags/opensource/" rel="tag">#openSource</a> <a href="/tags/reverseengineering/" rel="tag">#reverseEngineering</a> <a href="/tags/vanmoof/" rel="tag">#vanMoof</a></p>
<p>went on my first joyride this year on the <a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#ebike</a> and fucking loved it, ended up going over twenty miles! canβt wait for even warmer weather.. and maybe even sluttier fits? is that possible?</p><p><a href="/tags/transjoy/" rel="tag">#transjoy</a> <a href="/tags/trans/" rel="tag">#trans</a></p>
<p>My latest blog post: I presented at the 2025 Open Hardware Summit</p><p><a href="https://mikecoats.com/presented-at-ohs-2025/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mikecoats.com/presented-at-ohs-2025/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mikecoats.com/presented-at-ohs</span><span class="invisible">-2025/</span></a></p><p>Apologies for the break in blogging, but I've spent the past month preparing for, and then giving, my 'VanSpoof and F**dG3ar' talk at the 2025 Open Hardware Summit.</p><p><a href="/tags/electronics/" rel="tag">#electronics</a> <a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#eBike</a> <a href="/tags/hardware/" rel="tag">#hardware</a> <a href="/tags/ohs2025/" rel="tag">#OHS2025</a> <a href="/tags/openhardware/" rel="tag">#openHardware</a> <a href="/tags/opensource/" rel="tag">#openSource</a> <a href="/tags/reverseengineering/" rel="tag">#reverseEngineering</a> <a href="/tags/vanmoof/" rel="tag">#vanMoof</a></p>
<p>My latest blog post: VanSpoof - Prototype 1 - Hardware</p><p><a href="https://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-prototype-1-part-1/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mikecoats.com/van-spoof-prototype-1-part-1/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mikecoats.com/van-spoof-protot</span><span class="invisible">ype-1-part-1/</span></a></p><p>Let's look at building a prototype PCB for my VanSpoof project. I really want to get better at soldering SMD components, so I'm going to try to use as few through-hole parts as I can get away with.</p><p><a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#eBike</a> <a href="/tags/electronics/" rel="tag">#electronics</a> <a href="/tags/hardware/" rel="tag">#hardware</a> <a href="/tags/opensource/" rel="tag">#openSource</a> <a href="/tags/reverseengineering/" rel="tag">#reverseEngineering</a> <a href="/tags/vanmoof/" rel="tag">#vanMoof</a></p>
<p>My latest blog post: VanSpoof β A-Muntzing We Will Go</p><p><a href="https://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-muntzing/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mikecoats.com/van-spoof-muntzing/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mikecoats.com/van-spoof-muntzi</span><span class="invisible">ng/</span></a></p><p>With my first few VanSpoof prototypes assembled, I had noticed that the L78L05 was sometimes getting a little hot. Instead of knuckling down and calculating more suitable component values, I turned to the tried and tested method of Muntzing to get my power draw down.</p><p><a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#eBike</a> <a href="/tags/electronics/" rel="tag">#electronics</a> <a href="/tags/hardware/" rel="tag">#hardware</a> <a href="/tags/muntzing/" rel="tag">#muntzing</a> <a href="/tags/opensource/" rel="tag">#openSource</a> <a href="/tags/vanmoof/" rel="tag">#vanMoof</a></p>
<p>My latest blog post: Low Tech Prototyping</p><p><a href="https://mikecoats.com/low-tech-prototyping/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mikecoats.com/low-tech-prototyping/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mikecoats.com/low-tech-prototy</span><span class="invisible">ping/</span></a></p><p>My existing prototypes are too big to fit on the bike, so I turn to one of my favourite low tech prototyping methods; 1:1 scale models in card and fibreboard!</p><p><a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#eBike</a> <a href="/tags/electronics/" rel="tag">#electronics</a> <a href="/tags/hardware/" rel="tag">#hardware</a> <a href="/tags/prototyping/" rel="tag">#prototyping</a> <a href="/tags/vanmoof/" rel="tag">#vanMoof</a></p>
<p>My latest blog post: VanSpoof - Prototype 2 - Shrunken PCBs</p><p><a href="https://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-prototype-2-hardware/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="mikecoats.com/van-spoof-prototype-2-hardware/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">mikecoats.com/van-spoof-protot</span><span class="invisible">ype-2-hardware/</span></a></p><p>The VanSpoof PCB has to be no bigger than 31.5 mm by 21.5 mm to fit. Unfortunately, Molex's SMD footprints are quite wide so the board needed a fair bit of layout work to make everything fit.</p><p><a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#eBike</a> <a href="/tags/electronics/" rel="tag">#electronics</a> <a href="/tags/hardware/" rel="tag">#hardware</a> <a href="/tags/opensource/" rel="tag">#openSource</a> <a href="/tags/reverseengineering/" rel="tag">#reverseEngineering</a> <a href="/tags/vanmoof/" rel="tag">#vanMoof</a></p>
<p>My latest blog post: VanSpoof v1.0</p><p><a href="https://mikecoats.com/van-spoof-v1-0/" rel="nofollow"><span class="invisible">https://</span>mikecoats.com/van-spoof-v1-0/</a></p><p>I'm happy to announce the v1.0 release of VanSpoof. My VanMoof X3 now starts up, without an e-shifter connected, and does not show an Error 44 status! The bike thinks it's connected to a working, functional, e-shifter!</p><p><a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#eBike</a> <a href="/tags/electronics/" rel="tag">#electronics</a> <a href="/tags/opensource/" rel="tag">#openSource</a> <a href="/tags/reverseengineering/" rel="tag">#reverseEngineering</a> <a href="/tags/rustlang/" rel="tag">#rustLang</a> <a href="/tags/stm32/" rel="tag">#stm32</a> <a href="/tags/vanmoof/" rel="tag">#vanMoof</a></p>
<p>The NJ senate and assembly are trying to rush a bad bill through that would make all low-speed e-bikes βmotorized bicyclesβ. They want to do away with the class 1/2/3 system and require a drivers license, insurance, and registration for all e-bikes. </p><p>I think this is bad for my family and community. If you do too reach out to your legislators. </p><p><a href="https://actionnetwork.org/letters/save-low-speed-e-bikes-stop-s4834-a6235/" rel="nofollow" class="ellipsis" title="actionnetwork.org/letters/save-low-speed-e-bikes-stop-s4834-a6235/"><span class="invisible">https://</span><span class="ellipsis">actionnetwork.org/letters/save</span><span class="invisible">-low-speed-e-bikes-stop-s4834-a6235/</span></a></p><p><a href="/tags/newjersey/" rel="tag">#NewJersey</a> <a href="/tags/cycling/" rel="tag">#cycling</a> <a href="/tags/biketooter/" rel="tag">#BikeTooter</a> <a href="/tags/ebike/" rel="tag">#ebike</a> <a href="/tags/transit/" rel="tag">#transit</a></p>