Mid drive and pedaling
- Thread starter Sfm629
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J.R.
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
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- Piedmont Highlands
The vast majority of mid drive brands do not have throttle, so no, they will not move without pedaling. Some like Bafang have throttle.
Feliz
Well-Known Member
I wouldn't buy an ebike without a throttle! 99.9% of my riding is without a throttle and in PAS1 but I want a throttle to use if and when I need it.
ilanarama
Member
Serious question: when do you need a throttle? I've only tried riding one ebike with a throttle/PAS system, and it felt very weird and non-intuitive to me, but it was the first ebike I ever rode and a small-wheel odd geometry to me, so user error/confusion/discomfort was likely a part of it. Now that I have a bike of my own I mostly ride in the lower assist levels except up steep hills, and on the occasions where I want to get up a short steep, or accelerate away from traffic at a light, etc., I up the assist level. Does a throttle provide something additional? (Again, serious question, I don't know much about throttles.)
TForan, couldn't I come back and say just as easily that electric motors are for scooters, that real bikes are meant to powered solely by humans? I have a "self-loathing" Gain with minimal power and battery. To me a 50 pound bike with a zillion displays and gadgets isn't the same as a "real" bike - but just because that's what I think doesn't mean it's right for anyone else. Ilanarama, I also have another ebike that's a single speed - but it has a throttle. Normally that's not an issue, but trying to cross a busy intersection with tons of cars where it seems like half of the drivers are staring at their phones is scary - being able to almost instantly get up to 20 mph hour can be a life saver when you're on the road with car traffic.
As I said it's a single speed, so without a throttle you either have to pick gearing that takes forever to get up to speed or gearing that is incredibly hard to start from a stop. By having a throttle you can get off the line quickly enough that cars behind you aren't as likely to plow into you. Remember, this isn't some sixty pound monstrosity with dual batteries, huge display, shocks, you know - a bike, not a motorcycle.
indianajo
Well-Known Member
When the pavement is extremely bad, you don't want a PAS forcing you to go 11 mph or accelerate at 500 W like mine did. I ride Hwy 3 some which has a 13" berm outside the line, is frequently rutted 3" wide and 4" deep along the pavement joint, and has occasional potholes "repaired" with a little asphalt so it is no longer 12" deep, only 8". The lanes are 11' wide and the 108" wide trucks do not give me an inch if there is an opposing car. The lawnmower trailers often waggle the trailer at me taking all the room. Riding with full control of the speed with my thumb strikes me as the only way to use electricity. Pedaling myself unpowered on this segment drags me down to 3 mph some hills if the headwind is bad (like today, 20 mph), so using the electricity to get up to 10 mph when possible and off the segment as soon as possible seems wise to me.
Another situation is crossing a 4 lane 55 mph hwy where the light will never turn green for you. 80 lb of metal bicycle is not enough to give the pavement inductor a "request service". Mostly there is not a pedestrian button, but in town where it is, it is located 20' off the pavement to the right and you have to dismount and push the bike across the curb to access the button. Not worth my time. A PAS only control will wait until you crank 1/2 turn before power kicks in. I don't want to wait that long. If a hole in the traffic opens up and the light is still red, I run the throttle to the max, zip across the intersection, and let the drivers wonder "what was that?".
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Feliz
Well-Known Member
Why do some people try to tell others what kind of bike to buy? If you don't want a throttle don't buy a bike that has one. If you don't like throttles but have one simply don't use it. I have bikes with throttles and use them when I want. My bike is no less a bike than yours!
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TForan
Well-Known Member
Who told anybody what bike to buy ? I sure didn't.
rich c
Well-Known Member
My second eBike was a Haibike XDURO Full Seven S RX. Imagine a guy that hadn't ridden a bicycle for 48 years and never ridden on a single trail. But there I was at 64, climbing with my friends, climbing like a mountain goat. I was thrilled. Have fun!
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