Mod to alter PAS control from factory buttons to "throttle style" twist shift?

[MadManMark]

Curious if anyone has done (or even contemplated) this. One of the most clumsy/fidgety things I find with my RadCity is how you increase & decrease the PAS (the buttons on the left side). You always have to look down to locate the button, and sometimes it doesn't register.

It was just an irritant at first, but as a bike commuter living in Wisconsin who is always changing PAS to deal with hills, the onset of cold weather has made it worse, it is much harder to push the button with gloves on, and looking ahead to early in the year when temperatures around here go into the negative Fahrenheit, I usually use Bar Mitts to keep my hands from turning into frozen slabs of meat. But I'm not sure I will be able to change the PAS at all if it is wrapped in a Mitt (I won't even be able to see it, and definitely can't do it by feel with gloves on)

Anyway, to cut to the chase, it strikes me that it would be a better design all around if one could just have a smiliar kind of grip on the left that you have on the right, with the throttle function of the right twist being replaced by two-way (forward for +1, backward for -1, spring snapback to center) twist to control PAS. The function to turn on & off (middle button) and turn on lights would require a seperate control (which IMO makes more sense anyway, it could be mounted somewhere around the display).

Thoughts, alternative suggestions to deal with my quandry?

 

[mrgold35]

I would be interested in a solution also because I bike commute all year. Impossible to adjust PAS levels with winter gloves and Bar Mitts. End up just leaving in PAS 3 to split the difference between hills and flat areas and downshifting to a lower gear if I drop too much speed on longer hills. I can find myself in PAS 0 to PAS 5 if I press on of the buttons just a second too long.

It would be nice to have something like a decent size rocker button raised on both ends that clicks and only moves the PAS up or down one level only.

 

[MadManMark]

Yeah, a rocker would probably be easier to do -- I'm probably being too ambitious with the grip twist idea (though I still think it would be the best design).

It seems like this should be possible, after all, all the signals coming out of the controller are basically digital (on/off, open/closed), nothing variable like the throttle.

 

[AHicks]

I'd be tempted to track down/locate a bigger higher quality rocker switch. Like you said, no rocket science involved here!

That's not saying I don't like the hand throttle concept.....

Don't forget you need a center position to turn the thing on and off!

 

[Banzai]

You hit on the problems with the main switch perfectly MadManMark. It's really my one and only gripe about RAD from the git-go because it forces the rider to fumble more often than not, when just trying to power up the bike.
Actually I'm surprised at the few comments (were there any others) that were posted on this most obvious discrepancy, unless there are only a few of us who actually do use all PAS levels. NOT!
In any case, since I always wear gloves when riding:
1. If any part of the glove is touching the button above or below the center mode switch, the
power won't turn on. And...
2. Switching PAS to the next level up or down will skip two or more levels most of the time. And it is really annoying especially when out in the rough stuff just when you need to maintain the most control to avoid crashing.
Another example - switching PAS level while riding on a washboard surface is simply INSANE! One little touch and the level goes rat-tat-tat all the way down to zero. Touch it again and it rat-tat-tats all the way up to level five in just a fraction of a second.
I think its time for an upgrade on this control, and I really do appreciate your mentioning it. Maybe we'll get to see some good solutions.

 

[Alex M]

I like this design https://www.ebikekit.com/collection...shboard-display-e-bikekit?variant=28088193158. Raised Up/Down buttons embedded into display panel, though could've been spaced apart wider for use with mitts. Not 100% positive but it "should" better resist to spontaneous PAS switching on a washboard, than separate console with arrows like on RAD. This particular display is made for their particular motor/controller combo, with adjustable max current and other bells and whistles, nice features but probably not compatible with RAD.

That console with arrows on RAD is common on kit bikes of this kind as is the easiest solution for manufacturer. Generic display and console, readily and cheaply available and replace-able with any 3-rd party display or console.

 

[AHicks]

I would note that the LCD3 display commonly sold with "kits" uses a control that APPEARS to be nearly identical to the switch Rad is using, but does not suffer from the issues the Rad control switch does. When you use it it moves ONE PAS level every time.

Point being, in my mind, the issue is not about the style of the switch, it's the quality..... Unfortunately, I don't believe they are available separately. They have to be coming from somewhere though....

 

[Alex M]

It should move 1 PAS level. Looks like quality issue indeed. The style is inconvenient too, small console moved far out of sight. Should be either combined with display or some really big rocker.

I have "some" reservations against twist-control, - accidental switching when you grip the handlebars doing some maneuver, though I've rarely seen this happening on twist shifters. I saw some bike with twist-control PAS, forgot the model.

 

[AHicks]

A thought just occurred to me, that there are functions that require both the up and down functions to be pushed at the same time. A rocker is not going to allow that. Silly me for even considering that option. Back to the drawing boards....

 

[Alex M]

About other functions I wouldn't worry, those are mostly setups, modes, scrolling through the screens etc. Whatever iteration they decide on. Couple of buttons on display panel will do - like in that ebikekit.com. PAS should have a big, easy, dedicated control - I like the idea of twist.

Another idea - to parallel the rocker with the existing arrows console. Then you could use the console only when you need those 2-buttons functions. Cockpit will become a bit crowded though.

 

[AHicks]

I was considering the standard display, with the remote 3 button switch.