Motor inhibitors

[Bobsiii]

Total noob here with typical noob Q.
At first glance these sound like a good idea, I'd rather not have to fight the motor when I want to brake but now I wonder - what does this mean when I have to slow but not stop. Does the least pull on brakes cut motor off? Will the bike freewheel as I play the brakes, and what restores PAS - just start pedaling again? How does this affect rideability? Sounds herky-jerky.

 

[harryS]

We're talking about switches built into the brake levers that cut off the motor. You'll probably get the above brakes on almost every commercial ebike. It's a safety feature in case something goes wrong and the motor takes off. It's also useful for slow speed maneuvers where you might be turning and don't want the pedals to start the motor. Then a light touch on the brakes, not enough to slow the bike, but enough to engage the motor inhibition is very nice to have.

It's primarily people like me who build kit ebikes that have the option to leave off the ebrakes. We probably need them more than other people, because we're more likely to have malfunctions. I was testing my last ebike when the throttle wouldn't shut off (broken wire). I used the brakes to shut motor and then the power switch to kill the controller.

 

[AlanDB]

Total noob here with typical noob Q.
At first glance these sound like a good idea, I'd rather not have to fight the motor when I want to brake but now I wonder - what does this mean when I have to slow but not stop. Does the least pull on brakes cut motor off? Will the bike freewheel as I play the brakes, and what restores PAS - just start pedaling again? How does this affect rideability? Sounds herky-jerky.

Yes, just pedaling again will enable the assist. The rideability and "herky-jerky" nature of bike depends somewhat on the type of bike you have and whether the assist is triggered by torque, cadence, throttle, or some combination. On my Gazelle Arroyo with the mid-drive Bosch Performance Line motor, the ride is very natural feeling … it just makes you feel more powerful in your pedaling ability.

 

[Feliz]

I'm not even aware the inhibitors are there on any of my eBikes, they're not herky-jerky....... unless you wanted them to be I guess.