Received the new throttle on demand display and controller yesterday, installed this morning then went for a quick ride. First my impression of the new feel and then a couple of notes on the installation. It was a pleasant surprise to see that waking the electronics brings the bike to PAS 0. I had not seen this documented, and to me it is a notable improvement. When set to PAS 1, the famous "lurch" is now more like a noticeable nudge. With factory settings, top speed seems to have been lowered just a bit, too. For me it was around 11 mph instead of the previous 12. Both PAS 1 and 2 have the gentler pedal response, when I went to PAS 3 there was more of a kick. PAS 1 and 2 seemed about 30% less jumpy. The throttle on demand feature worked like a charm. It totally removes the daunting part of being stopped at the bottom of a steep hill. Is it all worth the price of admission? To me, yes. This is my wife's bike, and she never felt comfortable on it. The learning curve has been slightly flattened. I wish Aventon had backed off PAS 1 even more, and lowered the top speed. They could also improve the electronic interface to make software updates via the data port and to allow riders some customization of the power curve. Nevertheless, I'm glad for this update and think it starts to bring the electronics of the Pace 500 up to the level of its mechanical components and build.
The removal of old components and installation of new took me about an hour. I looked over the clear instructions that were provided via email when I purchased the components and figured I could do it myself (despite Aventon "vehemently" insisting that a professional be hired). The only tools needed are a 3mm hex wrench, a small philips head screwdriver and possibly a flat head screwdriver. I also used two pair of pliers to help prise apart the cable connections. Do the job in good light! A headlamp helps. The only two minor issues came in threading the motor cable through the hole in the down tube and in cable management in the tight down tube space. Aventon's instructions and photos are clear, I have only posted a picture of how I managed the threading of the motor cable through the down tube hole without removing the rubber grommet. Remember to install the new controller with cable on top (when in doubt read the instructions
), and be prepared to push and pull cables a bit to get the battery tray cover back on.
The trickiest part of the job is threading the cable through the hole in the down tube. Although Aventon suggests removing the rubber grommet, I found it was not necessary. What worked for me was to lay the bike on its side and insert a long screwdriver gently through the hole from the bottom. Next I attached the motor cable to the screwdriver tip using tape (directly on top of it, not side by side). Then by both pulling the screwdriver while pushing the cable I was able to get the cable end to the edge of the hole before the tape came off. I pulled it the rest of the way through with needle nose pliers. There must be lots of ways to undertake this fishing expedition, this is just one.
Ride on!
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