Throttle vs no throttle thread #516

1) know how much power/speed you want, put in time,do the research and find out what bike will delivery this and then some, always go for a little more power than what you think you need.
2)if your new to working on bikes in general and your intimidated by the idea, you may want to go with a company with Bikeshop distribution and support. if you buy online make sure its an established company with solid customer support.
3) get a bike you dig, dont settle even if you have to wait longer to get the bike.
 
vincent said:
lets start with weight
a lot of ebikes are heavy, especially the lower priced $1500 entry levels, i have owned a lot of these bikes and liked them but

weight can be a problem

- lifting it onto the car rack

-lifting it onto a bike repair rack for maintenance

-handling the bike in general
Click to expand...
I solve most of those problems by not having a running car. Also I turn the bike upside down onto seat & handlebars for maintenance, which means I roll it, not lift it. My bike with tools & bags weighs 75 lb, but the package is 310 when I put 70 lb groceries & me on it. Not a problem unpowered. Only a problem if you're expecting to ride 25 mph like the lycra club.

As far as a throttle, I bought the electricity for a bike to get me home from my summer camp after my knee locks up from twisting it and I can't walk for a couple of weeks. Happy for Stefan that he has healthy knees. A car out at my destination would be more practical than an electric bike, and only cost me $2900 a year. Cars wear out in 10 years due to the planned computer connection failures, whether they have 10000 miles or 2000000 miles. A satellite phone out there would only be $900 a year. Still above my budget and a taxi might not find me out there. A powered wheelchair would not make it out of my property, getting stuck. They won't go 30 miles either. And motor scooters cost $400 a year in license & insurance, plus the noise would destroy my ears which I enjoy very much as they are. Also motor scooters are a frequently stolen item. A thief cut a chainlink fence across the street to steal one that was locked up in a wood shed. My heavy bike is too unfashionable to resell apparently; I've been parking it on the street and in store lots cabled up for 2 3/4 years.
As far as small bikes for trial at the LBS, maybe in LA or NYC. the only small frame bikes the LBS stocks here are single speed, rim brakes, are pink, and have a Holly Hobbie logo. Sometimes it's Strawberry Shortcake.
 
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vincent said:
just thinking about some of this the other day and thought it might be a good idea to list it for people looking for an ebike


lets start with weight
a lot of ebikes are heavy, especially the lower priced $1500 entry levels, i have owned a lot of these bikes and liked them but

weight can be a problem

- lifting it onto the car rack

-lifting it onto a bike repair rack for maintenance

-handling the bike in general

-these bikes are often 1 size fits all and for some people this can be an issue with how the bike handles, if possible consider a step thru..
edit to this-just noticed the aventon bikes do have sizes and are lower weight, that is nice to see

- you have a 1.25 hitch on your car, from my experience all bike racks on 1.25 hitch have a weight limit of 50lbs per slot- lots of ebikes do not meet this and will not meet this even with the seat and battery off the bike, there may be some exceptions in racks to this but i am not aware of them, my guess is they will be few and be pricey



where it may not be a problem

- you just want to ride around your neighborhood and the bike will roll in and out of your garage 90% of the time

-your lbs does all your bike maintenance/repairs

- some of these heavier bikes are very stable , especially if they have larger tires so this is an advantage

- you buy one of those expensive bicycle racks that lift and lower

- you have a truck/van with a ramp you can ride or push the bike into








advantages of buying lbs and higher priced bikes that come in sizes

-a lot of entry level bikes come in 1 size fits all and are big, bigger than people 5'6"and under will comfortably handle, again get a step thru if possible

-your friends are going to want to ride bikes with you and everyone can ride a shorter/smaller bike but not vice versa

-bottom line is a bike that fits you is better, handling this bike will be much easier in every scenario

-will most likely be a little lighter

-you will have someone to repair and service the bike



disadvantages

-most likely cost a little more or a lot a more

-may not come with throttle- i am a big fan of throttles, especially for older riders just getting back into riding, and for walking the bike if needed etc, to me the advantages are worth it to always have one, if you are fit and athletic this may not matter to you







90% of you will ride farther and more often than you suspect once you get an ebike

-test ride, test ride, test ride
in the terrain you will ride on most of the time if possible

-if you are looking at online store bikes check their facebook page to see if you can meet someone and test ride first

-another reason to consider a bike that has sizes because you are going to use it more than you think

-bigger batteries are better most of the time

-if you are going to ride on the road at all you need a mirror

-most people end up changing seats, grips, adding mirrors etc, expect to have to do some swapping of components to get the bike comfortable for you

-pas response on all ebikes is different, often even in the same brand between models, do not expect them to all act the same- test ride if possible

-you will most likely end up with more than 1 ebike , make sure you have room to store them all :)






will add to this later if i think of some more stuff
Click to expand...
Some bikes, like my Giant La Free, come with a "walk assist" feature that provides a small throttling boost when walking the bike - on the rare occasions I've walked my bike, it's quite handy.

Not everyone needs a throttle (depends on riding intent and other factors) - I'm happy without one.
 
My first ebike had a throttle. I grew tired of this feature very quickly as it restricted one hand's position. The pedal assist on the new ebikes is much better. Very sensitive torque activated so no problem getting started on hills and I can move both hands around!

Apparently some PAS bikes have noticable lag between rider torque and motor power so test ride, test ride, etc. I would avoid PAS bikes that use simpler less expensive speed sensors. Too much lag.
 
I'm finding the more I ride the less I use my throttle. BUTTTT I was biking some nasty trails this past weekend.
I wished I had a throttle for getting started on some steep sections. I'd have to get off in the middle of some climbs to walk and had a hard time getting started again on the uphill. But again, as I get better this too will probably pass...
 
(The whole Europe can do without a throttle. The Walk function doesn't work on the ride).

Sierratim said:
I would avoid PAS bikes that use simpler less expensive speed sensors. Too much lag.
Click to expand...
My touring hub-motor e-bike is the 2019 model and it is only worse on the cold-start and on climbing than my mid-drive one. Also, coasting causes a minimal lag when you start pedalling again, which is unpleasant upwind. Generally, a very good e-bike.
 
I am not sure ti s a issue on having enough energy to get use out of a mid drive. when I started all I could do is spin I could not put any effort into peddling or I would be worn out in a minute or less. my wacky body doesn't o work right. so I would spin but I could still keep it at about 20mph with no real effort and getting my heart rate at around 100 with no change in breathing. as I got healthier I could push harder and use less assist. Now I can keep 20 to 22 on tour when I needed turbo. but I have found on my Bosch that the harder I can push the better the battery does even if I go faster. it takes very little to get going on the two mid drive I have tried.
 
vincent said:
Moderator please delete this thread, I am the original poster and would like it removed

I do not see how to remove it from here

Thank you
Click to expand...
I don't think you can have a thread deleted just because you started it and don't like the replies you got. Maybe if the thread drifts into porn or something.... This is a public forum, not your private domain.

Of course I'm not the moderator, but I think you're way off base.

TT
 
I like having a motor on my bike. :D The only must haves are adequate power and battery.
 
Getting ready to order my first e-bike this weekend. Definitely getting one with throttle, but not so much because I anticipate using it; biggest reason is simply peace of mind. PAS doesn't do you any good helping to push a 70 lb bike when the chain fails; throttle does. It's not like there's an obligation to use it otherwise.
 
jeremy8000 said:
Getting ready to order my first e-bike this weekend. Definitely getting one with throttle, but not so much because I anticipate using it; biggest reason is simply peace of mind. PAS doesn't do you any good helping to push a 70 lb bike when the chain fails; throttle does. It's not like there's an obligation to use it otherwise.
Click to expand...
Not on a mid-drive! Chain breaks you are dead in the water throttle or no throttle.
 
Stefan Mikes said:
(The whole Europe can do without a throttle. The Walk function doesn't work on the ride).
Click to expand...
The whole of European Union didn't defeat the USSR. We did, plus some Poles in a shipyard & the church. The men of the Viet Nam generation (mine) have no knees since we ran in combat boots, the Army & Marine vets. Scared the Soviets into giving up by 89. I could buy an electric wheelchair with a throttle, but it wouldn't get me home on bad knee days. I would be flattened on Hwy 3, run out of battery half way home.
 
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