Throttles

[Bruce Arnold]

There's an ongoing discussion of throttles here and on many of the other sub-forums. I thought it might be helpful to have a thread for that issue.

I rarely use the throttle. The pedal assist works so well on my CCS that I don't feel the need. But there are times when I'm so glad to have it.

The Throttle Assist Boost feature is awesome. 90% of the times that I do use the throttle, this is what I use it for. Getting away from a stoplight or stop sign when there's traffic, for instance. It really gets me up to speed. Sometimes I use it on a hill for a little extra boost.

I occasionally use the throttle by itself when I'm mounting the bike. Getting the bike rolling while I kick my leg over the seat and get settled into position makes the whole process more stable.

I very seldom use it just to roll on down the road. For this, if I want a break from pedaling for a bit, I usually use the cruse control instead.

That's it for me. I wonder if others have found different uses, or if they use it more for general locomotion.

 

[rich c]

Lots of folks are passionate about throttles, REALLY PASSIONATE!

 

[Solom01]

For me personally although I rarely use it I won't buy an eBike without one. Because of health issues and having a single-speed I want the security of knowing that if something happens I'll be able to get home. It's also a huge help at busy intersections where there's lots of car traffic - getting up to speed quickly can be a safety issue. On the other hand, I could care less if other people don't want them, just as I could care less about people who think that eBikes are evil and everyone should ride a regular bike. Unfortunately it's one of those issues such as hub-drives vs. mid-drives where people in the forum act like it's a religious issue and want to force their likes on everyone else. I won't buy a bike without a throttle, but as for other people they should be able to buy whatever the heck they want.

 

[Fran Fabrizio]

I wasn't sure how much I'd use it, but I end up using the throttle constantly.

A good bit of my commute is through residential Minneapolis where there are lots of stop signs/lights. Because once you're cruising the bike really needs to be at least in 7th gear, it's super annoying to remember to shift down to 4 or 5 approaching the stop to avoid some otherwise tough initial pedaling. I just prefer to keep it in my cruising gear and use the throttle to supplement pedaling to get back up to speed off of a stop. That way my pedaling cadence is more consistent throughout the ride and I'm shifting less.

I never use throttle "at speed" - I figure if my pedaling can't sustain the speed I want, I need to increase the boost level, not use the throttle. I also limit the bike to 20mph (partly for MN legal reasons and partly to be a decent trail user), so the throttle at speed is not fun anyhow, cause it just cuts on and off at my limit, chugging the bike.

 

[LS3Miata]

I’ve only had my bike a couple weeks and havent used the throttle often. I will say it is convenient for a couple of hills on my route, but I don’t think I’d miss it if it weren’t there. Of course minneapolis is pretty flat other than riding along the river.

 

[Fran Fabrizio]

Definitely when I was younger I would have probably thought of it as cheating. Now, my 40-something knees are already hinting at their crankiness in old age, and I'm not out to prove anything to anyone, so I throttle when I feel like throttling even if I know I could get off a line or up a hill without it. If having a throttle means I'm more likely to be on the bike and out of the car more frequently, it's a huge win.

I've only been e-bike commuting regularly for a month and it's apparent that some folks are just determined to treat an e-bike encounter as a challenge or an affront to the purity of biking. You just need to keep the mindset that you're doing it for you and no one else, and as long as you are a respectful rider, I wouldn't worry about what anyone else thinks. The couple of occasions that people have sort of been openly condescending, I just reply with "Would you rather me be in my car? Because that's the alternative." and they usually settle down.

 

[Dunbar]

I can see where a throttle wouldn’t be necessary on a powerful torque sensing mid-drive. But on my original Cross Current I use that throttle all the time. It’s handy for getting off the line quickly and dealing with stop signs and intersections. With a 55-60lb pound bike it’s all about keeping your momentum up and the throttle really helps in that regard. I also find that while climbing, and spinning at a higher cadence, I’m not applying enough force to max out the pedal assist. If I hold the throttle down while climbing acts as an “override” to give me maximum pedal assist to get up the hill as quickly as possible. The throttle boost feature on the new Cross Current S sounds really cool. Basically if you pedal + hold the throttle you’re getting 20A of assist to get you up to speed quickly. With all of that said I almost never use just the throttle alone without pedaling.

 

[LS3Miata]

...some folks are just determined to treat an e-bike encounter as a challenge or an affront to the purity of biking. You just need to keep the mindset that you're doing it for you and no one else, and as long as you are a respectful rider, I wouldn't worry about what anyone else thinks. The couple of occasions that people have sort of been openly condescending, I just reply with "Would you rather me be in my car? Because that's the alternative." and they usually settle down.

I’ve yet to experience that, though I suspect I will as the weather warms (if it ever does )

 

[DanInStPete]

I don't use the throttle much, but I'm glad I have it. It's great for an occasional quick start off the line, and I also use it while standing once in a while so I can stretch out my back without stopping. It could also get me home if something happened on a ride and I couldn't pedal (a realistic concern in my case).

As for anyone worrying about whether or not my bike has a throttle, battery, turbo charger or jet pack, well, mind your own biz

 

[Al P]

For a quick hill boost, the throttle is perfect, and much faster than fumbling with the PAS buttons. From a stopped position, it helps to get your balance quickly.

 

[DanInStPete]

Well I used it more today after reading this thread and the comment by @Dunbar . I have to slow/stop often for road and ped crossings, and yeah, it's great for getting back up to speed. Very nice...

 

[JRA]

Lots of folks are passionate about throttles, REALLY PASSIONATE!

Almost as passionate are those on here that think PAS is the only way to go. It really is such a non issue as beaten to death on here time after time. A throttle does more good than bad on e bikes as long as they are used with a PAS system aboard also. It's only the EU legislation that is keeping the big boys from specing them I assure you. At least they have gotten as far as "walk" mode which technically is a throttle and thus relegating bikes with that feature to Class II status. Which in the big picture doesn't mean a thing as the rules for access are the same for Class I and Class II. Class III is PAS only.

 

[Captain Slow]

When I bought the bike, it didn't matter to me that the bike had a throttle. But after owing the bike for 3 months I probably use the throttle almost once every time I ride. Don't use it much, but sometimes I can see ahead a light is going to change and I use it to make sure I make the light.

 

[SlowRider]

Pretty much what everyone else here said. Great to get off the line quickly and to give a quick boost on steep hills. I am glad it is there.

 

[jazz]

I also won't buy an ebike without a throttle. They are invaluable for the reasons people have already mentioned. I will add that if you mountain bike, then a throttle can definitely help in an instant when you hit that unexpected incline or hill