Thumb throttle CRUISE CONTROL easy peasy in 2 seconds

[Handlebars]

1. Turn bike on
2. Hold brake lever to engage motor cutoff switch in order to prevent bike jumping forward
3. Push thumb throttle to position wanted
4. Insert cable tie into throttle canal all the way till it stops
5. Let go of brake and you're off! ZOOM!!!
6. Use brake to reduce speed or to stop
7. DO NOT FORGET THAT YOU HAVE THE THROTTLE ON when you finish your ride or whenever you let your hand off the brake
8. Remove cable tie until next time you need cruise control
Photo is throttle held in full open, cable tie is shortened but doesn't need to be. 5mm wide cable tie fits perfectly into the channel on that throttle.

 

[Lightning 123]

Thumb throttle Cruise control can be a good thing to prevent excessive hand fatigue and cramping, just as long as they can be safely deactivated. I assume
the throttle can be turned off just by using the brakes.

 

[Handlebars]

Yes, just a bit of brake and the motor turns off if you have a bike with motor cutoff switch on the brakes.
A great feature of this is that if you turn the bike off and forget the throttle is on, next time you start up, the cable tie rig is deactivated anyway and you're safe.
You have to do the setup routine with bike ON once again in order to have cruise control on again.
At least on my bike that is how the throttle works. Bike doesn't recognize position of throttle, it recognizes change in position of throttle only, that is my guess.

 

[Handlebars]

To insert the cable tie after you position the throttle where you want it, you need to use an extreme angle to find the channel where the cable tie can be inserted. Otherwise it seems like there is no channel for it to be inserted into. Slide it all the way in till it stops, and there ya go! Throttle held in place and so is the cable tie.
If you have a cable tie that is already bent in a circle from prior use, it's even easier. Turn it so it is NOT curved in direction like the throttle, use it the other way so it goes upward inside easily, to find the channel.

 

[PedalUma]

This is very funny! Thank you for the humor. It is like driving across Texas with a brick on the gas. Clever and safe.

 

[Lightning 123]

I would think that it would be something that would only be used occasionally.

 

[Handlebars]

This is very funny! Thank you for the humor. It is like driving across Texas with a brick on the gas. Clever and safe.

Nah, that's a poor analogy. Most cars don't have a fuel or motor cutoff switch that activates when you brake. Better luck next time!

 

[Handlebars]

I would think that it would be something that would only be used occasionally.

For me it would be occasional, for example if I couldn't pedal home or if I have a heavy duffel bag over my shoulder.
Because I use throttle from every stop for smooth take-off, I do need regular throttle for daily use.

 

[Lightning 123]

I could see that. It would probably be set somewhere mid throttle for cruising. It would work better if it was adjustable and since it's an ebike there's also going to be some pedaling involved.

 

[Handlebars]

I could see that. It would probably be set somewhere mid throttle for cruising. It would work better if it was adjustable and since it's an ebike there's also going to be some pedaling involved.

As far as my bike goes:
It only goes the allowed legal limit, so no problem with gaining a too-high speed. Yes, a mid throttle setting is what I'd use most, I think.
No pedaling needs to be done when throttle is used.

I'm taking it out for spin this evening to see how smooth it can work under control, by using full open throttle and feathering the brake to adjust acceleration during take off and for occasional speed adjustment downward during ride.

For general interest, my bike is the Spark City Bike and the components parts are very common, so the same thumb throttle is found on lots of bikes. I'd guess that many thumb throttles are quite similar.

...and it's not difficult to yank the cable tie out. Easy peasy no-cost cruise control solution.

I'm already very well used to keeping brake on during stops because a tiny pedal movement can sometimes cause a big lurch forward on cadence bikes.

If the humorous detractor thinks this is hilariously dangerous, she must never have ridden a cadence bike and had that unexpected lurch forward happen. This is a smooth invention.

 

[Lightning 123]

As far as my bike goes:
It only goes the allowed legal limit, so no problem with gaining a too-high speed. Yes, a mid throttle setting is what I'd use most, I think.
No pedaling needs to be done when throttle is used.

I'm taking it out for spin this evening to see how smooth it can work under control, by using full open throttle and feathering the brake to adjust acceleration during take off and for occasional speed adjustment downward during ride.

For general interest, my bike is the Spark City Bike and the components parts are very common, so the same thumb throttle is found on lots of bikes. I'd guess that many thumb throttles are quite similar.

...and it's not difficult to yank the cable tie out. Easy peasy no-cost cruise control solution.

I'm already very well used to keeping brake on during stops because a tiny pedal movement can sometimes cause a big lurch forward on cadence bikes.

If the humorous detractor thinks this is hilariously dangerous, she must never have ridden a cadence bike and had that unexpected lurch forward happen. This is a smooth invention.

Have you ever thought about unlocking it? You could still cruise the legal top speed and still have some extra power left in reserve.

 

[Handlebars]

Have you ever thought about unlocking it? You could still cruise the legal top speed and still have some extra power left in reserve.

I don't think it can be unlocked using the display module without some code. I "pseudo-unlocked" it by changing the wheel size to trick the electronics into thinking it wasn't going as fast as allowed. That makes very little difference because the motor as is, isn't capable of going faster anyway. The difference is in how much pedaling can help. When locked I can pedal very hard to get only a very tiny increase, but when "unlocked" pedaling hard helps a little bit more. It's just not worth pedaling hard to get a very few extra km per hr. on a heavy bike.

So, for the experimental ride, I found it mechanically works exactly as expected.
I'm an inveterate signal user for every turn, so I found that you do need to train yourself differently if you want to use hand signals. Just don't bother using cruise control in the city, unless in an emergency situation where you are hurt or near frozen. You'd use cruise control on country roads or highways or long stretches, just as you might in your car. Naturally. And don't use hand signals unless you've re-trained yourself for that.
So it works perfectly for purpose.
Using full open throttle it's more jerky "on and off" when feathering the brake at cruising speed and not worth doing a lot of brake. Otherwise it's fine, and on mid throttle setting it would, of course, be even more smooth on takeoff.

 

[Lightning 123]

If you are want to know if there's a code to unlock it or some other option all you'd have to do is a search on this forum and- or you tube.

 

[PedalUma]

Handlebars, Wouldn't Duct Tape be more Hee-Haw? Or less than a zip tie? When you walk to your fridge what is your go-to cheese? Something which appeals to developmentally disabled little children or grown adults who know the difference?

 

[Lightning 123]

I don't think that we need to escalate discussions with personal attacks. I have said a few things recently that I wished I hadn't. There are ways to offer different opinions without offending other people.

 

[Lightning 123]

What do I really thinkl about thumb throttle cruise control ? It's something that I would rarely use because the range of pedal assist just about would make it obsolete, but iI would like to be able to have the option of being able to use it for limited use. I'm sure that there are many other ways to be to modify an existing throttle besides using a zip tie. Sometimes a new modification will get upgraded when different options are discovered.

 

[Handlebars]

What do I really thinkl about thumb throttle cruise control ? It's something that I would rarely use because the range of pedal assist just about would make it obsolete, but iI would like to be able to have the option of being able to use it for limited use. I'm sure that there are many other ways to be to modify an existing throttle besides using a zip tie. Sometimes a new modification will get upgraded when different options are discovered.

Because I ride almost exclusively in a big city, I would wish to never use that cable tie. There have been 2 occasions this winter when good gloves and heating packs was not enough to keep my hands from painfully cold miles of riding. It became difficult even to switch PAS levels. Holding the thumb throttle open was painful.
That situation is when I would use it to get home.
Another is if I had too much to carry and couldn't pedal, then I'd be glad to have it.
It would be basically the same if I had electronic cruise control; I have no other use for it than as a very handy emergency aid. This costs nothing, takes up no space or energy, and is no trouble.
That's good enough for me
If it ever helps you out, my job is well done.

 

[Handlebars]

Handlebars, Wouldn't Duct Tape be more Hee-Haw? Or less than a zip tie? When you walk to your fridge what is your go-to cheese? Something which appeals to developmentally disabled little children or grown adults who know the difference?

Sideswipe sneering at disabled children makes a clever put-down?

 

[PedalUma]

Sorry kids.
Good bikes do not have any zip ties and do not have throttles. Don't wreck a perfectly good bike by putting duct tape or a zip tie on it. And do not bypass reasonable safety systems unless you are looking to win a Darwin Award or are Jeff Foxworthy a filming a comedy.
Bike #1 Has zip ties, a throttle and messy wires and weights 32.555 kilos. Its weight is centered 22Cm above the hubs and the back weighs five kilos more than the front.
Bike #2 does not have any zip ties, and it does not have a throttle nor messy wires and it weighs 19.150 kilos. Yet it is a bigger bike. Weight is centered 12Cm above its hubs. The back weighs 2.25 kilos more than the front.
Bike #1 died trying to go up a hill that bike #2 flies up.
Kids think that bike #1 looks cool! Kids don't notice bike #2 and do not know that it is electric. There is one giveaway, see the little wire from the "water bottle"?
When it is working again, bike #1 cannot do a 32 Km trip on a group ride. Bike #2 does a 50 mile trip with the other guys drafting.

 

[Lightning 123]

Firstly I have said just about everything
I wanted to say about cruise control on an ebike.

Secondly I politely asked you to have a discussion without personally attacking people. Which is something that you either have forgotten or are simply incapable of doing. I believe duct tape was your idea.

Thirdly you have no idea who you are talking to and are making judgments on people's intelligence and character.

And finally Fourthly now I'm going to have to repack my bike accessory bag emptying out all of the zip ties, duct tape and bailing wire to which I was going to make all of my repairs with.

Good day to you sir.