What Info are you looking for on a display???

[Ken M]

Specialized is releasing their new top of the line Turbo Creo SL S Road full carbon eBike starting at like $10,000.

Has just a linear bar graph for battery level and a circular bar graph for assist level... in my opinion all the rider really needs to know but I could see some value in speed being displayed in an elegant way. I believe they allow those that want a big gaudy LCD display to interface their smart phone...connectivity that provides comfort for novice riders I guess.

I have a friend that believes an ebike should have a large screen with every conceivable parameter displayed and I just sit there wondering why because I never look at the displays on any of my ebikes when I ride.

I'm just wondering what information riders are looking at on the displays or if they are just something to impress potential buyers.

Note: I could see value in a GPS screen on a smart phone for say delivery drivers but does the typical rider really need a big LCD filled with graphics and information?

 

[Feliz]

I admit to being a display freak and think manufacturers are really missing the boat. I don't care if it's huge, as long as I can read it with my failing 80 year old vision. I don't look at my displays all the time but who cares the information should be there when I want it. It costs the maker peanuts to have information on a display lets face it. All Bafang mid drives have the ability to measure temp and supply it to a display, guess what......I don't have one Bafang display that displays temp. I have a Garmin GPS I can use on any of my bikes, it's nice to know the grade of the hill I'm riding up, or the elevation etc. How much would it cost a manufacturer who is manufacturing thousands of displays, maybe hundreds of thousands. The display should have a code so the bike can be locked, what about an alarm? I like to know the watts, instantaneous and accumulated, how difficult is that. I won't go on but you get the idea. Oh, a tire pressure indicator like every car has to have, blah, blah, blah.

 

[PDoz]

Power setting is great because I have a tendency to knock the buttons accidentally. Once or twice a ride I look at speed, perhaps cadence every second ride. Battery level perhaps 4/5 times, and distance travelled at the end of the ride. Cadence and speed are the only things I " need" to see instantly , so I guess the ability to toggle between 2 large sets of numbers should be enough, but being able to see everything at a glance is nice.

Now, if all that was visible on a device that plotted my position on trailforks, displayed my heart rate , and random texts of encouragement I'd never really need to leave the comfort of my couch.

 

[TimJohn]

Its not exactly what is "on" the display but what else can it do. I would like the display to allow a power source for my devices. A USB that is powered with 5 volts 1 or 2 amps so we can install our phones or GPS devices would be nice. A coloured LCD is not very good in bright sunlight but a Black and White contrasty one is, so not essential for me to have a coloured LCD. One of the things I don't see and would thing like is the battery level expressed in percentages rather than an icon.

The basics are almost all covered with my Cycle Analyst ...speed, battery level, consumption rate (so you have to calculate your remaining range), motor temperature, crank cadence, motor realtime draw and others...I haven't fully explored them all.

One last thing, supply a cable interface just like the Cycle Analyst, so you can update you display software and catalogue other parameters of the system. Big name manufacturers, have it so only the dealers can read your e-bikes controller and display.

 

[Solom01]

Not much, just an estimate of how much battery is left and the power level I'm using, which I get with one led on my Orbea Gain. There's an app with all sorts of information you can use on a smartphone, but I prefer to enjoy my ride and look at the road and scenery.

 

[Feliz]

The thing is none of us really need all that information, but with modern technology all the above suggestions are possible, why not have it available if we want it. I rarely look at my display when I'm riding but I always do when I stop for a break, rest, drink or pee. It's surprising how little information is available on some of the displays even on high end bikes, some of my grandchildren's toys or a dollar store calculator are more useful.

 

[harryS]

My KT LCD3 displays show assist level, an inaccurate speed, equally unprecise distance, watts, battery level, and the ambient temperature. I am used to that. They can also call up the voltage on the battery,

All I really need though is assist level and the battery level. Would make for a simpler cockpit. I can add a little $7 bike computer and get accurate speed, time, distance, max speed, average speed, and calories burned on a 1x1" screen.

 

[Ken M]

I only want to know assist level (assuming there is more than one assist level such as a throttle only ebike would have) and battery level. Maybe a simple speed but in reality I tend to ride at the speed I feel comfortable at and not based on what a speedometer says. I don't care what the motor temperature is but I would like to know it's thermally protected. In other words, I want a minimalist cockpit. There are services like Strava that allow riders to track every aspect of their rides so I don't see much value in complicating the display on the bike with that (just use a smart phone for it's strengths).

 

[AHicks]

My KT LCD3 displays show assist level, an inaccurate speed, equally unprecise distance, watts, battery level, and the ambient temperature. I am used to that. They can also call up the voltage on the battery,

All I really need though is assist level and the battery level. Would make for a simpler cockpit. I can add a little $7 bike computer and get accurate speed, time, distance, max speed, average speed, and calories burned on a 1x1" screen.

Re: LCD3, if your parameter settings are correct (like wheel size, and P1- number of magnets in motor, for instance), the speed and distance will both read correctly with an LCD 3.

That display has my vote for getting it done correctly, with most useful info available at a glance, more info just a key tap away, without being big and gaudy. Not a fan of color for that reason.

 

[AlanDB]

I like seeing the pretty basic stuff … speed, trip odometer, battery level and range (estimated distance remaining on battery charge).

Oh ... I also show current time so I don't have to wear a watch or pull out my phone.

 

[Ebiker01]

A sensor that automatically detects drunk pedestrians , drivers , fast approaching drones , and aggresive dogs.
Is pretty mich an obstacle course for a city commuter and hi tech.solutions are needed.
Many other sensors for pretty much everything, ex. Star trek- tricoder.

 

[Ravi Kempaiah]

The new Yamaha display -C is the best I have seen. provides tons of info in a small compact form.

https://global.yamaha-motor.com/business/e-bike-systems/products/display-c/

 

[elect]

what's on the upper right corner?

 

[kimberlyhill]

I love the percentage of battery instead of 5 or 10 bar system. I really love the yamaha display.

 

[tompat]

I'm just wondering what information riders are looking at on the displays or if they are just something to impress potential buyers.

On my daily 64 km commute I'm checking out my average speed now and then.
Also I'm keeping an eye on the remaining distance projection, for my 64 km I'm kind of near maxing out what my batteries can deliver so on days with strong headwind I don't want to empty them before getting home.
Most often I choose to display the trip meter to keep check on the distance traveled.

If doing longer excursions that are not commutes, I often plan my route in Google Maps before going and then keep the trip meter displayed all the time so I know how long of a distance I've got left.

 

[ilanarama]

I frequently cycle through all the Purion options: trip distance (I reset it after every battery charge), total mileage (which I just like to see on occasion, usually at the end of my ride), estimated range (this plus the battery bars gives me better info than just the battery bars), and assist level (because sometimes I forget!). This along with the always-displayed speed and battery bars. On longer rides I wear my Garmin which automatically cycles through multiple screens, showing me GPS speed, time riding, elevation (I live in Colorado), heart rate, and time of day. I like having lots of information!

 

[Ken M]

The new Specialized $10,000+ S-Work Turbo Creo SL simply has a cirular bar graph for assist level and a linear bar graph for battery remaining (speed would be nice but most good riders just have a feel for they speed they can go to be safe and compliant with any trail limits). I think they know the serious riders that get a bike like this don't need or want a display to look at while riding. When they want to assess parameters they will use Garmin and/or Strava or other service to assess ride parameters to their hearts content. I'd rather the bike companies focus on making a great bike and not having a big screen TV on the bike to impress leisure riders (not intended to be mean, but they just don't know better yet).

 

[MarkF]

The Yamaha display pretty much nails it for everything I could want. I also prefer a smaller display as I don't need to know everything as I'm riding.

 

[Toomanycats]

I like seeing the pretty basic stuff … speed, trip odometer, battery level and range (estimated distance remaining on battery charge).

Oh ... I also show current time so I don't have to wear a watch or pull out my phone.

I would like to have the time, too. This really puts me out there, I guess, but I’d also like to know the general direction I’m going (compass) in case I get lost w/o having to pull out smart phone.

 

[Mr. Coffee]

Basically what is on a Wahoo ELEMNT BOLT or Garmin Edge 1030. Since cockpit space is limited it would be nice if the display that came with the bike would do all that.

Battery percentage isn't nearly as useful as estimated distance remaining. Although with both you must be cognizant of the limitations, which all too often are significant.

A trip meter is probably the most useful feature for navigation with or without a GPS.

One thing to keep in mind is that your requirements will be dramatically different if you are riding a straight-up commute day in and day out with relatively little variation. On the other hand, if you are traveling cross-country, especially if you get caught in a twisty maze of roads that all look alike you might want some dramatically different features.