Throttle E Bikes
- Thread starter Chislenko
- Start date
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ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
I have seen a few - not a huge number but some
In fact I was coming out of Halford (sorry) a few days ago and a young bloke was going in with an ebike
I dunno what the bike he had was - but that was a DAMN big rear hub motor
In fact I was coming out of Halford (sorry) a few days ago and a young bloke was going in with an ebike
I dunno what the bike he had was - but that was a DAMN big rear hub motor
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Only those manufacturered prior to 2016 are legal here, exception being a trhottle just for pulling away that cuts out at 3mpg or so.
ebikeerwidnes
Guru
- Location
- Z’ha’dum
In addition the pre 2016 rights include a max motor power of 200W rather than 250W
although I did like having a throttle on my old ebike - but the extra power was great when I realised just how much easier it made going up a gravel hill I used to frequent!
I would prefer the slow 'walk assist' to work better on my Bosch ebike though - the Carrera one works better and is very useful when going up steep steps on rough paths!
OP
OP
Chislenko
Veteran
Trust me drago this guy was not doing 3 mph. Which got me to thinking do people modify them to work with a throttle?
mjr
Comfy armchair to one person & a plank to the next
- Location
- mostly Norfolk, sometimes Somerset
This old discussion has links and more info on doing it legally: Pedal assist and throttle? Is there such a thing? | CycleChat Cycling Forum – https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/pedal-assist-and-throttle-is-there-such-a-thing.249582/
Most of them you see are illegal. Not often a major problem, but expect to be treated harshly as an uninsured unapproved motorcycle if ever involved in an incident.
Most of them you see are illegal. Not often a major problem, but expect to be treated harshly as an uninsured unapproved motorcycle if ever involved in an incident.
Jenkins
Legendary Member
- Location
- Felixstowe
There's a lad who works in one of the warehouses round here that has one which is based around a fat bike, will do around 30mph and you can hear it coming due to the noise of the knobbly tyres on the road. Ridden sensibly so as not to draw attention to himself, but doesn't get away from the fact that it's totally illegal.
ericmark
Senior Member
- Location
- Llanfair Caereinion, Mid Wales.
Not a clue of the age of my bike, bought second hand, and the throttle is active, but it is very simple to change it, pressing + and - at same time puts it in program mode, and number 10 has three options, pedal activated (0), throttle activated (1), throttle and pedal activated (2) as to if guy before me changed it to (2) or if that was factory default I don't know.
If I could find a way to set it to throttle up to 4 MPH I would, but can't find that option, although there is a sensor on the crank and the motor comes in reasonably quickly I find not quick enough to start on a hill, I need to turn crank around twice before motor gets up to full torque, but on my wife's bike with centre motor the assistance comes in with a 1/4 turn, there is no question my wife's bike is far better with motor in crank rather than in the wheel.
I have changed from KPH to MPH but nothing else, it seems reading internet I can adjust all sorts, but I have 17 functions, but internet either shows 16 or 22, so not really sure if I have guessed right on what they all do, so don't want to take a chance, in case I damage some thing.
I prefer not to use the electric if I can, it is there so if I hit a steep hill I can turn it on, if one can alter the settings at any time, then I am not sure about legal position, turning it off by going into menu is really no different to simply not turning the throttle.
If I could find a way to set it to throttle up to 4 MPH I would, but can't find that option, although there is a sensor on the crank and the motor comes in reasonably quickly I find not quick enough to start on a hill, I need to turn crank around twice before motor gets up to full torque, but on my wife's bike with centre motor the assistance comes in with a 1/4 turn, there is no question my wife's bike is far better with motor in crank rather than in the wheel.
I have changed from KPH to MPH but nothing else, it seems reading internet I can adjust all sorts, but I have 17 functions, but internet either shows 16 or 22, so not really sure if I have guessed right on what they all do, so don't want to take a chance, in case I damage some thing.
I prefer not to use the electric if I can, it is there so if I hit a steep hill I can turn it on, if one can alter the settings at any time, then I am not sure about legal position, turning it off by going into menu is really no different to simply not turning the throttle.
HMS_Dave
Grand Old Lady
Most of the Chinese conversion kits come with the thumb throttle from my research, which is fine in the US i believe. I have no issues with it except for legality sake. We're all adults and you make your choices and deal with the consequences if it all goes wrong and you are caught, presumably after an accident. Nothing is seemingly stopping people fitting crazy powerful kits out of China and you do come across reports of people being passed by them on BSO's extremely quickly and with no peddling. Frankly, a dangerous menace. I wouldn't call those with a 250w motor and a thumb throttle a dangerous menace but it isn't legal except in legacy ebike systems and personally, i would just leave it disconnected if i were to fit a kit to any of my bikes...
numbnuts
Legendary Member
- Location
- Gone over the hill and far away
A lot of British conversion kits come with the thumb throttle too, but as I understand it throttles are not allowed on “new builds” after 2016, what about an "old bike" with a new e/motor ???
steveindenmark
Legendary Member
I used to have a throttle e bike, here in Denmark. The throttle eats battery power, especially on hills and I did not feel the need to use it.
Drago
Legendary Member
- Location
- Suburban Poshshire
Yes, they do, upon which they become mopeds or light motorcycles (dependent upon performance levels), and youre looking at 6 piinta on your licence at least if caught.
I do have a problem with it. Britain has this wonderful tradition that when enough people break the rules the state responds by tightening up the law to punish the innocent - the naughty people were breaking the law already, so it makes no difference to them and they will carry on as normal. Its the law abiding rest of us that suffer.
Enough folk twat around with illegal modifications and the law abiding rest of us will end up squirming as the screw gets tightened. If I end up having to buy insurance and don number plates then I will do unpleasant things to the next illegal ebiker I see.
If you can access it by any means, be it switch, menu, etc, then its illegal.
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Ming the Merciless
There is no mercy
- Location
- Inside my skull
If only cars cut out at 3 miles per gallon.
the snail
Guru
- Location
- Chippenham
It's only illegal if it is 'twist and go'. If the throttle is activated by pedalling, it's legal.
