Walk Assist - any use??

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Hi all
I used to have an old ebike - pre 2016 regs - and it had a throttle.
I hardly ever used it but it was great for getting the ebike up steep paths where riding was not practical - and paths with steps.

It also came in useful when I got a puncture and had to walk home up a hill.

Anyway - I now have a newer and more modern ebike - so no throttle but it does have Walk Assist.

It is kinda OK if I am riding the bike on a very narrow path and need both feet to fend off walls and stuff - or something. But this is rather rare!
Pushing the bike it seems to be of pretty much no use - especially up hill - as there is naff all power. You even have trouble noticing that it has kicked in it is so weak.

Now obviously there is a limit - I think it is 6 mph - but the power it uses to get there seems to make it useless.


Is this normal???
Or is it just my bike

For reference my ebike is a Raleigh with a Bosh central motor - Activeline - and if UK legal so 250W.

And comments??
 

welsh dragon

Thanks but no thanks. I think I'll pass.
Walk assist is great. The path up to my house is quite steep and I find the walk assist invaluable. The assist on my bike is quite powerful and makes it go at around 4 MPH.

Maybe someone else will have an answer, but I am glad I have walk assist.
 
Never managed to get walk assist to work on my wife's e-bike, Bosch centre motor, and my bike in the wheel so has twist grip, but set to around 4 MPH, but if I am walking up hill more like 2 to 3 MPH, it is graduated, but when walking adjusting speed not easy. I use it, but not easy. Glad I have it, but more important is folding pedals so don't catch shins when walking.

My wife has the best idea, she gives bike to me to walk up the hill with.

I have two routes to garage, one around a 1:6 hill, the other steps, normally use the steps.
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
Works well on mine, if I'm on a track in some local woodland, exploring, just looking round on foot, some of it's too steep to ride up, chuffin hard to push the bike up, walk assist is perfect for those kind of circumstances.
 

Bobario

Veteran
I find you have to change up to a high gear before it becomes of any use at all. In 1st gear it will be so slow as to be almost useless.
 
OP
OP
E
Location
Z’ha’dum
I find you have to change up to a high gear before it becomes of any use at all. In 1st gear it will be so slow as to be almost useless.
Hmmmm - good point
I will see if that helps - should have though really!

Although I think maybe the power on WA is a bit rubbish on the Bosch system!
 

Pale Rider

Legendary Member
Walk assist on the first Bosch motor was a dead loss, but later versions are a bit more pokey.

It does vary with gears, easy enough to experiment if you have hub gears, less so with derailers.
 

DRHysted

Guru
Location
New Forest
I use it to clean and lube the chain.
 
OP
OP
E
Location
Z’ha’dum
After reading the replies - thanks BTW - I went out before and gave it a good try out

Especially trying it in different gears and different assist levels

I also checked if the pedals need to be fixed or not as they generally spin a bit when it operates

nothing really helped much - it even cuts out at time on flat level tarmac

it is of use riding it on very narrow paths slowly

Not enough power/torque to help when pushing it up a hill
 

Biker man

Senior Member
After reading the replies - thanks BTW - I went out before and gave it a good try out

Especially trying it in different gears and different assist levels

I also checked if the pedals need to be fixed or not as they generally spin a bit when it operates

nothing really helped much - it even cuts out at time on flat level tarmac

it is of use riding it on very narrow paths slowly

Not enough power/torque to help when pushing it up a hill
Try it in the highest gear .
 

gbb

Legendary Member
Location
Peterborough
Track and trail riding locally, i cant push the thing up some of the short inclines, it hurts my hips too much. Walk assist definately has its uses.
 
We use it quite often, 3 reasons:

1) we tow a trailer with 2 x 20kgs dogs in so total trail weight is 55kgs. On occasion there is a need to drag that lot along when on foot and walk assist is good for that.
2) my wife often dismounts when faced with a steep hill (off road) and then struggles to push the heavy 22kgs e-bike up hill, walk assist sorts that out
3) we do some times use the bike/trailer to carry SUP's and Kayaks (precariously balanced on top) from where we camp to the waters edge, it's quite useful for that as well

We use it in 3rd or 4th gear on a 9spd set up
 
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