What's this red button for?

[Pale Rider]

The LEDs may be a battery level or assistance level indicator.

If there is varying assistance levels, there will be a control for those somewhere.

Some of the cheaper ebikes only have one level.

Assuming the bike is road legal or close to it, there's no reason why you should crash it.

The motor won't be particularly pokey and should cut out when you stop pedalling or brake.

Ebikes are heavy lumps, probably more chance of it toppling over when you come to rest or try to restart.

 

[Maz]

The LEDs may be a battery level or assistance level indicator.

If there is varying assistance levels, there will be a control for those somewhere.

Some of the cheaper ebikes only have one level.

Assuming the bike is road legal or close to it, there's no reason why you should crash it.

The motor won't be particularly pokey and should cut out when you stop pedalling or brake.

Ebikes are heavy lumps, probably more chance of it toppling over when you come to rest or try to restart.

I took it for a ride. Any thought that I might be able to glide up moderate hills with it, quickly vanished - it's more like a pedalling-assisted motor.
Looks ike the LEDs are 'assitance level indicators' although I didnt know how the level changed (sometimes it was 3 LEDs on, other times 2 or 1).
Yes, the motor cuts out when I brake. Thanks again.
Oh, and that red button on the right doesn't seem to do anything!

 

[Pale Rider]

Sounds like it may be an older 24 volt motor, most of which were very weedy.

Even modern - legal - ebikes are not very powerful.

The legal phrase EAPC - Electrically Assisted Pedal Cycle - is correct, you won't get very far or up any hills on throttle alone.

The LEDs might be a crude battery level indicator, reading voltage.

This will tend to drop under load, so the LEDs go out, but then 'recover' on the flat.

Modern battery level indicators are less inclined to do that.