New Panasonic Throttle Kit

[Intex]

Does anyone have any experience with the new Panasonic ThrottleKit? I ask, because I am shortly taking delivery on a new ProConnect "S".

Can this be used to cruise along with the bike, as in other bikes? Why would it be limited to just a "walk-along" speed? Can that be disabled in order to apply more power??

Info from 50cycles site:

Panasonic throttle kit

Did you know it's possible to fit a throttle on your Kalkhoff pedelec bicycle?

OK, it won't quite let you whizz along at the top speed of 15mph, but it will propel the bike at a brisk walking pace without any pedalling. The idea is to help you wheel the bike along, perhaps when walking the bike uphill. But of course, it can also scoot you along at a leisurely pace if you wish.

Price will be £49.50 pre-fitted to a new bike or £44.50 for a DIY kit, including P&P and photo-illustrated printed fitting instructions.

We want to check how popular this option is likely to be before we place an order, so just send us an email if you're interested.

 

[tillson]

Does anyone have any experience with the new Panasonic ThrottleKit? I ask, because I am shortly taking delivery on a new ProConnect "S".

Can this be used to cruise along with the bike, as in other bikes? Why would it be limited to just a "walk-along" speed? Can that be disabled in order to apply more power??

Info from 50cycles site:

Panasonic throttle kit

Did you know it's possible to fit a throttle on your Kalkhoff pedelec bicycle?

OK, it won't quite let you whizz along at the top speed of 15mph, but it will propel the bike at a brisk walking pace without any pedalling. The idea is to help you wheel the bike along, perhaps when walking the bike uphill. But of course, it can also scoot you along at a leisurely pace if you wish.

Price will be £49.50 pre-fitted to a new bike or £44.50 for a DIY kit, including P&P and photo-illustrated printed fitting instructions.

We want to check how popular this option is likely to be before we place an order, so just send us an email if you're interested.

I think you have answered your own question:

OK, it won't quite let you whizz along at the top speed of 15mph, but it will propel the bike at a brisk walking pace without any pedalling

To get anymore speed out of it would most likely involve a software modification which would be beyond most people and probably invalidate the guarantee.

I have been thinking about this and I can't think of any reason why I would want to run on motor power only at walking pace. I have never encountered a situation where I would have used it.

Having said this, it is strangely appealing for some reason.

 

[Intex]

There are situations where after a long ride, and depending upon your age and condition, you may encounter leg cramps, exhaustion, wherein a little respite from pedalling may be welcome.

If you have it there, what negative would it have??
I just was wondering how fast you could go, with it? Maybe I would want to add it to my Kalkhoff before I take delivery?

 

[the_killjoy]

It could be useful if you are pushing it home with puncture.

 

[styx]

I live in a very hilly rural area and there are many instances where I would find the walk alongside throttle facility very useful.Due to the nature of the terrain I am always either climbing or descending , in fact I can not think of a flat stretch of road within five miles of where I live.Obviously it takes at least twice as long to climb a hill than it does to descend it so most of my rides are spent climbing.I am used to climbing these hills on a conventional bike so I am quite a strong rider and put in a lot of pedal power on these climbs but even so the battery is very soon depleted.Some of these hills although relatively short are extremely severe and I've found that by pushing the bike up these hills I can extend the range of the battery quite markedly so a little assistance from the throttle would be useful.Also many of the roads I use are connected by rough farm track short cuts which though I ride them on my mountain bike are simply too rough to contemplate riding an agattu along .So once again a little assistance would come in very handy.Therefore I will certainly be investing in a throttle kit when they become available.
styx

 

[flecc]

The Panasonic walk alongside throttle feature is designed to meet the law on pedestrian controlled vehicles, meaning it's restricted to 4 mph in Britain and 6 kph in Europe, roughly the fastest walking speed. It's design purpose is to cope with hills that are too steep for a rider to cope with while cycling.

However, on the "S" series units where the motor unit is set up for much higher speeds, the "walk alongside" speed is also substantially increased as a side effect of the alterations. The throttle therefore operates to as much as 12 mph / 19 kph, more like "run alongside" speeds, so those bikes can be throttle powered to that when riding. The precise top speed of the throttle on the "S" models depends on the gearset the bike is equipped with. I'm quoting for the BikeTech Flyer top of the range model, the Pro Connect S might be a little slower than those quoted top walk alongside speeds, but still at a rideable speed, at least in the 8 to 10 mph region.
.

 

[tillson]

Flec, you mention that in the UK the maximum throttle only speed is limited to 4 MPH. Presumably, this will depend on which gear is selected and the 4 MPH being based on 8th gear in the case of the Pro-Connect.

If a smaller rear sprocket has been fitted, say an 18 tooth, will this lift the restricted speed slightly?

Thanks

Tom

 

[flecc]

Yes that's it Tom, hence my comment on the variability of the "walk" speed on the S high speed models according to gearset.

On the Pro Connect with an 18 tooth rear sprocket the walk speed becomes 5.1 mph, just into riding viability.
.

 

[Danny-K]

If you can walk up a very steep hill at 4 or 5.1mph then you can certainly ride a bike up it. As often as not, that's my cycle speed on cliff-face type hills.

- No, what I see its best purpose for, is when the rider is totally exhausted and the hill is of a severe nature and is exhausting the bike too! And as Flecc says, perhaps some riders might additionally have a physical impediment/ailment, or simply a weight problem - it's then that by leaning heavily on the bars the walk-along function comes into its own by 'dragging' you up the hill, suddenly taking a lot of weight off your feet. You're not 'walking alongside' per se, which sounds redundant - you're being dragged up by the bike.

Very refreshing - at least it is when I've been 'forced' to resort to that method.

 

[Intex]

This is info I just received from 50Cycles:
There's good news regarding the throttle, we're told by their engineers it will operate the motor up to 20 kph (about 12.5mph) compared to 6 kph (less than 4mph) in all other models.


Not only that, the maximum pedelec assistance level is greater in the Pro Connect S, at 1:1.5. It is 1:1.3 in all other models. This confirms that the S is using a better power plant than other Kalkhoff pedelecs, we're really pleased.

 

[wotwozere]

Hi

I am not sure if my finger can fit this, how does it fit on?
Its amazing how people thinkin of these things

thx

Bob