Throttle de-restriction

[rustic]

Had a look at the latest Dawes Boost Suburbia. Different from the previous model that provided full throttle assistance on demand, the blurb on this one states: 'A handy throttle can boost your power whilst pedalling or offer low speed assistance whilst pushing the cycle' - that isn't really what I'm looking for, but before writing it off entirely, would it be simple to de-restrict this enabling UK legal assistance to 15.5mph using throttle only?

 

[halfer]

I imagine it probably will be possible, but bear in mind that throttle-only with no pedalling will reduce battery charge to zero in a very short range indeed. The mistake I made with my old Juicy was to apply throttle I didn't need, and its range was usually reduced as a result - 10 miles or so.

If you can give more detail as to why you want throttle only, that might help people advise further.

 

[rustic]

Thanks for the reply. Well, due to significant pain issues which cycling can trigger, I can become uncomfortable pedalling midway through a ride, even though I might have started out fine. At such times I don't want to aggravate further nerve pain and would simply prefer to ride home using throttle only. My previous Alien bike provided this option and I would really want something similar on any future ebike option.

 

[halfer]

Gotcha. Well, although I had electrical issues with mine, the Juicy Sport will do this - and I expect the design has been improved since then. I spotted recently you can bump up the guarantee to two years for a small extra sum too, so might be worth a test ride.

 

[rustic]

Yep, the juicy is too small for me, I'm 6'5" tall, so the 20" frame & 28" wheels on the Dawes is about the minimum size I would consider - even that will most likely be a bit too small for me, ideally I'd need a 23" frame with 700c wheels, but there is no such throttle option bike suitable for a taller rider on the market from what I've seen. However, having said that, if it is not possible to de-restrict the throttle on the Dawes boost suburbia which I have been offered at a reasonable price (hence my consideration of it) then I would not be opting for this bike either.

 

[pn_day]

Another alternative is to buy a bike that fits and then convert it. That way you get a geometry that actually works for you. I've just finished my conversion on a 62cm Surly Cross check and it is great having a large enough frame.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Where's the photos then?

 

[jackhandy]

I came accross a bloke test-riding an ebike from our one-and-only local dealer recently & was struck by how small the bike looked:
He was obviously enjoying the e-xperience, scooting along at quite a high cadence & it made me wonder how many of us get "carried along" by the blast from a test-ride & end up with a bike that doesn't quite fit proper.

Didn't have a chance to talk as the lights changed.

 

[pn_day]

Where's the photos then?

Fair point. I have been remiss!

Here are a few photos. Kit used is an 8fun / Bafang 500W CST with 20Ah 36V battery and S12S controller (both in the rack top bag).

The bike

The bars

The front lights

Rear lights

 

[peerjay56]

Fair point. I have been remiss!

Here are a few photos. Kit used is an 8fun / Bafang 500W CST with 20Ah 36V battery and S12S controller (both in the rack top bag).


The front lights

Rear lights

Are you afraid of the dark?

 

[pn_day]

Just of tractors hitting me! I've had a couple of close calls on the back roads around here particularly in Autumn. But yes, it is slightly OTT - pairs of lights are individually switched so I can have side lights, dipped or main beam equivalents!

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Very nice. All we need now is the performance data.

I have a couple of comments:

The DC/DC converter is hidden inside those silver lights. If you ride in the rain, they can fill up with water and drown it. Did you seal yours with silicone? I've got one of those lights on my bike, and it seems enough for unlit roads and cycle paths. When people see you coming, they must think that a UFO has landed!

You have a massive empty triangle in your frame and your battery is on the rack. Is there anyway you can think of to move it. It'll make a massive difference to the steering and stability of the bike, or is stealth more important to you?

 

[pn_day]

Excellent points both
Yes I have siliconed the cable in and plate on the silver lights. They are just for when there is nothing else on the road, I intend to switch off when something else comes the other way!

Empty triangle comment - absolutely. I went the rack route as it was easier and cheaper, but found the balance a bit dodgy on roads next to a farm that had gravel and mud spread on them. So I was debating getting a frame bag from bike-bag.co.uk. Not as stealthy, but comfort rules!

 

[Deleted member 4366]

A frame bag will make a massive difference to the user-friendliness if your bike. Unfortunately, there's always a down-side, but in this case it's nothing physical.

 

[rustic]

Sorry folks to drag up an old thread, but wondered if any of the tech guru's on this site could add an opinion to the original post here?