thumb throttle and walk assist

[Museumman]

so i have buit a bike with used componants a 250 watt rear hub motor hall effect pedal sensor applied to the DVLA for a VIN number paid my fee got the local printer. to make a VINplaque with my name on it print out all the relevent ebay invoices can i now fit a thumb throttle and walk assist controller can i now take it to a sva test. centre i am a disabled pensioner not all that confident on busy roads will i be. able to ride it on cycle paths at up to restricted 15mph without a motorbike licence or insurance and without fear of plod taking it off me does anybody really know?!!!!!!!!!

 

[flecc]

What you have created is a bicycle in law and NOT a motor vehicle, so it does not need an SVA, VIN number or any other DVA approval before use, even with a thumb throttle and walk assist.

It can be ridden on cycle paths, but on shared use paths should be ridden slowly with due care in the vicinity of pedestrians.

If taking it to a test centre for a VIN or MAC for 250LPM, do not mention that if stopped since it might create suspicion that it is capable of more than the EAPC limits.

Bear in mind that police officers in general have a very poor knowledge of our cycling and EAPC law so there is never any guarantee of not being stopped or even having a legal bike confiscated temporarily. It's a risk we all have until the current hysteria about e-bikes abates.
.

 

[saneagle]

These are the requirements for an electrically assisted bicycle that doesnt need registration, insurance, licence, etc:
1. Max motor speed 15.5 mph
2. Motor must be rated at 250w or less
3. The bike must be able to be pedalled when switched off.
4. The power must stop when you stop pedalling
5. The bike must be marked with a label that shows manufacturer, motor power and max assisted speed.

You can avoid number 4 by getting an SVA test, but then you must comply with all relevant motorcycle construction and use regulations such as lights, indicators, mirror, ball ends on the levers, stand, electric cables protected, etc.

 

[Nealh]

LPM 250w category doesn't require indicators, don't see them on Wisper bikes.
Do lights have to be fixed wired ones ?

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Hi Neal,

You are correct, there is no requirement for indicators, or mirrors. The lights have to be wired into the bike battery and both front and rear must turn on with the same switch.

All the best, David

 

[Nealh]

For a light switch I would use a dual wuxing 22mm handle bar mounted one .
Buy a 6v - 60v front wired light which has an integrated horn and buck converter and a 36v/60v rear red light both in parallel. Take the sW power supply from the battery to controller power supply . Add an inline covered blade fuse on the V+ power supply line.

When I was commuting this is what I did never had to bother with charging separate lights as one always had power for them from the bikes battery.
My rear light was as bright as a rear fog light, on ecan get them for about £3 - £5.

 

[thelarkbox]

This is probably old news to you but just in case.. Have you ridden the bike at all? It took me a while to get used to my conversion and how the pedal assist would cut in/out compared to my expectations of ridding m/cycles decades earlier.

But Once i found the 'knack' or the penny finally dropped (as if through treacle), the control of the bike became 2nd nature.

As long as you can move your legs slowly in a pedalling fashion a throttle is redundant, the technique known as Ghost pedalling which is just maintaining circular movement of the pedals sufficient to trigger the pedal assist acts as a virtual full open throttle for you. and if finer control is needed pulling or feathering a motor cut off hall sensor enabled brake lever is all you need.

Almost no effort ebiking can be achieved simply by selecting a higher level of pedal assistance 3,4,or 5 in a 5x level system, and start off with a very low gear selected, that was just a minor effort is required to get the bike moving with the initial pedal press at which time pedal assist will take over and as long as your feet move in a slow circular fashion on the pedals aka ghost pedalling, your off

AS i said it took me over a week of short daily runs to familiarise myself to the 'new' controls of an ebike. compared to most im probably out on the far end of the bell curve being somewhat kak handed and clumsy in most things..