Adding Throttle to Multispeed Bike

jkbrigman

10 kW
Joined
Oct 27, 2011
Messages
794
Location
North Carolina, Southeast US
We've got full-grip throttles, thumb throttles and half-grip throttles...And none of these will work with anything besides trigger shifters without removing the shifter and losing the gearing.

I see some bikes in which the front derailleur is removed completely and the chain runs on only one of the two or three front sprockets, then a throttle is installed on the left side. So far, that's the only answer i can come up with that will work, but I hate losing the gearing...

throttle.JPG
Here's my answer so far. It works, but it's odd. Do you think there a better way?

- switching to trigger shifters?
- installing some kind of "long reach" thumb throttle?
- removing the front derailleur shifter completely and just having one speed up front?
 
Hey mate,

I have one solution, and that is putting a thumb throttle on a "bar-end"

Vis:

ThumbThrottle barend.jpg



Note how I ended up running the thumb throttle cable as a lop beneath the grip, so it wouldn't interfere with the twist grip gear shifter.

Also note, this was for a road oriented build, not necessarily a good idea for off-road...

with this setup, I found it quite ok to have my right hand on the bar end and moving my left down to brake ... Shifting the rear gears (right hand) still required hand off throttle but didn't find it that inconvenient...

joe
 
'Course you could always go PAS, adn do away with a handle bar mounted throttle altogether...

I've used PAS only on v low power builds... It takes a bit of getting used to, and I had to rethink how I used the gears... Mainly gearing DOWN as one is coming to a stop, so that takeoff has a quicker cadence to get the PAS system engaging sooner, rather than staying in a higher gear and having to start pedal only in a high gear.
Joe
 
Flip a half-grip throttle around so the grip is on the inside, and you can use it with a grip-twist shifter easy enough.

I use a thumb throttle on DayGlo Avenger with a grip-twist throttle, too, nothing special, though I have to shift my hand over the grip a little.
DSC03338.JPG


And as Winkinatcha posted while I was searching for the pics, youc an also do it on a bar-end:
DSC03477.JPG
 
Now I build single speed, but my first 2 builds had full gear set on the rear.
Use a right hand grip shifter, mount it reverse on the left side and you can shift up to 9 gear with the left hand, while controlling the grip throttle with the right. That is the most natural method I found, until I realized that I have no need to shift and can stay on high gear at all times.

2 gears is best IMO, with a Schlumpf HS drive planetary crank set (2.5:1 ratio) and a single freewheel on the motor. That is enough to be able to easily pedal a heavy bike without power, and to let you pedal with the motor at high speed without the need of a big chain ring.
 
I use thumb throttle on my Tidal Force.. always felt good... never broken one either and Im aggresive.
 
A thumb-throttle will often just fit. You have to get the angle just right so that it nearly touches the shifter at full throttle.
20120911_122930.jpg

20120911_122909.jpg
 
Two solutions work best. Both involve dumping the grip shifter.

If you don't care about ebrakes, or can tolerate just one brake handle having ebrakes, replace the right shifter with a trigger shift. Not really that costly compared to how much better it is.

Or replace that shifter with an old school non indexed lever shifter. It can likely be mounted inboard enough on the bars to work fine. Definitely an option to move the 7 speed shifter to the left side, and use the old school shifter for the front derailur.

and lastly, another works but not so elegant solution. Using a broomstick, lengthen the handlebar 2 inches. Then mount the shifter as far in as you can get it, and then mount your throttle on the outside of the shifter. You won't use that shifter so much anyway.
 
Hey All - these are some excellent suggestions and I appreciate every single one of them. I've not done anything just yet, but will soon. All options are on the table!
 
Pull trigger throttle.Or.... Get rid of those lame end bar thingys and go for a thumb throttle.
 
Hey guys - I came up with a simple option that seems to be working: I got a simple round handlebar grip, trimmed off about 30% and slide the shifter and brake lever toward the end of the handlebar. That left JUST ENOUGH room to get a trigger throttle installed and clamped. Build thread with pics shortly....
 
I run a half twist on the right side, and moved the 7 speed shifter to the left. (I run a single sprocket front) Had to turn the shifter upside down, but it still works just fine. I also swap my brakes, so the front is on the right. Just seems more natural for a "motor" cycle.
 
I ended up robbing handlebar grip to pay throttle. Here's a photo of what it looks like:
throttle.JPG

A trigger shifter would completely solve this problem and allow me to return to using the stock (anatomic) handlebar grip.
 
Status Update: A pretty long 28 mile road test is done and the "very far in" throttle worked like a champ. Note that this is a right-hand throttle which is mounted upside-down on the left side.

Turns out, when I shift to high gear (largest sprocket) on the left shifter, I can pretty much leave it alone and work the throttle and right hand shifter. I'm feeling the difference in the handgrips, though: my left hand starts to get tingly when my right isn't (the right is still an anatomic grip).

I'm starting to warm up to the idea of removing the front derailleur and replacing the front sprocket on this bike with something larger. Losing the shifter would allow me to use my nice 1/3rd grip throttle and go back to the stock handgrip. Would love to switch up to a schlumpf drive on this bike, but that costs more $$ than the whole bike!
 
I just modified my shifter a bit. It didnt originally fit over the large potentiometer so I just filed down the up shift lever to fit over it. The shifter now doesnt fit over the grip in an ergonomic way anymore and I have to move my hand off the full twist to get to it but I dont think Ive actually shifted gears in over 2500 miles. :lol:
 
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