Trike Throttle? Chain?

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Trike Throttle? Chain?

Postby cbr shadow » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:50 pm

I bought (3) Throttles - Full twist, half twist, and thumb throttle to see which one I like on my KMX trike. I can't see how any of them would work without some serious awkwardness. Which do you other trike owners or recumbent owners use? I'm not seeing how any of these will work with the upright handle bars..
Thanks for any advice
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Re: Trike Throttle? Chain?

Postby Rassy » Mon Jul 02, 2012 8:59 pm

Originally my preference was thumb throttles, because I didn't like to have to grip the twist throttle all the time.

On my delta recumbent trike with underseat steering I put a thumb throttle on the very end of the bar and then looped the wires back through the bar and out a small hole in the middle of the bar.

Now on my tadpole I use a full twist with a "thumb tab" added to the end. It works great.

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Re: Trike Throttle? Chain?

Postby cbr shadow » Mon Jul 02, 2012 9:53 pm

Rassy, if you turn a standard full-grip throttle upright, it turns the wrong way. Accelerating seems like it would feel counterintuitive. How did you get by this? Did you reverse the twist, or just deal with accelerating that way and get used to it?
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Re: Trike Throttle? Chain?

Postby Rassy » Mon Jul 02, 2012 11:30 pm

That's a great question, which I discovered had a counter-intuitive answer.

First part of the answer is easy. You get used to anything, and as I said earlier, it works great for me.

Second part of the answer is more complex. One reason I didn't like full twist throttles was my first e-bike experience. I put the works from a scoot and go scooter on a cheap mountain bike with cruiser style handle bars. This included a conventional full twist throttle that twisted counter-colockwise which I put on the right side. When pulling on the brake lever there was a tendancy to also turn the throttle. I figured that with my thumb around the throttle and my fingers on the brake lever that I would be pulling the brake lever and twist throttle towards each other and not rolling the throttle on. But the reality was that as I pulled on the brake lever the palm of my hand would move with the brake lever and naturally rotate the throttle (on) as the brake lever was pulled closer to the grip. So I had to develop a technique that avoided this tendancy, which wasn't a real problem, but did require a conscious effort.

Now, on my trike with the bars pointing up and the standard twist throttle that rotates on in a counter-clockwise direction (looking towards the bar end), there is no tendancy to roll the throttle on when braking.

Hope this rambling explanation was readable.
-Rassy-
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Re: Trike Throttle? Chain?

Postby cbr shadow » Tue Jul 03, 2012 5:33 am

Rassy that makes sense - thanks.
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Re: Trike Throttle? Chain?

Postby docnjoj » Tue Jul 03, 2012 11:44 am

I modified my thumb throttle so it is on the left handlebar in the uprigth position (USS recumbent) It is pushed forward (counterclockwise looking down on the upright bar) to go faster.I chopped off the plastic wire exit that stuck up and made it curve down with a bit of epoxy putty. Been working fine for years now. I have a pretty strong left thumb from years of guitar pickin' so it is fine up to about 25 miles. That is the longest I have ever ridden on the Steintrike.
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Re: Trike Throttle? Chain?

Postby kriskros » Tue Jul 03, 2012 3:22 pm

a crystalite thumb throttle,a piece of alouminum rod.right diameter for the throttle and 1 1/2" long... a hose clamp to fit thr steering arm...shape one end the rod to match the hose clamp...drill and tap for a 1/4,20 bolt....drill a hole in the hose clamp , bolt it to the aluminum rod and tighten it close to the top of the left steerinr arm :mrgreen:
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