1abv said:
Having a clutch is just not for more revs on hillclimbs. Can't stress this enough: The throttle is for managing the power. The clutch is for controlling how much power goes to the rear wheel. Check out any vids of trials riders.. I was just flat tracking at a mini track today and if I had a clutch it would have been unreal!
I know what you mean, I agree to some extent, and think it's an interesting discussion which you've raised. But I still suspect there's something you're missing about these hub motor e-bikes and how to exploit the most fun out of them.
For sure just avoid technical trials type riding on your Bomber or my Fighter. There is no point. No clutch - as you say! And having 8+ Kg in the rear wheel makes that type of riding pointless anyway. The hub motor has some awesome benefits. Just embrace it. Like having no moving parts in contact that wear out and constantly need replacement. They also look stealthy, and if I do the rigft things, most casual observers don't notice I'm on my Fighter.
I'll say the same thing again ... on your Stealth Bomber or my Fighter, if riding MX tracks, mini supercross tracks, or flat tracks, if the bike setup is right, then you don't need a clutch. You hold the power on more often and maintain speed and momentum. If you want to break traction on flat tracks or anywhere, then it's simple if you shift your body weight, but only if your bike setup is right.
If you have shitty forks or a jack-hammer for a rear shock, then I can understand why you'd wish for a clutch. Because at mid corner with crap handling and too much speed you or I will certainly commence a crash, and it could be a big one. If you get on the power early in a corner on your Bomber with wrong spring, then it wont put that power down, so you will delay throttle until the exit, and wish for a clutch. With crap handling, if you want to break traction on either end, then shifting your weight around or adjusting the brakes or throttle is going to cause other undesirable side-effects.
When I'm done on a ride on my Fighter, I often stare at it and think how little maintenance there is. Yes I've worn out my suspension, tires, brakes and grips, but that's it really. Charge it up and it's ready to go. It's nothing like that with my other bikes. As a bonus on my e-bike I can change my fork oil in under 30 minutes and shock in less than an hour.
If you are used to small bore or badly tuned 2 strokes with narrow power, then I can understand why you slip the clutch all day on those bikes. But as Allex wrote, these e-motors have extremely broad torque. Just use it more often.
I do understand what a clutch is for. I have friends with trials bikes and have had a few rides and loved it, while being on the clutch all the time for that technical stuff. Also I use my clutch constantly on my dirt bikes which I ride 100 to 150 hrs per year. In particular using lots of clutch on MX tracks to smooth out the power delivery. I have a YZ295 and a KX450F and a few mm of throttle turn can upset the bike a lot in a technical corner, so I do what all riders with powerful bikes do and I hold the throttle constant and meter the rear wheel power with the clutch. When I had slow bikes with narrow power bands or if I miss a gear shift then of course I'll use clutch to increase RPMs and power. I had some 125s which were crap and very slow and needed clutch all the time.
Edit: Do I wish for a clutch on my Fighter? Ans: Yes! But I don't ever expect to have one. Not without a huge penalty in cost, weight and complexity. It's not worth it to me. I have too many ride options where I don't wish for a clutch.
. I get that. As Jay pointed out, that isn't going to happen on a direct drive hub motor powered ebike. What would need to happen is someone would need to build a high powered mid drive, and run some kind of clutch right off the output shaft that could be manually disengaged. Brammo made a dirt bike with a 6 speed tranny and clutch, never came to production though.
