preferred throttle style for indirect steering tadpole ?

[marka-ee]

I'm working on electrifying a low slung tadpole trike with indirect steering where the grips are about at the height of my legs. Currently, the right grip is a twist shifter, which I believe I need to convert to an old-fashioned lever or move it to the left grip and then I'm wondering about what style of throttle should I use. A twist throttle doesn't make much sense to me for this vertical-oriented grip, so I'm thinking of fashioning some type of trigger finger throttle, which my index finger would pull. What have other trike users been happy with with a similar steering arrangement? I can fabricate pretty much any configuration because of CAD skills and a 3D printer. For example, I replace the housing on my twist grip on my upright bike with a custom 3D printed one. I'm just looking for experienced users to tell me what worked for them.

 

[amberwolf]

If it helps, there should be some discussion about this in a few of the tadpole trike threads, and other threads about bikes/trikes with remote steering or USS (underseat steering). Sorry I don't have any direct links but the terms may help find them.

 

[offGridDownUnder]

What have other trike users been happy with with a similar steering arrangement?

I am using a thumb throttle from Grin Technologies. They have several variations.

My use case may be different from yours - it's illegal to drive an electric bicycle from a throttle only here, except to get it moving from stopped up to 6km/hr. I have no experience of holding the throttle for a long time beyond about 30s up a very steep hill near where I live which I use as a testing ground. The trike doesn't exceed 6km/hr going up that hill.

 

[Big Tom]

I lowered my twist shifter and mounted a thumb throttle above it. I ended up changing it by mounting the thumb throttle upside down so instead of pushing with the thumb, I am pulling with my fingers when the throttle is needed.

 

[Marc S.]

I've tried various options for throttles and found to use a left hand half throttle at the left handlebar of my tadpole trikes and velomobile is the most convenient. While the right hand is occupied with shifting, rotating the left hand to power the motor becomes natural quite quickly.

When using a left hand half throttle, you grip the throttle ring lightly with your pinky and ring finger and rotate the left hand clockwise. If you use a normal (right hand) throttle at the left handlebar of a tadpole trike, you have to rotate your hand counter-clock wise and I found that will put some undue strain on my wrist.

 

[marka-ee]

Thank you for the responses guys. Temporarily I'm using an old twist throttle on the right side and I moved the rear derailleur shifter to the left side. But I don't like the twist throttle, it's too confusing. So I'm trying to design a thumb throttle now and trying to make it ergonomic so that the angle for the thumb motion is optimal. roughly 20 degrees off the vertical axis and making it so that the thumb motion is naturally moving inwards towards the grip as I accelerate more. Making ergonomic things is difficult with CAD programs,I'm learning because there isn't really an easy way to model a human hand and how it moves. I guess an iterative approach will be what I do. 3D printers make a lot of things possible these days.

 

[ccihon]

T-Cycle makes an aluminum post that replaces the pivot screw on some bar end shifters like Microsoft and Shimano... This allows a conventional thumb throttle to be mounted right alongside the shifter, in a fairly ergonomic configuration. I will dig up a picture of mine. I actually don't use the throttle much, but mainly rely on pedal assist.