Quality Thumb Throttles

[Ykick]

I use thumb throttles but can't stand the style in your photo. You're asking for trouble having battery voltage that close proximity to the throttle wiring IMO.

Wuxing Is the company that manufactures the majority of ebike throttles. There is a very simple version without the battery fuel meter. Edward Lyen sells one. I've also bought a few off eBay. They're not totally waterproof but I don't think you will ever find a throttle that is. In heavy rain you should cover it with a plastic shopping bag or ziploc, etc.

Here's an example - http://www.ebay.com/itm/E-bike-Thumb-Throttle-Speed-Control-Handle-Electric-bicycles-Scooters-Pedelecs-/321210103565?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ac99d370d

 

[migueralliart]

I got some throttles in stock and a simple half twist left version. So far no issues with them.

http://www.evworkslab.com/collections/throttles-and-handlebar-switches

Also some of the metal hybrid ones are out of stock but I will receive some in the next couple of weeks.

 

[madin88]

AWI® 5k Ohm Thum Throttle is one of the best on the market, but needs resistor/pot tuning to get in the same output volt range as hall throttle have.

http://www.electricscooterparts.com/throttles5kohm.html
http://www.cloudelectric.com/product-p/th-aw15k.htm

 

[amberwolf]

They're not totally waterproof but I don't think you will ever find a throttle that is. In heavy rain you should cover it with a plastic shopping bag or ziploc, etc.

Or open it up and seal the hall sensor/leads/wires with dielectric grease, or polyurethane or similar (silicone could work but may actually attract water).


Re: the voltmeter type of throttle: just don't hook up the pack voltage to it and they're safe enough. I've used them just fine that way (although my favorite thumb throttle is one of the type without one, which I think originally came from Lyen, IIRC).

If you like you can even change the resistors that are on the board so the comparators/etc on it that light hte various LEDs for full/half/dead are scaled way down in what they respond to, and put a voltage divider on the pack voltage input at the far end of the cable, so that only a tiny portion of pack voltage is fed to the throttle. So that say, a 60V pack is now a 6V max at that LED board, etc. (factors of 10 just make it easier figuring out resistor values...but I've never actually done the mod, only considered it...with a CA I don't really need it. )

 

[nebu_06]

Thanks for your answers!

I might check the AWI.

Ykick wrote: They're not totally waterproof but I don't think you will ever find a throttle that is. In heavy rain you should cover it with a plastic shopping bag or ziploc, etc.

Or open it up and seal the hall sensor/leads/wires with dielectric grease, or polyurethane or similar (silicone could work but may actually attract water).

We are in 2013, if we can make waterproof Smartphones, waterproof electronics for boats, I believe we have the technology to make a simple ebike thumb throttle waterproof! I have made some pictures below of the disassembled thumb throttle. You can see that almost no effort was made to make the throttle waterproof. no rubber sealing, the hall sensor is quite exposed, and the transparent plastic on top of the throttle for the leds looks like glued but I would not bet it's waterproof either... I might actually try to waterproof it myself as you suggested.

 

[d8veh]

If it worries you, you only have to fill it with silicone RTV.

 

[dehoov]

"Fill it" with silicone? Really? Won't that gum it up?

I'm a new member of the forum, being a relatively ne e-biker but long time road biker. I've been riding through the winters in Ottawa Canada pretty much every day for the past 10 years, and this year I'm planning to ride through on my new e-bike. Certainly for me in this climate waterproofing is THE big issue - okay, maybe performance of batts at -35, but I'm working on that problem.

My bile is a modified road bike with road bike bars and shimano shifters - so I've had to mod a thumb spring throttle as nothing I've seen so far can be attaché sock to drop bars. Not much of a mod really - so far just a combination of duct & electrical tape & zip ties. Trial and error to find best posting to ride with hands on hoods and thumb on throttle for fast access to brakes. So I've now got the position of the throttle figured out, and by fluke I think I've pretty much waterproofed it because of the taping ,but maybe I should silicone it up too given the brine rthey spray on the roads here in the winter. Anyway, I'll take a pic of current setup and post for info.

PS great forum ...

 

[Xrain]

I am still an advocate for using a standard cable throttle from a motorcycle, ATV, or snowmobile. Than running the cable down to near your controller, and connecting the cable to a pot box.

Gives the most satisfying throttle to use, no battery voltage is near your hand, and they are considerably more robust than any of these cheap hall throttles.


As for battery performance at -35, make an insulated box for your batteries. Keep them inside during the night, they should hold the heat in enough to keep themselves warm while you are running.

 

[miro13car]

nebu,

of course there are 100% rainproof thumb throttles out there.
On quality ebikes. Like Martin ebike.
My TidalForce uses one and it had been through pouring rain in spring and fall many times for 23,623 kilometers, through minus, minus temperatures.
BTW this ebike is used in winter/fall only. No summer rides, so this throttle works in harsh conditions.
It says "E maxi" on the paddle of this throttle.
It is not flimsy POC /because they need to save 10 cents/piece on manufacturing/ , built from thick plastic with stainless metal parts mounted with solid metal bracket.
Also EPLUS edrive uses same throttle.

 

[cal3thousand]

This one is an interesting looking one:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Model-SPE-03-Electric-Bike-Bicycle-Thumb-Throttle-with-Switch-and-LED-Meter-616-/261157134194?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3cce2d9f72

 

[Matt Gruber]

I like my new palm throttle. No squeezing or pushing or holding it. Fingers on the grip, palm on the lever. Just find a comfortable riding position, and put the lever right there, where it does NOT require any effort.

 

[madin88]

nebu,

of course there are 100% rainproof thumb throttles out there.
On quality ebikes. Like Martin ebike.
My TidalForce uses one and it had been through pouring rain in spring and fall many times for 23,623 kilometers, through minus, minus temperatures.
BTW this ebike is used in winter/fall only. No summer rides, so this throttle works in harsh conditions.
It says "E maxi" on the paddle of this throttle.
It is not flimsy POC /because they need to save 10 cents/piece on manufacturing/ , built from thick plastic with stainless metal parts mounted with solid metal bracket.
Also EPLUS edrive uses same throttle.

This is the AWI 0-5k pot Thumb Throttle. I don't know what E maxi stand for...

 

[docnjoj]

I have seen photos of this "trigger throttle" being used as a thumb throttle. I'm using it as a trigger and it works quite well. The website shows it as a thumb throttle too and the quality seems quite good. Just remember that green is ground and black is signal. Red is 5 volts.
http://endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=56059

otherDoc

 

[cal3thousand]

I like my new palm throttle. No squeezing or pushing or holding it. Fingers on the grip, palm on the lever. Just find a comfortable riding position, and put the lever right there, where it does NOT require any effort.

Can you share any more details for us?

 

[Matt Gruber]

I like my new palm throttle. No squeezing or pushing or holding it. Fingers on the grip, palm on the lever. Just find a comfortable riding position, and put the lever right there, where it does NOT require any effort.

Can you share any more details for us?

i studied a medical book HAND PAIN and i've concluded that using small muscles, fingers or thumb, is a bad idea. The palm does not use these small muscles, the palm uses the largest muscles in the upper body. Still, i set up the lever so no noticible effort is required to cruise.
The lever has to be custom made to fit your hand. I had an old tv antenna and used an 8" piece of tubing. bent into a V and clamped to the twist grip. the lever extends about 2.5" to match my palm. It only took 10 minutes to do a quick test, and once i saw how easy it worked, i spent another 20 min to get it positioned right.
Like you, i've also tried a cruise control. That works too, but on my new ebike, i wanted to avoid any extra wiring, and i was lazy, and wanted a quick fix.

 

[madin88]

i studied a medical book HAND PAIN and i've concluded that using small muscles, fingers or thumb, is a bad idea. The palm does not use these small muscles, the palm uses the largest muscles in the upper body. Still, i set up the lever so no noticible effort is required to cruise.
The lever has to be custom made to fit your hand. I had an old tv antenna and used an 8" piece of tubing. bent into a V and clamped to the twist grip. the lever extends about 2.5" to match my palm. It only took 10 minutes to do a quick test, and once i saw how easy it worked, i spent another 20 min to get it positioned right.
Like you, i've also tried a cruise control. That works too, but on my new ebike, i wanted to avoid any extra wiring, and i was lazy, and wanted a quick fix.

do you have a pic how this throttle looks like or how it works?
I am right the lever will not be pushed with the thumb but off the cuff or wrist?

 

[Matt Gruber]

mad
i looked at your pics, no twist throttle, right? this only works with a twist throttle.
the wrist adjusts the speed. the lever contacts the palm, past the thumb muscle. the thumb muscle is not used. the weight of your arm holds speed.

 

[madin88]

mad
i looked at your pics, no twist throttle, right? this only works with a twist throttle.
the wrist adjusts the speed. the lever contacts the palm, past the thumb muscle. the thumb muscle is not used. the weight of your arm holds speed.

ok, i think i have understood. thx. So you say a twist throttle is more preferable than thumb throttles regarding to grip and comfort?

I must say after some longer rides my thumb starts to feel weak. It's not much but it feels a bit incommodious.
I think i will try a magura twist throttle, but i'm a bit afraid i will not reach my brake lever anymore (magura is very wide left to the grip and i only have 2-finger brake levers).

 

[Matt Gruber]

No. a full twist throttle is horrible(for me). thumb style is better if it has a light spring, or no spring for manual control.
Adding a lever to a twist throttle makes it work like a car gas pedal. This transforms a crappy throttle into a dream throttle.
My method is to modify stock parts to try to improve them. My scooter had a half throttle, i cut out a thumb lever for it, and replaced the spring....
so you may want to remove the spring, this may ruin it, or maybe not. Sometimes i have to smash things to figure out how it comes apart
As for the brake, i'm trying the lever turned up, so you slam it on like a car brake, with the palm. As you can see, i'm a car guy, and i think cars have superior gas/brake controls.

 

[madin88]

No. a full twist throttle is horrible(for me). thumb style is better if it has a light spring, or no spring for manual control.
Adding a lever to a twist throttle makes it work like a car gas pedal. This transforms a crappy throttle into a dream throttle.
My method is to modify stock parts to try to improve them. My scooter had a half throttle, i cut out a thumb lever for it, and replaced the spring....
so you may want to remove the spring, this may ruin it, or maybe not. Sometimes i have to smash things to figure out how it comes apart
As for the brake, i'm trying the lever turned up, so you slam it on like a car brake, with the palm. As you can see, i'm a car guy, and i think cars have superior gas/brake controls.

i now understand what you mean. palm is an extention on a twist throttle where you can place down your thumb or wrist during longer rides. thx for the infos!

You will not believe, but i have disassembled my AWI throttle to make the spring more light. I was able to built it successful back togehter and now it feels more comfort

 

[cal3thousand]

mad
i looked at your pics, no twist throttle, right? this only works with a twist throttle.
the wrist adjusts the speed. the lever contacts the palm, past the thumb muscle. the thumb muscle is not used. the weight of your arm holds speed.

This is kind of like the idea that I had with modifying half throttles so you don't have to grip it but just rest your palm. They have attachments for motorcycles that kind of does this too.

I may have to investigate this more closely since you have had success with a similar approach.

EDIT:

Here's the commercial version on Amazon Crampbuster:

 

[Matt Gruber]

pic of lever throttle!
i use foam pipe insulation from home depot, $1-2 for 6 feet. makes a lot of comfort grips! warm too!
i am trying a piece of fuel hose over the lever for comfort.

 

[madin88]

pic of lever throttle!
i use foam pipe insulation from home depot, $1-2 for 6 feet. makes a lot of comfort grips! warm too!
i am trying a piece of fuel hose over the lever for comfort.

is this a magura twist th?
i am right the self made lever is fix and moves with the grip up and down?

the grip seems to be very big, but it looks like it is comfortable to hold and yes, warm too.

 

[Matt Gruber]

yes, lever moves up/down with grip, sort of a gas pedal effect.
looks HUGE due to wide angle lens. only an inch larger in diameter.
not likely maugra, whatever came on ebike.
just came back from a half hour ride, went
to store, was easy to go slow around people there in parking lot. Before it was very hard to position for slow. Padding works well over bumps, smoother ride.
Note how the brake lever is turned up. Use palm, not fingers, to stop! Palm transfers body weight into lever, not those small finger muscles. This helps on a cheaper disc brake that takes lots of effort to stop.
My goal is to make riding a pleasure, no pain allowed, not even a little.

 

[Andytheswede]

Like many, I'm struggling to get the shimano shifter, hydraulic brake and throttle on my handlebar. I've not seen any pretty solution. I've cut off most of the plastic off my cheap hall effect throttle to make the shifter pass, but it's not very waterproof anymore . I'm surprised no company has come up with a good solution.

Sohttp://www.vishay.com/docs/57103/model981.pdf

Im sitting with exactly the same problem now.
Thinking about using sram 9speed twistshifter on my shimano deore.