What throttle? Thumb or twist?

[friendly1uk]

I have not tried others, but my half twist is OK. I ride with the pedal sensor and my hands far apart. Thus I don't actually need a throttle most of the time, and my palm is not on it, but my thumb is. If I need to get moving quickly and I'm in the wrong gear, I thumb it quickly as if it were a thumb throttle. If I need to use throttle as I broke my leg or something, then I can make fine adjustments. I rest my palm so it is half on the fixed bit, and half covering the twist bit. Just covering, not holding. I then use a finger and thumb to adjust the throttle, before laying my palm properly across both halfs, fixing my speed.

I don't think the constant holding of a thumb throttle would suit me. A full twist offers no locking action either. Lumps and bumps in the road would not work with either, my throttle is just too twitchy. I like fingertip control then clamping the moving bit to the fixed bit with my palm. It also seems a more rugged solution that takes up little room.

 

[alsmith]

I use it in conjunction with a cruise control which can increase or decrease the throttle in steps. Activating the brake (with the brake switch connected) disables the throttle feed so you're not fighting the throttle with the brakes. It means I don't have to grip the throttle once I can cruise, again helping to ease the aches.

 

[triggeraa]

Went WOT today while trail riding. Twist throttle fell apart in my hand on a power slide. Dumped the bike and hit the kill switch. No biggie. Managed to find all the parts and put them back together to get me home. Part of the plastic housing broke, releasing the grip and spring. Had to install a thumb throttle I had laying around. Don't like it one bit. Like I'm operating a toy of some sort. :? Already had spare twist throttles on the way since all my rides have twist throttles and like to have spares.

 

[izeman]

I don't think the constant holding of a thumb throttle would suit me.

you should try it. coming from motor cycle riding i didn't even think to use anything but a full twist throttle. after trying the thumb throttle i found it very nice. and as the spring inside is very soft you don't need any force to press it and hold it in position. during normal riding your thumb is exactly there where the thumb throttle sits. so it's control feels quite natural to me.

 

[TheBeastie]

I have been using full twist throttle for about 8 months now and after about 20 minutes my wrist would ache. I thought I would get used to it but I never have.
I just changed over thumb throttle and find it significantly easier. Also its much easier to reach the breaks. There are a few ebayers that will send a thumb throttle for under $20 delivered.

 

[beoutside]

I was given sweet xtr shimano trigger shifters with brake levers, but they hit my twist throttle that has an integrated kill switch. Anyone use this particular set up? Is there a thin half twist out there, I'll put the kill switch on the other side. thanks
I think the kill switch makes the throttle to wide for this set up.

 

[izeman]

...There are a few ebayers that will send a thumb throttle for under $20 delivered.

here you go. i ordered that some time ago. very nice.

http://www.aliexpress.com/item/New-...-bike-finger-bothway-throttle/1883650427.html

 

[alsmith]

I use one of those paddle type things on the the throttle which really helps to relieve the aches . Prices are low now- about 1 uk pound here.

That thumb throttle is the first time I've seen work on that axis, most work around the bar and I find them uncomfortable .

 

[rider95]

Thumb throttles are for non motorcycle riding ppl who don,t know better and use Rim brakes on ther E bikes

 

[Rassy]

rider95 wrote:

Thumb throttles are for non motorcycle riding ppl who don,t know better and use Rim brakes on ther E bikes

Well, I'm glad this issue has been settled once and for all.

Oh, wait, one of my trikes has disk brakes and a thumb throttle. But maybe that's okay since the throttle is seldom used because it also has a pedal sensing system.

 

[d8veh]

I was given sweet xtr shimano trigger shifters with brake levers, but they hit my twist throttle that has an integrated kill switch. Anyone use this particular set up? Is there a thin half twist out there, I'll put the kill switch on the other side. thanks
I think the kill switch makes the throttle to wide for this set up.

A normal half twist throttle without switch can be mounted in any rotational position, which allows the cable to exit on top so that the cable passes over the top of your brake and shifter. That type of throttle is the most versatile in terms of fitting.

 

[beoutside]

When I built up my cargo bike I had a friend donate some XTR integrated brake and shifter pods. As beautiful as they are I finally took them off, since I had to mount them a full inch and a half away from the half twist throttle so you could actually shift. You would have to slide your hand inward and off the throttle to shift.
I just picked up some inexpensive trigger shifters from performance bikes , called micro shifters and they run both levers on the inside of the handle bar and do not interfere with my throttle at all. I have them mounted right next to the brake lever and throttle allowing for shifting while hand stays on throttle , just like a regular bike. I run a half twist throttle with over ride button. It has connections running to my CA V3, to the throttle and to the ebrake wiring.
Thanks Donny

 

[TheBeastie]

Its funny to see this old thread and what I said 3 years ago..
I wish there were easily absorbable words for my point of view that you don't need thumb or twist throttle unless you want to look lame and lazy and have significant less speed/reflex access to your hand brakes.
PAS is great with the right controller, you don't even have to put in any effort if your really lazy or can't for some reason you can just purely dry pedal and you will still be a lot safer on the roads and get more respect..
I been doing a fair bit more riding lately been going along the Yarra river bike path to and from work, its probably the most popular bike path in Melbourne and has a lot of bike traffic going both ways, the disappointing thing I have I have noticed is that the only time I have nearly been hit head on by an on coming bike was some one on a ebike with thumb throttle, they were not staying on their side of the path, coming towards me and were instead right in the middle which is very uncharacteristic compared to every other bike coming my way on the path ever... it just stuck out in a massive way in different behavior, I think maybe if they had just a tiny bit more adrenaline from moving their legs around even just dry pedaling might of given them a bit more sense and capability to ride like everyone else..

 

[beoutside]

I definitely want to add a PAS to my cargo set up. I think it will work very nicely with my CA V 3 and space out my bottom bracket a little better for chain clearance as well!

 

[Htfan]

I've had a thumb throttle for most of my ebike experience, but was not happy with it for longer rides. Just recently switched to full twist and very satisfied. Partly because I rode dirt bikes for years when I was younger.

This subject definitely falls into the "personal preference" category...

 

[Ykick]

I've had a thumb throttle for most of my ebike experience, but was not happy with it for longer rides. Just recently switched to full twist and very satisfied. Partly because I rode dirt bikes for years when I was younger.

This subject definitely falls into the "personal preference" category...

Definitely agree personal preference thing but out of curiosity, do you have/use cruise control?

 

[Htfan]

I've had a thumb throttle for most of my ebike experience, but was not happy with it for longer rides. Just recently switched to full twist and very satisfied. Partly because I rode dirt bikes for years when I was younger.

This subject definitely falls into the "personal preference" category...

Definitely agree personal preference thing but out of curiosity, do you have/use cruise control?

Yes, I have /use cruise control from time to time (should have mentioned that) but with traffic & stop signs on certain routes not able to take full advantage.

 

[alsmith]

I'm the same- having spondylosis I find the cruise control essential but unfortunately it's not practicable for most of my routes. I find thumb throttles absolute agony but have used them in the past fairly extensively on petrol lawnmowers. From those I've talked to it seems that motorcyclists are much more likely to prefer the twist grip and others more likely to prefer a thumb throttle.

 

[beoutside]

I have played around with a few configurations. My own issue was having something that would integrate with lever shifters and once I found the micro shifters from pricepoint all my fitting issues went away. Previously I had to have the shifters an inch away instead of flush to the throttle, which made shifting not very efficient or safe.Half Twist from grin tech or ebike canada . com seem to be of better quality. My set up is on a cargo bike carrying kids so I really needed this set up to work like a regular bike. I also was a bike mechanic in college so I must admit it drove me a little nuts and looked sloppy until I found a shifter that would integrate flush with a half twist throttle. I also like the fact this throttle has a kill button since I do not run the shut off brake levers.
Donny