what type of throttle do you prefer

[ty cohen]

Thumb, half twist, or full twist, and why?

I recently was using an integrated fixed and twist (full) throttle and that portion of my palm muscle (below the thumb) got really stiff and sore, as I could only twist a very thin portion of the throttle with my index finger and thumb and the muscles that attach them.

This is the first time I've seen this type of throttle. It is both a fixed handle and a twist throttle in one. Half of the throttle is twist (the inner edge) and the fixed untwistable portion of the throttle is the outer edge of the handle. I figured it was to prevent one from accidently twisting the throttle at inappropriate times, while still being able to hold on to the handle bar (the fixed portion)

but anyways, I still feel like the full twist is good, coming from a motorcycle background myself. But for my next bike, come this spring, I might consider a thumb throttle.

any pros/cons for any of the selections?

 

[Ykick]

+35 years riding motorcycles and I too thought a twist, then a half-twist and finally settled on thumb. Motorcycle isn't in gear ready to propel forward when handling it with the grips. Any unintended twisting of grip throttle merely results in a rev'd engine. Not so cool with a couple Kw's on tap ready to launch, eh?

So, put me down as a converted thumb rider. In fact, I've actually started wondering about a thumb for my GL1100?

Another related oddity is the front brake. Bicycles use LH while m/c's use RH. That's a little weird to process automatically so someday reversing eBike brake handles may be in my plans?

 

[dogman dan]

Much prefer the half twist myself, and I come from motorcyles waaaay back too. Since the electric throttles are so dang touchy, I didn't like full twist. A tiny bump could cause large throttle setting changes. Gripping the throttle with half twist gives you better controll on rough ground.

It does depend on how you use the throttle too, it can be hand fatiguing if you are modulating a lot. If not, you can just palm the bars, and let friction keep your thottle setting with no need to death grip the thumb and first finger.

But what do I know, after years of contstuction work I can death grip anything forever if I need to.

I have made thumb throttles into half twist after breaking off the tab. My favorite is a thumb throttle with the tab still on it, and with the pvc pipe glued on to make it a half twist. Best of both worlds.

 

[Tench]

I too have had 35 years of motorcycle experience in road use and moto x and trials competiton so i went straight for full twist, i have not tried a half or thumb yet but i do notice that the ergenomics of a push bike are quite different, with the design being based on pedaling i find i have more weight on my hands than on a motorcycle, so maybe i should try out the alternatives?

Simon.

 

[chrisvw]

I swapped from a thumb to a half-twist. If you primarly do shorter rides, thumb throttles are great. Once you've been holding it an hour or so, you start feeling sorry for all the people with carpal tunnel syndrome as the tendons up your arm will get sore. I went with a half twist since you are not as likely to accidentally hit the throttle just holding the bike (no clutch like a motorcycle)

 

[Ykick]

Might be on to something Dogman, modify a half twist with a thumb tab or vise versa? Could be a great compromise?

But I kid you not, I'm enjoyng (with cruise and/or a lock, of course) thumb throttle so much I'm tempted to adapt something (snowmobile, watercraft) to my m/c. It just seems to make more sense when accelerating a twist throttle has more tendency to roll on as opposed to thumb which gravity helps pull off.

But yes, the thumb tab can get caught on stuff. Grocery sacks hung on the bars and stuff like that.

 

[atom1025]

I have only used thumbs and I agree that after 15 mins I start to feel pain in the tendons. Tolerable pain but could do without. However I agree that it depends on how you use it.

I started as a balls to the walls rider. WOT all the way. This caused thumb discomfort. Quickly realized gravity was there to assist in the downhill. I also was sick of charging at work so I learned to manage throttle use to only use half the pack. I would do a burst to full speed then coast till about 15-20mph. Then boost to 30 mph and coast etc. This style did not cause discomfort to thumb.

So two weeks ago my one way bearing failed. This means while coasting the bearing squeals. So I started holding bought 15% throttle to stop the squeak. I was worried the first morning that id use to much juice. To my surprise I noticed I only used 2 amps at 18mph average to get to work! Normally I average 4 amps at 20mph average. So the bearing was a blessing. I now keep the speed under twenty and try to keep under 500 watts. Safer for me and the gear. However my thumb hurts again.

So I am more curious how you all run the throttle. WOT, half and half, or speed/watt management.

 

[AussieJester]

Magura hooked to the Cycle Analyst (CA-LRC )
LOVE it over the voltage based throttles.

KiM

 

[MadRhino]

... I now keep the speed under twenty and try to keep under 500 watts. Safer for me and the gear. However my thumb hurts again.

At that speed, it's my brain that would hurt, and I would seriously think about going back to plain pedal bike.

 

[Rassy]

I started using just thumb throttles, but found my thumb getting sore after a while. Switched to a full twist, but found having to grip it all the time also bothered my hand.

My solution was to add a small tab to the full twist. Works great and gives me multiple choices.

Here's a reference:

http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11505&p=225319&hilit=twist+thumb&sid=902f6cb8a5e17b4819c79a9a17b67922#p225319

 

[adrian_sm]

On my hub motor bike I use a half-twist throttle, since it has flat bars.

On my friction drive bikes I use a button throttle on both flat bar, and drop bars. It has some smarts behind it to ramp up power to a couple of predefined power limits, or go into cruise control mode.

- Adrian

 

[kmxtornado]

So a button throttle means it's just full on or full off, right? I saw the pic, but how's it connect to the controller? via what connector? That's pretty cool.

I started using just thumb throttles, but found my thumb getting sore after a while. Switched to a full twist, but found having to grip it all the time also bothered my hand.

My solution was to add a small tab to the full twist. Works great and gives me multiple choices.

Here's a reference:

http://www.endless-sphere.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=11505&p=225319&hilit=twist+thumb&sid=902f6cb8a5e17b4819c79a9a17b67922#p225319

Very creative. Thanks for sharing your link.

 

[wesnewell]

Having been a motorcycle rider many years ago, I was disappointed my kit came with a thumb throttle, until I tried it. No more twist for me. Set cruise, take thumb off and don't worry about accidentally disengaging it. It's also easier to control on takeoff.

 

[adrian_sm]

So a button throttle means it's just full on or full off, right? I saw the pic, but how's it connect to the controller? via what connector? That's pretty cool.

Yes, On or Off. But there is a PID loop controlled by an microcontroller that ramps up/down the throttle to maintain the power limit, or speed if in cruise control mode. I typically run it at 500w, with a 1000w "turbo" mode.

You can do this yourself with a $20 Arduino Nano plus a current sensor.

- Adrian

 

[dogman dan]

How I use the throttle depends on the kind of riding.

Dirt trails tend to be a lot very rapid cycles of on off on off, and typically on is all the way on but only for a second or two. It's go to hook up the back tire, then coast till the next cycle of braking before a corner then back on in the corner. I'd like to upgrade to a much more solid throttle for this, but actually, I've just kind of adjusted to cheap hall sensor throttles now after 4 years of ebikes.

Commuting, it's WOT till the next stop light, and often WOT will only be 20 mph anyway. The longtail has a slow motor. But in summer I'll ride 27 mph on the giant. One hour max ride even on the slow bike, so not long enough for my popeye grip to fatigue.

On a long haul, usually riding 15-18 mph to increase range , I just jam the grip against the half twist throttle tight, and get a sticky throttle type cruise controll. Do it enough, and you simply get in the habit of twisting the throttle off, instead of relying on the spring. With any type of cruise controll, then you can rest your grip with various positions. For the really long ride, a more upright position than the dirt bike has helps with hand fatigue, but at the price of ass fatigue.

 

[dumbass]

Being a motorcycle/ebike rider I stay with standard twist throttle but the ebike has a half twist. Like others have mentioned you tend to lean much harder on a bike so my wrists do get tired after about 45 mins of riding. I have 4 ebikes to deal with (2 for wife 2 for me). I haven't found a simple of the shelf cruise control yet so I am going to do something on my own. I am going to install a simple selector switch on the bar that will select between 2 throttles. The first throttle will me my normal 1/2 twist I have now. The second will be basicly the same but with the spring return removed. And depending how well it stays in place I may add something to hold it in adjustment better. The idea is to normally use the #1 throttle. But when able to cruise I flip the switch to the #2 throttle that is preset but 100% adjustable. In this way I hope to have the best of both worlds because I can relax and even ride one handed resting my throttle hand. With both brakes wired to the controller so if I should brake the motor stops anyway.Releace the brake and the controller ramps back to what ever throttle is controlling it. In effect it could actually be used as a push button type throttle this way.

Bob

 

[The Mighty Volt]

Cheapo $15 half-twist, and it works fine on the BMX handlebars. Looking at some integrated Wuxing twist-three-speed combos. Will give a report on them when I get them.

 

[Drunkskunk]

I have all 3 on varous bikes. And All 3 have their place.
The full twist's place is in the trash. It will work very well there, filling some spot in a land fill for the next 10,000 years. Perhaps some small critter will be able to use it for a home.

The half twist allows you to hold onto the handle bar much like a normal bike, and you can change your hand position to suit standing, sitting, or tired and slouching, bearly hanging onto the bar as you ride home from the bar at 4 AM.

Thumb throttles are an "Also-Ran" compeditor to twist throttles, but they're functional. In some applications where a twist won't work, they are better. such as a road bike's twisted handlebars, or applications where you have twist shifters, or under the seat steering like on some recumbants and trikes where a twisting motion would be uncomfortable. the advantage of a thumb throttle is it will be functional for almost any application.

 

[Phoebus]

Coming from dirt bikes, I expected to prefer full twist. Now I am a full thumb throttle convert.

Others have already listed reasons why.

 

[NeilP]

Another related oddity is the front brake. Bicycles use LH while m/c's use RH. That's a little weird to process automatically so someday reversing eBike brake handles may be in my plans?

OH GOD..YOU HAVE GOT MY BRAIN ACHING WITH THAT COMMENT

I have ridden motorcycles since I was a kid...and I have a Harley sitting the the garage that I have not ridden in 18 months or more...Lots of work needed on it and E-bikes have taken over
I am sitting here at home, and can't go and check the Harley, but I could swear motorcycle front brakes were RHS...and I know my bicycle LH brake is the rear brake...so that would make the front the RHS on the e-bike...same as the m/c.

I know I have not ridden my Harley for a while, but I am sure I am not wrong...Ykick...go and check your m/c again

 

[Ykick]

LOL... Neil, front brake on my GL1100 Honda and every m/c ever ridden is Right Hand grip. Same as throttle. Every bicycle I've seen with front hand brake is on Left Hand grip. Drives me kinda nuts by instinct.

 

[Drunkskunk]

Motorcycles, Clutch on the left so you can modulate the throttle at the same time. Front brakes were invented after rear and so they got moved to the RHS, with rear being foot opperated like a car.

No clue why bicycles got it reversed.

 

[NeilP]

Yea, so m/c front is RHS, same as throttle.as I said.

but so is my bicycle, front is Right hand side, same as throttle. My rear on the e-bike is definitely on the left hand side Maybe one of us has built our bicycle backwards?

or you do it differently in the States? another USA/UK difference?

edit
Looks like we are both correct

http://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/why-is-my-front-brake-lever-on-right.html
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=4331721

 

[Alan B]

I prefer a throttle that is reliable and never fails. After researching all the throttle failures with hall type throttles due to mechanical issues, I found the only throttle that had near zero failures was the Magura motorcycle type resistive throttle. I like the Magura now installed on my ebike. Every ebike needs a convenient handlebar mounted kill switch so the power is easy to disable until it is needed.

Keep it safe,

 

[Ykick]

Yea, so m/c front is RHS, same as throttle.as I said.

but so is my bicycle, front is Right hand side, same as throttle. My rear on the e-bike is definitely on the left hand side Maybe one of us has built our bicycle backwards?

or you do it differently in the States? another USA/UK difference?

edit
Looks like we are both correct

http://davesbikeblog.blogspot.com/2006/12/why-is-my-front-brake-lever-on-right.html
http://www.bikeradar.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=4331721

I'm gonna copy what you do when I feel like replacing hydro lines. Front brake via RH simply makes much more sense to me.