The presence of throttle in an electric bike is a very good thing and perhaps one of the features that we, as cyclists, love the most because it gives us the ability to increase the speed of the bike very quickly, unlike the pedal-assist system PAS, which requires some seconds of using the pedal to reach the desired speed.
But the question that arises now is, Is it possible to add the Throttle to my electric bike?
The answer is yes, you can add a throttle if you have a throttle plug in your bike or if the controller for your electric bike has a throttle outlet.
How do I check if my electric bike has an extra plug for the throttle?
The throttle plug is usually hidden under the electric bike handlebar so you need to check it carefully.
Also, one thing that you can check to help you know whether your ebike has an extra plug or not is to check if your ebike manufacturer uses the same controller for all the models of your ebike (which is usually the case as it will be an extra cost for manufacture to have a different kind of controllers for the same ebike model)
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in another word, if your ebike has a model that comes with PAS & throttle and another model that come with PAS only, so most probably your manufacturer is using the same controller so you will need to search for the extra plug.
What if my ebike doesn’t have the throttle plug?
if your electric bike does not have a throttle plug, an upgrade can be made to the control, but make sure that the new controller supports the throttle and the pedal-assist system
you can check our article for how to upgrade your ebike controller from here
How do you Add A Throttle To An ebike?
1- First remove the grip by holding the handlebar and pulling the grip out.
2-Loosen the brake bolts and remove the brakes
3- loosen the gear changer (just loosen the bolts by Allen key )
4-Bring the throttle and put it in the handlebar (choose the place that fits your need)
5-return the brakes back
6- Place the grips back & adjust the location of the throttle then tighten the screws
7- connect the throttle plug with the connector plug.
What is the difference between Twist, Half Twist, And Thumb Throttle?
And now that you know how to install throttle in your electric bike you should decide the type of throttle that you will need. Since you have decided to add throttle to your electric bike, you do not have to do the work twice.
I will explain the pros and cons of the three types of throttles that are currently used in most electric bikes.
Thumb Throttle Pros & Cons.
The Pros of Thumb Throttle.
1- Resting the wrist: Many cyclists with twist throttle complain of wrist pain when riding the bike for long periods, and this is an advantage in the thumb throttle
2-Small size: The thumb throttle is smaller in size, which gives a better shape to the handlebar
3-Its Almost hidden: One of the advantages about the thumb throttle is that it is not known to non-cyclists and I think that this feature can prevent many accidents (you can imagine your friend who notices that there is a throttle in your bike and tries to twist it while you are on the bike trying to rest and suddenly you found the bike taking off !! 🙂
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The Cons of Thumb Throttle.
1- Pain in your thumb: Over time, you will feel pain in your thumb while riding a bike, especially if you are driving long distances.
2-Not recommended for Cold Countries: Thumb throttle is not preferred in cold areas because with very cold temperatures, thumb throttle becomes very cold and in this case, it will be not easy to use and also the movement of your thumb will not be easy.
3-Not recommended while driving in unpaved areas: While riding an electric bike in areas with rugged terrain or on unpaved roads, the movement of the electric bike is unstable and moves quickly, and in this case, it will be difficult for your thumb to use you to operate the throttle because it will move and also your thumb will move
Pros & Cons of Twist And Half Twist Throttle
Pros Twist And Half Twist Throttle.
1-Ease of use in rough terrain: Since your hands are fully in control of the throttle, it will be easy to use it in unpaved areas
2- Resting the wrist for half twist throttle: When using the Half Twist Throttle, there will be no pain in the wrist because you twist the throttle a little, unlike the full twist, which will cause pain in the wrist.
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The Cons of Twist And Half Twist Throttle.
Likelihood of accidents: If you accidentally use the Twist Throttle while turning the bike, this may lead to accidents with a greater percentage than the thumb throttle due to the small size of the thumb throttle and the way it works.
Q & A about How do you Add A Throttle To An ebike?
If I have PAS installed on my ebike will it still work after installing the throttle?
Yes, you will be able to use both systems.
If I don’t have a throttle plug on my ebike can I still add the throttle?
Yes, but you will need to upgrade your ebike controller & better to check with the nearest ebike shop first before buying a new controller.
I got a throttle that doesn’t have a plug but has wires can I still use it?
Yes, you still can but you will need to consult the nearest ebike shop or you can check the controller wiring order and joint the throttle wires in the same order with the controller
Conclusion.
As a general rule, a Throttle can be installed in your electric bike by installing the Throttle plug in the electric bike controller, taking into account the type of your electric bike and also the design of the Throttle.
There are three types of throttle, each type has advantages and disadvantages, and they can be summarized as follows.
If you ride your bike in temperate areas and also most of your bike rides in the city, the thumb throttle is best for you.
If you ride your bike in rough terrain and in very cold temperatures, Half Twist Throttle is best for you.
In general, each type has advantages and disadvantages, as we mentioned in the post, and they are personal preferences.
You can choose the right type for you according to your needs
Resources: How To Add Throttle To Ebike
