Pedal-Assist Sensors - haibike XDURO Owner's Manual

Electric bike components
is most felt when starting from a standstill
or climbing a hill.
Does it charge the battery when I
pedal?
Generally, no. Like electric cars, some
electric bikes are able to push a small
amount of power back into the battery as
the wheel spins. This is called regenera-
tion. When a motor is regenerating power,
its drag increases significantly, slowing the
bike down. For this reason, "regen" mode is
usually triggered when the rider depresses
the bike's brake lever.
Only direct drive hub motors can be
used to regenerate power because they
are always engaged (the coils inside the
motor are always moving). Geared hub
motors freewheel (their coils remain sta-
tionary when not powered), so they cannot
generate power. Center drive motors cannot
generate power for the same reason: the
spinning wheel is mechanically disengaged
from the electrical system except while the
motor is running.

Pedal-assist sensors

Most electric bikes use pedal assist sen-
sors to naturally combine the motor's effort
with the rider's. The most common sensors
electronically measure pedal crank rota-
tion (cadence), pedal pressure (torque), or
wheel speed. Many bikes make use of all
three types together.
Throttles
Most electric bikes sold in the United
States are equipped with a throttle. Like
on a motorcycle, throttles are designed to
let the user apply 0-100% of the motor's
power at will. Depending on the bike, the
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Electric Bikes
throttle either acts independently, or in tan-
dem with a pedal assist sensor.
Brakes
The brakes on an electric bike are the
same as on a normal bike, with one excep-
tion: most have integrated cutoff switches
which kill the motor when activated. These
"inhibitor" switches are a safety feature
designed to prevent the motor from acci-
dentally engaging and causing injury. If
for any reason you need the motor to stop
turning, remember to simply squeeze one
of the brake levers.
Not all electric bikes have brake inhibitor
switches. Be sure to read the instruc-
tions provided with your bike to learn
more about its specific features.
You should check the operation of your
brake inhibitor switches before every
ride. While riding slowly in a controlled
environment (like a driveway), engage
the motor, then squeeze each brake
in turn. The motor should lose power
immediately and remain off as long as
a brake lever is depressed.
Battery capacity gauges
Most electric bikes have a gauge that
indicates remaining battery charge. The
gauge may be either on the battery itself,
on the throttle, on an LCD display near the
handlebars, or elsewhere.
The most basic battery charge gauges
are based on a simple measurement of
battery voltage. This voltage is translated
directly to what is shown on the display; for
Last Modified March 27, 2014 10:33 AM
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