Key Takeaways:
- Throttle replacement is easy, even for beginners.
- Make sure you place the throttle in the correct position before securing it in place.
- Most third-party replacement throttles offer a universal fit.
Time to Complete: 15 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Tools Needed: Allen wrench, flat head screwdriver, Phillips screwdriver
Steps: 9
If you’re experiencing problems with your electric bike’s throttle, then you’ll likely need to replace it. While you could try to open up the throttle and fix it, it’s often more time- and cost-effective to simply replace the entire thing. Keep reading to learn about the steps you need to take to replace your eBike’s throttle and avoid having to purchase a new electric bike.
Learn How to Replace a Broken eBike Throttle
Without a properly functioning throttle, you won’t be able to use your eBike in the way it was meant to be used. While the throttle may seem like a fairly minor part, you’ll immediately notice its importance when it stops working.
Steps
Follow these steps to repair and replace your electric bike’s throttle.
- Purchase a Replacement ThrottleYour first step is to find and purchase a replacement throttle. Most eBike manufacturers will sell you replacement parts that are guaranteed to work with your specific model. We recommend contacting your e-bike manufacturer first. If you don’t have any luck with the electric bike company, then you can turn to third-party parts suppliers. Fortunately, most throttles are universal and will fit on any eBike. Just make sure you are purchasing from a high-quality parts supplier to ensure you get a high-quality throttle.
- Unscrew Throttle
Once you have the replacement throttle on hand, you’re ready to start the repair. Do a visual inspection of the throttle, specifically looking for what kind of screws are holding in place. The most common type of screw can be loosened using an Allen wrench, but you may need a Phillips screwdriver or flat head screwdriver. Use these tools to loosen the screws and make sure you don’t lose them since you’ll need them to put everything back together again. You can place the screws in a bowl or cup to keep them in place. - Unwrap the Cable Lining
Your eBike’s brake cables, lighting wires, and throttle cable will often be grouped and held together by cable lining. If your e-bike has this cable lining holding everything together, you’ll simply need to unwrap it in this step. Most cable lining isn’t held permanently in place. Find the end of the lining, grip it securely, and start unwrapping. - Disconnect the Throttle Cable
Once you have unwrapped the cable lining enough to expose the connection for your throttle, simply grip both sides of the connection and pull them apart. This should be an easy disconnection, but if it seems stuck, apply a little more force. - Remove the Old Throttle from Handlebar
Now that the broken throttle is completely disconnected from your eBike, you can remove it altogether. Simply slide it off the bike’s handlebar. If you’ve disconnected everything properly, it should slide off easily. - Place the New Throttle on the Handlebar
Remove your new throttle from its packaging and slide it into the place where the old throttle used to be. Make sure you position the throttle correctly before securing it into place; you won’t want to disconnect everything just to adjust positioning. - Connect the New Throttle Cable
With the new throttle in place on the handlebar, you can connect the cable to the connection coming out of the bike. Line the two pieces up and press them into each other. You typically won’t hear a snap or click, so we recommend gently pulling the two ends away from each other to ensure they are securely in place. - Re-Wrap the Cable Lining
Take the cable lining and re-wrap all the cables back together. - Secure the New Throttle on the Handlebar
Retrieve your screws and bolts from the previous steps and start screwing them back into place on the new throttle. Your new throttle may have come with new screws. If so, we recommend using those instead of the old ones. - Test the New Throttle
Once the new throttle is installed, turn your e-bike on and give it a test drive to make sure the throttle works properly. Make any necessary adjustments.
Related posts:
STAT:
Throttle e-bikes produce 21 to 22 grams of CO2 per kilometer traveled as compared to cars, which produce 271 grams per kilometer. (Source: https://www.juicedbikes.com/blogs/news/e-bike-facts-and-statistics)
Sources:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Electric_bicycle
https://medium.com/battery-lab/what-batteries-are-used-in-electric-bike-69c93bde918f
https://www.radpowerbikes.com/blogs/the-scenic-route/the-history-of-ebikes
https://www.calbike.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/02/A-North-American-Survey-of-Electric-Bicycle-Owners.pdf
*https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zSGBhVvYZUI
https://trec.pdx.edu/tags/e-bikes
