How to Make the Bike Go Slower?

[Davy]

i have just fitted a conversion kit to my bike. The problem is that once I start pedalling the bike whisks me up to 15mph; even when set to minimum power and me just rotating the pedals without any pressure.
Great for zooming to the station to catch a train but I use my bike for exploring the countryside; both on and off road. I want to be doing about 10mph so that I can look around and enjoy nature.
It is a Swytch kit which I believe might use a cadence sensor or might just recognise when the cranks are turning.
I can control the speed by pedalling for 10 secs then resting for 10 secs but that is hardly relaxing.
What am I doing wrong?

 

[Nealh]

Show us a pic of the display, if an lcd type one should be able to limit the speed.

 

[Davy]

Nealh, It is a Swytch Eco and so has red neon bar display - no LCD. But you can set max values:
Unfortunately, 15mph is the minimum you can set. It still whisks me up to 15mph even with the power limit at min of 60%

 

[Nealh]

Sounds like it uses some kind of speed control then.

 

[Dave Again]

Davy - I have a Swytch Pro and mine is exactly the same as yours. The assist is somewhat "off or on". So I think it's the way the kit is designed. I cycle on flat ground mostly - if I had a lot hills to climb I guess I would be need the assist. I wonder if a disc with fewer magnets would fix it ?

 

[grumpus]

Nealh, It is a Swytch Eco and so has red neon bar display - no LCD. But you can set max values:
View attachment 44456Unfortunately, 15mph is the minimum you can set. It still whisks me up to 15mph even with the power limit at min of 60%

Can you change the wheel size (larger) so it thinks it's going faster than it is?

 

[overlander]

I have a swytch kit and it is very progressive. I would have a look at the cadence sensor to ensure the LED is lighting up uniformly as you pedal.

 

[Davy]

Can you change the wheel size (larger) so it thinks it's going faster than it is?

Nealh, I think that would work. I could change the wheel size from the current 26" to 29" and that would drop the maximum speed from 15mph to 13mph - only a slight improvement though

 

[Davy]

I have a swytch kit and it is very progressive. I would have a look at the cadence sensor to ensure the LED is lighting up uniformly as you pedal.

Overlander, that is encouraging. So you are experience cadence sensing? So you get more power the faster you pedal?
So when I am exploring slowly, or on forest tracks or canal footpaths I tend to be in a low gear cos I want to go slowly. But the cadence sensor would interpret that as I am pedalling fast so need lots of power?

 

[guerney]

Can't Swytch do something about this? One of my neighbours is seriously considering a Swytch kit, this might help my argument that he should get an alternative front hub, or mid.

 

[overlander]

Overlander, that is encouraging. So you are experience cadence sensing? So you get more power the faster you pedal?
So when I am exploring slowly, or on forest tracks or canal footpaths I tend to be in a low gear cos I want to go slowly. But the cadence sensor would interpret that as I am pedalling fast so need lots of power?

To be honest in my experience its just been a system that is pretty much just works away in the background. It does keep applying power until it reaches 15 mph or 20 mph depending on the setting. On power setting 1-2 you need to add a lot of work to get to 15 mph on any hills and some effort on the flat. On level 5 on the flat it will get up to 15 mph with little peddling. I think it sounds like yours is only giving you one power level. Contact swytch as their customer service is outstanding, they will most likely just send you out a new battery. I had an issue with the old tour battery and within 2 days they had sent me out 2 brand new pro batterys.

 

[overlander]

Can't Swytch do something about this? One of my neighbours is seriously considering a Swytch kit, this might help my argument that he should get an alternative front hub, or mid.

They will, their customer service is outstanding. I have had my kit for over a year now and its been a really good system. Its almost silent and just gets on with its business in the background.

 

[overlander]

Overlander, that is encouraging. So you are experience cadence sensing? So you get more power the faster you pedal?
So when I am exploring slowly, or on forest tracks or canal footpaths I tend to be in a low gear cos I want to go slowly. But the cadence sensor would interpret that as I am pedalling fast so need lots of power?

But on level one the power is very low so you really should not notice it much. See my other post for more information. I can notice a massive difference between level 1 and level 5, are you seeing this ?

 

[Davy]

But on level one the power is very low so you really should not notice it much. See my other post for more information. I can notice a massive difference between level 1 and level 5, are you seeing this ?

Overlander, thanks for that. My controller does indeed offer five power levels and as I switch between them I can feel a difference (its goes from 60% to 100% power - almost doubling).
My question to you was does your kit offer cadence sensing and adjust the power to match. But I think I may have misunderstood your report that the power is progressive. I think you meant between the power levels, I thought you meant depending upon cadence.

 

[Davy]

I have been in discussion with Swytch and now have the bible regarding how to control the power with a Swytch kit. I have posted their answer in the 'conversion kits' forum. It is surprisingly complicated.
So please let this thread close.