Is it possible to derestrict Volt bikes?

[2Lazy]

Does anyone know if it's possible to derestrict the Volt Pulse X / Alpine X models (for off road use)? The bikes have an LCD display type control so I was wondering if it may be possible to derestrict via the LCD panel as it is on some other bikes. The chap at Volt who arranged my test ride says not but I suspect that even if it is possible they may for obvious reasons be reluctant to tell potential customers. He said that the bikes are derestricted to give maximum power but are limited by the speed of the motor to 15mph. Given that these bikes are fitted with the Bafung BPM motor which I'm pretty sure is capable of speeds of >20mph I took that to mean that the controller is set give the maximum amount of amps that it can so derestricting the controller would have no effect.

 

[Zebb]

Hi
Just so you know, the law states that basically where public access to land is allowed then your bike must comply with the law. Only where private land can you get away with it.

Good luck with your bike.

 

[2Lazy]

Thanks Zebb. Yes I'm fully aware of all the legal stuff.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Does the motor have any markings on the middle bit between the spokes? Those markings tell you the speed of the motor.

Show as a photo of the LCD so that I can se what buttons it has.

 

[Hobbehod]

2Lazy,

I can't answer your question directly but a couple of weeks ago I too was considering the Pulse X but was then introduced to the Woosh Big Bear (BB) by this forum. They have some similarities including, I believe, the same or very similar motor. After some pondering I bought the BB instead and saved about £1100.

The BB came with a manual that shows if you similtaneously press the up and down arrows on the handlebar control it takes you into the setup mode where you can easly adjust the maximum assisted speed in one kph steps up to 40 kph. I don't know how it handles but it certainly won't take you up a steep hill at that speed!

I am very happy with my purchase. The BB has plenty of grunt and can take you up hills and on the flat at a really good constant speed with pedalling. I wouldn't worry too much about the comments on another thread about front wheel spin. I've had that if I start off in a high gear using the throttle. You soon learn not to do that but it shows how much power the bike has got.

At least take a look at the BB before you take the plunge.

 

[2Lazy]

Thanks for the tip about the BB Hobbehod. The battery pack on the rear rack and the front wheel drive motor kind of put me off the BB but Cambridge is within fairly easy driving distance so I may well take a look, if nothing else just out of curiosity.

I've narrowed my choices down to the Ezee Forza or an Ezee RWD kit, Volt Pulse X or Oxygen 13ah MTB. Of those the Ezee seems to have by far the most 'umph' especially from a standing start and uphill. I have a second test ride planned for the Oxygen 13ah MTB as I now think it may have been in low power mode when I tested it first time (nice bike, quality feel to it, ok on the flat but it's much vaunted hill climbing ability was non-existent and that was on only a 6% incline!). The Pulse X is a gorgeous bike, and a really comfortable refined ride, but the inability to derestrict (if true) and lights not being integrated are putting me off, also the torque/power was ok but nothing special, price not such an issue as I could purchase it under CycleScheme. Would be interesting to see how they all compare with the BB, especially given the low price, but as I say I'm not keen on the rear rack battery and front wheel drive.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The BB came with a manual that shows if you similtaneously press the up and down arrows on the handlebar control it takes you into the setup mode where you can easly adjust the maximum assisted speed in one kph steps up to 40 kph.

The speed that you set in the LCD is the speed that the controller will allow; however, your motor can't spin that fast. I think 32 km/h is about it for the Big Bear. There's lots of different versions of the BPM. You need to decode the markings to know how fast it will actually go.

 

[2Lazy]

Does the motor have any markings on the middle bit between the spokes? Those markings tell you the speed of the motor.

Show as a photo of the LCD so that I can se what buttons it has.

Here is a picture of the LCD -

The motor was black and had 8fun written in big silver type in the middle. I guess that's probably not very helpful but it's all I can remember. I have a second test ride on the Pulse X planned for next week, I'll take a closer look at the motor and take some photos

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Next to the 8Fun writing is a cast arrow, which more or less points to the code markings something like BPM36V250W 26(13). The 13 is the speed code.

The normal ways into the settings are to press and hold eitjer the + and - or M buttons within a few seconds of switching on until it changes to a settings mode. Sometimes you have to press and hold again for even longer to change from normal settings to advanced settings. I don't have one of those LCDs so I can't experiment.

The top speed can't be controlled only by the motor because there would be a substantial difference between the speed with a fully charged one to an empty one. Say the notor could do 16 mph fully charged. It would then only do12 mph with an empty battery.

 

[KTM Bike Industries UK]

This is a question... please don't take any offense, or read anything into me asking the question, I'm just interested in the reasoning behind why you've said:

Does anyone know if it's possible to derestrict (for off road use)?

Like most people on here, you claim to have a good understanding of the law.

Thanks Zebb. Yes I'm fully aware of all the legal stuff.

so my question... why do you and others use the phrase "offroad" when offroad is just as illegal as onroad?

and a follow up question to everyone really.

How can we get the phrase "offroad" removed from use in this sort of case because it just confuses the people who aren't as clued up on the law as many on here are?

 

[flecc]

How can we get the phrase "offroad" removed from use in this sort of case because it just confuses the people who aren't as clued up on the law as many on here are?

I don't think it's possible, since people naturally think in terms of road traffic law, the acts being called Road Traffic Acts. That logically leads anyone to think offroad avoids road traffic law, so offroad is the term they use.

Of course the EAPC regulations governing e-bikes are, with the exception of the lower age limit, not part of Road Traffic Acts. They are effectively Construction and Use regulations, though not classified as such. Of course the public at large and even many in here cannot be expected to know that, hence the lack of understanding of the true position.
.

 

[Hobbehod]

We all want different things out of a bike. I like the battery on the rear rack because I've bought a large pannier which means the BB doesn't look electric to the casual onlooker/thief. It also means I can leave the car on the drive and take the bike to the supermarket. It's surprising how much the bike can carry with no noticeable drag up steep hills even when the pannier is full. On the downside the BB itself is heavy and it's not the most sporty off-roader.

 

[JohnCade]

I don't think it's possible, since people naturally think in terms of road traffic law, the acts being called Road Traffic Acts. That logically leads anyone to think offroad avoids road traffic law, so offroad is the term they use.

Of course the EAPC regulations governing e-bikes are, with the exception of the lower age limit, not part of Road Traffic Acts. They are effectively Construction and Use regulations, though not classified as such. Of course the public at large and even many in here cannot be expected to know that, hence the lack of understanding of the true position.
.

Maybe try to promote the use of the term private land, instead of off road?

 

[flecc]

Yes. that's a better term John, though still not ideal, and we've been doing that for a long time in here. The problems are that this doesn't reach everyone and even when it does, it's so often misinterpreted as any privately owned land.

Of course if the public have access to the land, the EAPC law can still apply, and the Right to Roam legislation greatly extends public access. In truth nationally, there aren't many wholly private land areas of sufficient extent accessible by derestricted e-bikers, and the people who own such areas are more likely to be driving a Bentley than an e-bike.
.

 

[JohnCade]

Yes I know it has to be free of public right of access. But all that would be a bit of a mouthful, and at least private land is closer than off road.

Scotland of course with its extensive rights of public access to land has nowhere at all where it’s legal to use an overpowered bike. Apart from in a private garden.

 

[2Lazy]

We all want different things out of a bike. I like the battery on the rear rack because I've bought a large pannier which means the BB doesn't look electric to the casual onlooker/thief. It also means I can leave the car on the drive and take the bike to the supermarket. It's surprising how much the bike can carry with no noticeable drag up steep hills even when the pannier is full. On the downside the BB itself is heavy and it's not the most sporty off-roader.

Thanks for the info. Sounds like you've got yourself a really good bike there. I'm quite intrigued by the BB. It always gets good reviews and it is by all accounts a good hill climber, which in my (albeit limited) experience with Ebikes seems to equate to more 'umph' which is never a bad thing. And as you say, with a pannier it's also quite stealthy.

I actually think the BB is quite a nice looking bike. I'm suprised Woosh don't offer a bottle mount battery and/or rear wheel drive configuration. That I think would give it a slightly more sporty and stealthy look.

 

[2Lazy]

This is a question... please don't take any offense, or read anything into me asking the question, I'm just interested in the reasoning behind why you've said:



Like most people on here, you claim to have a good understanding of the law.



so my question... why do you and others use the phrase "offroad" when offroad is just as illegal as onroad?

and a follow up question to everyone really.

How can we get the phrase "offroad" removed from use in this sort of case because it just confuses the people who aren't as clued up on the law as many on here are?

No offence taken at all and I'm sorry if the phrase 'off-road' might cause confusion. In future I'll use 'private land' or some such. I'd rather not get drawn into a discussion on reasons for derestriction and the legal situation more generally. I think the latter has in any case been well covered in other threads and I don't think there is anything of value I could add that hasn't already been said.

 

[Hobbehod]

Thanks 2Lazy. I'm beginning to feel like a Woosh salesman but I promise I'm not! D8veh gave what he thought might be the code markings on the Pulse X motor. I've checked the number on my Big Bear's 8Fun motor and it's: BPM 36V350W 26(13). So, it looks like it might be the same except its powered at 350 watts. I'm not sure if/how this translates to more power on the road but it could explain why the BB is considered to be good at climbing hills.

 

[Shigaru]

Hi all,

I have a Volt Apline e-bike as well and wondered if anyone had figured out how to de-restrict it at all. I too want to use it for 'off-road use on private land' and wanted to squeeze out a bit more speed. It currently maxes out at the usual 28 kph.

I see from some bikes it can be done by fiddling with the computer screen (like in the image above) on the front of the bike and on others by removing a small magnet on the back wheel of the bike and attaching it pedal so that the rotations fool the computer into thinking it's going slower. I saw this on a youtube video for a Bosch bike. Unfortunately, i can't see any obvious magnet on my Volt Apline bike.

Any ideas? I know not too many people have these bikes but any ideas would be appreciated.

Thanks a lot.

 

[trex]

I don't think you can, IIRC, it's password protected.