Removing The Speed Limiter On An Electric Bike: 4 Effective Methods Explained
Electric bikes are great for mobility and eco-friendly riding. You can ride them through busy traffics, go to any place, and still not disturb the environment around you.
The only problem with an electric bike is its speed limiter. Every manufacturer uses it to keep the vehicle’s speed under the recommended level of 20MPH. But, this speed isn’t enough for many users for valid reasons.
By the way, you can remove or bypass the speed limiter, which will increase the maximum speed limit by a significant amount.
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Today we will show how to remove the speed limiter on an electric bike to enjoy its full potential. You must know that you can’t entirely remove it. But, you can bypass the speed limiter of the electric bike with the handy method or using a tuning kit to increase the speed.
Overriding a speed limiter doesn’t require many tools; you can completely disable it at home. So let’s skip past this lengthy introduction and go straight into the main part of this article.
Removing The Speed Limiter From An E-Bike
Electric bikes generally have a speed limit of 15-20 MPH in Europe and 28 MPH in most states of the US. All manufacturers employ speed limiters so their vehicle remains at an approved speed while on public roads.
Although speed limiters increase safety and reduce accidents, they may still seem insufficient to many riders. Therefore, disabling it may allow you to increase the maximum speed limit on your e-bike.
Here, we present several efficient and effective techniques to remove the speed limiter on an electric bike. They are as follows.
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Method 1: Handy Method
Usually, a speed limiter works with a speed sensor and a central controller. When you make an effort to accelerate on your electric bike, the sensor picks up on it and notifies the controller of what’s happening. The report is sent and is used to set the maximum speed limit.
Whenever you attempt to increase the speed beyond the permitted level, the controller then turns the motor off. The bike has two sensors for inspecting the speed. These are:
- A magnetic sensor in the rear wheel
- The base sensor located in the bike’s frame
All that is required is to tweak the data that is being sent to the controller from the magnetic sensor. The magnet works by counting the rotation of the wheel and its circumference. When it comes to electric bikes, the larger the wheels, the faster the bike moves.
As the wheels move, the sensor detects and reports the speed to the speed limiter. The e-bike’s motor will then be turned off. As the motor turns off, you won’t be able to use the pedal assistance (PAS).
All you have to do is move or manipulate the magnetic sensor. When you relocate the magnet from the rear wheel, it will get different readings. The magnet will then detect various speeds and send a lower-speed report to the controller. As a result, it won’t turn off the assistance mode with the motor. This way, you can bypass the speed limiter.
One of the best things about this handy method is that you don’t need to change the entire electric system of your bike. You may follow these steps:
- Remove the magnet and sensor from the rear wheel
- Place the magnet in the pedal bracket
- Then, place the sensor in a way so that it faces the magnet
The sensor will receive low signals as a result of the magnet’s displacement. Thus, it disables the speed limiter. The controller will then assume that you are riding at a slower speed. As a result, the assistance mode will not be disabled, and you will be able to fully utilize the motor’s capacity.
You also can replace the built-in magnet with a neodymium magnet. It strengthen the magnetic field and produce more torque and power which increase the speed of the bike.
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Method 2: Disconnect the sensor wiring
Even though the handy method for raising the speed limit is basic, it is not the most efficient. As a result, you should think about disconnecting the sensor wiring for the controller.
Unfortunately, detecting the right wire of the sensor is challenging. As a result, most speed lovers will not use this method to unlock their bike’s speed.
You may need to check your e-bike’s user manual to locate the sensor wire. When you are sure about its location, you can cut it with pliers set.
Nonetheless, we don’t suggest you choose this method. If you accidentally cut the sensor wire, reconnecting it can be a hassle. So, when you truly want to cut the sensor wiring, consider taking it to a professional.
READ MORE: How To Start An E-Bike Without A Key
Method 3: Use the tuning kit
Before opt for the tuning kit to disable the limiter, you must keep two important things in mind.
- Tuning an e-bike is a technical method. To utilize the tuning kit, you must first understand how the electric bike works.
- Secondly, you need to spend heftily to purchase it. So, be aware of the cost linked with the tuning kit approach.
As riders were getting agitated with the low speed of their electric bike, manufacturers introduced the tuning kit. There are two types of tuning kits available. These are:
The 1st type of e-bike tuning kit:
The first type of tuning kit is quite easy to install. When you attach it to your e-bike, the speed limiter gets disabled. Moreover, the good news is, you can deactivate it at any time to enable the speed limiter again.
Most tuning kits of this type include a shutdown system. Whenever you want to turn it off, use the shutdown system. To activate or deactivate the tuning kit, just press the switch. As it has the capability to control the speed limiter whenever you want is way more convenient.
The 2nd type of e-bike tuning kit:
The 2nd kind of tuning kit to disable the speed limiter is preferable. No electrical circuits need to be disassembled. Likewise, there is no need to remove the e-bike’s battery or motor housing.
All you have to do is to locate the speed limiter sensor. Then, you attach it. All the tuning kits include an instruction manual with the package.
If you use your bike for exercise purpose, then you should read this article: Road Bike Vs Mountain Bike, Which One Is better for Exercise
Method 4: Changing the battery
More powerful battery produce more power on you e-bike. Though the motor rotates the wheels, the power comes from the battery.
A low-voltage battery creates low speed. But, using a high-voltage battery alter the speed and produce more speed. So, you can change the built-in battery with a more powerful one.
By the way, e-bike batteries’ power is measured in Watt hours. If your bike has a battery of 30V and 20 Ah(ampere-hours), it will produce 600 Wh of power. The methods is multiplying the V with the Ah. Here, 30 x 20 = 600 Wh.Â
So, you can replace it with a battery of 48 V and 20 Ah which will create a power of 960 Wh (48 x 20). But before changing the battery, you should check what is the maximum battery limit of your bike from the manufacturer’s guide.
What Should You Consider Before Disabling The Speed Limiter?
Electric bikes have recently become an increasingly popular mode of transportation across many locations, although most countries and states in the US do not enforce necessary regulations regarding them; consequently, in many regions bikers must ride at a specified pace.
Federal laws in America dictate three requirements for an electric bike:
- Its motor should not exceed 750W.
- A speed limiter set at 20MPH with assistance mode
- The pedals must be fully operational
Therefore, you must abide by these federal rules. As a result, disabling or removing the speed limiter violates federal law; should traffic police detect this activity they could take appropriate actions – you should bear this in mind before disabling or removing it.
Before removing the speed limiter, however, you should also take note of some other considerations. These may include.
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End of warranty period:
Once you disable the speed limiter, your e-bike warranty will immediately end and any damages won’t qualify for free servicing or repair anymore – an alarming issue since repairs to an e-bike can often be costly.
Restrictions on riding space:
Government property such as parks or highways will prohibit you from riding your e-bike. This may be disappointing as it takes away the joy of riding.
Battery draining problem:
Once the speed limiter is removed, the bike will demand more power. Consequently, the motor will require more energy and will drain the battery faster. It brings a dilemma for the riders.
Since the battery drains faster, you will fail to cover the distance you would previously do. For instance, its range may reduce from 35 miles to 20 miles. This can make long route riders’ journey much harder.
As more energy flows from battery to motor, its increased load puts strain on both components and can reduce their performance while simultaneously shortening their lifespan.
Less control and balance:
An e-bike’s braking system is intended to work in accordance with its speed limiter; when removed, its performance could become less reliable, increasing braking distance.
Last but not least, as speed increases, controlling an e-bike becomes more challenging and the risk of an accident increases as you lose balance while riding.
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Physical Damage to the bike
Removing speed limitations puts additional strain on the frame of your bike and can potentially harm it physically.
Frequently Asked Questions
Let’s go over some frequently asked questions (FAQs) from e-bike users and the answers herein.
Can I make my electric bike go faster?
Different methods can be used to speed up an e-bike. You can disable the speed limiter, utilize a tuning kit, replace the battery, and so on.
How do you increase e-bike torque?
Torque increases as motor receives excessive voltage; to overload a motor, use a larger battery with higher voltage.
How can I make my 250w e-bike faster?
Disable the speed limiter, add air to the tires, or install thinner tires. Furthermore, ensure the battery is fully charged.
Parting Words
As much as an electric bike offers many obvious benefits, its speed limiter can be frustrating. Even though its motor and battery are powerful enough, most riders find e-bikes too slow.
Here we discuss four methods of “How to remove the speed limiter from an e-bike“? Disconnect the limit sensor wire, relocate sensor and magnet, or install a tuning kit – but we recommend going for the latter as you can always turn it off using its switch.
In addition, while riding at higher speeds it’s essential that proper protective gear be worn to avoid accidents.
