If you’re an electric bike rider, you know that the built-in speed limiter can be annoying. It’s hard to go too fast on your electric bike with the limiter constantly kicking in, but thankfully there is a way to remove it.
The speed limiter restricts the bike’s top speed to around 20 mph. While this is a safety feature, many riders choose to remove it from their electric bikes in order to get up to speeds of 30 miles per hour or more.
In this blog post, I’ll show you how to remove the speed limiter from your electric bike quickly and easily, so you can enjoy a more comfortable riding experience.
Things You Need to Consider Before Removing The Speed Limiter
There are a few reasons you might want to remove the speed limiter from your electric bike. Maybe you’re an experienced cyclist who wants to go faster on flat terrain, or perhaps you want the option to ride at high speeds occasionally.
Whether you’re looking to go faster on the trails or the streets, removing the speed limiter can help you reach your goals. But there are a few things to remember if you consider removing the speed limiter from your electric bike.
Warranty
First, it’s important to note that removing the speed limiter on an electric bike can void the bike’s warranty. Some manufacturers don’t like users to do experiments with their products. So it is wise to know the company warranty policy before doing anything experimental.
Is Your Bike Capable?
Make sure that your bike is able to handle the increased speed. Forks, Tires, Brakes, Chains, and Cassettes need to be stronger than a regular electric bike. Because you are pushing it to the limit to get a better speed, if your bike’s components are not suitable, it cannot handle any unwanted situation you might confront.
Is It Legal in Your Area?
You will need to be aware of the law in your area regarding electric bikes. The legal implications of riding an electric bike without a speed limit can be restricted.
How to Identify If Your Electric Bike Has A Speed Limiter?
Before removing the speed limiter, you first need to identify that your bike has installed a speed limiter. There are a few ways you can tell if your bike has a speed limiter.
Check for Tachometer
One way is to look at the tachometer. If the needle stays pegged at one particular RPM, regardless of how much throttle you give it, then your bike likely has a speed limiter.
Speed Check
Another way to tell is how the bike feels when riding it. If it feels like it’s hitting a wall at a certain speed and won’t go any faster no matter what you do, it’s probably because there’s a speed limiter in place.
Check The Owner’s Manual
Many times, the manufacturer will list whether the bike has a speed limiter or not.
Look for A Black Box
On many bikes with speed limiters, there is a black box that contains the device. This is usually located near the motor.
Check for Wiring Harnesses
Another tell-tale sign of a speed limiter is the presence of wiring harnesses that are not typically found on other bikes. These are usually located near the throttle body.
How to Remove The Speed Limiter from Your Electric Bike?
There are a few things you may do to remove the speed limiter if you want to go faster. Below I have listed some best methods to remove it.
Whichever method you choose, be sure to read all instructions carefully before proceeding. Also, remember that removing the speed limiter may void your warranty and potentially damage your electric bike. Proceed at your own risk.
Locate And Disconnect The Limiter
Locate the speed limiter on your electric bike. It is usually located near the motor or controller. Once you’ve found it, you’ll need to remove the cover. Once that is off, you’ll be able to see the speed limiter. It will likely be a small black box with wires running to it.
Disconnect the power source to the limiter. This may be a battery, capacitor, or others. It will usually require a screwdriver. Once the wires are disconnected, you can proceed to remove the box.
One option is to unscrew the speed limiter from the motor. That is usually located on the side of the motor, near the crank arm. After unscrewing it, you will need to take off the chain and put the motor back together without the speed limiter.
Take Out The Limiter
Remove the speed limiter from the electric bike. This can be done by unscrewing it, cutting it off, or otherwise completely removing its section from the electric bike. Just be careful not to remove the necessary motor driver equipment.
Read your bike’s manual if needed. Please don’t proceed to disconnect or detach anything without knowing what it does.
Detach The Sensor
Every electric bike that has a speed limiter also has a sensor that detects how much speed your bike is running. You can remove that sensor very easily, and the speed limiter will go blind. Disconnect the speed sensor from the controller. This will allow the bike to run at full power without any limit.
Reprogram The Controller
Another tricky and hardest way is to use a special programming cable to reprogram the controller to remove the speed limit. It’s not an easy job and requires programming knowledge to do that perfectly. You can get going if you think you are smarter enough to perform that method. But there’s some caveat!
First, you need to know if your bike speed limiter has the option to reprogram its micro-controller. If it doesn’t support that, then there’s no chance of doing it.
Test Ride
Ride your electric bike for a while without the speed limiter to see if the performance has improved. If not, you may need to adjust other components on the bike, such as the motor or controller.
Benefits of Removing The Speed Limiter from Your Electric Bike
The speed limiter prevents the bike from going too fast and can cause an accident. Perhaps you’re an experienced rider who is comfortable riding at high speeds, or you want to have a little more fun on your bike.
Whatever the reason, there are actually some benefits to removing the speed limiter from your electric bike.
Better Speed
One of the benefits of removing the speed limiter from your electric bike is that you will be able to ride at a higher speed. This can be helpful if you need to get somewhere quickly or if you simply enjoy riding at a faster pace.
Increased Range
The range of your electric bike will likely improve if you remove the speed limit since you can ride further before needing to recharge the battery.
Flexible Ride
If you want to use your bike for commuting or running errands, being able to go a bit faster can be a big help. And if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to make a quick getaway, being able to do that can be a lifesaver.
What Are The Consequences of Removing The Speed Limiter?
While there are some potential benefits to removing the speed limiters from your electric bike, there are also some significant drawbacks that you need to be aware of.
Risk of Accident
One of the biggest dangers of doing this is that it significantly increases the risk of being involved in an accident. This is because riding at higher speeds makes it much more difficult to control your bike and avoid obstacles in your path.
Additionally, if you crash while riding at high speeds, the consequences could be much more severe than if you were riding at a slower pace.
Reduce Battery Performance
Think about how riding at high speeds will affect your electric bike’s battery life. The faster you ride, the more power you’ll use, which will decrease the battery’s lifetime.
Against The Law
In some areas, there are actually laws that prohibit removing the speed limiters from electric bikes. In addition, riding an electric bike without speed limiters is illegal in some jurisdictions. So, before you make any changes, be sure to check the local laws in your area.
Once you have removed the speed limiter, you may find that your electric bike goes faster than before. This is perfectly normal and nothing to worry about. You can always adjust the motor’s speed settings if it’s going too fast.
Speed limiters are there for a reason, but if you don’t like them, there’s no reason why you can’t remove them.
Can You Outrun a Bear on an Electric Bike If Its Speed Is Limited to 20km/h?
The answer to whether you can outrun a bear on an electric bike if its speed is limited to 20 km/h really depends on the type of electric bike you’re riding; some electric bikes are designed specifically for speed, while others are limited to a certain speed.
Leave the bears behind with an electric bike designed for speed; these electric bikes are often capable of reaching speeds of up to 40 km/h or even higher.
That being said, if you’re riding an electric bike limited to 20 km/h, it’s unlikely that you’ll be able to outrun a bear; a bear can run up to speeds of 50 km/h, and even if the electric bike is able to reach 20 km/h, it likely won’t be able to maintain that speed for very long. Therefore, if you’re looking to outrun a bear, an electric bike may not be the best option.
Related: From Mountains to Beaches – The Best All-Terrain Electric Bikes Will Take You There!
Final Thoughts
Although removing the speed limiter from your electric bike may seem like a great idea to improve its performance at first, there are several things you need to consider before taking this step.
Make sure you understand the consequences of removing the limiter and that doing so is legal in your area. While these limiters can be helpful, they can also reduce the lifespan of your bike.
However, if you’re not sure how to do it or aren’t comfortable with making the changes yourself, we suggest consulting an expert before taking any action. Once you decide to go ahead and remove the limiter, be sure to ride safely and responsibly.
