[sunwukong8]

can you provide (informal) instructions to replace the push button with a toggle switch (from radioshack). i have really long hills on my commute and pushing the button makes my finger sore. plus i can't use my aerobars. thanks.

[Mr. E]

I just installed a Radio Shack automotive rocker switch, # 275-0730. Just cut off the button (with power OFF), strip the wires, and solder onto the terminals. Polarity doesn't matter, just make sure to wrap each terminal separately with electrical tape. When wrap the tape around the housing and the wires to seal it from moisture. To mount it, I threaded a wire tie thru the clips in the switch housing and secured it to a clamp on the handlebar. Be sure to orient the switch so it operates intuitively: thumb it forward for on, back for off, and try to get it so you won't have to change hand position to brake. Just be careful to anticipate stopping situations, cause you'll lose a split second shutting off. And be sure your mounting is secure & foolproof.

[Chris Clean Republic]

Hey guys,

After re-reading this and thinking it through a bit, the setup that Mr.E describes can be dangerous for the rider. Having a rocker switch as the main power button can pose a danger when you need to stop very quickly. For example, if a car cut you off on your bike and you needed to hit your brakes and turn off your motor, you probably wouldn't have enough time to hit the rocker switch and grab your brakes.

Because of situations like this, we at Clean Republic opted to make the main controller a on/off grip switch. All you have to do to turn off the motor with the Hill Topper is let go of the small button. This allows for more control by the rider and is much safer. The type of modification that Mr.E describes is not recommended by our company.

I'm also moving this topic to the customer hacks forum, since this that is a more appropriate place for this discussion. Thanks.

-Chris Clean Republic

[jrodningen]

I also did not like the pushbutton switch that came with the hiltopper. I played with it in various configurations, including the "trigger" set up. The problem that I found was that there was no tactile response from the switch to indicate that is engaged. This caused me to give it a death grip every time I was climbing a hill because I was afraid of losing my assist(then I would have to pedal all by myself, and we can't have that!). I considered replacing it with a toggle, but initially decided against it for the safety resons listed above. I replaced the switch with a different pushbutton that gave me a tactile 'click' whenever it engaged or disengaged. This worked OK for awhile, but I still felt like I was giving it a death grip up long hills, tiring out my hand. Also, I noticed that I would typically climb those hills up sidewalks where any threat to my safety is low.

So my solution was to wire both switches (a pushbutton and a toggle switch)in parallel. For most of my trip to and from work, I use the pushbutton for safety reasons. On long hills where I am on a sidewalk with no intersections, I engage the toggle switch to give my hand a break. Obviously, it is up to the user to identify any safety risks and use the appropriate switch at the appropriate time. Clean Republic can never sell them this way for liability reasons, but if you are considering using a toggle switch instead of a pushbutton, I would recommend a setup where you could pick and choose at the appropriate situation when you would like to use a toggle. Just understand that the pushbutton is the safest method to operate your Hilltopper and using any method that requires an addition user input (such as a toggle switch) brings some inherent risk that is solely assumed by the user.

[1to3four]

I replaced mine with a button from Radio Shack, was easier, and better than I thought. The button I used has five positions. Left, right, forward, back, and down. Simple. If I don't feeling like pushing down, I push in any of the other directions, and it works great, smaller, and more comfortable. I would suggest soldering all the positives together, and making a single quick connection, bend all the tabs over also, and put some liquid electrical tape over the negative connection to prevent crossing. Good luck