Sidewinder Jerry
Well-Known Member
You don't adjust it every few miles. Take the bike to your highest peak and adjust it there. Then take it back down to start your ascension up the mountain.I'm totally fine with pedal assisting on steep climbs, or even all the time for that matter. I intend to use this as a bicycle with assistance rather than as a small motorcycle/moped.
I also am fine with less than ideal engine performance as I rise in elevation. Altitude is going to be so varied that I'm not going to take time to adjust the carb every few miles. I just want to be able to set it well enough for the range of altitudes I'll be at for any given day.
The Honda 50 max torque is at 4500 rpm. So if you're on a really steep hill even with pedal assist the engine needs to be turning a minimum 4500 rpm at wide open throttle going up the hill. If it can't you risk engine strain and/or a burnt up clutch. With a multi speed bicycle you may be able to use a bicycle ratio to better pedal assist vs a single speed bicycle drive system. On hills around a 30% grade you also risk tire/roller slippage.
I live in the mountains. My advice is leave your friction drive for the flat lands and get a chain drive system for the mountains. Shifters work really good here.