Improve initial acceleration for low assist e-bike rides
When Lyft rolled out low assist mode in Sept 2023 in NYC it was described as follows: "Low assist mode feels like and costs the same as a classic bike".
I find that the low assist mode experience on the current silver e-bikes can range from pleasant to downright dangerous and Lyft needs to take steps to lower the risk of injury to their customers when using this mode. Furthermore, the low assist mode is noticeably challenging on low-battery e-bikes, or, worst-case, makes the ride completely unrideable for poorly maintained e-bikes with chain or motor issues.
Specifically, the static acceleration on the e-bikes in low assist mode can be so weak on the current 80-pound bike that it can cause injury when riding on a moderate or steep hill due to loss of horizontal balance when coming to an unexpected stop (something that I've personally experienced several times over the past 2,279 rides over 14 months). It also increases the likelihood of an accident due to how long it can take for the bike to get up to speed at an intersection to match the flow of traffic.
To address these issues I'm asking that Lyft increase the initial acceleration for e-bikes in low assist mode to counteract the weight and improve balance of the bike when climbing moderate/steep hills and when pushing off from a full stop. For example, if low assist were to currently provide a constant 15% of max power from 0-15mph, I'd like to see at least 30% percent for 0-6mph and then 15% thereafter.
If technical limitations don't allow for a dynamic acceleration curve to be set based on the current speed then I propose to increase the constant acceleration power for the full 0-15mph range from 15% to 20-25% of max power.