During the course of your bike's ownership, it may become necessary to access the internal controller of the bike. This silver box holds some base-level programming for the bike, connects all the electronic parts together, and is vital for the bike's functionality. In this article, we will go over where to locate the controller, how to access it, and show the different wiring configurations. 


Step 1: Locate the controller

On both frame styles, the controller is located behind the upper battery panel inside the frame, behind the headtube. 



Step 2: Remove the battery panel

Once the battery is removed one can see the upper battery panel. This part holds the battery in place and also houses the controller behind it. 

  • To access the controller, this piece needs to be removed. The bolts use a Philips #1 screwdriver to remove. 
  • The bolts circled in green hold the panel into the frame and the two circled in orange hold the lock to the panel.
  • All need to be removed - remember which screw came from which hole as they are slightly different lengths. 
  • Once removed the panel will pull straight out. 




Step 3: Removing the controller 

Once the panel is out, remove the lock by pulling it inside the bike, then the controller can be removed. The controller is not retained by anything however with the pressure of the cables it may take a gentle tug to pull out. It can also help to unwrap the reusable spiral cable wrap at the front of the bike to give the cables more slack. 


The following tips can help if you are new to working on controllers:

  • Each connector is unique for each part. For example, a display unit cannot be plugged into where the motor cable would go.
  • There are two light connectors. They are specific to front or rear light. The longer light cable is the front light.   
  • Pay attention to how the controller was originally sitting in the bike. The cables come out one end of the controller and for ease of reassembly, it is often best to put it back in the same configuration. 
  • When changing out a whole controller it is best to move the connections over one at at time till done. 
  • Mark the new controller with tape or marker before starting. That way there are no mix-ups during the switch. 
  • The cables for components at the rear of the bike, run through a channel in the upper right side of the frame (when viewed as the photo below). The controller can rest on this channel and it may be needed to pull the controller down and out to get it out of the bike. 



Once the controller is out, the photo below outlines what each cable corresponds to. In this model, the display, brake sensors, and throttle join into a wiring harness cable outside the frame. That harness then leads into the frame as one singular cable and plugs into the controller. 




Step 4: Reinstalling the controller 

Once the controller work has been done it is time to reinstall. The process is the same as taking it out but in reverse. 

  • It can make the work easier if the controller is pushed all the way forward in the frame. 
  • Often times gently pulling the wiring harness cable can help guide the controller back in.
  •  It is not critical how the wires fit in, just as long as they are behind the holes for the battery panel. 
  • It is best to install the controller in the same orientation it came out but experiment with what works best for you. 
  • There is no set order in which to install the screws but the following photos give some tips on what we do at Ride1Up.