Hi......

NPS

Just Joined
Aug 3, 2021
4
2
Aging fat lad who after riding bikes at a reasonable level for years has stopped riding! Injury to knees has made it just not enjoyable any more, ok on the flat but can't put pressure on the pedals on hills or even stand up on pedals in the rough........sooooooo electric bike could be the future!
 
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Benjahmin

Esteemed Pedelecer
Nov 10, 2014
2,460
1,675
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West Wales
Hi,
Given your injury look for a cadence sense bike rather than a torque sense. Cadence sensing will give you power whilst merely rotating the pedals, whilst torque sensing gives you a multiple of the pressure you apply.to the pedals.
Most cadence sense bikes are hub motored and, good news, tend to be cheaper.
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,990
8,172
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West Sx RH
BBS mid drive is cadence PAS as are the AKM, Mxus versions.
The Tonsheng is a TS type, though in general hub motor systems are often more reliable and give better longevity. All might depend what your main riding consists of.
 

ean_p

Finding my (electric) wheels
Jun 9, 2021
5
0
BBS mid drive is cadence PAS as are the AKM, Mxus versions.
The Tonsheng is a TS type, though in general hub motor systems are often more reliable and give better longevity. All might depend what your main riding consists of.
@Nealh Hi Neal, last month you advised on using a Aikema 128c with a KT controller as a retrofit on a Giant step through for the missus. Is the 128c a torque controlled motor or is it possible to fit a torque sensor and use that to control the motor ? I ask as I think she would possibly benefit from a TS drive in making her a little fitter as time goes by, which is not the main point in touring on the bikes but it still figures up there in the list!
 

Nealh

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 7, 2014
19,990
8,172
60
West Sx RH
The AKM128 is just a hub motor, it is the controller designation that determines how the power is applied.

Cheaper controllers like Brainwave all appear to use speed control not to everyone's liking and can be too abrupt on starting and varying max speed limits in each level.
Lishui a better make also appear to be speed control, though the one with my Big Bear kit appears not to be ? I can feel more current through out the five power levels and can get max speed in each level, so possible they make both types.

KT use torque simulation, like the above controller one gets max speed in all assist levels with vary % of power(current) with every level.
One can buy TS controller kits with the torque enabled Bottom bracket which makes up part of the kit, spares are tricky. However I have come across one seller on AliExp that sells stand alone TS controllers if you buy their kit. Compatibility is the issue and one can't just mix and match.

Also at one time Woosh were also selling TS crank kit for hub bikes, personally I don't see the need for TS with hub motors.

With hub motors if you want fitness use torque simulation and the lowest PAS level of assist.