FINALLY DECIDED!! Things I considered: For those looking for Step Through, Lower cost, & Best Value.

[fooferdoggie]

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I am still confused about cadence vs torque sensors. I want to be able to choose my level of assistance, and my speed independently. So, I think cadence is correct for me. There are times I want to go a bit faster on a straight away...in PAS 2 or even 3, BUT I also want the exercise. So, I'm in highest gear. I don't want. to bike to decide to make it easier...Am I correct that cadence is best for this?

Hope this is helpful.

a torque sensor controls how much the bike assists by how hard you push. but the gearing is what gives you the speed. using the hardest gear is not the best way to get exercise its the best way to blow out your knees. the rest way to exercise is to spin at a higher rpm and only push as hard as you can maintain for a long time. a bike is about low impact exercise. if you spin you can get a hundred miles if you only mash your going to run out of energy far faster.

 

[john peck]

UPDATE AFTER1200 MILES:

Well, 100 miles later. 1 spill, though I wasn't hurt. 1 brake pad. 1 flat tire (front) 2 dealer checkups, and 2 local bike mechanic checkups/seat adjustment...

I am 5'3", and actually didn't realize I had shrunk at all. I was always 5'5". So, now I am understanding why others my height were saying they were using mediums. The spill I took was because I was going too fast (16) and coming off a very steep curb, where the pavement was also way too indented. (I should call the city about it, because there would be no way a wheelchair could navigate this curb). I pressed one of the brakes too hard, and the bike stopped on a dime, just as I hit the indentation.. Bike stopped and I didn't. Slow motion over the handlebars as I tried to correct, landed on my tummy face down, but didn't hit my face. Bruised stomach, scratched arm and leg, but no broken bones thank goodness.

So, after that I have slowed down considerably. I don't want a repeat of that, at 65, I need to preserve this body!!

*I have realized I need suspension. NOT just in the seat, but everywhere. I also need wider tires. I feel every crack in the pavement, every pebble, every stick, and am constantly worried about going down. I recently rode a bike with 3" x 26" tires, suspension seat, and it sailed over every speed bump, stick, crack..whatever!
The 27/.5 tires have me up too high. I think I'd rather be lower to the ground. so, next bike 24" or 26" X 3" tires for me.

*None of the bikes I have ridden have as nice a handlebar and grip as the Pace 500. Really like that. I have gotten used to the throttle- not being on demand. Aventon has changed this way their throttle works now, and it IS TOD, but they are out of the new controller right now. I use PAS 0 more often, OR PAS 1 and gear 6+ for resistance. The bike rides nicely, but sometimes I feel it is too fast a bike for me. I NEVER go 20 MPH, and going downhill, I have to fight to stay at 16MPH..It just wants to GO. Those are the times I get nervous...when going on a long downhill, and I am braking, braking, braking, trying to slow down....

I was riding with some friends recently, and the guy was 240 lbs, on a big RAD wide-tire beast. I needed to be more careful, where he went over things easily. BUT, he could NOT catch me by a long shot heading up a pretty steep hill. I had to get off my bike and wait a long time for him to catch up. That's how fast it is. Of course I am lighter weight than he is, and the Pace is much lighter too. And, I was only on PAS 4 and gear 4 going up the hill.

*I don't like that the energy bar is not a battery gage. You really don't know how much battery you have left. So, that is not good.

For some, this bike is a great bike at a great price. I bought from a dealer, so I had that support, which was important.

I am still confused about cadence vs torque sensors. I want to be able to choose my level of assistance, and my speed independently. So, I think cadence is correct for me. There are times I want to go a bit faster on a straight away...in PAS 2 or even 3, BUT I also want the exercise. So, I'm in highest gear. I don't want. to bike to decide to make it easier...Am I correct that cadence is best for this?

H ope this is helpful.

Glad you´re unscathed. It usually seems to take a year to fully recover from one of my crashes. That
doesn´t stop me from riding while healing, but it´s kinda inconvenient. However, with each injury I become
a good deal more cautious. A heightened situational awareness is a must on ebikes.

 

[UphillBothWays]

a torque sensor controls how much the bike assists by how hard you push. but the gearing is what gives you the speed. using the hardest gear is not the best way to get exercise its the best way to blow out your knees. the rest way to exercise is to spin at a higher rpm and only push as hard as you can maintain for a long time. a bike is about low impact exercise. if you spin you can get a hundred miles if you only mash your going to run out of energy far faster.

Oh. Wow. I am glad I posted this. So for more exercise I should have it on PAS 0 or 1 and low gear, for lots of pedaling?? On my bike, PAS 1 and low gear is likely not even possible. The PAS 1 is like 14 MPH and the low gear wouldn’t catch up. But I will try it.
btw, can you add torque to a cadence bike?

 

[indianajo]

btw, can you add torque to a cadence bike?

Not without changing the controller. Inexpensive controllers don't have an input for the torque sensor, which is different electricallly than the PAS pickup.
If you are near a big city try out a Yamaha with torque sense, or a Giant with Yamaha drive. A whole different experience people on here say. The cheapest bike I know of with torque sense is xtreme catalina, but it has not been tested by court and is incompletely specified.

 

[AHicks]

Oh. Wow. I am glad I posted this. So for more exercise I should have it on PAS 0 or 1 and low gear, for lots of pedaling?? On my bike, PAS 1 and low gear is likely not even possible. The PAS 1 is like 14 MPH and the low gear wouldn’t catch up. But I will try it.
btw, can you add torque to a cadence bike?

You can try his suggestion regarding pedaling faster, but I have a tendency to agree with you. You can't pedal fast enough, even in PAS 1/lowest level of assistance available. On level pavement you're pretty much just ghost pedaling until you get up over 10mph. Even at that point, it doesn't take much effort. Issue is there's just to much power available, and there's not much you can do about it without getting into expensive mods.

I haven't seen an "accessory" torque assist - yet. Something like that would be no surprise soon.... -Al

 

[fooferdoggie]

You can try his suggestion regarding pedaling faster, but I have a tendency to agree with you. You can't pedal fast enough, even in PAS 1/lowest level of assistance available. On level pavement you're pretty much just ghost pedaling until you get up over 10mph. Even at that point, it doesn't take much effort. Issue is there's just to much power available, and there's not much you can do about it without getting into expensive mods.

I haven't seen an "accessory" torque assist - yet. Something like that would be no surprise soon.... -Al

when I tested bikes the first was a hub drive. trying to spin on it I just kept going faster. of course the biek would top out at the given speed but I want far more control of speed. if you spin you can go so much farther and keep your heart rate up. this was a 43 mile ride about 2 hours 40 minutes.

 

[AHicks]

when I tested bikes the first was a hub drive. trying to spin on it I just kept going faster. of course the biek would top out at the given speed but I want far more control of speed. if you spin you can go so much farther and keep your heart rate up. this was a 43 mile ride about 2 hours 40 minutes.

Not going to argue the point you're making. Problem is, you seem to have missed her point. Here, we're trying to maintain a much lower speed. Sure, I'm sure she could get a great workout with the system as is, but she would need to be going 15mph to do that. I BELIEVE, she's trying to get some exercise at much lower speeds, like say something under 10mph, but maybe I've missed the point.

 

[fooferdoggie]

Not going to argue the point you're making. Problem is, you seem to have missed her point. Here, we're trying to maintain a much lower speed. Sure, I'm sure she could get a great workout with the system as is, but she would need to be going 15mph to do that. I BELIEVE, she's trying to get some exercise at much lower speeds, like say something under 10mph, but maybe I've missed the point.

under 10 it will be hard its hard to get your heart rate above resting at that speed even without a e bike. unless your going up hills.

 

[UphillBothWays]

Not going to argue the point you're making. Problem is, you seem to have missed her point. Here, we're trying to maintain a much lower speed. Sure, I'm sure she could get a great workout with the system as is, but she would need to be going 15mph to do that. I BELIEVE, she's trying to get some exercise at much lower speeds, like say something under 10mph, but maybe I've missed the point.

Nope. That’s correct. Want to get a workout but don’t want to be going over 16 MPH

I’d love to find one with the belt drive but it doesn’t exist for short gals who need low step through models. I’m also looking at Electric Bike Company (near me) Model R
24” tires that are 3”! I would not get the basket which lowers the weight. TOD and fatter tires may work better for me. ??

 

[indianajo]

under 10 it will be hard its hard to get your heart rate above resting at that speed even without a e bike. unless your going up hills.

WIth enough headwind my heart will go 168 bpm at 10 mph. I try to keep it to 144 or lower with electricity. With no wind I average 120. I don't ride around headfirst, but in a position designed to preserve my spine.

 

[fooferdoggie]

WIth enough headwind my heart will go 168 bpm at 10 mph. I try to keep it to 144 or lower with electricity. With no wind I average 120. I don't ride around headfirst, but in a position designed to preserve my spine.

man thats pretty high. not to sound rude are you really out of shape or like me unhealthy? even with no assist I doubt at 10 mph would give me much over 100. I just checked (with no assist) and if I spin at 80 rpms its around 90 to 100 but I am only putting out 60 to 80 watts so it may drop back to almost resting if I put it in the smallest cog and peddle 40 to 50 rpms I may get it upto 120 watts but it is really mashing things. and maybe the same heart rate it is really inefficient.