Meaning of torque. And the right bike for me.

[Stevieboy]

I have been looking for an ebike for quite a while. I am concerned with the bike having enough power to get me up the hills of Nelson bc. I have been told that a 250w motor with a 60nm torque is adequate but after test riding one, it failed to get me up the 15% grade hills. I am 70 years old but reasonably fit, 160 lbs at 5 ft 7‘’ but need a bike that will get me up the hills easily if necessary. I cannot test ride most bikes unless I go to the coast but cannot try it up the Nelson hills. I think I need a 500w motor with minimum 80nm torque And my price range is $4000 CAD for a commuter type bike with occasional off road.
hopefully you will have a recommendation.
thanks. Steve

 

[rich c]

Don't get hung up on motor watt rating. It's a wide open number that the manufacturer can use with no certification. The rating of 250w is a nominal number and can go over 750w at max rating. If you are looking for an electric powered bike, it's much different than an electric assist. You don't mention if you are using the gears and pedal assist, or you expect to ride up on a throttle. I'd ask around some traditional bike shops and ask if they know anyone riding e-assist bikes. Maybe you can get a ride locally that way. Ask the person for a ride when they told you 250w is fine. My 350w Haibikes will climb every hill around me, on pedal assist. They don't have throttles.

 

[Gordon71]

I have been looking for an ebike for quite a while. I am concerned with the bike having enough power to get me up the hills of Nelson bc. I have been told that a 250w motor with a 60nm torque is adequate but after test riding one, it failed to get me up the 15% grade hills. I am 70 years old but reasonably fit, 160 lbs at 5 ft 7‘’ but need a bike that will get me up the hills easily if necessary. I cannot test ride most bikes unless I go to the coast but cannot try it up the Nelson hills. I think I need a 500w motor with minimum 80nm torque And my price range is $4000 CAD for a commuter type bike with occasional off road.
hopefully you will have a recommendation.
thanks. Steve

For what it's worth I recently bought my first E Bike. It's a Rad Rover step through which has an 750W geared hub motor that puts out 80nm. I'm 71 and have had no trouble getting up hills with it. It has a throttle but I've never needed to use it. It lists for $1500 US.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Since you live in Canada you may want to look at ebikes that are built it Canada. Here's two that will meet your price and power needs:

1. Rize https://rizebikes.ca/?variant=31569956110467

2. Biktrix https://www.biktrix.ca/collections/bikes

I don't know much about Rize, but biktrix seems to have decent after sales support.
Since you live in a hilly town I'd go with a mid-mount motor, rather than a hub motor.

 

[FlatSix911]

I have been looking for an ebike for quite a while. I am concerned with the bike having enough power to get me up the hills of Nelson bc. I have been told that a 250w motor with a 60nm torque is adequate but after test riding one, it failed to get me up the 15% grade hills. I am 70 years old but reasonably fit, 160 lbs at 5 ft 7‘’ but need a bike that will get me up the hills easily if necessary. I cannot test ride most bikes unless I go to the coast but cannot try it up the Nelson hills. I think I need a 500w motor with minimum 80nm torque And my price range is $4000 CAD for a commuter type bike with occasional off road.
hopefully you will have a recommendation.
thanks. Steve

For your specific use-case I would look at mid-drive motors with at least 50Nm of torque to climb 15% grade hills.

This article may be helpful.

Electric bicycle hub motors vs mid-drive motors: Which should be on your next e-bike?

Electric bicycles are becoming increasingly popular forms of two-wheeled electric transportation for both commuting and pleasure riding. The two most...

electrek.co

 

[Nova Haibike]

Since you live in Canada you may want to look at ebikes that are built it Canada.

FWIW, those might be designed in Canada, but they are built in China. In that vein, other Canadian brands include Cannondale (owned by Canadian conglomerate Dorel Industries), Norco, Ohm, and Voltbike.

I would check out the Ohm Quest with the Shimano E8000 motor.

 

[Deacon Blues]

FWIW, those might be designed in Canada, but they are built in China. In that vein, other Canadian brands include Cannondale (owned by Canadian conglomerate Dorel Industries), Norco, Ohm, and Voltbike.

I would check out the Ohm Quest with the Shimano E8000 motor.

I should have said "Final assembly done in Canada."

 

[Alaskan]

Check out the giant Explore E at Gericks Cycle in Nelson They also carry Kona ebikes. Both brands are mid drive and very good hill climbers.

Gerick Cycle & Ski | Nelson, BC

www.gericks.com

 

[Alaskan]

The Dost looks like a good bike for the money but with a 46 tooth front chain ring and the biggest sprocket at 36 teeth, the Dost will not be a great hill climber. You really need a one to one ratio on the lowest gear to get up steep hills unless you are a super fit.

 

[Stevieboy]

Thanks for all your replies, I thought I had checked out all my options but can see I have only just started.
with regard to the Dost, I have looked at the site and they have answered my questions. They said there would be no problem getting up the Nelson hills and I thought that was true because of the powerful mid motor and the 120nm torque but you say it will not be a great hill climber.

 

[Deacon Blues]

Stevieboy, I've test ridden the Dost and can tell you that this bike really moves on the flats, with lots of torque. I didn't go up any hills, but I suspect it wouldn't have any problems.
Another bike you may want to consider is the Hill Eater ebike. (Link Removed - No Longer Exists)

It's a modified Juiced ebike, with a hub motor. Usually I'd steer away from a hub motor for hill riding, but this bike puts out somewhere around 1500W peak and flies up hills.
The fellow who puts these bikes together lives on Salt Spring Island (right beside Nanaimo, on Vancouver Island). Salt Spring is very hilly, but this bike had no trouble blasting up any of the hills I rode up.
On one long, medium-steep hill I was able to hit 40kph up 3/4 of the hill while pedaling and maintained 40kph to the top with throttle only.