Newton meters

[RichM]

For a hilly area should motor torque be the biggest deciding factor or speed range?
do they go hand in hand ?
I would assume the lower newton meters of torque could cause a motor to overheat or become sluggish.

What made the me ask the question is looking at the Vardo 4.0 (72 Newton Meters) Vardo 3.0 ( 90 Newton Meters )
the Vard 4.0 is a class 3 and Vardo 3.0 is a class 1

 

[Stefan Mikes]

lower newton meters of torque could cause a motor to overheat

Not. A good mid-drive motor is hard to overheat.

The difference between 72 and 90 Nm is not as great as you think. For example, my Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro has max torque of 85 Nm @ 520 W while my Vado 5.0 is 90 Nm @ 520 W. The Giant feels a better climber, among others because it has a 36T chainring while the Vado is 48T. Also the Giant has bigger cogs at the cassette. The geometry of the e-MTB also contributes to better climbing capability.

You are also not quite correct to think Vado 3.0 sports 90 Nm. No, no, no. It has lower torque than Vado 4.0. 90 Nm is available in Vado 5.0.

If we compare Vado 4.0 to 5.0, Vado 4.0 has a 40T chainring while the 5.0 has the 48T one. Lower torque in 4.0 is compensated with a smaller chainring. So, the climbing capabilities of 4.0 and 5.0 are similar overall. Only the 5.0 is made for higher speeds on the flat.

 

[rich c]

Riding style is as much a factor of going up hilly terrain as the motor torque. Some people use their eBikes like a scooter and hardly every shift gears. Some companies are now selling single speed commuter eBikes, so changing gears isn't an option. Nearly every eBike will climb hills well when you shift down to the Granny gear, but the rider may not be happy with the speed up the hill. So when shopping and looking at torque numbers, consider if you will use the gearing and what speed do you want to maintain. Now where the torque really makes a difference is mountain biking on highly technical single trails. You might be under 5mph on a steep switchback on rocks and roots. THAT is where you want a load of torque and you want it instantly. The difference of 72 to 90 is nothing on a street.

 

[Sierratim]

For a hilly area should motor torque be the biggest deciding factor or speed range?
do they go hand in hand ?
I would assume the lower newton meters of torque could cause a motor to overheat or become sluggish.

What made the me ask the question is looking at the Vardo 4.0 (72 Newton Meters) Vardo 3.0 ( 90 Newton Meters )
the Vard 4.0 is a class 3 and Vardo 3.0 is a class 1

Regardless of terrain, ebike speed and range are inversely related, the lower the speed the higher the range. This is esp noticable in hilly areas where you tend to use higher motor assist levels.

Motor torque is a function of motor power and motor rpm. It is an important indicator of hill climbing ability. As @Stefan Mikes points gearing is also an important consideration.

BTW - the current model Vado 3 is equiped with 1.2e motor which has a peak torque of 50Nm.

Table compares motor torque for various Specialized motor offerings. 90Nm is the max available.

The Vado motors are 'street tuned' providing peak torque at higher cadence. The MTB Levo motors are 'trail tuned'prociding the same peak torque nut at a lower cadence.

 

[RichM]

Not. A good mid-drive motor is hard to overheat.

The difference between 72 and 90 Nm is not as great as you think. For example, my Giant Trance E+ 2 Pro has max torque of 85 Nm @ 520 W while my Vado 5.0 is 90 Nm @ 520 W. The Giant feels a better climber, among others because it has a 36T chainring while the Vado is 48T. Also the Giant has bigger sprogs at the cassette. The geometry of the e-MTB also contributes to better climbing capability.

You are also not quite correct to think Vado 3.0 sports 90 Nm. No, no, no. It has lower torque than Vado 4.0. 90 Nm is available in Vado 5.0.

If we compare Vado 4.0 to 5.0, Vado 4.0 has a 40T chainring while the 5.0 has the 48T one. Lower torque in 4.0 is compensated with a smaller chainring. So, the climbing capabilities of 4.0 and 5.0 are similar overall. Only the 5.0 is made for higher speeds on the flat.

Thank You

 

[RichM]

I was reading the spec off the compare spreadsheet

Specialized Turbo Vado 3.0	2017	Specialized	Turbo Vado 3.0	$3,200	Forward	Urban, Commuting	Pedal Assist (Class 1)	2 Year Battery and Motor, Lifetime Frame and Fork	United States, Europe		Mid-Mounted Geared Motor	250 watts		Brose, Rx Street Tuned, Custom for Specialized	90 Newton Meters

too be honest it doesn't matter much you all explained things well. Thank you

 

[Sierratim]

I was reading the spec off the compare spreadsheet

Specialized Turbo Vado 3.0	2017	Specialized	Turbo Vado 3.0	$3,200	Forward	Urban, Commuting	Pedal Assist (Class 1)	2 Year Battery and Motor, Lifetime Frame and Fork	United States, Europe		Mid-Mounted Geared Motor	250 watts		Brose, Rx Street Tuned, Custom for Specialized	90 Newton Meters

too be honest it doesn't matter much you all explained things well. Thank you

Where is this spreadsheet available?

 

[Stefan Mikes]

That was the 2017 model. A lot of water has flown through rivers since

 

[Dallant]

For a hilly area should motor torque be the biggest deciding factor or speed range?
do they go hand in hand ?
I would assume the lower newton meters of torque could cause a motor to overheat or become sluggish.

What made the me ask the question is looking at the Vardo 4.0 (72 Newton Meters) Vardo 3.0 ( 90 Newton Meters )
the Vard 4.0 is a class 3 and Vardo 3.0 is a class 1

To me it’s torque. Speed isn’t that big an issue to me compared to ease in climbing hills. My Trek Allant +7 with the Bosch PLCX @ 85Nm climbs like crazy and I love it!