Almost im in to building motor bikes ,I am looking at this s I had a problem with my frst ever e bike ,the wires coming out the spindle , due to there not being any torque arms on it .I sussed it out that the motor inside must have kept spinning when I grabbed the brake , I am now going to offertge guy who is selling the bikes but doesn't have a clue about the spindle needing tourque arms on them nice tight bolted on spacers type ,peace ✌
@@laptech3767 That's because their kind can't help but be deceptive! Change the 250 watt motor to a 350 watt motor with the same 50 against the 500 watt motor and 25 and it would be easier to pedal up a hill in pedal assist with the 350 watt motor!
@@laptech3767 Whereas the 250 watt is half the 500 watt and 50 is half the 25 which would be equal! And these types of assholes don't do this on accident! It's their religious upbringing! They are truly sick fucks!
High Torque is needed for steep hill climbs and be aware of your motor speed - a low RPM motor generating a lot of torque takes lots of battery power. That's why mid-drive bikes are better for hills - you can shift to first gear - spin up hill with a faster motor RPM and lower Wattage. Display read 300W Mid-drive vs 850W Hub going up same hill. Of course I was pedaling, didn't want to overheat motors. I installed a Bafang BBS02 mid-drive on a MTB and sweet ride. @ 40 lbs and fast. Usually keep the bike in 2nd or 3rd gear so easier on motor controller, got mine from Luna Cycle @ $450. I've done the Cheap Chinese Hubs and they're good if you just want to go cheap and do a lot of throttle. Nice on flats but battery killers on hills. Pay $250 more for a mid-drive kit - it's a better e-bike in the long run. Look at a Tong Sheng TSDZ 2 mid-drive (80 NM @ $400 shipped, torque sensing pedals ) Open source software improves performance so it's like a Bosch - excellent commuter, torque sensing applies power when needed so longer range. If you want a lot of power - BBSHD - 160 NM @ $800 - the Base motor is excellent for Upgrades. Check out "Andy Kirby" e-bike channel if you want to go really fast. For me BBS02 - 120 NM @ $450, great bang for the buck.
High Torque but low HP= A guy (motor) with a lot of brute strength but who can't run very fast. He's got the brute strength to easily run uphill with a heavy backpack but can't run super fast with or without the heavy backpack. High Horse Power but low torque= A guy (motor) who doesn't have the brute strength but who can run much faster once he gets going. He can run really fast once he gets going but it takes him longer to reach his top speed and he can't carry a heavy backpack.. Big strong football linebacker= Lots of torque but slow, can't run fast (low HP)... Slim fast running wide receiver=More horsepower than a linebacker so he can run faster but doesn't have the brute strength (low torque) that a line backer has.
Note, a 250w mid drive motor can climb better than a 750w hub drive motor in certain situations because is uses the gears to increase torque at the wheel. So when the hill gets too steep for the hub motors torque which is fixed the bike bogs down and stops, but the mid drive uses a lower gear ( slower speed) to swap speed for torque and can climb the hill still. Personally I'm happy to just have a powerful enough rest hub drive to go up most hills and I pedal hard on the steeper ones.
I build only torque sensing mid-drives for my customers, but everything discussed here really means little. Even a junk bike, with a low power, low torque motor is still a ball to ride and probably all most people will ever actually need or use. I spoke to two of my customers yesterday that never get out of level one of five assist and they put in some pretty impressive miles.
@@MHH3180 I agree most people will never use the higher end bikes to anywhere near their potential. I now have a Frey ex which uses bafang ultra so I can directly compare it with a cheap 1000w dd rear hub on a cheap full sus bike. For 90% of the riding I do which is mild off road the hub is faster and easier to ride. I literally have to go looking for harder trails to even start to test the capability of the ultra motor and the high end bike and it scares me tbh just how steep you have to get to get your money's worth lol. I'm thinking a tosheng on a cheap bike would be perfectly ok for most people.
@@FlyingFun. yes, I have built approximately 75 bikes using The TSDZ2. All mine have to be legal everywhere. I use the 48 volt 500 watt as it is capable of 52/750 and the torque sensor means even the most feeble of grannies do not need a throttle. All that pretty much eliminates all my warrenty issues. I did have the world's third strongest man break a spindle I should have realized was loose and just this week I got a bad display from the distributor. I have had two former motorcycle riders complain their 700c hybrids don't accelerate like theor 20" folding 750 hub motored bikes, but I thunk cadence sensing appeals more to anyone looking to do as little pedaling as possible. Really though, I am finding a lot of my customers would do as well with something like The Retrospec Rev line. They aren't going to go great distances and the savings could buy a lot of extra batteries. The speed limit on rail trails, MUP's an in the bike lanes they ride is 15mph. They don't mind climbing hills a little slower. If they ever perfect puncture free tires, I may have to hang up my smock.
@@MHH3180 yes if building for paying customers I would 100% go tosheng for the reasons you state. I've had a few people ask me to build them a similar build to mine with 1000w dd rear hub but I'm really reluctant because of the need for torque arms correctly installed being slightly different on every bike and the legal side of things so I passed but said I would help them do it if they wanted.
"Anyone who had a tuogh year and an e-bike woould improve your situation..." This must be the one most amazing thing I have seen on RUclips! What, what a kind person you are. I'm a bit sad that I missed this opportunity as I really hit the bottom and still struggling to raise myself up again, but I'm also very glad knowing that 5 others are happy and grateful thanks to you now! Wow, my heart just swell. May your life be blessed Micah...
Love your videos! Planning a mini ebike project to do over the winter and your videos have helped a lot with increasing my understanding of everything on the topic.
Hey Buddy, Great video as always! 👍 👍 Agreed that the bike with more "power" would win the race BUT only if; 1. The race was not up a hill that was too steep for the bike with more power (and not too steep for the bike with more torque). 2. The distance of the race was such that there was enough time for the bike with more power to catch up with the bike that had more torque. So if you live in London or New York for example and use the bike mainly in the city then because of all the stopping & starting (traffic lights & T junctions etc) and short runs, having decent torque on a bike would make a lot more sense that having poor torque and a few mph extra top speed. We are not trying to be clever or funny, we are just trying to point out to other people that having a bike with say 2000w "Peak power" and "low torque" is not always better than having a bike with say only 1500w "peak power" and "high torque" if the bike with 1500w has a much better torque curve and you are using the bike around town or in a hilly area on a regular basis. We wonder if some manufacturers just go for the higher power motor figures because a lot of people would look at the figures and assume that the bike with the highest power rating MUST be the best bike to get when in point of fact it really all depends on what you want from the bike in terms of performance and also where and for what you intend using the bike. Thanks again for all that you do for the ebike community - You are "Top man" 👊 😎 👊
That's the first thing I noticed too. As you noted, you could put those two bikes on a hill, let's say a hill that is very steep - just steep enough to where the 25 N/M motor can't get the bike moving. The 50 N/M bike would win, just because it has enough torque to get going. It's the same reason that a 100 horsepower 750cc motorcycle engine would work badly in a car. Lots of power (because of high RPM), but much less torque than a 2 liter 100 horsepower (because of slower RPM) car engine.
You make a good point - Totally agree with you! This is the reason a lot of people want more torque than what you get as standard on the Super73 bikes. Great bikes but poor torque. Thanks for your reply & best wishes.
Exactly. As someone who lives in a hilly area, I am all about the torque. The street I live on is steep and my driveway even steeper. I have two bikes with 95nm of torque, one hub and one mid drive. The hub drive is 750W and the mid drive is 400W. Neither one will make it up my street, much less my driveway, without significant pedal input and it takes about the same time and effort to climb the hill between the bikes.
I've been riding an X7 ebike from Eahora for almost a year now and it's been fun. Happen to see your few videos and I've learned a lot new things. Thank you.
Torque+Power=WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Micah you are One interesting Cat!!! Not just for what you do here on RUclips but the things you've done in your life. Have great respect for you!!!
Getting more amps from 2 batteries is possible but your controller needs to be capable of using those amps. Check your controller specs before proceeding.
@@michaelsprinzeles4022 having too much potential amperage from the battery is a good thing, causes less voltage drop. You only need to worry if you don't have enough possible constant amp output rating to match. Kinda like difference between a 10 gallon fuel tank and a 30 gallon fuel tank.
Love your bike in the background by the way, I just got the same bike in the same color 2 weeks ago!...I just recently started watching ebike stuff on RUclips and had no idea about your giveaway but what an awesome idea. My bike was a reward to myself and a way of getting an important part of my life back. Last summer I entered a rehabilitation treatment program for alcoholism and lived for 4 months in a supervised environment with 12 other guys. It was tough but I did it and now I'm in a transitional housing program at the same place but have my own apartment. Before life got out of control on me I used to cycle alot and that got forgotten about completely when my misguided priorities changed. Now that I've been sober more than 9 months I bought the radmission to get back into riding and decided to go with an ebike as over the last 5 years or so I did an amazing amount of damage in general to myself. Riding any distance without the assistance just isn't happening and with the pure joy of getting back out and getting exercise I can slowly rebuild my body. That bike really is life changing for me....just curious about what kind of radbikes you gave away?
Thank you for so clearly explaining the topics. You are extremely articulate and easy to understand. Especially for a non-technical person like myself.
I’d like help determining what minimum is required of a geared hub motor or a mid-drive motor for ascending steep hills. In other words, what should I look for in either type of motor to get up a 10% grade, 15% grade, 20%?
I always think of these conversion kits for bikes. Taking a 55 Newton meter Torque 1500 watt motor and placing an aluminum front fork with torque braces for the axle. The rated stress test for the metal shearing off is 45 N meters for aluminum and 50 N meters for carbon steel. How long is it likely to last before it suddenly shears off of the bike.
My biggest problem, as a wrench, is that my mid-drive customers can and do usually take care of their own flats, but hub drives are really heavy and have various mounting options that vary in their effectiveness. I hate that I have to charge more.
So if Power is a function of torque AND RPM, if you put the same motor (say 750W) on a 26” wheel and a 20” wheel, would one provide more torque than the other? The 20” bike’s wheels would rotate more per minute.
I am blessed to be able to work from home and I miss going to the park. (I am not going to the park as often as I did prior to March 2020.) I miss riding my Trikke, my folding bike, and even my 10-speed. This video helped me understand why it was so difficult to ride over the Brooklyn Bridge...my folding bike have small wheels and I did not expect the steep incline. I did not prepare myself to go faster so I ended up walking my bike to the peak of the bridge. I did have fun riding downward, though.
Torque and power specs for any vehicle are hard to figure in the real world because they only talk about the motor (or engine) not what is actually delivered to the ground. Given the exact same motor a smaller wheel will offer more torque (to the ground) than a larger wheel or vice versa. The top speed will also be lower on a smaller wheel and higher on a larger wheel (if all other specs are the same). Given the exact same bike I use a general rule of thumb that volts relates to top speed & amps relates to acceleration (torque). I don't think using watts for these determinations is particularly useful. Is this more or less correct?
Micah, Thank You for the great work you do! The video on torque was very helpful, the simple equations showing on the screen "example Torque =Force x Distance makes a big difference in teaching, when I see that I pause the video and write it down so I can retain this bit of science and relate it to other people. Thank You! I am excited and motivated to understand about electric bikes, motorcylce and utiilty vehicles. All The Best! Mitch
I want to make a plug and play throttle to just add to my peddle assist so a throttle shunt wired in between the wiring harness and the pedal assist sensor. Do you have any advice
Hard ask. I'd love to see that breakdown too. So many variables to be considered. The only thing that remains constant in your question is the torque of the specific motor in question. If you're asking about torque delivered to the ground there is some serious math to be considered in your question.
@@michaelsprinzeles4022 true enough. This is the best video I've watched simplifying the plus minus of mid vs hub bikes ruclips.net/video/Ia8lDLcN4q8/видео.html
So... watts is a measurement of power and the more power it has the more work it can do over time... right? Can somebody just tell me if I want the 3kw or 4kw QS hub motor for a 250 pound motorcycle ?! :)
So.....I have a Bafang Ultra motor rated at 160nm torque at 1500W. But I have modified it to run at 4300W (by going from a 48v to 72v battery) how many NM of torque do I now have? What is the equation for solving that?
should have explained that if you have two ebikes of the same power, the one with more torque will have less speed, while the one with more speed will have less torque.
i was interested all the way through but I'm guessing not everyone made it to the end. Good information. Would like you to talk about the different geared motors available and how gearing fits into the equation. Thanks Micah.
Thank you. The video is helpful to understanding how torque works in relation to ebikes. One suggestion (not a critique, but just a thought): It may help if you had a diagram to illustrate the examples. Sometimes it is beneficial to visualize things - I know it helps me. Thanks again.
I'm a newer subscriber to your channel and saw your video about a battery booster pack for scooter range.... I HOPE YOU SEE THIS. Thanks for your videos foremost... I own a kaabo wolf warrior electric scooter it has a 60v 35ah battery with 2 charge ports so if I make a 60v 15ah battery and plug it into 1 of the charge ports can I leave it plugged in and use the 2nd charge port to charge the original and new booster battery at the same time? Also wanted to know if both batteries will discharge at the same time,as if its 1 battery? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!!!!
Yamaha just introduced (8-21) a mid drive bike with 250W, approx 120nm, cross current. So if i follow u, this bike can climb up hill fast, butt may loose to a 500W, 50nm hub bike on a flat run.
@@rickp7683 Yes, I'm running a 52v on my newest ebike conversion too, most good 48v controllers can handle 52v. Higher voltage is for higher top speed, higher amps is for more power (and torque :)
@@ricknoe942 I have a ricetoo's 48v 1000w kit that I was using and a ebikeling 48v 1200w kit that I'm using now, the ricetoo's kit has torque but this ebikeling one doesn't, dont kno if there's a govren on this ebikeling kit and it has 5 musfits the other kit has 6, I'm new at diy ebikes , and I'm not good at reading instructions and following them
@@rickp7683 I have an ebikeling 36v 500w geared motor on my 1st ebike conversion that I'm happy with on that bike, but they don't offer a high voltage geared kit so I went with a Calibike 52v 1500w geared kit this time which I'm happy with. I don't know the torque rating on it but it's enough for me. If you want to check it out, look up Calibike's website because they charge a bit more on eBay. If your ebikeling kit has an LCD display, you can go in and raise the amperage (just don't raise it above what the battery can put out).
regarding the flat land race senario here...force times distance times rpm you say.your talking about motors not complete bikes......you basicaly raced one bike in first gear and another in second gear and came to the conclusion the 500w motor in second gear won... the 250w motor can have higher gearing becaus it has more torqe.....bothe bikes have the potential to cover the same distance in the same amount of time...they bothe have the same force potential....give them their optimal final drive ratio for their respective torqe to power ratios.
He missed the most interesting example. Wich one will win, if two E-bikes have the same power, but a different torque? Most countries have a limit for the allowed power, but no regulatons about the max torque. So the choice between motors with the same power but different torque is much more relevant for most people, than the choice between motors with a different power. Did he maybe miss that example because its not as easy and obvious as the ones he talked about? ;-) Refering to what he said, same power and same distance means both bikes need the same time. Referring to the formual Power = torque * RPM the bike with less torque would be faster, because at the same power the motor spins faster.
Micah, is there a point where the larger watts & voltage equalize the higher nm of torque? For example would a 3000 watt, 72 volt direct drive with 40 nm of torque perform approximately equal to a 750 watt, 48 volt geared hub motor with 80 nm of torque? (Random values selected)
Could you recommend torque rates to different situations? My ebike is 80nm 750W but it's my first one so I can't really compare with anytjing else. It does good on hills but I'm wondering how higher torque bikes perform.
Hello i've got a quastion. Witch pack is gonna give me better range on my bike, 13s10p or 10s13p? They are both 130cells and similar Wh. What do i need for better range Ah or Wh? Thanks.
That's no matter of physics, its a matter of how the controller is programmed. It's possible, but it wouldnt make a lot of sense to program a controller like that. So usually the throttle ignores those levels, but their might be exceptions.
Thanks for the info I knew these things meaning a car mechanic but I like how you explained it with me bikes. It's like for example ebikeling 750w geared hub has 50 nm torque. The 1200 w direct drive motor has 30 nm they're 1500 watt has 40 nm. All I want to do is 28 to 30 mph no need to go any faster. I have a 350 watt 48 volt 10.4ah Rattan Challenger I've got $2,948 Miles on the bike. I get 25 miles throttle only. Pretty much flat ground here in South Florida. the Cruise control function is sweet I think it should be on every ebike. Because once I'm doing 20 to 22 mph after 2 seconds it kicks in I don't know how to touch the throttle. The ideal thing is that I pull less amps anywhere between 6.3 to 9 amps depending on wind. That's the range that pedal assist seems to work at when you're up to the same as speed 20 mph so it extends the life of your battery I recommend a cruise control. That's why I'm looking at the ebikeling kits and bafang, csc etc. I have a giant Rome 3 it's around $1,000 bike good condition I want to turn it into a e-bike it has 700c 38c 28 wheels I want to put wider maybe 50c 55c. Trying to figure out the kit. Luna took the same model bike put a mid drive on it I like the mid drive concept but I don't like how it burns through parts. And the problem with derailing all the time. I want 48 to 52 volt a 750 w or up I just want to bike that'll do 28 mile an hour. Any suggestions would help recommendations on a good unit thanks
This is a great explanation, but I would recommend using a bit more precise language: for example, you mention that power is "torque x rpm". This is technically true, but a bit confusing. Torque is a general concept but rpm is a unit of measure. What you're trying to describe conceptually is the "rotational frequency" of the motor--this is the general term and can be used as rotations per hour, per second, per whatever-unit-time. Just like "torque" can be N-m, lb-ft, etc. etc. There was something else, but this is the only example I have rn. It's an excellent video and excellent description. I learned something I didn't understand before, and of course I understood the point you were trying to get across. But in the interest of continuous improvement, I'd encourage you to focus on your linguistic precision in these videos to make them that much stronger. thanks again!
Thanks for making those books. I plan on buying the one on lithium batteries, as I am planning on building my own battery with the vruzend kit for a electric go kart.
Dude, you gotta say it simpler: OUTPUT power is simply how fast torque is performed. In other words: for a given RPM, more torque equates to more OUTPUT power, period. But you completely forgot to clarify and distinguish the key FUNDAMENTAL difference and confusion of INPUT power which is super arbitrary because it's a result of efficiency. You also forgot to address the FUNDAMENTAL and key point of external gearing and INTERNALLY geared motors, especially for mid-drive motors...is the torque rating taken at the motor or at the cranks which is also not standardized and misleading. I'm frustrated with how much confusion there is on this topic on the internet, almost nobody really understands their relationship because there's no established and accepted standardized way to measure these metrics.
Hi Pal great content, quick question I have a 48v 1000w hub motor 20inch it's to powerful/torque for my aluminium front forks and was just wondering is it possible to reduce the power output/wattage on it, either on the display or use a smaller controller what do you reckon?
You should also compare two same powered bikes, with different diameter wheels. In that case, the smaller wheel has more torque, so the smaller diameter wheel would win a hill, where the bigger wheel bike would be unable to climb.
Would it, though? I am not sure which is why I watched this video, and am still confused. I wondered if the torque was computed where the wheel touches the road - he explained it's not - it's computed at the distance to the outer magnets of the motor which would be the same in a small or large wheel. But does that still translate to more force being applied where the rubber meets the road on a smaller tire?
Sooo, should my 2022 Gazelle C380 with a Bosch performance Line motor with a 500Wh battery and 65 Nm of torque be able to make it up an incline degree of 5.4% that stretches over .81km (elevation gain of 44m). mine has absolutely given me no assist towards the top when I really needed it- twice. Thanks
Hey Micah! I've got a question for you? I recently bought a practically new Ariel Rider M-Class (newer version) and I absolutely LOVE it! It got a flat tire the other day and my dear husband changed out the tires........short story, it has not been the same and I cannot ride it right now! I know he tried his best, so I refrained from making a huge thing about it. I thought I would try here first to see if some of you may offer suggestions on what I can look for to get this beauty back on the roads. Just walking it to the road, the controller LCD shows all sorts of speeds from 0 to 57 mph and everything in between. The throttle cuts in/out; the gears are not working properly and the chain was lose after the tires change, but then adjusted and maybe even too tight. We don't seem to have bike shops out here, and most likely I should be contacting Ariel as well to see what they suggest I can try to get her going again. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much
The first place to look is the speed sensor magnet. I BELIEVE, but do not know for sure, that The Ariel has a spoke mounted speed sensor magnet. If it is not properly lined up with the speed sensor on the frame your bike will perform exactly as you describe. Hopefully you can see how this is a cheap and easy fix (most often turning the magnet to face the sensor and tightening). I can't tell you the number of times I have bumped a sensor while repairing a bike to have these same problems. This does not mean it is your only problem, but it is your most likely and easiest to fix problem. It should allow you to fix anything else.
Hey, thank you for the videos! In your last example, what if the weight of the rider requires at least 25 Nm of torque? Does that mean the 250W bike with 50 Nm is going to win the race, without considering the initial inertia and things like that? And if the rider and/or cargo weigh so much that the 25 Nm of torque isn't enough anymore, then the 500W bike won't move at all, right? Also can you talk about how Bosch for example achieves 80 Nm in a 250W package using gears? Is there any way to find out what is the actual amount of torque produced by the motor and fed to the gearbox? I was going to ask you last week if a pancake motor e.g. axial flux design, is an ideal type for an ebike that requires high torque but with say 250W of power, but you basically answered that in this video while talking about hub motors. Still, would be nice to know your opinion about what would be an ideal ebike motor, if there were no restrictions in terms of how it would need to be integrated with the bike itself e.g. purely from the perspective of motor design. Thanks again!
Cheers & an interesting topic. I bought a Radrunner EU version 250 w but had been prompted to do so among other things by the positive RUclips videos but they of course related to the 750w 🇺🇸 version....in power terms an entirely different bike......
Good vid and easily understood explanations of the facts about the subject matter, top notch, in your opinion is it worth building yourself an ebike or buying new one?
Micki, I bought a second-hand e bike ! how can you tell what size hub motor is there are no marking to say if it's a 500w 1000w 1500w or even a 2000w, cos i'm having trouble logging things in to the LCD display! All I can see is the controller says KT- something. Steve United kingdom
I like how you explain things in a way that almost everyone can understand.
Hi ozgur can you help me please with my ebike the back wheel hub dose not rotate freely?
Almost im in to building motor bikes ,I am looking at this s I had a problem with my frst ever e bike ,the wires coming out the spindle , due to there not being any torque arms on it .I sussed it out that the motor inside must have kept spinning when I grabbed the brake , I am now going to offertge guy who is selling the bikes but doesn't have a clue about the spindle needing tourque arms on them nice tight bolted on spacers type ,peace ✌
Did you fix you’re e bike problem ?
This guy is brilliant he explained this so eloquently, just how my school teachers did not
As a former science teacher, I appreciate the physics being taught here. Thank you for your awesome video channel!
I still
Don’t understand. And still in physics
@@laptech3767 That's because their kind can't help but be deceptive! Change the 250 watt motor to a 350 watt motor with the same 50 against the 500 watt motor and 25 and it would be easier to pedal up a hill in pedal assist with the 350 watt motor!
@@laptech3767 Whereas the 250 watt is half the 500 watt and 50 is half the 25 which would be equal! And these types of assholes don't do this on accident! It's their religious upbringing! They are truly sick fucks!
High Torque is needed for steep hill climbs and be aware of your motor speed - a low RPM motor generating a lot of torque takes lots of battery power. That's why mid-drive bikes are better for hills - you can shift to first gear - spin up hill with a faster motor RPM and lower Wattage. Display read 300W Mid-drive vs 850W Hub going up same hill. Of course I was pedaling, didn't want to overheat motors.
I installed a Bafang BBS02 mid-drive on a MTB and sweet ride. @ 40 lbs and fast. Usually keep the bike in 2nd or 3rd gear so easier on motor controller, got mine from Luna Cycle @ $450. I've done the Cheap Chinese Hubs and they're good if you just want to go cheap and do a lot of throttle. Nice on flats but battery killers on hills. Pay $250 more for a mid-drive kit - it's a better e-bike in the long run.
Look at a Tong Sheng TSDZ 2 mid-drive (80 NM @ $400 shipped, torque sensing pedals ) Open source software improves performance so it's like a Bosch - excellent commuter, torque sensing applies power when needed so longer range.
If you want a lot of power - BBSHD - 160 NM @ $800 - the Base motor is excellent for Upgrades. Check out "Andy Kirby" e-bike channel if you want to go really fast.
For me BBS02 - 120 NM @ $450, great bang for the buck.
"Ludicrous";)
Big fan of LunaCycle.
I've always had trouble with this stuff, but I still was able to follow your explanation. I'll watch it again to make it all sink in, thanks.
High Torque but low HP= A guy (motor) with a lot of brute strength but who can't run very fast. He's got the brute strength to easily run uphill with a heavy backpack but can't run super fast with or without the heavy backpack.
High Horse Power but low torque= A guy (motor) who doesn't have the brute strength but who can run much faster once he gets going. He can run really fast once he gets going but it takes him longer to reach his top speed and he can't carry a heavy backpack..
Big strong football linebacker= Lots of torque but slow, can't run fast (low HP)...
Slim fast running wide receiver=More horsepower than a linebacker so he can run faster but doesn't have the brute strength (low torque) that a line backer has.
Note, a 250w mid drive motor can climb better than a 750w hub drive motor in certain situations because is uses the gears to increase torque at the wheel.
So when the hill gets too steep for the hub motors torque which is fixed the bike bogs down and stops, but the mid drive uses a lower gear ( slower speed) to swap speed for torque and can climb the hill still.
Personally I'm happy to just have a powerful enough rest hub drive to go up most hills and I pedal hard on the steeper ones.
I build only torque sensing mid-drives for my customers, but everything discussed here really means little. Even a junk bike, with a low power, low torque motor is still a ball to ride and probably all most people will ever actually need or use. I spoke to two of my customers yesterday that never get out of level one of five assist and they put in some pretty impressive miles.
@@MHH3180 I agree most people will never use the higher end bikes to anywhere near their potential.
I now have a Frey ex which uses bafang ultra so I can directly compare it with a cheap 1000w dd rear hub on a cheap full sus bike.
For 90% of the riding I do which is mild off road the hub is faster and easier to ride.
I literally have to go looking for harder trails to even start to test the capability of the ultra motor and the high end bike and it scares me tbh just how steep you have to get to get your money's worth lol.
I'm thinking a tosheng on a cheap bike would be perfectly ok for most people.
@@FlyingFun. yes, I have built approximately 75 bikes using The TSDZ2. All mine have to be legal everywhere. I use the 48 volt 500 watt as it is capable of 52/750 and the torque sensor means even the most feeble of grannies do not need a throttle. All that pretty much eliminates all my warrenty issues. I did have the world's third strongest man break a spindle I should have realized was loose and just this week I got a bad display from the distributor. I have had two former motorcycle riders complain their 700c hybrids don't accelerate like theor 20" folding 750 hub motored bikes, but I thunk cadence sensing appeals more to anyone looking to do as little pedaling as possible. Really though, I am finding a lot of my customers would do as well with something like The Retrospec Rev line. They aren't going to go great distances and the savings could buy a lot of extra batteries. The speed limit on rail trails, MUP's an in the bike lanes they ride is 15mph. They don't mind climbing hills a little slower. If they ever perfect puncture free tires, I may have to hang up my smock.
@@MHH3180 yes if building for paying customers I would 100% go tosheng for the reasons you state.
I've had a few people ask me to build them a similar build to mine with 1000w dd rear hub but I'm really reluctant because of the need for torque arms correctly installed being slightly different on every bike and the legal side of things so I passed but said I would help them do it if they wanted.
"Anyone who had a tuogh year and an e-bike woould improve your situation..." This must be the one most amazing thing I have seen on RUclips! What, what a kind person you are. I'm a bit sad that I missed this opportunity as I really hit the bottom and still struggling to raise myself up again, but I'm also very glad knowing that 5 others are happy and grateful thanks to you now! Wow, my heart just swell. May your life be blessed Micah...
Excellent explannation! Easy, simple and clear!!!
Love your videos! Planning a mini ebike project to do over the winter and your videos have helped a lot with increasing my understanding of everything on the topic.
How did it go?
Hey Buddy, Great video as always! 👍 👍
Agreed that the bike with more "power" would win the race BUT only if;
1. The race was not up a hill that was too steep for the bike with more power (and not too steep for the bike with more torque).
2. The distance of the race was such that there was enough time for the bike with more power to catch up with the bike that had more torque.
So if you live in London or New York for example and use the bike mainly in the city then because of all the stopping & starting (traffic lights & T junctions etc) and short runs, having decent torque on a bike would make a lot more sense that having poor torque and a few mph extra top speed.
We are not trying to be clever or funny, we are just trying to point out to other people that having a bike with say 2000w "Peak power" and "low torque" is not always better than having a bike with say only 1500w "peak power" and "high torque" if the bike with 1500w has a much better torque curve and you are using the bike around town or in a hilly area on a regular basis.
We wonder if some manufacturers just go for the higher power motor figures because a lot of people would look at the figures and assume that the bike with the highest power rating MUST be the best bike to get when in point of fact it really all depends on what you want from the bike in terms of performance and also where and for what you intend using the bike.
Thanks again for all that you do for the ebike community - You are "Top man" 👊 😎 👊
That's the first thing I noticed too. As you noted, you could put those two bikes on a hill, let's say a hill that is very steep - just steep enough to where the 25 N/M motor can't get the bike moving. The 50 N/M bike would win, just because it has enough torque to get going. It's the same reason that a 100 horsepower 750cc motorcycle engine would work badly in a car. Lots of power (because of high RPM), but much less torque than a 2 liter 100 horsepower (because of slower RPM) car engine.
You make a good point - Totally agree with you!
This is the reason a lot of people want more torque than what you get as standard on the Super73 bikes. Great bikes but poor torque.
Thanks for your reply & best wishes.
All you do is change to a smaller gear and the bike with more power wins.
@@nightRanger0077 Square piece of yellow paper with pink dots on one side
Exactly. As someone who lives in a hilly area, I am all about the torque. The street I live on is steep and my driveway even steeper. I have two bikes with 95nm of torque, one hub and one mid drive. The hub drive is 750W and the mid drive is 400W. Neither one will make it up my street, much less my driveway, without significant pedal input and it takes about the same time and effort to climb the hill between the bikes.
I've been riding an X7 ebike from Eahora for almost a year now and it's been fun. Happen to see your few videos and I've learned a lot new things. Thank you.
Torque+Power=WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!! Micah you are One interesting Cat!!! Not just for what you do here on RUclips but the things you've done in your life. Have great respect for you!!!
Is it possible to connect in parallel two 48v battery? To get more amps
Yes no problem my ebike its working with two battery 36v conected in parallel
You should check out isolators utilizing diodes to keep one battery from charging the other causing issues down the line
Getting more amps from 2 batteries is possible but your controller needs to be capable of using those amps. Check your controller specs before proceeding.
@@michaelsprinzeles4022 having too much potential amperage from the battery is a good thing, causes less voltage drop. You only need to worry if you don't have enough possible constant amp output rating to match. Kinda like difference between a 10 gallon fuel tank and a 30 gallon fuel tank.
Another absolutely fantastic vid.Thanks from Seattle.
Love your bike in the background by the way, I just got the same bike in the same color 2 weeks ago!...I just recently started watching ebike stuff on RUclips and had no idea about your giveaway but what an awesome idea. My bike was a reward to myself and a way of getting an important part of my life back. Last summer I entered a rehabilitation treatment program for alcoholism and lived for 4 months in a supervised environment with 12 other guys. It was tough but I did it and now I'm in a transitional housing program at the same place but have my own apartment. Before life got out of control on me I used to cycle alot and that got forgotten about completely when my misguided priorities changed. Now that I've been sober more than 9 months I bought the radmission to get back into riding and decided to go with an ebike as over the last 5 years or so I did an amazing amount of damage in general to myself. Riding any distance without the assistance just isn't happening and with the pure joy of getting back out and getting exercise I can slowly rebuild my body. That bike really is life changing for me....just curious about what kind of radbikes you gave away?
Thank you for so clearly explaining the topics. You are extremely articulate and easy to understand. Especially for a non-technical person like myself.
Even my 6 year old son understand everything the way you explained that. Great video once again!
I’d like help determining what minimum is required of a geared hub motor or a mid-drive motor for ascending steep hills. In other words, what should I look for in either type of motor to get up a 10% grade, 15% grade, 20%?
Maybe you should look into offering homeschool math n science intro? I homeschooled my adult kids and you could help a lot of kids… great podcast
You are just the master of explaining complicated things so they appear simple and understandable
Really appreciate the info you provide. Truly a public resource. Thank you.
What about a comparison between a 250w50nm v 500w25nm up a 10% hill 1km long?
I always think of these conversion kits for bikes. Taking a 55 Newton meter Torque 1500 watt motor and placing an aluminum front fork with torque braces for the axle. The rated stress test for the metal shearing off is 45 N meters for aluminum and 50 N meters for carbon steel. How long is it likely to last before it suddenly shears off of the bike.
My biggest problem, as a wrench, is that my mid-drive customers can and do usually take care of their own flats, but hub drives are really heavy and have various mounting options that vary in their effectiveness. I hate that I have to charge more.
So if Power is a function of torque AND RPM, if you put the same motor (say 750W) on a 26” wheel and a 20” wheel, would one provide more torque than the other? The 20” bike’s wheels would rotate more per minute.
I am blessed to be able to work from home and I miss going to the park. (I am not going to the park as often as I did prior to March 2020.) I miss riding my Trikke, my folding bike, and even my 10-speed. This video helped me understand why it was so difficult to ride over the Brooklyn Bridge...my folding bike have small wheels and I did not expect the steep incline. I did not prepare myself to go faster so I ended up walking my bike to the peak of the bridge. I did have fun riding downward, though.
Always enjoy your videos
Thanks for the explanation of Torque and Power.
Torque and power specs for any vehicle are hard to figure in the real world because they only talk about the motor (or engine) not what is actually delivered to the ground. Given the exact same motor a smaller wheel will offer more torque (to the ground) than a larger wheel or vice versa. The top speed will also be lower on a smaller wheel and higher on a larger wheel (if all other specs are the same).
Given the exact same bike I use a general rule of thumb that volts relates to top speed & amps relates to acceleration (torque). I don't think using watts for these determinations is particularly useful.
Is this more or less correct?
Hi, what about a bike with 50nm of torque and 250w vs 25nm 500w uphill ?
Yes thanks Tony, I had that question too. Thats the only thing I missed at the end of this great video.
Thanks for the lesson! Going to watch this again to make sure I catch everything!
Micah, Thank You for the great work you do! The video on torque was very helpful, the simple equations showing on the screen "example Torque =Force x Distance makes a big difference in teaching, when I see that I pause the video and write it down so I can retain this bit of science and relate it to other people. Thank You! I am excited and motivated to understand about electric bikes, motorcylce and utiilty vehicles. All The Best! Mitch
I want to make a plug and play throttle to just add to my peddle assist so a throttle shunt wired in between the wiring harness and the pedal assist sensor.
Do you have any advice
Great explanation of power and torque. You're an excellent teacher Micah.
Beautiful explanations!
Next, break down the torque output of geared hub, vs mid drives vs direct drive and the effect of wheel diameter, tire size.
Hard ask. I'd love to see that breakdown too. So many variables to be considered. The only thing that remains constant in your question is the torque of the specific motor in question. If you're asking about torque delivered to the ground there is some serious math to be considered in your question.
@@michaelsprinzeles4022 true enough.
This is the best video I've watched simplifying the plus minus of mid vs hub bikes ruclips.net/video/Ia8lDLcN4q8/видео.html
Which is the best budget e bike you think
So... watts is a measurement of power and the more power it has the more work it can do over time... right? Can somebody just tell me if I want the 3kw or 4kw QS hub motor for a 250 pound motorcycle ?! :)
Great job Micah, physics if fun! Thanks for another concise and comprehensible explanation of a complex subject 👍
how to you pick a BMS to match your batterys cut off voltage
So.....I have a Bafang Ultra motor rated at 160nm torque at 1500W. But I have modified it to run at 4300W (by going from a 48v to 72v battery) how many NM of torque do I now have? What is the equation for solving that?
Please do more of these educational videos
Love the analysis, Micah. You always give us great layman explanations.
Congrats on 137K Subs!!!
Do u suggest using torque arms on a ebike with a hub motor?
should have explained that if you have two ebikes of the same power, the one with more torque will have less speed, while the one with more speed will have less torque.
i was interested all the way through but I'm guessing not everyone made it to the end. Good information. Would like you to talk about the different geared motors available and how gearing fits into the equation. Thanks Micah.
Your brother from Morocco, I thank you for all this valuable information
Thank you. The video is helpful to understanding how torque works in relation to ebikes. One suggestion (not a critique, but just a thought): It may help if you had a diagram to illustrate the examples. Sometimes it is beneficial to visualize things - I know it helps me. Thanks again.
I'm a newer subscriber to your channel and saw your video about a battery booster pack for scooter range.... I HOPE YOU SEE THIS. Thanks for your videos foremost... I own a kaabo wolf warrior electric scooter it has a 60v 35ah battery with 2 charge ports so if I make a 60v 15ah battery and plug it into 1 of the charge ports can I leave it plugged in and use the 2nd charge port to charge the original and new booster battery at the same time? Also wanted to know if both batteries will discharge at the same time,as if its 1 battery? THANK YOU FOR YOUR HELP!!!!!!
You are very thorough explaining this stuff for sure. Been following you a long time.
Yamaha just introduced (8-21) a mid drive bike with 250W, approx 120nm, cross current.
So if i follow u, this bike can climb up hill fast, butt may loose to a 500W, 50nm hub bike on a flat run.
Can a 72v battery be used on a 48v hub and controller or would it burn up the hub and controller ?
The hub motor might take it but the 48v controller will not. Definitely need a 72v controller.
@@ricknoe942
Ok, yeah was just wondering, I'm running a 52v battery right now, it's doing good,
@@rickp7683 Yes, I'm running a 52v on my newest ebike conversion too, most good 48v controllers can handle 52v. Higher voltage is for higher top speed, higher amps is for more power (and torque :)
@@ricknoe942
I have a ricetoo's 48v 1000w kit that I was using and a ebikeling 48v 1200w kit that I'm using now, the ricetoo's kit has torque but this ebikeling one doesn't, dont kno if there's a govren on this ebikeling kit and it has 5 musfits the other kit has 6, I'm new at diy ebikes , and I'm not good at reading instructions and following them
@@rickp7683 I have an ebikeling 36v 500w geared motor on my 1st ebike conversion that I'm happy with on that bike, but they don't offer a high voltage geared kit so I went with a Calibike 52v 1500w geared kit this time which I'm happy with. I don't know the torque rating on it but it's enough for me. If you want to check it out, look up Calibike's website because they charge a bit more on eBay.
If your ebikeling kit has an LCD display, you can go in and raise the amperage (just don't raise it above what the battery can put out).
regarding the flat land race senario here...force times distance times rpm you say.your talking about motors not complete bikes......you basicaly raced one bike in first gear and another in second gear and came to the conclusion the 500w motor in second gear won... the 250w motor can have higher gearing becaus it has more torqe.....bothe bikes have the potential to cover the same distance in the same amount of time...they bothe have the same force potential....give them their optimal final drive ratio for their respective torqe to power ratios.
Thanks for a clear & concise explanation. Much better than my Physics 201 instructor!
are ebikes still made with internal inhibitors which can be disconnected via the controller or is it the same as unlocking the speed through the lcd?
Does the diy lithium battery book tell me exactly how to get the lithium and everything else I will need?
you have to mine it
@@hasan_z well I'm poor. yea I'd have to mine it. And the other stuff. Lol maybe one day tho. I'd love to have one those bikes brother
Great explanation!
He missed the most interesting example. Wich one will win, if two E-bikes have the same power, but a different torque? Most countries have a limit for the allowed power, but no regulatons about the max torque. So the choice between motors with the same power but different torque is much more relevant for most people, than the choice between motors with a different power.
Did he maybe miss that example because its not as easy and obvious as the ones he talked about? ;-)
Refering to what he said, same power and same distance means both bikes need the same time. Referring to the formual Power = torque * RPM the bike with less torque would be faster, because at the same power the motor spins faster.
Great explanation on Torque and Power. Good day everyone.
Micah, is there a point where the larger watts & voltage equalize the higher nm of torque? For example would a 3000 watt, 72 volt direct drive with 40 nm of torque perform approximately equal to a 750 watt, 48 volt geared hub motor with 80 nm of torque? (Random values selected)
Did you ever do a vid on the torque arm and how to use and install them? for both front geared motors, DD motors and the rear motors?
Could you recommend torque rates to different situations? My ebike is 80nm 750W but it's my first one so I can't really compare with anytjing else. It does good on hills but I'm wondering how higher torque bikes perform.
Very clear explanation
Hello i've got a quastion. Witch pack is gonna give me better range on my bike, 13s10p or 10s13p? They are both 130cells and similar Wh. What do i need for better range Ah or Wh?
Thanks.
Good job explaining the difference between torque and power,
Thank you so much for your service.
When I use the throttle with a Bafang mid mount, does the response depend on the power level set from 1-5?
That's no matter of physics, its a matter of how the controller is programmed. It's possible, but it wouldnt make a lot of sense to program a controller like that. So usually the throttle ignores those levels, but their might be exceptions.
Thanks for the info I knew these things meaning a car mechanic but I like how you explained it with me bikes. It's like for example ebikeling 750w geared hub has 50 nm torque. The 1200 w direct drive motor has 30 nm they're 1500 watt has 40 nm. All I want to do is 28 to 30 mph no need to go any faster. I have a 350 watt 48 volt 10.4ah Rattan Challenger I've got $2,948 Miles on the bike. I get 25 miles throttle only. Pretty much flat ground here in South Florida. the Cruise control function is sweet I think it should be on every ebike. Because once I'm doing 20 to 22 mph after 2 seconds it kicks in I don't know how to touch the throttle. The ideal thing is that I pull less amps anywhere between 6.3 to 9 amps depending on wind. That's the range that pedal assist seems to work at when you're up to the same as speed 20 mph so it extends the life of your battery I recommend a cruise control. That's why I'm looking at the ebikeling kits and bafang, csc etc. I have a giant Rome 3 it's around $1,000 bike good condition I want to turn it into a e-bike it has 700c 38c 28 wheels I want to put wider maybe 50c 55c. Trying to figure out the kit. Luna took the same model bike put a mid drive on it I like the mid drive concept but I don't like how it burns through parts. And the problem with derailing all the time. I want 48 to 52 volt a 750 w or up I just want to bike that'll do 28 mile an hour. Any suggestions would help recommendations on a good unit thanks
Just blow my mind. thank you
I really like these explanation videos, but I'd like to suggest more on-screen graphics. It helps me to "see" what you're talking about. LOL Thanks!
Noted!
Thx. Nice explanation of power v torque.
Thanks for giving such valuable information.
From India
Nice job on the explanations very easy to understand.
This is a great explanation, but I would recommend using a bit more precise language:
for example, you mention that power is "torque x rpm". This is technically true, but a bit confusing. Torque is a general concept but rpm is a unit of measure. What you're trying to describe conceptually is the "rotational frequency" of the motor--this is the general term and can be used as rotations per hour, per second, per whatever-unit-time. Just like "torque" can be N-m, lb-ft, etc. etc.
There was something else, but this is the only example I have rn. It's an excellent video and excellent description. I learned something I didn't understand before, and of course I understood the point you were trying to get across. But in the interest of continuous improvement, I'd encourage you to focus on your linguistic precision in these videos to make them that much stronger.
thanks again!
Nice & simple explanation 👍🏻
I am looking for the best bms battery 48v 13s 22a what you advise me Thank you very much
Nice recap of the concepts.
Can i charge a 64volt battery using a 60volt charger?
Thanks for making those books. I plan on buying the one on lithium batteries, as I am planning on building my own battery with the vruzend kit for a electric go kart.
Dude, you gotta say it simpler: OUTPUT power is simply how fast torque is performed. In other words: for a given RPM, more torque equates to more OUTPUT power, period. But you completely forgot to clarify and distinguish the key FUNDAMENTAL difference and confusion of INPUT power which is super arbitrary because it's a result of efficiency. You also forgot to address the FUNDAMENTAL and key point of external gearing and INTERNALLY geared motors, especially for mid-drive motors...is the torque rating taken at the motor or at the cranks which is also not standardized and misleading. I'm frustrated with how much confusion there is on this topic on the internet, almost nobody really understands their relationship because there's no established and accepted standardized way to measure these metrics.
Is there a typical specific torque wrench for an E-Bike you would recommend? I'm new to E-Bikes. Thanks.
Great explanation of power,keep vids coming!
Hi Pal great content, quick question I have a 48v 1000w hub motor 20inch it's to powerful/torque for my aluminium front forks and was just wondering is it possible to reduce the power output/wattage on it, either on the display or use a smaller controller what do you reckon?
You should also compare two same powered bikes, with different diameter wheels. In that case, the smaller wheel has more torque, so the smaller diameter wheel would win a hill, where the bigger wheel bike would be unable to climb.
Would it, though? I am not sure which is why I watched this video, and am still confused. I wondered if the torque was computed where the wheel touches the road - he explained it's not - it's computed at the distance to the outer magnets of the motor which would be the same in a small or large wheel. But does that still translate to more force being applied where the rubber meets the road on a smaller tire?
Sooo, should my 2022 Gazelle C380 with a Bosch performance Line motor with a 500Wh battery and 65 Nm of torque be able to make it up an incline degree of 5.4% that stretches over .81km (elevation gain of 44m). mine has absolutely given me no assist towards the top when I really needed it- twice. Thanks
Hey Micah! I've got a question for you? I recently bought a practically new Ariel Rider M-Class (newer version) and I absolutely LOVE it! It got a flat tire the other day and my dear husband changed out the tires........short story, it has not been the same and I cannot ride it right now! I know he tried his best, so I refrained from making a huge thing about it. I thought I would try here first to see if some of you may offer suggestions on what I can look for to get this beauty back on the roads.
Just walking it to the road, the controller LCD shows all sorts of speeds from 0 to 57 mph and everything in between. The throttle cuts in/out; the gears are not working properly and the chain was lose after the tires change, but then adjusted and maybe even too tight. We don't seem to have bike shops out here, and most likely I should be contacting Ariel as well to see what they suggest I can try to get her going again. Suggestions would be greatly appreciated! Thanks so much
The first place to look is the speed sensor magnet. I BELIEVE, but do not know for sure, that The Ariel has a spoke mounted speed sensor magnet. If it is not properly lined up with the speed sensor on the frame your bike will perform exactly as you describe. Hopefully you can see how this is a cheap and easy fix (most often turning the magnet to face the sensor and tightening). I can't tell you the number of times I have bumped a sensor while repairing a bike to have these same problems. This does not mean it is your only problem, but it is your most likely and easiest to fix problem. It should allow you to fix anything else.
Hey, thank you for the videos! In your last example, what if the weight of the rider requires at least 25 Nm of torque? Does that mean the 250W bike with 50 Nm is going to win the race, without considering the initial inertia and things like that? And if the rider and/or cargo weigh so much that the 25 Nm of torque isn't enough anymore, then the 500W bike won't move at all, right? Also can you talk about how Bosch for example achieves 80 Nm in a 250W package using gears? Is there any way to find out what is the actual amount of torque produced by the motor and fed to the gearbox? I was going to ask you last week if a pancake motor e.g. axial flux design, is an ideal type for an ebike that requires high torque but with say 250W of power, but you basically answered that in this video while talking about hub motors. Still, would be nice to know your opinion about what would be an ideal ebike motor, if there were no restrictions in terms of how it would need to be integrated with the bike itself e.g. purely from the perspective of motor design. Thanks again!
If you have two motors 36v/250w 36v/500w will the 500w have more torque than 250w like the tongshen
I've actually not had a bad year so I won't enter - but good on you for trying to help somebody out.
Love the video!!! Can’t wait for giveaway results!!!
Cheers & an interesting topic. I bought a Radrunner EU version 250 w but had been prompted to do so among other things by the positive RUclips videos but they of course related to the 750w 🇺🇸 version....in power terms an entirely different bike......
Thanks for another informative video! Keep it up Micah
Very informative video
Keep them coming
Good job of explaining. 👍
Good vid and easily understood explanations of the facts about the subject matter, top notch, in your opinion is it worth building yourself an ebike or buying new one?
What a powerful message!
Sorry. I couldn't resist.
😁
Love your videos! Very informative. Thank you.
1500W on a 20 inch wheel is pretty insane as i have found out...
Micki, I bought a second-hand e bike ! how can you tell what size hub motor is there are no marking to say if it's a 500w 1000w 1500w or even a 2000w, cos i'm having trouble logging things in to the LCD display! All I can see is the controller says KT- something. Steve United kingdom
Thank you for the explanation. It clears it up for me.
Hi I have seen your .0048x inches of rim x rpm. But does it take into account aspect ratio of different tyres and rolling resistance wrt psi of tyres?
So, if my bike uses a 36v battery, can I use a 48v battery to increase the torque? Thanks 😊