Torque sensors vs. cadence sensors for electric bikes: Which one is right for you?

Published

2 years ago

October 16, 2023

admin

In the booming world of electric bikes, there’s an ongoing debate – torque sensors or cadence sensors? If you’re new to the scene or even a seasoned e-bike enthusiast, understanding the difference between the two can help optimize your riding experience and bang-for-your-buck. Let’s dive into the mechanics and merits of each to help you make an informed decision.

The difference between torque and cadence sensors

First let’s start with the basics. Both torque sensors and cadence sensors are methods used to activate pedal assist on an e-bike. When the rider pedals, the sensor reads that pedaling input and tells the e-bike’s speed controller to apply power to the motor. The major difference is just how the sensor reads that input, and that difference has a big effect on the e-bike’s performance.

Cadence sensors: These sensors detect the speed at which you’re pedaling. They don’t know or care how hard you’re pedaling, just how fast. Once you achieve a specific pedaling speed, they generally tell the motor to start working, providing a predetermined level of assistance. On most e-bikes with a cadence sensor, that means the assist is more of a binary system: The motor is either on or off, based on your pedaling speed. There is usually some lag time between when the pedaling begins and when the motor kicks in, which is caused by the cadence sensor waiting to see how many sensor magnets pass by in a given time period. Some e-bike companies have been able to program in slightly more refined cadence sensor-based pedal assist, such as Lectric eBikes. But at their core, cadence sensors are still a very simpler option that results in more of an off/on motor activation feel to the ride.

Torque sensors: Torque sensors, on the other hand, measure the force you apply to the pedals. They aren’t as interested in the speed of your pedaling, but rather the strength of your pedaling. The harder you pedal, the more assistance they will tell the motor to provide, making the e-bike experience feel more intuitive and akin to traditional biking. This sensor essentially gauges the tension in the bike’s drivetrain, either at the pedals or along the chain line, and adjusts the electric assist proportionally. The more effort you exert, the more boost you get. There’s also very minimal lag between the time a rider starts pedaling and the time that the assist kicks in.

The difference in the riding experience

Cadence sensors: For those who prefer a lower price tag, cadence sensors are the way to go. They’re particularly useful for riders who may not want to or be able to exert too much force, like those with certain physical limitations or those who simply prefer a more predictable, cruise-control type of ride. However, this can sometimes lead to an abrupt start, especially if you’re pedaling fast from a stationary position. The lag time of 1-2 seconds can also be a pain, especially when the bike is in high gear or riders are starting up a hill, since the familiar electric assist is absent at start. Lastly, cadence sensors can make it hard to ride in a group unless everyone is on the same type of e-bike and in the same power level. This is because each power level usually brings riders up to set speed, such as 5 mph for level 1, 8 mph for level 2, and so on.

Torque sensors: E-bikes with torque sensors often feel more “natural” to traditional cyclists and newcomers alike. The intuitive relationship between your effort and the motor’s output makes for a smoother transition between power levels, offering a ride that closely mirrors the experience of riding a non-electric bicycle (just with less sweat). It provides a greater sense of control over the bike’s power and speed, especially beneficial for tackling varying terrains. Climbing a steep hill? Push harder, and the bike responds in kind. It feels more like the bike’s power is an extension of your own power, as opposed to cadence sensor e-bikes which feel more like an e-bike on cruise control.

A hybrid approach

The comparison of pure cadence vs torque sensor pedal assist is really only applicable on most hub motor e-bikes. Many e-bikes with a mid-drive motor will actually use multiple sensors, including a combination of cadence and torque sensors, as well as other sensors such as an angle sensor to help increase power on hill climbs.

The hybrid approach used on most mid-drive e-bikes is helpful because the torque sensor can be used to give nearly instant feedback and intuitive power selection, while the cadence sensor provides added information, such as if the rider is downshifting and thus pedaling at a much higher speed (likely indicating a hill).

My personal preference

I’ve been riding e-bikes for nearly 15 years and have thrown a leg over several hundred different models. While any e-bike will work for most people, the two different styles of pedal assist sensors definitely make a big difference.

For me, I prefer a torque sensor on any e-bike that I’m riding either for fitness or the actual pedaling experience (like joy rides through nature when I want to go slow and enjoy the surroundings). Unlike a cadence sensor, a torque sensor gives me more predictable and intuitive pedal assist that doesn’t rocket me up to higher speeds when I start pedaling, but instead feels more like it “checks in” with me to find the appropriate power and speed for the motor assist.

However, torque sensors can often add a few hundred dollars to the price tag of a bike, and thus when I’m looking for a budget e-bike, I know that I can make do with slightly less intuitive pedal assist as a trade off for saving some serious cash. And of course on any e-bike that is used for mostly throttle-only riding, the issue of cadence vs torque sensor is largely irrelevant.

Many e-bike models are adding torque sensors now, such as the recently updated Aventon Soltera, since more riders are starting to demand the highly refined riding experience.

In conclusion

Choosing between torque and cadence sensors ultimately boils down to your personal riding style and preference. If you’re seeking an e-bike experience that closely mirrors traditional biking with a responsive, dynamic feel, torque sensors are your best bet. This is especially true if you want to ride with a partner or in a group. However, if you value consistent, straightforward assistance regardless of pedaling force, and you want to save some cash, cadence sensors might be more up your alley.

Remember, the best e-bike is the one that aligns with your riding habits and budget, ensuring each journey is both efficient and enjoyable. So, take a moment, assess your biking goals, and choose the system that resonates best with your vision of the perfect ride. Safe cycling!

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Podcast: Trump/GOP go after EV/solar, Tesla, Ford, GM EV sales, Electrek Formula Sun, and more

Published

4 hours ago

July 4, 2025

admin

Podcast: Trump/GOP go after EV/solar, Tesla, Ford, GM EV sales, Electrek Formula Sun, and more

In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss Trump’s Big Beautiful bill becoming law and going after EVs and solar, Tesla, Ford, and GM EV sales, Electrek Formula Sun, and more

Today’s episode is brought to you by Bosch Mobility Aftermarket—A global leader and trusted provider of automotive aftermarket parts. To celebrate Amazon Prime Day July 8th through 11th, Bosch Mobility is offering exclusive savings on must-have auto parts and tools. Learn more here.

The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.

As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:

We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.

Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:

Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET:

[embedded content]

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Tesla prototype sparks speculation: a Model Y, maybe slightly smaller

Published

6 hours ago

July 4, 2025

admin

Tesla prototype sparks speculation: a Model Y, maybe slightly smaller

A new Tesla prototype was spotted again, reigniting speculation among Tesla shareholders, even though it’s likely just a Model Y, potentially a bit smaller, and the upcoming stripped-down, cheaper version.

Over the last few months, there have been several sightings of what appears to be a Model Y with camouflage around Tesla’s Fremont factory.

It sparked a lot of speculation about it being the new “affordable” compact Tesla vehicle.

There’s confusion in the Tesla community around Tesla’s upcoming “affordable” vehicles because CEO Elon Musk falsely denied a report last year about Tesla’s “$25,000” EV model being canceled.

Advertisement – scroll for more content

The facts are that Musk canceled two cheaper vehicles that Tesla was working on, commonly referred as “the $25,000 Tesla” in early 2024. Those vehicles were codenamed NV91 and NV92, and they were based on the new vehicle platform that Tesla is now reserving for the Cybercab.

Instead, Musk noticed that Tesla’s Model 3 and Model Y production lines were starting to be underutilized as the Company faced demand issues. Therefore, Tesla canceled the vehicles program based on the new platform and decided to build new vehicles on Model 3/Y platform using the same production lines.

We previously reported that these electric vehicles will likely look very similar to Model 3 and Model Y.

In recent months, several other media reports reinforced this, and Tesla all but confirmed it during its latest earnings call, when it stated that it is “limited in how different vehicles can be when built on the same production lines.”

Now, the same Tesla prototype has been spotted over the last few days, and it sent the Tesla shareholders community into a frenzy of speculations:

Electrek’s Take

As we have repeatedly reported over the last year, the new “affordable” Tesla “models” coming are basically only stripped-down Model 3 and Model Y vehicles.

They might end up being a little smaller by a few inches, and Tesla may use different model names, but they will be extremely similar.

If this is it, which is possible, you can see it looks almost exactly like a Model Y.

It’s hard to confirm if it’s indeed smaller because of the angle of the vehicle compared to the other Model Ys, but it’s not impossible that the wheelbase is a bit smaller – although it’s hard to confirm.

Either way, the most significant changes for these stripped-down, more affordable “models” are expected to be cheaper interior materials, like textile seats instead of vegan leather, no heated or ventilated seats standard, no rear screen, maybe even no double-panned acoustic glass and a lesser audio system.

As previously stated, the real goal of these new variants, or models, is to lower the average sale price in order to combat decreasing demand and maintain or increase the utilization rate of Tesla’s current production lines, which have been throttled down in the last few years to now about 60% utilization.

If this trend continues, Tesla would find itself in trouble and may even have to close its factories.

FTC: We use income earning auto affiliate links. More.

Environment

Ethereum is powering Wall Street’s future. The crypto scene at Cannes shows how far it’s come

Published

6 hours ago

July 4, 2025

admin

Ethereum is powering Wall Street's future. The crypto scene at Cannes shows how far it's come

Ethereum succeeded beyond anyone's expectations, says network co-founder Vitalik Buterin at EthCC

CANNES — Wall Street’s new plumbing is being built on Ethereum and this week its architects took over the same French Riviera villas and red carpet venues that host the Cannes Film Festival in May.

The Ethereum Community Conference, or EthCC, took over the beachside town that was swarming with crypto founders, developers, and some of the institutional giants now building atop the infrastructure.

The crypto elite climbed the iconic red-carpeted steps of the Palais des Festivals — a cinematic landmark now repurposed as the stage for Ethereum’s flagship European event.

“The atmosphere this year was palpable in Cannes,” said Bettina Boon Falleur, the powerhouse behind EthCC for the past seven years. “The prestige of the location, combined with the quality of talks, has reinforced Ethereum’s stature and purpose in the wider ecosystem.”

Private parties sprawled across cliffside estates and exclusive resorts, but the conversations were less about price action and more about the blockchain’s evolving role as the back-end of global finance.

EthCC, now in its eighth year, has tracked Ethereum’s trajectory from scrappy experiment to institutional backbone.

“That impact was unmistakable this year,” Falleur said. “From Robinhood embracing decentralized finance infrastructure via Arbitrum to local governments like the City of Cannes exploring deeper integration with the crypto economy.”

Indeed, one of the boldest moves came this week from Robinhood, which became the first publicly traded U.S. company to launch tokenized stocks on-chain.

At a product showcase held inside a Belle Époque mansion overlooking the sea, Robinhood unveiled a sweeping new crypto strategy — including the ability for European users to trade tokenized U.S. stocks and ETFs via Arbitrum, a Layer 2 network built on Ethereum.

The announcement helped push Robinhood stock past $100 for the first time, capping off a week of fresh all-time highs and a more than 30% rally since being snubbed by the S&P 500 during a recent rebalance.

Inside the Palais des Festivals, ETHCC draws founders, developers, and institutions into the same halls that host the world’s biggest film premieres — this time, for the future of finance.

MacKenzie Sigalos

Ether, the token native to the Ethereum blockchain, was up nearly 6% on the week and several public equities tied to the blockchain have rallied alongside it.

BitMine Immersion Technologies, a company that mines bitcoin, gained more than 1,200% since announcing it would make ether its primary treasury reserve asset. Bit Digital, which recently exited bitcoin mining to “become a pure play” ethereum staking and treasury company, gained more than 34% this week. And SharpLink Gaming, which added more than $20 million in ether to its balance sheet this week, jumped more than 28% on Thursday.

Ether ETF inflows are rising again too — a sign that institutional investors are warming back up.

Ether is still down more than 20% this year and lags far behind bitcoin in market cap and adoption. But funds tracking ETH have seen two straight months of mostly net inflows, according to CoinGlass data. Still, ether ETFs total just $11 billion — compared to $138 billion in bitcoin ETFs.

Institutions aren’t betting on Ethereum for hype — they’re betting on infrastructure.

Even as prices stall and the network faces headwinds from slower base layer revenues and faster rivals like Solana, the momentum is shifting toward utility.

“Ethereum is getting plugged into these core transactional systems,” Paul Brody, global blockchain leader at EY, told CNBC on the sidelines of EthCC. “Investors, savers, people moving money — they are going to start shifting from some of the older mechanisms of doing this into Ethereum ecosystems that can do these transactions faster, cheaper, but also very importantly, with significant new functionality attached to it.”

Crypto founders and developers climb the iconic red-carpeted steps of the Palais des Festivals — a familiar backdrop for the Cannes Film Festival, now repurposed for Ethereum’s flagship European event.

MacKenzie Sigalos

Deutsche Bank recently announced it’s building a tokenization platform on zkSync — a faster, cheaper blockchain built on top of Ethereum — to help asset managers issue and manage tokenized funds, stablecoins, and other real-world assets while meeting regulatory and data protection requirements.

Coinbase and Kraken are also racing to own the crossover between traditional stocks and crypto.

Coinbase has filed with the SEC to offer trading in tokenized public equities, a move that would diversify its revenue stream and bring it into more direct competition with brokerages like Robinhood and eToro.

Kraken announced plans to offer 24/7 trading of U.S. stock tokens in select overseas markets.

BlackRock‘s tokenized money market fund, BUIDL — launched on Ethereum last year — offers qualified investors on-chain access to yield with redemptions settled in USDC in real time.

Stablecoins, meanwhile, continue to serve as the backbone of Ethereum’s financial layer.

Circle’s USDC — the second-largest stablecoin — still settles around 65% of its volume on Ethereum’s rails. According to CoinGecko’s latest “State of Stablecoins” report, Ethereum accounts for nearly 50% of stablecoin market share.

“The builders and contributors at EthCC aren’t chasing the next bull run,” Falleur said, “they’re laying the groundwork to make Ethereum home for the next billion users.”

Even as newer blockchains tout faster speeds and lower fees, Ethereum is proving its staying power as a trusted network.

Vitalik Buterin, Ethereum’s co-founder, told CNBC in Cannes that there is an assumption that institutions only care about scale and speed — but in practice, it’s the opposite.

Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin delivers a keynote at ETHCC, laying out the network’s next steps — and its values test — as institutional adoption accelerates.

EthCC

“A lot of institutions basically tell us to our faces that they value Ethereum because it’s stable and dependable, because it doesn’t go down,” he said.

Buterin added that firms often ask about privacy and other long-term features — the kinds of concerns that institutions, he said, “really value.”

Tomasz Stańczak, the new co-executive director of the Ethereum Foundation, said institutions are choosing Ethereum for the same core reasons.

“Ten years without stopping for a moment. Ten years of upgrades, with a huge dedication to security and censorship resistance,” he said.

He added that when institutions send orders to the market, they want to be “absolutely sure that their order is treated fairly, that nobody has preference, that the transaction actually is executed at the time when it’s delivered.”

Those guarantees have become increasingly valuable as stablecoins and tokenized assets move into the mainstream.

The Senate’s recent passage of the GENIUS Act, along with Circle’s IPO, gave the industry a regulatory tailwind and helped reinforce Ethereum’s role as the infrastructure layer for tokenized finance.

Ethereum’s core values — neutrality, security, and censorship resistance — are emerging as competitive advantages.

The real test now is whether Ethereum can scale without losing its values.

“We don’t just want to succeed,” Buterin said from the mainstage of the Palais this week. “We want to be something that is worthy of succeeding.”

He said the hope is that future generations will look back and see a network that truly delivered openness, freedom, and permissionless access to the masses.

White-clad guests dance poolside at the rAAVE party in Cannes.

MacKenzie Sigalos

But the week didn’t end in the conference halls, it closed with tradition. On the balcony of Villa Montana, overlooking the Bay of Cannes, the rAAVE party lit up.

White-clad guests sipped cocktails as the DJ spun by the pool, haze curling from smoke machines.

This year, Chainlink co-founder Sergey Nazarov and DeFi icon Stani Kulechov, founder of Aave, stood atop the balcony overlooking the crowd and the light-dotted skyline of Cannes.

It was a fitting snapshot of the momentum behind Ethereum’s institutional rise and symbolic of Web3’s shift from niche experiment to financial mainstay.

WATCH: Robinhood CEO Vlad Tenev explains ‘dual purpose’ behind trading platform’s new crypto offerings