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Torque or Cadence: Which is ACTUALLY the Best E-Bike Sensor for YOU?

e-VRC

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Torque sensor or cadence sensor — which is actually best for YOU? In this video I compare torque vs cadence sensors on an e-bike, looking at how each system affects power delivery, acceleration, hill climbing, control, effort and overall ride feel. Whether you're buying your first electric bike, upgrading your current ebike or simply want to understand how pedal assist works, this guide should help you decide whether a torque sensor or cadence sensor is the better choice for the way YOU ride.

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20 Comments

@e-VRC Creator 1 month ago Pinned

This video went live at 630 am instead of pm so good morning! 😅🤦

So let us know which you prefer in the comments 🤟

@daved5071 12 hours ago

I love my cadence sensor e-bike.
It only needs a quarter pedal turn to activate the motor
It has 3 power settings. Level 1 gets me to 8.5mph, then cuts out using NO battery, which is great when starting off, then its down to me how fast i go after that. Its a very light bike and cruising at 19/20mph on the flat is very doable.
Level 2 gets me to 12 mph, very helpful with inclines or wind against, but again there are plenty of times i can go over that speed if conditions allow, using NO battery.
Level 3 gets me to 15.5mph, useful for steep hills.
Going over the speed thresholds saves any battery being used. 50% of my club 30+ mile rides I get back with full battery, 25% with one bar less and 25% with two bars less, out of six bars available.
The Heybike candence sensored EC1 only has a small battery of about 380mAh, even so I think a 100mile range is doable with fairly flat terrain.
Huge pluses then for this particular Cadence Sensor methinks.

@december974 1 month ago

I'm 72 and brought my bike years ago ,and love it it's a cadence sensor, and due to a medical condition in my knees, I feel it is perfect ,

@edrm2302 1 month ago

I won’t buy a bike that relies only on a cadence sensor — but I’ll happily buy one with a torque sensor alone. A cadence‑only setup without a throttle can be awkward, while a good torque sensor removes the need for a throttle kickstart entirely.

A well‑tuned torque sensor feels natural and powerful, letting you ride to work without getting sweaty. Hill climbs become smooth and controlled, even at high assist levels. I’ve owned a bike with both systems, and I almost never used the cadence mode — it felt jumpy and unpredictable. The torque sensor, paired with a strong motor and proper gearing, delivers a calm, responsive, and genuinely enjoyable daily ride

@bonnie115 1 month ago (edited)

I have a torque sensor on my bike. I would not want a cadence sensor. I like that the assistance isn't limited to a particular speed; rather, the assistance level is just that - it sets how much assistance I get up to 15.5 mph. Most of the time, I don't need assistance above level 2, and with little effort, I'll be scooting along at 15.5 mph. I tend to use the gears to adjust for slight inclines more than changing the assistance level. This allows me to easily get 60+ miles on one battery charge. If I wanted to put in no effort and use a throttle, I'd go back to a motorbike.

@abnormAL-v9k 1 month ago

Half of my route to work is on a busy road at peak times and I think that some of the vehicle drivers are having a game of who can get closest to me.
I need that instant kick so at traffic lights for example I can pull away quickly and not have the car behind me try and cut me up.
For me as a 65 year old man needing to keep up his daily exercise cadence is nice but you can let get lazy(ghost pedaling)
I am PERSONALLY loving my Engwe with its Boost and my normal bike with a cadence kit barely gets used.
THERE IS NO RIGHT ANSWER it's all just personal preference

@terrycook4904 1 month ago (edited)

Torque for me I live in south yorkshire and there are hills everywhere ,I've got an O20 Boost and boy do I need that boost

@hrbt78 1 month ago

The choice of sensor always depends on the intended use. I usually prefer the cadence sensor. I commute to work—about 25 km each way, making it 50 km in total—and I want to ride with as little effort as possible, especially since my route is well-suited for that. However, I do use a throttle to get moving. If I had to deal with frequent stop-and-go traffic and wanted to use the ride for a workout, I would choose the torque sensor.

@AmbrosiasRideOuts 1 month ago

A bike with BOTH sensors works for me. And now that I have one (Commoda 3.0) I don't think I could choose one or the other. I use torque on my outward ride and I'm pretty much puffed out I use Cadence to get me back.

@scottymech48 1 month ago

My first ebike bought in 2017 had a cadence sensor. On the road it was okay. It meant I could choose to let the motor do most of the work if I got tired. However I also ride off road. On narrow, rough and winding trails it was a pain to ride. I could not fine tune my cadence when in higher assist modes. It made for a very jerky on off sensation, usually just when you needed control on a tricky bit.
My next bike has a torque sensor. Riding feels very natural. I can fine tune my cadence using the gears, without the motor being overpowering. Especially off road. Going up very steep hills is so much easier as I can choose a lower gear but spin my legs faster. This reduces motor, battery and drive train stress. On my favourite 3 mile hill climb I would max out at around 12mph on the cadence hub drive bike. On the bike with a Torque sensor I can easily maintain 15mph with less effort.
It is hard to compare the two bikes though. You would need two identical (in every way) bikes. However I personally would not go back to a cadence only hub motor. In fact I have just ordered an Estarli 20.9 folding bike for the car boot. This has a Torque sensor and 50nm rear hub motor. I am looking forward to riding that.
I think for city commuting a cadence sensor is fine and things have moved on since my first ebike. However if you live in a very hilly area (I am in West Yorkshire) and are a bit adventurous then a Torque sensor is recommended.

@Narendra--Modi 1 month ago

Love to see you review a Pedibal.

@altern8tive 1 month ago

I think if you've been a long-term cyclist, or a cyclist of a normal bike, who's had an injury (like me) a torque sensor to help recovery is great because you feel like you're riding a 'normal' bike but with assistance and, as you said, if you just want to zip around to the shops or don't want to bother with the effort then cadence.

@grahamweatherlyPennyfarthingma 1 month ago

I spent a long time deciding on sensors. I have a torque sensor on mine. With cadence you are always trying to match the motors speed, with torque sensor you can control the speed entirely by your pedalling pressure. For me its only possible to match speed with the group when you have torque sensor

@donaldkennelly3613 1 month ago

torque sensor more expensive to replace cadence is cheaper to replace

@daztastic147 1 month ago (edited)

Many bikes now have both, like my Trek DS+2. When the crank is rotated without any engagement on the rear cassette it works on the cadence sensor, so if you choose to you can effectively ghost pedal and use 100% of the motor effort. When there is engagement however the torque sensor overrides the cadence sensor and works on the basis of output being proportionate to input.

@Haawser 1 month ago

I suspect most torque sensors can be adjusted to act like a cadence sensor. My Cyrusher (for example) goes from 1 to 5 in torque sensitivity, so increase it to 5 and even the slightest feather like touch on the pedals produces full power. So it's 99% like a cadence sensor when 'ghost pedaling' but still with the instant startup. If you want to put in more effort, just lower it.

@SIGNALacquired 1 month ago

cadence sensor thats tuned , so that when you start to pedal one revolution, it then gives a sudden burst of acceleration.

@johndent8813 1 month ago (edited)

I prefer a torque sensor because I do a lot of serious off-road rough stuff. Trying to ride those sorts of trail with the delayed responce and the overruns of power from a cadence is deadly. You need the power instantly in those conditions. Also a cadence gives full power all the time which is not what you want in rough conditions. I think of cadence as being an on/off switch whereas a troque is a slider switch.

@JackPapas-g6j 1 month ago (edited)

Torque sensor because it makes more sense on a bicycle especially if you want to get a bit of exercise and not be lazy! After all, it aligns better with the cycling philosophy. For those who find it difficult, there are also bike options that offer both.I have a Fiido Titan for cycling . When I'm bored or in a rush, I also have a 1000cc Honda.😁

@vodkaman1970 1 month ago

With cadence sensors as with a non electric bike you can learn to reduce the problem of starting if you get in the right habits. When you are braking remember to downshift and as you are coming to a stop backpedal so that the crank for you dominant leg is just a tiny bit forward of 12 o'clock. It's not instant power but it does make starting from zero easier.