Best motor for low cadence?

[oldpeddler]

Having just spent a week ebiking in Austria in the mountains, I'm hooked! I rode bikes with Bosch CX, Yamaha and Shimano motors. I could appreciate some of the pros and cons of each but only a few hours with each. I'm now 74 and like to ride at a fairly low cadence. Could any pedelecs with more experience suggest which would be preferable for this. Bike will be used in a mix of road/trail. Bike wise I've decided "cos of cost to go for a hardtail and can spend up to £2000 and models with each motor are available at this price point (suggestions if any welcome).

 

[Woosh]

I'm now 74 and like to ride at a fairly low cadence.

crank drive motors deliver their power via the chainring, the higher your cadence, the more power you get and less stress the motor gets. Typically, 60+ is needed, 90 rpm to get the most out of them.
If you prefer a cadence less than 60, a large geared hub like the Bafang BPM would suit better.
You can pedal as much or as little as you like, choose any gear and cadence you like, even going up a steep hill.

 

[vfr400]

Having just spent a week ebiking in Austria in the mountains, I'm hooked! I rode bikes with Bosch CX, Yamaha and Shimano motors. I could appreciate some of the pros and cons of each but only a few hours with each. I'm now 74 and like to ride at a fairly low cadence. Could any pedelecs with more experience suggest which would be preferable for this. Bike will be used in a mix of road/trail. Bike wise I've decided "cos of cost to go for a hardtail and can spend up to £2000 and models with each motor are available at this price point (suggestions if any welcome).

You should be looking for a bike with a low speed or high torque hub motor. A 48v one would be better if you're going to ride in areas with very steep hills, alps, etc.

I haven't tried this one myself, but I know the factory where they're made. The factory made another well-known brand that is respected on this forum. Anyway, you can buy two for the price you're looking at, so you have a spare if anything goes wrong.

NCM Moscow Electric Mountain Bike, E-Bike, 250W, E-MTB, 48V 13Ah 624Wh Battery (27,5" White): Amazon.co.uk: Sports & Outdoors

Shop NCM Moscow Electric Mountain Bike, E-Bike, 250W, E-MTB, 48V 13Ah 624Wh Battery (27, 5" White). Free delivery and returns on all eligible orders.

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[Andy McNish]

How low is 'fairly low'?

Obviously you have ridden and enjoyed the crank drive (mid) motors you name (which tend to require a higher cadence to use effectively than hub motors).. New Bosch CX motors have just been announced, so if you want one of those it might be worth waiting a few months.

You don't mention the Bosch Activeline Plus motor, which is also a very well-regarded mid-drive motor - silent and xero resist).and usually a little cheaper than the others named.

But what you should probably do first is see if you can get a trial ride on a decent hub-motor bike to compare - Woosh's are well regarded for example. If you really want to ride at a low cadence (under 60) those would be the obvious choice. They are also cheaper than the premium brand mid-drives.

 

[RossG]

Looking at that MTB vfr pointed to I see it's made in Germany by Leon Cycle, but I'm guessing it's a Chinese fabricated frame with a rebadged Bafang motor driving it along.
Nothing wrong with that though, I quite like the Moscow Plus for an extra few hundred quid.

 

[DBye]

I recently bought the Moscow Plus, only had a couple of weeks on it, but so far I am very pleased and would recommend it. I used to ride an Oxygen S-Cross CB 36V bike, and you can really tell the difference with the Moscow's 48V system.

 

[snoozeboy]

I have a Bosch Performance Line CX and my missus has a Yamaha PW-SE.

Both motors are fine, with some issues, but there is a noticeable difference between the two when it comes to power supplied at different cadences.

The Yamaha has more power lower in the range and much less at high cadences. The Bosch on the other hand feels more pokey (it has a higher torque rating), but needs higher cadences to respond fully.

I'd suggest to test drive several motors before buying, but the Yamaha seems better for you. Note that Bosch has a new motor out for 2020.

 

[SteveB1262]

Having just spent a week ebiking in Austria in the mountains, I'm hooked! I rode bikes with Bosch CX, Yamaha and Shimano motors. I could appreciate some of the pros and cons of each but only a few hours with each. I'm now 74 and like to ride at a fairly low cadence. Could any pedelecs with more experience suggest which would be preferable for this. Bike will be used in a mix of road/trail. Bike wise I've decided "cos of cost to go for a hardtail and can spend up to £2000 and models with each motor are available at this price point (suggestions if any welcome).

I can only quote my own experience. I am 71 years of age, previously extremely fit and healthy until suffering cervical and lumbar spinal injuries as a fire officer. My health suffered, I put on weight and eventually suffered a heart attack. I have always ridden cycles but gave up due to the spinal problems. However as part of my heart rehab I was using an exercise bike and actually found some comfort and pain relief so I got out the bike again. My wife was worried I would cycle too far and maybe overdo it so my physio recommended I looked at buying an bike just for the confidence factor of being an to ease off and get home. After doing research I bought a Raleigh Motus Crossbar and I have to say it has changed my life. I have covered 1,000 miles since last October with faultless performance. The Bosch Active Line crank drive motor offers very little or no drag with the motor off and because of that I only use the motor as I need it, which is less and less. I can now do 40 mile rides and still return with a fully charged battery only using the motor where I would previously have dismounted and walked. I live in an area of pretty flat mossland and rolling plains so the 300Ah battery is more than sufficient. I have had 130 miles out of a full charge. The bike is comfortable but I changed the usual items to suit myself I.e. pedals, handlebars, grips etc and I reckon it is now just about perfect. Cost is more than reasonable at £1650 though I see the price is now rrp £1800 but there are bargains out there. It is the only type of ebike I have ridden seriously and it suits my condition perfectly. There may be better systems out there but all I know is that the Motus suits me down to the ground. It's a great quality ebike at a very, very good price.

 

[Charliefox]

Having just spent a week ebiking in Austria in the mountains, I'm hooked! I rode bikes with Bosch CX, Yamaha and Shimano motors. I could appreciate some of the pros and cons of each but only a few hours with each. I'm now 74 and like to ride at a fairly low cadence. Could any pedelecs with more experience suggest which would be preferable for this. Bike will be used in a mix of road/trail. Bike wise I've decided "cos of cost to go for a hardtail and can spend up to £2000 and models with each motor are available at this price point (suggestions if any welcome).

I just spent a week on my yamaha engined Giant E+3 in Graubunden in Eastern Switzerland having fun, like you in the mountains. The best day was 46miles and 1100m climbing spread over those miles. Another day was a more intense climb above St. Moritz of 840m and a total ascent of 1120m but only some 20 miles covered. Like you I can't maintain a higher cadence, in fact with an artificial knee and shortened cranks (155mm) because that knee wont bend beyond 90 degrees. One reason I like the 2019 Yamaha motor is that power comes in sooner than the Bosch. Since I have the saddle pretty high as well ( that knee again) I have to push on the pedal and swing the leg over before momentum is lost. Works OK except on steeper gradients where I might have to take off downhill then turn.

 

[Gringo]

Charliefox what you need are pendulum pedals not cheap but they do allow you to keep a sensible saddle height

 

[LarryViator]

Just a comment as I have very limited e-bike experience: I have the impression that "normal" e-bikes tend to have more metres of development than "normal" non-e-bikes, i.e. they generally have higher gears / are missing lower gears. E-bikes use a control system that multiplies the amount of force or torque that you put into the pedals or cranks. Since power is the product of pedal speed and pedal force (or torque), increasing the torque allows the rider to reduce the pedal speed -- that is, the rider's cadence. Electric motors (can) produce full torque at any rpm, so these controllers typically modulate the torque output rather than the rpm.

Second, if a rider on an E-bike were riding at "normal" cadence for his or her speed you would be less likely to notice the rider, so your observational sample is likely to be more heavily weighted to those with lower than normal cadence. Maruti Suzuki XL6 Review

 

[Nealh]

Not all bikes use torque multipliers indeed 99% of hub bikes use a cadence sensor which isn't a multiplier.

 

[Charliefox]

Charliefox what you need are pendulum pedals not cheap but they do allow you to keep a sensible saddle height

It is only about 1" higher than before the knee job. I have learnt to live with it by now.