More help please...

[Suseka]

Ok. So I visited the local e-bike shop having pretty much made up my mind I wanted a Wisper. The question in my mind being "do I want to spend the extra on a Torque or go with the SE".

The guys at Electrifying Cycles were great. Let me ride both and offered lots of advice. In the end I asked for a quote for the Torque.

On the drive home me and my other half, who, by the way, has gone for a 905 SE, chatted loads about our experiences and I'm now not so sure if the Torque is the right choice.

Fact is I much prefer the gear shift change mechanism on the 'T', also I prefer having the computer in the centre of the handlebars and the way you can adjust the sensor via a switch on the handlebars. All unique to the 'T' version. But I did find the 'S' easier to pedal and, setting performance and mechanisms aside. I'm still quite smitten with the blue option only available on the 'S'.

Whilst I'm quite happy to put some effort into my ride to work, I am unfit and suffer with chronic asthma, so I want the journey to be enjoyable and, more importantly, doable, as well.

I've got to admit I don't really understand the Torque vs Cadence thing - despite the best efforts of the guys and my other half's attempts to explain. The cost differential is not an issue, I just want to make sure I make the right choice for me.

My other half says I'll get used to the gear shift and that the position of the computer is neither here nor there. Which is true I guess. But my issue is I don't know if pedal-assist only is better, or does the Torque give you the best of both (having since read you can turn the torque off when on flat roads).

Any advice welcome from anyone who can help.

 

[Nealh]

The T sensor responds more to the riders input/effort so if you are very fit the more you give the more it will respond, at the end of a long or arduous ride if your stamina is lacking then the bike will be harder to ride. Also range should be better with a T sensor with the rider supplying more input, unlike the cadence/pedal sensor simply rotating the cranks/pedals will not have you wizzing along without extra input/effort.

The Cadence/pedal sensor is more forgiving all it requires is the crank/pedal rotation, as the magnets pass the sensor a signal is received and will activate the drive unit. A gentle slow cadence will soon have you wizzing along without to much input/effort, give more input/effort then the speed will rise.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Thanks NealH, very succinct! Our posts crossed, here is my more drawn out explanation...

Hi Suseka,

Thanks for trying the bikes, I am delighted to read your other half has gone for the Wisper SE.

Regarding the difference between Torque and SE, apart from the hydraulic brakes and a more powerful motor etc.

The Wisper Torque has five settings, four torque settings and one cadence setting.

When you are in the torque settings the bike can tell when you press down on the pedal and how much pressure you re pushing down with. The bike will immediately respond with assistance through the motor. The harder you press on the pedals the more assistance you get. A bit like pushing down on a car throttle.

Like a car throttle, the Torque bike will offer assistance immediately you push on the pedal.

The higher the Torque setting, 1 2 3 or 4 ,the more assistance you will be offered. 4 is really only for very steep hills.

The cadence only setting (F) will turn off the Torque sensor. If you start riding in cadence only (F) the bike will not offer any assistance until you have turned the pedals about 1/3 of a revolution. This is because the bike only can tell you are pedaling when a sensor recognises the pedals are rotating.

The advantage of a toque sensor is you get immediate assistance and the assistance you get is subject to the pressure you are putting on the pedals. So if you are starting on a hill you will get help immediately you push on either pedal. When you are riding down a hill or are cycling on a flat road you will put very little pressure on the pedals and will therefore save a lot of power. Hence the bike in torque mode will achieve a much longer range.

The disadvantage of the torque settings is you get little assistance on a flat road. That is why we have installed the (F) setting. So on a flat road, if you need more power switch to (F) and you will receive maximum assistance simply by turning the pedals.

On the SE bike you have six levels of assistance. You have to turn the pedals 1/3 of a revolution to start the assistance. Then as long as you are turning the pedals even without any pressure, you will get the assistance set on the LCD. The higher the setting the more the assistance. When you stop pedaling the assistance will stop and you have to pedal 1/3 of a turn again to start the assistance.

I hope that makes sense?

All the best, David

 

[Suseka]

Both replies have been very helpful and make more sense. Things take a while to sink in. Hubby calls it age related Anyways, as a newbie to the whole ebike world I think I'm going to go with what some might view as the 'entry' option. Will call EC tomorrow and change my order.

Guys, if you see this, sorry to muck you about - and really appreciated your help earlier today

 

[Suseka]

Jumping back on my thread..

Might sound a daft question, but why do pedelacs have gears? I guess, to some degree, that was partly why I struggled a little on my trials yesterday. I kept using the gears almost like you would a standard bike and wasn't sure what pedal assist, or torque setting I should be using.

So, say on a flat - do people put the assist setting at a certain speed and leave it there, using the gears (up or down) to adjust speed/effort across the different terrains? If that makes sense. So only using higher assist modes when going up various levels of inclines?

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Hi Suseka,

Thats a very sensible question. There have been experiments with single speed ebikes but so far none have really caught on.

It may be useful to consider that the assistance simply makes your legs feel more powerful. The gearing is there to help you speed along whilst turning the pedals slowly on a flat road (high) or climb a hill that is still hard work when the assistance is on full (low).

Even very strong athletes riding on the Tour de France need low gears for climbing the steep inclines and high gears for flat roads and declines for speed.

You will get used to the correct gearing and assistance levels that suit you very quickly.

I would suggest that to start off, you leave the bike in 3rd gear and the assistance level in 2. When you reach a hill that you find a little hard to climb increase the assistance level until the ride is easy again. If you get to the highest level and the hill is still hard to climb then change gears down until you are climbing with little effort.

If you start off like this you will be surprised at how quickly you fully understand the relationship between gearing and assistance.

I hope this helps.

All the best, David

 

[anotherkiwi]

Jumping back on my thread..

Might sound a daft question, but why do pedelacs have gears? I guess, to some degree, that was partly why I struggled a little on my trials yesterday. I kept using the gears almost like you would a standard bike and wasn't sure what pedal assist, or torque setting I should be using.

So, say on a flat - do people put the assist setting at a certain speed and leave it there, using the gears (up or down) to adjust speed/effort across the different terrains? If that makes sense. So only using higher assist modes when going up various levels of inclines?

Not daft as David said, there is a (small) learning curve. My pedelec was my first regular bike in over 30 years so I had to get used to gears again. I had to get used to them being on the handlebars for one my previous bike all those years ago was a racing bike with levers on the downtube.

I have just changed bikes and.. I am back to learning about its needs in gearing again - 26" wheel to 28" wheel, rear hub motor to mid-drive, different ratios 46:11-28 instead of 48:14-34... So both rider style and bike type come into the equation and each rider has to find their own way of riding.

On the flat, to answer your question, I am basically in the same gear all the time and I use different assitance levels for wind in the nose and the small hills we have in town. Changing down only for red lights and stop signs. Out of town there is no flat (slight exageration)

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

Both replies have been very helpful and make more sense. Things take a while to sink in. Hubby calls it age related Anyways, as a newbie to the whole ebike world I think I'm going to go with what some might view as the 'entry' option. Will call EC tomorrow and change my order.

Guys, if you see this, sorry to muck you about - and really appreciated your help earlier today

Hi Suseka,

It is David from EC. I was on leave on Thursday and Friday but please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance. I should be around for the next hour before I go and deliver a bike.

All the best
David

 

[Nealh]

Pedelec's without gears would be pretty useless, unless where you live is totally flat. As with a normal bike you will need them for hills/inclines or going down hill if you also like speed, without them you may end up overheating the motor or frying the controller. The motor is to assist but to get the best out of them gearing is also needed to prevent stalling.

 

[Suseka]

Hi Suseka,

It is David from EC. I was on leave on Thursday and Friday but please do not hesitate to contact me if I can be of further assistance. I should be around for the next hour before I go and deliver a bike.

All the best
David

Hi David,
Sorry - missed this, but spoke to someone at EC on Friday and changed my order to the 705se (blue). Will need a quote so that I can get my payroll department to process the C2W order and then I'll be good to go.
Will be in touch when it's sorted, which hopefully won't take too long.
Thanks for your help.
Susan

 

[Electrifying Cycles]

Hi David,
Sorry - missed this, but spoke to someone at EC on Friday and changed my order to the 705se (blue). Will need a quote so that I can get my payroll department to process the C2W order and then I'll be good to go.
Will be in touch when it's sorted, which hopefully won't take too long.
Thanks for your help.
Susan

Thanks that was what my colleague said, just wanted to make sure things hadn't changed since then. I will be emailing you a quote over today. All the best David.

 

[Wisper Bikes]

Hi David,
Sorry - missed this, but spoke to someone at EC on Friday and changed my order to the 705se (blue). Will need a quote so that I can get my payroll department to process the C2W order and then I'll be good to go.
Will be in touch when it's sorted, which hopefully won't take too long.
Thanks for your help.
Susan

Great thanks for investing in a Wisper Suseka, and thanks David at Electrifying Cycles for sorting this out. Super professional as usual!

It will be one of the first Electric Blue Wispers on the road so please do send me a picture?

Many thanks, David

 

[Suseka]

Will do. Paperwork in so hopefully will be able to snap a photo in the not too distant future. Just in time for the start of Summer. Woop