How the Torque Sensor and Cadence Sensor Work on an E-bike

E-bike technology has greatly improved over the past decade encouraging mass adoption amongst bicycle riders. Many riders across Europe, Asia, and the Americas now regularly ride their e-bikes for exercise, commuting, and fun. With the rise in popularity, it is helpful to start learning more about e-bikes, whether you are an avid e-biker already, or just starting to research one for yourself.

Unique offerings in the mobility market are appreciated by riders with specific requirements. For example, some riders wish to transport their bike in the backseat of their car. However, many e-bikes on the market are simply too large to fit inside the car, even by taking the front tire off. That’s where Honbike comes in. 

As a state-of-the-art solution to your transportation needs, bikes like the Honbike HF01 are revolutionizing the way riders use, transport, and store their electric bike. Thanks to its foldable design, pedal-assist technology, and high-tech sensors, Honbike foldable e-bikes are providing answers to many of the current problems plaguing the e-bike trend. 

Today, we are going to focus on the technical configuration of Honbike chainless & folding e-bike and explain a little more about those high-tech sensors we mentioned. Two of the most important features in our bikes are the torque sensor and cadence sensors. 

What is a Torque Sensor?

First, the torque sensor provides smooth power from the front motor to the bike. Torque sensors are a kind of throttle that help the bike determine how much power to provide the rider based on how much effort the rider is putting in. The highest-quality electric bikes often come equipped with a torque sensor while many lower-end models do not. 

Practically speaking, when a rider is going less than 16 km/h (just under 10 mph), the torque sensor will determine the entire riding experience. The better the torque sensor, the better the experience. This is because you will invariably be riding with more or less manual pedal strength than other riders. By having a torque sensor literally “sensing” how hard you are working, the bike can provide a totally unique and customized level of power just for you.

The more you pedal, the more power the torque sensor tells the motor to send you. If you lighten up on pedaling, the torque sensor tells the motor to give slightly less power. In this way, the bike becomes a natural extension of your body and your speed preferences while riding below 16 km/h. Riders will feel comfortable and agile atop a well-tuned e-bike with a good torque sensor. 

What is a Cadence Sensor?

Conversely, for speeds above 16 km/h, the cadence sensor system takes over control of the riding experience and the torque sensor passes its job onto the cadence sensor. Cadence sensors (also called speed sensors) do just what they say – they sense your “speed” or “cadence”. 

Riders will note that at speeds above 16 km/h, when the cadence sensor system is in full swing, they do not need to pedal very much at all to realize a huge amount of power output. The bike intuitively reacts to the high speed and delivers more power so that you can be as efficient as possible with your energy. This makes tasks such as commuting to work or getting from point A to point B a breeze.

How Do the Torque and Cadence Sensors Work Together?

Depending on the speed of the bike, by trading back and forth control of the bike’s power output, these two sensors work together seamlessly to provide the ideal riding experience and maximize the efficiency of both the bike and the rider. 

The torque sensor measures the rider’s pedaling pressure and the cadence sensor measures speed. The bike determines when to use each sensor’s information and applies it accordingly. It is truly the most optimized way to ride an e-bike.  

What is the Benefit of Pedal-Assist?

These sensors (and the rider) combine to deliver a system we call pedal-assist. Pedal-assist is exactly what it sounds like – assistance from the motor while you are pedaling. You choose the level of pedal-assist you want while you are riding from one to five. 

The higher level of pedal-assist you have selected on the display of the bike, the more power the bike gives you. This assistance helps ensure the battery lasts as long as possible and the control is given over entirely to the rider to choose their level of assistance. Smooth and intuitive riding is guaranteed while using pedal-assist technology on bikes such as the Honbike HF01.

How to Expertly Ride Uphill

Due to the configuration of the sensors and pedal-assist system, the best setting for riding uphill is going to be pedal-assist level 5. If you find yourself at the bottom of a hill, set your pedal-assist to level 5 and feel the bike’s power propel you right up the hill. You will need to pedal to get the additional power to apply from the torque sensor as you will be starting at less than 16 km/h as we discussed. In this way, you will find you get the perfect level of exercise and assistance. 

Expertly riding uphill is easy with the Honbike hill-start assist technology which helps detect slopes and create a smooth start when on a hill or upward sloping road. The increased power output when climbing hills has been described as a pure joy to experience by riders looking for a bit of assistance in their exercise on a casual ride. 

Learn More About Honbike Design

Lastly, as a winner of 4 unique design awards, it’s no surprise the team at Honbike extended this attention to include the battery keyhole. There is an automatic sealing sheet inside the battery keyhole. After the key is pulled out, the battery seals itself thanks to the expert engineering put into this component. 

Conclusion

Now you know a bit more about how torque sensors and cadence sensors work in regards to e-bikes. Pedal-assist systems take advantage of these advanced sensors to give riders the most efficiency, comfort, and natural movement. By using these refined e-bike technologies, riders can expect to tackle hills and long roadways with ease and a bit of exercise which is exactly what most riders want out of their electric bicycles.