Would a 50Nm torque motor get me up steep hills?

[This Wreckage]

I'm considering my first e-bike. Some of the models I'm considering have plenty of battery (600-800Wh) but fairly timid motors such as the Bosch Active Line which apparently provides about 50Nm. I'd be using it in part for days out here in north-east England which include occasional steep climbs such as the Cleveland hills. Would such a motor be sufficient to get me up them without too much additional pedalling, particularly considering I could afford the battery usage to stay in a high-assist mode? I'd not want to burn out the motor. Experienced e-bike riders please advise me!

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I'm considering my first e-bike. Some of the models I'm considering have plenty of battery (600-800Wh) but fairly timid motors such as the Bosch Active Line which apparently provides about 50Nm. I'd be using it in part for days out here in north-east England which include occasional steep climbs such as the Cleveland hills. Would such a motor be sufficient to get me up them without too much additional pedalling, particularly considering I could afford the battery usage to stay in a high-assist mode? I'd not want to burn out the motor. Experienced e-bike riders please advise me!

I have the Bosch Active Line on my bike

in Turbo mode and a low gear it will get up most hills

but it does require keeping the effort up for the whole way
like normal cycling but a bit faster

I think the actual power might have been increased since I got mine - as that was a few years ago now - but not by a huge amount

The Performance line seems to have more Torque to help with hills

but I have heard that it also has more resistance when you are freewheeling or in "off mode" - not sure of the details but it seems like it is designed to be in constant use
That info was based on forums other than this so take it with a pinch of salt!

 

[Drago]

I take these torque claims with a pinch of salt. There is no legally mandated standard of measurement that applies to ebike sales, so they can largely claim what they want, and some are outlandish.

Suffice to say, my own experience is that motors in the claimed 50-60 NM range had little difficulty assisting my then 19 stone form up the steepest of hills, assisting being the key word. You  will need to pedal and provide the bulk of the effort, theres no two ways about that, but the assistance will be noticeable.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I take these torque claims with a pinch of salt. There is no legally mandated standard of measurement that applies to ebike sales, so they can largely claim what they want, and some are outlandish.

Suffice to say, my own experience is that motors in the claimed 50-60 NM range had little difficulty assisting my then 19 stone form up the steepest of hills, assisting being the key word. You  will need to pedal and provide the bulk of the effort, theres no two ways about that, but the assistance will be noticeable.

Very true - as I found once when going up a steep and somehow managed to knock the controller
and put the assist down to off

As I nearly always ride with it switched on if I start on a hill with no assist it becomes very obvious

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

My GT eGrade Bolt only has a 40Nm and it hasn't failed to get me up any hills so far while in max turbo 250W assist, including my local nasty Dell Road that hits ~20%.

But given I'm ~96Kg kitted up, even though the ebike is ~16Kg with my bottle and ~17.5Kg with the battery extender, I do need to put some effort in even if I'm not trying to set a decent benchmark or try and beat a previous time.

We have plenty of ramps here in Hampshire, there's a cluster of sub 200 feet climbs very close in Midanbury, while many of the 250-650 feet 3%+ average climbs between Winchester and Milland Hill have sections that can pitch up anything up to ~20%, there aren't decently long sustained "walls" like Rosedale Chimney down here.

 

[T4tomo]

I'm considering my first e-bike.

Would such a motor be sufficient to get me up them without too much additional pedalling,

I think you need to go an test ride one or two, if you think its going to whizz you up a hill on its own, you might be in for a shock, however if you are used to pedalling up them on a bike, then you will be in for a pleasant surprise how much easier it is with a ebike.

 

[albion]

Torque is more important for rear hub motors.
With that mid drive your gear settings assists the motor so essentially it might be a case of lower torque simply gets up a bit slower.
For hills mid drivers are more efficient. On the flat it is usually the hub motor that is more efficient.

 

[ebikeerwidnes]

I think you need to go an test ride one or two, if you think its going to whizz you up a hill on its own, you might be in for a shock, however if you are used to pedalling up them on a bike, then you will be in for a pleasant surprise how much easier it is with a ebike.

Well put - sums it up a alot


Also - remember that if a hill is "difficult" when you start

it will get s lot easier if you keep doing it once a week for a months or two


many years ago I was a trainee teacher and the route to the University involved a bar steward of a hill
but money was tight as I was not working and cycling is cheaper than driving

first time going in was a nightmare - needed 2nd and first gear on my MTB and struggled
certainly was needing the smallest chain ring

after a few weeks I was rather daydreaming and suddenly realised that I had done the whole hill in the big chain ring and just dropped a gear or

OK - I was many years younger at the time - in my 40s I reckon

but your body does develop so after a few weeks of riding the power you need will be lower than it feels when you start

first time I went ther

 

[annedonnelly]

I think you need to go an test ride one or two, if you think its going to whizz you up a hill on its own, you might be in for a shock, however if you are used to pedalling up them on a bike, then you will be in for a pleasant surprise how much easier it is with a ebike.

I'd look and see if anyone does bike hire in the region so the OP can try on the same terrain. I was going to do that but the hire options here are all mountain bikes & I know that's not the sort of riding I'm going to be doing.

 

[nogoodnamesleft]

I don't (have never) ridden an e-bike but in terms of "get me up steep hills?" I thought e-bike motors provide an assist. So isn't the question more how much help would I get from <x> Nm up steep hills.

ie a 50 Nm motor won't get you up a steep hill, you'll need to put some muscle in as well and that's more of a "how long is a piece of string" as a 25 year old processional cyclist will give a very different answer from a 92 year old couch potato.

Or have I misunderstood e-bikes?

 

[N0bodyOfTheGoat]

I'd look and see if anyone does bike hire in the region so the OP can try on the same terrain. I was going to do that but the hire options here are all mountain bikes & I know that's not the sort of riding I'm going to be doing.

From taking the Ridgeback and Specialized hire eMTBs off campus from Longleat Center Parcs a few times in recent years, with the front suspension locked out at least, there's not that much in it between them and my gravel ebike on the tarmac lanes. Both in terms of average speed and max speed.

On a UK legal ebike on a reasonably hilly ride 90min+ ride that averages ~60+ feet per mile, I find it takes quite a lot of extra effort to raise the average above 16mph.

 

[This Wreckage]

I think you need to go an test ride one or two, if you think its going to whizz you up a hill on its own, you might be in for a shock, however if you are used to pedalling up them on a bike, then you will be in for a pleasant surprise how much easier it is with a ebike.

Yes, I've spent fifty years cycling hills and never liking them, so if an e-bike can keep me out enjoying the hilly countryside on nice days - I'm just a wussy leisure rider - then that's good enough as I get older.

 

[This Wreckage]

Torque is more important for rear hub motors.
With that mid drive your gear settings assists the motor so essentially it might be a case of lower torque simply gets up a bit slower.
For hills mid drivers are more efficient. On the flat it is usually the hub motor that is more efficient.

I see. I'm considering mostly mid-drive bikes, but that is useful information.

 

[This Wreckage]

I don't (have never) ridden an e-bike but in terms of "get me up steep hills?" I thought e-bike motors provide an assist. So isn't the question more how much help would I get from <x> Nm up steep hills.

ie a 50 Nm motor won't get you up a steep hill, you'll need to put some muscle in as well and that's more of a "how long is a piece of string" as a 25 year old processional cyclist will give a very different answer from a 92 year old couch potato.

Or have I misunderstood e-bikes?

Sounds sensible... though I've yet to meet a 'processional cyclist'. Do they cycle in the Lord Mayor's Procession in London?

 

[Drago]

I see. I'm considering mostly mid-drive bikes, but that is useful information.

Although there are two types of rear drive.

Direct drive, less common on legal bikes, and geared rear drive.

The latter has internal gearing that also acts as a torque multiplier within the motors peak operating range. On tarmac the difference between mid and geared (which is most) rear drive is minimal to the point of being effectively unnoticeable (I own one of each.)