Originally Posted by
microslice
That's what we found out. The assist isn't completely dropping off, but unless you're in a gear where you can apply a certain amount of torque, the assistance isn't smooth and it feels like it's cutting out completely.
So....my wife will need to figure out what that cadence/torque value is once she gets above 25 MPH :-)
I am researching the Giant and Raleigh e-bikes in particular for a possible purchase soon. Which E+ bike does your wife have? They don't all go to 28mph. They are all in Class 3 which has a top speed limit of 28mph and the e-bike companies have been quietly using the confusion to sell bikes because it takes quite a lot of work to get to 25mph and most people are so scared of even that speed that they don't try to go any faster.
There is an upper cadence limit of 90 to 100 to 120 rpms and it varies by model and motor system. Torque really isn't a factor at those kinds of speeds. Absolutely, the gear matters but again, at those speeds the only gear to be thinking about is the top gear. Period. The model I am thinking about is the Quick E+ and it has a cadence limit of 90rpm and a 42T x 11T top gear. I haven't done the math but if that works out to 28mph (it should) there you are. The Raleigh Redux IE has exactly the same gearing but its motor (Bosch) has a 120 rpm cadence limit. It 'might' be possible to drop down one gear and spin a little faster to hit 28mph and still have assist but its more likely that the rider was already in top gear back at 25mph. FWIW.