A man and a woman riding Super73 ebikes in Paris

Difference between the Cadence and Torque sensor

All SUPER73 bikes come with a Pedal Assist System (PAS) which activates the motor when you pedal. 

There are two types of Pedal Assist:

  • Cadence sensor type, which measures pedalling activity.
  • Torque sensor type, which measures pedal pressure.

The SUPER73 Z-MIAMI, ZG, and ZX are equipped with a cadence sensor. The rest of the SUPER73 models have a torque sensors.

Cosmetic Differences:

The cadence sensor has a slick knob cover on the left side of the bottom bracket with an LED light that switches "ON" red when the pedals are engaged.

The torque sensor has a ribbed knob cover on both sides, located inside the bottom bracket.

How each sensor engages PAS:

The cadence sensor uses a magnet within the crank located on the bottom bracket of your SUPER73. The motor will activate when you start pedalling and deactivate when you stop pedalling. The motor can also stop assisting if the rider reaches the maximum speed of the current "mode" chosen. This sensor works more or less like a switch. 

On the ZG model - the PAS levels, three in total, can only be controlled via the display on the handlebar with the “+” and “-” buttons. 

On the ZX and Z Miami - the PAS levels, four in total, can be switched on the display or in the SUPER73 app.

A cadence sensor-equipped bike will always receive maximum assistance from the start. It is important to keep in mind that for a smooth assist at a top speed, the sensor needs to continuously record movement. Meaning that pedalling faster won’t increase the amount of assistance. A constant pedal stroke, “cadence”, will keep triggering the sensor, therefore the assist.

The torque sensor uses a precision strain gauge. It will measure the actual force put onto the pedals. The more force you use to pedal, the more the motor will assist. The maximal assist is determined by the mode and level you are in. If you pedal with less force, the motor assist will be low. It makes this adjustment in real time, so it is technically amplifying your input. Because it is continuously analyzing effort rather than just checking for rotation at a handful of intervals. A torque sensor is able to adjust the motor’s assistance more dynamically and intuitively. It responds proportionally to the effort you put into the pedals.

The Adventure Series, S-Series and R- Series, all have 4-PAS levels, that can be switched on the display or in the SUPER73 app.Â