E-Bike Glossary
The words our fix pages use, in one plain sentence each.
- Hall sensor
- A tiny magnetic sensor inside many motors that tells the controller where the motor's magnets are, so it can turn the motor smoothly.
- PAS (pedal-assist sensor)
- The sensor that tells the motor you're pedaling, usually a ring of magnets on the crank with a small sensor beside it.
- Controller
- The electronics (a separate box, or built into a mid-drive motor) that take power from the battery and feed it to the motor based on your throttle, pedaling and settings.
- Phase wires
- The three thick wires that carry power from the controller to the motor.
- BMS (battery management system)
- Electronics inside the battery that protect its cells and, on some bikes, report charge and health to the controller.
- Throttle
- The thumb lever or twist grip that runs the motor without pedaling.
- Torque sensor
- A sensor that measures how hard you push on the pedals so the motor can match its help to your effort.
- Speed sensor
- Reads how fast the wheel turns, often from a magnet on a spoke passing a sensor on the frame, or from inside a hub motor.
- UART
- A simple wired way for a display and controller to talk. Bafang's DPC-18 uses it, and its code list differs from Bafang's CAN displays.
- CAN
- A different wired communication system used by newer Bafang setups. CAN displays have their own code lists, so the same number can mean something different than on a UART display.