I'm looking for some recommendations for a (relative to the market) inexpensive ebike that has a torque sensor rather than a cadence sensor. I recognize that this isn't customarily an entry-level feature, but I'd like something with markedly improved "feel" over the cadence sensor used on bike-share ebikes. I intend to pass the recommendation onto a friend that lives in the city, so it should ideally not be something which would look out-of-place.
I myself have a mid-drive Bikonit MD750 which does have a torque sensor, and it makes low-speed manoeuvring possible without being too jumpy. However, this bike is not subtle, in appearance, weight, nor sound, making it quite cumbersome in town.
Yes, ideally it would not draw undue attention apart from that which a run-of-the-mill acoustic bicycle would. This is partly as a rudimentary form of "security through obscurity", but also partly so the ebike doesn't invite any strange, unfounded prejudices like "ebikes are cheating" or "only speed demons ride ebikes". I acknowledge that a perfect "sleeper" ebike would have many of its own drawbacks, so this is just one of the qualities I would evaluate.
You raise a good point. I suppose I should clarify on what degree of inconspicuity I would like.
What I had in mind for a not-out-of-place ebike is one which does not have more numerous components than an acoustic bike, with the motor and controllers neatly tucked away and integrated into the design. That is, nothing which looks like it was bolted on after-the-fact. I've seen some models which integrate the removable battery into the thicker down tube. And hub drive motors are less noticeable than mid-drive motors, since the latter are betrayed by the characteristic bulge, whereas hub motors can hide behind disc brakes and sprockets.
Obviously, upon close inspection, a speedometer or throttle might give away the game quickly. As would someone with a keen eye for ebikes, no doubt. So perhaps the criteria is simply enough stealth that your average person at 20 paces would find it unremarkable.
I'm not sure how well I described that, or if I'm going in circles, but I hope this made at least some amount of sense.