Torque is "Strength" (The Startup)
Think of torque as a strong person pushing you. * When you are standing still at a red light or at the bottom of a steep hill, you need a lot of force to get that heavy bike moving.
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High Torque means the bike feels "punchy" and powerful. It’s what keeps you from having to stand up on the pedals when the road goes up.
Watts is "Stamina" (The Speed)
Think of watts as how fast your legs can spin once you're already moving.
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Once you are up to speed on a flat road, torque doesn't matter as much. Now you need the motor to keep working hard against the wind to stay fast.
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High Watts means the bike can maintain a high top speed (like 28 mph) for a long time without getting tired.
Which one do you actually need?
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You need TORQUE (Nm) if: You carry kids/groceries, you have big hills, or you want to feel a "kick" when you start.
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You need WATTS (W) if: You have a long, flat commute and you want to get there as fast as legally possible.
The "Human" Summary: If you want to climb like a pro, look for high Nm. If you want to fly on the flats, look for high W.
