HUB VS MID DRIVE | Choosing the Best Electric Bike Motor #electricbike #ebike

#boschebike
Are you wondering what the best eBike motor / drive unit is? In this video we'll seek to answer your questions about what electric bike motor is better for your application.

From cost to performance, hub and mid drive motors offer many benefits for different types of electric bikes. Although we favor mid drive motors for their natural pedaling characteristics and performance benefits for more aggressive terrain, hub drive motors have proven time and time again to make for some of the most enjoyable urban and commuter electric bikes we've ridden.

Hub drive motors come in two different forms, Geared and Gearless (or Direct Drive). They are located within the wheel, the motor rotates around the axle to apply the electric power. Hub motors use a Cadence sensor (Speed sensor) to measure how fast the wheel is spinning when applying the electric assist. Direct Drive hub motors are extremely durable and are great for offering high RPM's for high speeds. These motors are often found on Class 2 and Class 3 electric bikes, most of which come with a throttle to allow for easy electric assist. Geared hub motors have a series of gears within the hub and lower the RPM's to apply more torque. Geared hub motors may not achieve the same high speed outputs of gearless hub motors, but offer more torque allowing for getting up to speed more efficiently and quickly.

Mid drive motors are located in the middle of the bike mounted directly to the frame. Mid drive motors have many internal gears allowing for higher outputs of torque. The higher torque of mid drive motors has made them the favored drive unit for electric mountain bikes. Mid drive motors use a torque sensor to measure the amount of torque the rider is applying through the pedals then apply the electric assist through the chain ring. Mid drive motors are extremely efficient compared to hub motors due to being able to use the bikes gears on the rear wheel.

Both systems offer different benefits to electric bikes and both have value for specific types of riding.

The Orbea Kemen is a Class 1 eSUV with a Shimano EP8 mid drive motor. It has an aluminum frame with a front suspension fork. The Kemen is a trekking and touring eBike that is ready for commuting on the days in-between.

The Orbea Vibe is a Class 1 eBike with a 250w Rear Hub Motor. With a minimal design, this lightweight aluminum framed urban eBike has an integrated 248Wh battery, and premium components from the ground up.

------------------------------------
FOLLOW US

#ebikemotor #ebikesystem

Chapters:
0:00 - Intro
0:34 - Subscribe
1:30 - Hub Drive Motors
4:05 - Mid Drive Motors
5:22 - Which motor is best?
6:47 - Types of sensors
7:53 - Maintenance
9:00 - Worst part of Mid Drive Motors
10:05 - Worst part of Hub Drive Motors
10:51 - Final Thoughts

[Robtj]

Great video! You have got to love the simplicity of the hub drive systems, but I love the performance of a mid drive. It's been a while since I've ridden a hub drive motor, how close do you think they are to a mid drive in terms of control and performance?

[JethroXP]

I own both a 750 watt geared rear hub drive and a 1000 watt mid-drive. The hub drive is simple and fun, super accessible for anyone, particularly non-cyclists. I live in a hilly area and the hub drive has done just fine, even on hills as steep as 16%, though I have to pedal to help on the steeper hills. The mid-drive is just a beast, it can make the 16% grade hill feel like it’s flat, but it requires you to work the gears and know how to work them. If you are new to cycling or consider yourself a casual rider a hub drive is probably best. If you need high performance and do lots of hill climbing, which means you are also probably an experienced cyclist, the mid-drive is probably best. Hub drives are generally less expensive too.

[mr.techie]

2 things I must point out:
A direct-drive hub motor is harder to pedal without assist
Some mid-drives have cadence sensors, such as the Bafang BBS02

[HerrenGamingNews]

The cool thing about hub drive is having AWD! My Vamoose Super Mammoth 500w has AWD it's so nice to have on a E-Fatbike because I can go up Icey hills easier and through deep snow with ease though I did overheat my motor a few times but in -20 it doesn't take long to cool off.

I've also been through ravine paths at at 20km/hr which is thrilling!

[NathanScott-lqvu]

Everyone's case is different. For me: urban/suburban environment, mix of flat/hills, high winds. urban food delivery and long distance commuting. both bikes are converted single-speeds, use shimano nexus 3 internal hubs for gears. I have bafang 48v geared front hub and a BBS02 middrive, both setup as throttle only. As others have said, the hub is more direct, simpler, probably better for newer riders. But I find the hub less efficient for longer commuting and more noisy. The mid drive, you need to work the gears (I use 3 speed internal hubs, so it's easy), but once you get used to it, I think the mid drive uses less energy per km, once you get up to the higher gear, your motor is working less to help propel you. May work the chain/cogs more, but stock chains/cogs are cheap, I also use a single speed chain, there are no actual cog changes, so it is just not a factor. For me, the mid-drive is superior, I would not have said that the first couple of weeks as I was transitioning from a hub, but after 6 months, I do not like the front-hub any more.

[jbaccanalia]

Finally an honest comparison without "those are bad" .

[saltydog]

I have a proprietary mid drive 85Nm. Absolutely fantastic off road bush trails and climbing. Just built a 1500w rear hub which is super fast and fun but purely an A-B bike. There’re both great.

[simonjohnhinton]

A good tip if you have those juliet connectors to the hub motor is to coat the pins with some dielectric grease. The reason is the plug can get warm and as it cools can form moisture on the pins leading to corrosion and eventual failure.

[mmmmosaic]

One perk of the regenerative braking that he failed to mention is that is saves a good amount on brake pads.

[ceayabikes]

Great video!
The advantage of a mid-mounted motor is that it makes better use of the ebike's sporty attributes, and has higher torque than a rear hub motor at the same power value, making it more suitable for putting on a mountain bike. But the price is high.
Rear motors have the advantage of strong power output, but at a cost-effective price. The disadvantage is that it doesn't have the perfect torque like a mid-mounted motor, and is more suitable for use in urban commuting, or ebikes that don't require as high a level of sporting attributes.
According to our experience in selling ebikes, more users choose rear hub motors, the main reason is that this type of ebike is cheaper, the repair and maintenance cost is relatively low, but the power performance is also enough to cope with the daily use, but also to meet the common off-road activities on the ebike power needs.
Obviously for professional cycling sports enthusiasts, a mid-mounted motor is the best choice. And for regular commuter use, or those who don't require much in the way of sporty performance, a rear hub motor is the cost-effective option.

[domfvtk]

If you are riding on a road at high speed gearless hub drive can't be dollar for dollar. Biggest downside is going to be weight. At low speed geared hub drive wins. Mid drive fills the gap but is also the most expensive option. A side note gear changes are generally going to be much easier on a hub drive. One thing to consider is the mid drives peak rpm which is often much higher than anyone would ever pedal. So yeah it CAN use all the gears but at the same times often robs you of any chance to help the motor along at top motor efficiency.

[edhyunsoolee]

It;s really hard to decide which one is right for me when my budget is keep going up the more I do research, , ,
Most reviews and comparisons are made under bike's spec itself only w/ wide open area either on flat or hills.
However, including myself, those who live in heavy traffic city dealing w/ cars, signals and bunch people each block that requires stopping and starting on a frequent basis, HUB-motor might be more suited w/ throttle combo unless you want to stress yourself shifting gear constantly.
But then again there is IGH which I'm new about

[serhiirudenko]

Few months ago i was looking for an ebike, thought to get slightly used gravel with Fazua mid drive system. Made some research and found out that it is next to impossible to get spare parts for that system, though looks nice, one of the lightest ebike systems.
So just got a regular acoustic gravel. for my needs it's pretty good and already had a pretty long trip 140km in one direction, its like 280km in a weekend....

Maybe someday I'll get something electric, but not today.

[johnblacker]

What about rear hub dedicated to re-gen breaking as stop light is engaged on rear break (and disk break) - front hub drive with break disk break - and also mid gearbox drive? Two wheel drive for hills or top speed flats and re-gen every back break - put the battery pack under a rear heavy duty carrier for luggage. Now you are motoring - good luck - my first build just has a rear hub - enough for 20mph traffic in Lancaster flat top speed 27mph.

[BigFarm_ah]

I've got a hub drive. For a mid drive a belt and internal geared hub would be my choice for drivetrain longevity

[BruceTheSniper]

The easiest way to compare is a hubdrive = automatic and middrive = stickshift, they both have their pros and cons.

[planesail]

sensible info with no waffle, thanks .

[surfyogi]

Hub drives can be a drag; the motor makes the back end heavy; if you have a hard tail; then the bike hurts if you go over a bump unexpectedly! ouch; get a shocked seat post at least! The newer mid-drive motors from Bafang have a motor cut-out switch for 2022-23 models that will cut out motor power during shifts (amazing) and it works great. I have a Accomile Cola Bear with a 750w motor and it has the cut-out; there are never any issues with power on the chain, and the chain does not fall off due to power on during shifting. This motor is inexpensive compared to all the other motors out there, and a better design too; better than Bosch now! Forget belts, and forget the issues usually associated with Mid-drives. My Cola Bear climbs hills like a Bear; very fast.

[darinsmith]

Today was the first day that I was on an Ebike.. I tested out 3 different mid drive motors.. All with the carbon gates belt and all with the Invideo (not sure how to spell it) CVT hub.. All 3 bikes were totally different.. It was nice that I could drive them without any pedal assist and today it was 95 degrees.. I kept all of them at the lowest pedal assist and it was a hilly area and they did ok.. I think my speed was about 10 mph.. When it comes to mid drives I think I do want a carbon gates belt drive...

I should probably test out some hub drives.. I probably don't need the carbon gates belt drive.. I have never been a huge fan of chains.. I don't think I ever broke one but I have got them caught in my jeans and also have had them come off a lot of times.. That and I have had it where they don't go into gear.. Also, not a fan of the grease getting over everything..

[mikebeattie]

I have both and I prefer the mid drive of the two