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

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?

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.

Finally an honest comparison without "those are bad" .

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

Excellent, informative video. Subscribed!

The video I've been waiting to see!

sensible info with no waffle , thanks .

Great explanation and overview, thanks!

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.

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

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!

Excellent review explaining the difference between HUB and MID type motors.

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.

Thank you for the info I better understand

Thanks for your explanation.

Great info. I am just learning and disabled i wondering if they make mid drive trikes

That was a helpful breakdown, thank you

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.

Excellent video and decision made - mid-drive. Do you have any views on converting a full suspension mountain bike to a comfy road going eBike? I am riding a front hub converted track bike right now and it is pretty minimalist. Looking to create something more plush for my 20 mile commute and I don't want to go down the fat frame fat tyre route.

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.