Mid-Drive Vs Hub Drive E-bikes
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Too often people assume either that all e-bikes are equal or that “X” watts is “X” watts and always good. Neither could be further from the truth. For starters, hub drives are generally rated at their peak, which requires significant speed. Mid-drives are rated by their nominal power, which is much easier to reach.
Because we live in not one, but two river valleys the distinction between bikes is even more important. Torque is key to hillclimbing and load hauling performance..
The difference is that the hub drives just don’t have the torque available to even 250 watt mid-drives. Even more importantly, they lose power and torque when you need it most. As the load or hill slows the motor, it loses power. With a mid-drive, often when you down shift, you’ll actually increase power. That is a huge difference in a hilly area like ours.
Most folks find that once they have an e-bike their average length of ride will double. It’s just easier and more pleasant (no hills, no wind). My buddy Jason figured two miles to work and a quick jaunt in Floridian sand. Today, he rides everywhere. Many of my customers are wanting 50, 80 even 100 miles out of a charge. This is harder to accomplish on less effcient bikes, with hub motors.
Hub drives no longer cost less. They are more stealthy. Often you can’t even tell a geared hub drive is an e-bike. Some are capable of Illegal and insanely high speeds. Mid-drives are limited by your gearing. It just isn’t fun to ghost pedal a mid-drive at illegal speeds. For persons like myself, concerned about safety on Lanes, Trails and MUP’s, this is actually a bonus.
Hub motors just aren’t near as efficient. They work great, are very quiet and today they are very reliable. Still, 1500 watts is not the same as even 250 watts on a mid-drive. They don’t have the torque to climb hills, so you end up using more boost. This eats batteries. They just don’t climb hills well. Because they turn only your hub, they don’t work with your gears. As you ascend a hill, the motor begins to bog down. Electric motors like to spin at their max rpm. So your 1500 watt motor can be as little as 100 watts before overheating. You actually lose power when you need it most.
Hub drives are heavier and add weight to the back of the bike that is already loaded down with your weight and often whatever you might be carrying (some, even your battery). On cargo bikes, you are just plain going to have trouble with broken spokes or burned up motors. So, they can mean more maintenance. Obviously, it is harder to fix a flat as well.
Recently, I laced a new rim to an existing hub drive. I was shocked to see just how short the spokes are. If laced at all, they are single cross, with extremely thick spokes and large nipples. On a normal rim, lacing allows the spokes to support and tension each other. The number of spokes crossed increases the natural suspension of the wheel. Yes, your spokes are a form of suspension. When I built this wheel, I found rust at the ends of the nipples that I have never seen lacing traditional wheels. I believe the near radial spokes allow water to run down the spokes and inside the nipples.
A Mid-drive takes advantage of your gearing. We get a lot of complaints about how hard it is to handle heavy e-bikes. The much lower weight of a mid-drive is down lower, in the center of your bike, for better handling. All the rest of your bike remains traditional. This makes parts and repairs, even flats, a lot easier and often more affordable. We’ve already established that they are more efficient.
So, if you intend to just ride around the neighborhood, or the campground and don’t intend to ride too far or to climb hills at speed, a hub drive is going to get you by (are you spending just getting by money?). If you depend on your bike, you are going to want a mid-drive.
Regardless of your choice, even if you make a mistake, you are going to have a ball. It is never just going to sit. I have never been so certain for any other type bike.