Electric bike motors

W.Tell

Hi all! My first post this! I want to ask about "electic bike hub motors". I have seen them on the net only, but they seems nice.

Are they practical or just very expensive? Have you tried one, let me know what you think!?

diarmaede

Hub motors are a simple solution to electrifying a bicycle, and they are generally more efficient than friction drive systems which have a driven wheel in direct contact with the tire. On the other hand, hub motors tend to be heavier and less efficient than chain or belt drive motors. "Hub motor" is actually a misnomer. They should be called "hub motor and transmission" because they have both the motor and the transmission built into the hub assembly. The planetary gear system in the hub unit is less efficient and heavier than a chain or belt driven system, such as the one you would find on the Currie kit to add an electric motor.

IMHO, if you are going to put an electric motor on your bicycle, go with the Currie system. It has a wonderful 900W brushless motor and an efficient chain-based transmission system. It does not look as clean as a hub motor, but it gets the job done better.

Just my 2 cents!

Forbes Bagatelle-Black
(Former Product Engineer, Charger Electric Bicycles)