There is a lot of confusion in the market between hub motors and mid motor drive bikes. This confusion stems from the different types of bike drive systems that these two types of motors are available for. If you are planning to buy a bike, then it would be helpful for you to understand the differences between hub motors and mid motor drive bikes. I will explain these differences as well as how these two types of drives work, so that you can choose among the two in order to decide on the most suitable kind of drive system for your requirements.
Hub motor
A hub motor is an electric motor that is incorporated into the hub of a wheel and drives it directly. It is characterized by the integration of power, transmission and braking devices into the wheel hub, thus greatly simplifying the mechanical part of electric vehicles. Hub motors are typically brushless motors (sometimes called brushless direct current motors or BLDCs), which replace the commutator and brushes with half-a-dozen or more separate coils and an electronic circuit. The circuit switches the power on and off in the coils in turn creating forces in each one that make the motor spin.
Advantages of hub motors
- Omit a large number of transmission components, making the vehicle structure simpler.
- A variety of complex driving methods can be realized.
- Easy to adopt a variety of new energy vehicle technology.
Disadvantages of hub motors
- Hub motors are unsprung weight in the wheel.
- Hub motors can snap dropouts.
- Direct-Drive hub motors have drag when unpowered, making the bike feel sluggish to pedal.
- Hub motors are not as efficient as a non-hub.
- Hub motors are not great mountain climbers.
- Hub motors are not good trail blazers.
Mid-drive motor
A mid-drive motor is a type of electric bike motor that is located in the middle of the bike frame, near the pedals. This type of motor provides better balance and weight distribution than hub motors, which are located in the wheel hub. Mid-drive motors also provide better hill-climbing ability and more efficient use of the bike’s gears.
Mid-drive motors are known for higher performance and torque when compared to a similarly powered traditional hub motor.
Advantages of Mid-drive motor
- They provide large torque, quick start, wheels can slide like a bicycle, suitable for mountain, low speed, and frequent urban starting acceleration, braking power saving.
- The mid-drive electric motor can change speed conditions, has a good sense of control, fast acceleration, and strong climbing ability. The center of gravity of the central motor is in the middle of the vehicle.
- When the vehicle is running fast, it can play a role of front and rear balance. For front and rear shock absorption, the load-bearing capacity of the central motor is better than that of the hub motor.
- Mid-drive motors provide improved weight distribution and a lower center of gravity to improve control and stability. Whether you’re exploring the trails or tackling a challenging mountain pass, you’ll be able to do so with confidence. This results in more efficient use of energy and longer battery life.
Disadvantages of Mid-drive motor
Mid-drive motors have some disadvantages as well.
- They put stress on drivetrain components which means that they require more frequent maintenance.
- They are also more expensive than hub motors and maintenance is also more expensive.
- Mid-drive motors have more moving parts which makes them less reliable than hub motors.
- Mid-drive e-bikes are less common which means that fewer options exist.
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