Deciding on an electric bike? You may have noticed that many electric bikes have either a rear hub or front hub motor. Now what this means is that the motor is located in the front or rear wheel.
There are a few key areas to consider when deciding on a front or rear hub motor electric bike.
Comfort
Hub motors are heavy and where they are placed makes a big difference in the comfort and feel of your electric bike. By having a front hub motor you are adding significant weight to the front of the bike. This can be fine for short trips but over long periods of time it will cause significant strain as every time you steer your bike you must also steer the heavy front hub. For couriers who are riding for many hours per day we encourage rear hub motors for this reason
Maintenance
Flat tyres are going to occur when riding. Having a rear hub motor can make any repairs to the rear of the bike more difficult as you must also remove the heavy rear wheel. A benefit to a front hub motor is that you do not need to deal which the chain when taking off the motor. Here at Jot Bikes we offer free maintenance (including flat tyre repair) for all our rental customers. Rent a Jot Bike today.
Appearance
Your electric bike is your prized possession and you want it to look it’s best. An advantage of a rear hub motor is that it is often hidden in the rear of the bike as the derailleur, cassette, and chain surrounds it. In contrast a front wheel hub motor is located in the open in front of the bike and can look unpleasing as it is often a large black circle connected to a thin front wheel.
Control
Riding a front hub motor makes it feel like you’re being pulled by the bike. This often feels like you are less in control. In comparison, a rear hub motor electric bike enables you to thrust the bike forward. This is beneficial as you have more traction when accelerating from a stationary position such as at traffic lights.
A few great examples of where the motor is placed at the rear of the vehicle is sports cars and rockets ships.
Verdict
Overall we would recommend rear hub motors as they provide better comfort, control, and aesthetics although with added maintenance complexity.