{"id":145964,"date":"2017-01-09T09:27:10","date_gmt":"2017-01-09T09:27:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/?p=145964"},"modified":"2017-01-09T13:05:04","modified_gmt":"2017-01-09T13:05:04","slug":"electric-bike-motors-comparison-one-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.welovecycling.com\/wide\/2017\/01\/09\/electric-bike-motors-comparison-one-best\/","title":{"rendered":"Electric Bike Motors Comparison: Which One Is the Best?"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the world falls in love with electric bicycles, cyclists are busy weighing up the options. We love arguing about which groupset is best \u2013 now we get to argue about which motor is best! Let\u2019s start at the front and work our way back.<\/strong>
\n<\/p>\n

Front hub motors<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Your rear wheel pedal power is boosted by an additional motor on the front wheel. This effectively gives you 2-wheel drive improving traction on loose surfaces like snow or sand.<\/p>\n

Luna Cycle – Smart Pie V5 Golden Motor Hub Kit<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The added benefit is you can modify almost any existing bike simply by swapping out the front wheel \u2013 keeping your rear wheel set up just the way you like it. Companies like Luna Cycle sell conversion kits at reasonable prices, but make sure to check how many watts the law allows in your country.<\/p>\n

Mid-engine madness<\/strong><\/h2>\n

If you see an ebike with swelling around its bottom bracket, you\u2019re looking at a mid-drive motor. These add power to your cranks and directly drive the chain. The big plus of these bikes is they can take advantage of your lower gears, making them much more economical on hills.<\/p>\n

Bosch Performance CX 2016<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

As any car enthusiast will tell you, having the engine in the middle of your vehicle improves handling through better weight distribution. Bosch have been making a name for themselves, providing mid-drive motors for the likes of Haibike.<\/p>\n

Rear hub tech<\/strong><\/h2>\n

It makes sense to have an engine powering your rear wheel. After all, that\u2019s where every cyclist is used to having the power. Front hub motors have to have limited torque to prevent wheel spin, especially in wet, icy, or off-road conditions \u2013 rear wheel acceleration offers much better handling.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Pulse ZR-2<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Bikes like the Pulse ZR2 use the TranzX system to offer rear wheel assistance as you pedal \u2013 if you\u2019re still up for contributing your own power to the ride.<\/p>\n

2-wheel drive<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Why power one wheel when you could power two? Zlatko\u2019s Mental Manno offers front- and rear-wheel drive, giving you ultimate control of this chic whip.<\/p>\n

Zlatko Mental Manno<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Using 2 hubs to power your bike offers security as well as power. If one engine runs out of juice, the other can get you out of trouble \u2013 or at least get you home. So what do you think? Convert one of your bikes to electric? Or buy a purpose-built ebike?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

As the world falls in love with electric bicycles, cyclists are busy weighing up the options. We love arguing about […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":12,"featured_media":145969,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[329],"tags":[522,348],"global-categories":[],"class_list":["post-145964","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-road-cycling","tag-e-bike","tag-e-bikes"],"yoast_head":"\nElectric Bike Motors Comparison: Which One Is the Best? - \u0160koda We Love Cycling<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"As the world falls in love with electric bicycles, cyclists are busy weighing up the options. 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