FlatSix911
Well-Known Member
- Region
- USA
- City
- Silicon Valley
Well done! The dogs will appreciate your efforts.I made this one yesterday. Mid-drive. Second battery option.
Well done! The dogs will appreciate your efforts.I made this one yesterday. Mid-drive. Second battery option.
Maybe I am being too provincial and need to buy a hub drive for the riding experience.Sorry Flat6 but I made it about 4minutes into that and had to turn it off. I utilize both systems and couldn't agree less with his conclusions. First of all my hub bikes are much faster up to speed and at speed than my mid drives and hill climbing utilizing the bikes gears with a hub drive I have climbed just as steep of terrain albeit mostly on roads of varying surfaces. For trails I do prefer my mid drives but both as I have them setup will do either actually within reason.
You know what they say about variety.Maybe I am being too provincial and need to buy a hub drive for the riding experience.![]()
Yesterday afternoon I did a 30 mile ride in the Columbia Gorge on my old Schwinn mountain bike with an inexpensive 500w rear geared hub motor kit, 2400 ft total elevation gain per Google maps. I was stopped by road closures due to landslides but it was getting late and cold anyway. I've done this ride dozens of times with regular non-assist bikes as well as my Yamaha mid motor assist gravel bike. Some of the backroads are steep enough to make even walking a bike up difficult (I've had to do that sometimes with regular bikes). IMO the rear geared hub motor did fantastically well. I only had to briefly use my lowest gears and highest assist levels on the very steepest areas. I ride for exercise and fun so I put in as much effort as I feel I can but I don't scrimp on the assist when I feel the need. At the end of the ride the 48v 15ah cheap battery was at 48.3v indicating 60% remaining charge - presumably could go 60 miles with almost 5000ft elevation gain to drop to 20% on the battery, which is amazing. While not as refined as the two mid drives I have it was still a fun and pretty natural biking experience. Based on the riding I have done I don't think you can go wrong expensive mid vs cheap hub drive, depending on your expectations. Personally, I have fun just getting out and riding and don't need or expect the best of equipment to enjoy a ride. I sort of feel sorry for those who can't enjoy a day biking unless they have some top of the line bike with the best of everything components. I was just messing around with this kit on my old mountain bike, I bought it originally to put on a tandem bike so I can ride with my wife but now it is more likely to go on a Biria Easy Boarding bike that I just got for her. I'll be happy with my mid drive gravel bike but will still miss the fun of having it on my old mountain bike.
Here's a Juiced CrossCurrent.
It came with a hub drive, but then converted to mid drive.
See the difference.
mid drive vs hub drive
Funny? I have a rear hub that climbs anything. You suppose that´s what gears are for? A rear hub can be aI stopped counting the list of "negatives" he gave, that I have personally not experienced with my hub drive. With different riders, different needs, different terrains, different riding styles, different riding objectives... as EGMX says, it simply is never going to be "one size fits all and that size is mid-drive for all."
What you say works for lower powered geared hub and mid drives, but my experience with 1000w+ geared hub and mid drives makes a lot of the hub vs. mid arguments a moot issue. I have one of each, and either will climb anything paved with my 300lb butt aboard.....Having changed from a hub to a mid drive the climbing ability of the mid is dramatically better than the hub. Also a major unexpected bonus of the mid drive is the ability to use the power a lower speeds than a hub. Low gearing and a mid drive allow low speeds without risk of stalling/overloading the motor and this is surprisingly useful in some situations such as maneuvering around obstacles or pedestrian traffic.
Hah thats my article and my bike. The pic that you showed was it being all cleaned up. Its all dirty again as of yesterday. Not as bad as it is here, but dirty is its native state.Interesting reading... this blog was posted in another thread and discussed the build of a combination front hub and mid-drive bike.
Is this the best of both worlds... read the problem statement and brief introduction to link to the complete article below to find out?
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Tales On Two Wheels
This cyclist-written site is dedicated to do-it-yourself ebike builds, ideas and experiences, focusing on attention to detail and quality cycling components.talesontwowheels.com
What hub drive were you using? What gearing? Mine climbs about anything without getting close to my lowestHaving changed from a hub to a mid drive the climbing ability of the mid is dramatically better than the hub. Also a major unexpected bonus of the mid drive is the ability to use the power a lower speeds than a hub. Low gearing and a mid drive allow low speeds without risk of stalling/overloading the motor and this is surprisingly useful in some situations such as maneuvering around obstacles or pedestrian traffic.