Differences In Location And Mounting Of Alloy Wheel Hub Motor And Crankshaft Drive Motors

Advantages and disadvantages of Alloy Wheel Hub Motor vs crankshaft drive motors in terms of bike position

In-wheel motor

The hub motor is conveniently placed in the hub without changing the basic design of the bike. The low center of gravity is good for balance and maintains a classic bike feel.

The in-wheel motor is directly connected to the wheel it drives, increasing efficiency. In-wheel motors are easily accessible if service or repair is required.

Due to the positioning, the hub motor can be retrofitted to almost any bike using a conversion kit. This will lower your costs if you already have a proper bike.

Crankshaft drive motor

By definition, the crank motor will be in or near the bottom bracket, so the extra weight of the bike is light. This contributes to good balance and a classic bike feel.

However, integrated positioning can present challenges for servicing and servicing. This is especially true if the motor is integrated with the gear on the rear sprocket. In this case, even removing the rear wheel to repair the flat becomes a challenge.

The mid-drive position also makes it difficult for most people to retrofit their existing bikes.

Advantages and disadvantages of in-wheel motor and crankshaft drive motor in installation

In-wheel motor

Anyone handy can buy an e-bike kit with a hub motor and install it on a bike they already own. From personal experience, pretty much any bike shop can do it. You don't need someone specializing in e-bikes.

In-wheel motors are relatively simple motors and are completely self-contained. This means you can use an off-the-shelf bike on just about any bike, and if you upgrade your bike, you can move it from bike to bike.

Crankshaft drive motor

Installing a crank drive motor is highly technical, and very few people can buy one and install it on their existing bike. Most commonly, the crank drive motor is part of the original manufacture of the e-bike.