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Tech => Tech Help => Topic started by: firepower on May 06, 2012, 08:25:23 PM

Title: Hub motor vs Frame mounted motor ?
Post by: firepower on May 06, 2012, 08:25:23 PM

whats the pro and cons of both?

Hub motor seems to be a simple and weight saving feature with more room for batteries in the frame of the bike.

Title: Re: Hub motor vs Frame mounted motor ?
Post by: Brammofan on May 07, 2012, 02:20:37 AM

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsprung_mass (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unsprung_mass)

I've heard that it can make for a bumpy ride, some control issues, and a true test of the solidity of any electric connections in the hub. Having said that, there is one bike in the Australian TTXGP series that has a hub motor, I think.

Title: Re: Hub motor vs Frame mounted motor ?
Post by: Bogan on May 07, 2012, 04:31:09 AM

As brammofan says, it comes down to ride quality, lots of unsprung mass makes for a bumpy ride, good suspension can help smooth it out, but you'll never get the smoothness and grip you can with standard configurations. Also a heavier rear wheel takes more energy to spin up, so you might lose acceleration there, though I'm not sure if it balances out with a wheel plus motor's inertia for the normal configuration anyway.