How to Choose: Hub-Drive vs Mid-Drive Electric Bike
- Randy Reek, The Great Out There
- Aug 8, 2023
- 6 min read
Updated: Oct 16
Shopping for an Ebike? Confused by the choice between a Hub-Drive vs Mid-Drive Electric Bike? Here are the FACTS to match your riding style.
With the popularity of electric bikes, there are new models and options continually being added to the already crowded market.
Besides multiple wheel sizes and frame styles, the MOST important decision is which type of electric drive motor is best for you. Choose the wrong type of drive for your primary riding style and you will be dissatisfied. You have TWO options:
1. Hub-drive, with the motor built into the rear wheel.
2. Mid-Drive, with the motor built into the frame of the bike, located at the bottom bracket (that is, between the pedal crank arms).
The choice between hub-drive and mid-drive is your important and first consideration when selecting your electric bike.
This article will get right to the point and help you decide which drive type is right for you. The next articles will add more background information and detailed reasons for choosing a hub-drive vs mid-drive electric bike. After you choose the best drive for your intended riding, all the other choices (wheel size and frame style) will follow.
The choice between hub drive and mid-drive continues to be a topic of debate with strong opinions on both sides. Let me try to simplify this choice - and most of you will clearly fall in one camp or the other.
Most riders prefer hub-drive Ebikes for several reasons.
The majority of electric bike riders select rear hub-drives because there are many more models to choose from AND Ebikes with hub motors also cost less. If cost is your main priority, many shoppers never even consider mid-drive Ebikes.
But there are other differences between Hub-Drive vs Mid-Drive Electric Bikes
Hub-drive Ebikes are easier to ride. There is almost no “learning curve”.
A hub-drive Ebike is comparable to a scooter - you can get on and ride. Pedaling and shifting will make the ride faster and extend the range, but are OPTIONAL. You could totally disconnect the bike chain and still “ride” a hub-drive Ebike!
Hub-drive electric bikes are perfect for paved city streets and easy gravel bike paths. Hub-drive bikes are very popular for people travelling in RV’s or boats who want bikes to ride around town or the campground. There is little maintenance with hub-drive Ebikes - beyond the basics of charging the battery, checking the brakes, and occasionally lubing the chain. These factors make hub-drive bikes the best choice for commuters, students, and parents hauling children.
But there also are some structural disadvantages of driving the bike from the rear hub:
The Ebike with a hub-drive motor is the equivalent to a car with a one-speed transmission. You can "rev" the engine, but you will have slower acceleration, less power for climbing hills, and a slower top speed than a mid-drive motor.
While the rear hub-drive can propel the bike without pedaling (even if the chain breaks!) there is also greater stress on the spokes and rim. Keeping the spokes evenly tight, the wheel true or fixing a flat tire is beyond the skills of most Ebike owners.
The weight of the hub-motor is at the rear wheel, which affects the rider balance - especially if you add heavy cargo on a rear rack. This imbalance is a noticeable disadvantage on rough roads or MTB trails.
Riders seeking performance advantages choose Mid-Drive Ebikes.
In contrast, mid-drive Ebikes are more comparable to motorcycles or sports cars.
Instead of a gas engine driving the chain you have a centered electric motor. Shifting gears with a hub-drive Ebike will increase performance but is optional. Some hub-drive Ebike riders NEVER shift the rear derailleur and only change the “pedal-assist” level and vary the throttle. In fact, there are SINGLE speed Ebike hub-motors available for urban commuters.
But shifting gears with a mid-drive Ebike is mandatory for best performance - just like driving a motorcycle or any vehicle with a manual transmission.
The driving style of mid-drive motors provides performance advantages.
Mid-drive motors typically have more power (torque) at the same wattage which allows you to tackle abrupt, steep hills. Mid-drive motors also have higher mechanical efficiency (that is, higher output with the same electrical input.) This means mid-drive motors run cooler.
Because of the active participation of the rider, mid-drive Ebikes will usually extend the battery power over a greater range. In addition, the mid-drive motor typically includes a "torque sensor" which acts like smart cruise control, boosting motor output as you exert greater pressure on the pedals. (In contrast, most hub-drives simply add power as you pedal faster.)
Mid-drive motors also have beefier internal gearing and withstand harder usage with greater dependability.
Because the motor is built into the bottom bracket of the bike frame, the weight distribution and balance are optimized. The drive is separate from the wheels, so you have unlimited wheel choices - or even the option to run different sets of wheels for different seasons.
These mechanical advantages are why mid-drive Ebikes are the preferred choice of riders who prioritize performance – either riding on challenging trails or steep hills.
Ebikes with mid-drive motors are the first choice of experienced mountain bikers (and motorcycle riders or sports car drivers.) The power of a mid-drive motor complements the bicycle pedaling motion, adding speed and power. Mid-drive motors are also the best choice for riders planning to push their bikes to the limit, with better acceleration and higher top speeds.
As is always the case, high-performance costs more! This is true of mid-drive Ebikes, too.
More power and torque can also mean that improper operation may result in breakdowns, specifically a broken chain. (You will learn in the next articles that proper operation of high-performance, powerful mid-drive Ebikes isn't complicated.) Basically, you avoid "mashing" the pedals and pouring on the motor power during shifting.
Worst case, you break a chain - replace it in 10 minutes, and ride on. Learn from your mistake, just like grinding gears when learning to drive a manual transmission. But the performance and durability advantages of a mid-drive Ebike far outweigh any disadvantages for many cyclists.
Riders who prioritize performance accept the added cost of a mid-drive Ebike over the common hub-drive models. Many mid-drive electric bikes cost more because they are equipped with larger motors (that is, higher wattage) and often larger batteries.
This video gives a basic comparison of Hub-Drive vs Mid-Drive Electric Bikes:
If you want the BEST, you need to pay more, right?
It is important to note that shoppers who want the best and can afford the higher price of mid-drive Ebikes may actually make the wrong buying decision.
There are more hub-drive Ebikes sold because the low-impact, casual riding style of MOST riders is better suited to hub-drive electric bikes. At the same time, ultralight road and gravel Ebike frames can't accommodate a mid-drive and must rely on smaller hub drives.
As an experienced rider looking forward to hard riding, I favor the mid-drive performance. But if I was selecting an Ebike for a commuter or recreational rider who never ventured off-road - especially anyone needing the capacity to carry groceries or install a child seat - I would always recommend a less expensive, uncomplicated hub-drive Ebike.
Which electric bike drive matches how and where you ride? By choosing accordingly, you will get the most enjoyment and prevent a costly purchase mistake.
For another comparison, here is a helpful video that describes the Pros and Cons of the two Ebike drive options - but from the perspective of an experienced rider and Ebike mechanic (who also reveals a third option - adding a mid-drive motor to your current bike!):
A small minority of riders may straddle the lines between the simplicity of hub-drive and the performance of mid-drive electric bikes. Unless you have the ability to buy one of EACH Ebikes (or substitute a conventional bike for either commuting or aggressive mountain biking) you will need to live with the Pros and Cons of whichever bike you choose.
Can’t decide? Need more information? Then continue to the next articles in this series to learn the finer details of hub-drive vs mid-drive electric bikes. These expanded discussions should help you feel even better about your purchase decision, plus provide some tips to get the most out of your new Ebike.
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