ELECTRIC BIKE CONVERSION KITS: FRONT VS REAR HUB MOTORS

Due to the popularity and widespread acceptance of e-bikes, the number of e-bikes and e-trikes being sold is on the increase, so it's no surprise to find that the number of e-bike kits is also on the increase.
If you have ever considered buying an e-bike then you will certainly not be surprised to learn that e-bikes have gained in popularity across the globe and there is no sign of this waning any time soon, and one of the biggest problems with buying one is probably the price. Buying an e-bike is undoubtedly expensive, so it can be difficult for those who want to spend less to get one, and this is where e-bike conversion kits come in handy.
With an e-bike conversion kit you can easily convert your traditional bike into an e-bike at a relatively low cost. Although you will find that mid-mounted motors can be very expensive, more people will opt for those with front hub motors and those with rear hubs (such as the Green Pedel kit).
In this piece on e-bike kits, this article will focus on front hub motors and rear hub motors. To be honest, there is no absolute single 'absolute ideal' motor location and this blog does not contain an answer. There are many factors for you to consider and weigh up in a comprehensive way, but we hope that this article makes sense to you. If you want to know which one is the best option for you, read on.

Types of electric bicycle motors
When you are choosing an e-bike kit, you should know what an e-bike motor is and what types of motors are available. This most basic introduction will allow you to make certain judgements and go for the type of motor that is best for you.
There are three common types of motors on the market today: front hub motors, rear hub motors and mid drive motors. Of these, the front hub motor and rear hub motor can be collectively referred to as hub motors. As the name suggests, the hub motor is located in the centre of the wheel and is the most common type of e-bike motor. A mid drive motor, on the other hand, is located in the middle of the e-bike, between the pedals and the rear wheel. Mid-drive motors are less powerful than hub motors, but they offer better climbing ability and a more natural riding feel. For different types of motor, they have their own advantages and disadvantages, so what type of motor you want depends entirely on what kind of performance you want.

Advantages and disadvantages of front and rear hub motors

Before we settle on whether to choose a front or rear hub motor, we have provided a list of the advantages and disadvantages of both types. This will allow you to see at a glance what performance these two types of motor can offer you.
Front hub motors
Let's start by looking at the advantages and disadvantages of front-wheel drive.
Pros
- Front hub motors are lightweight and easy to fit to almost all bicycles.
easier to service and replace.
- The possibility of using front hub motors even on adult tricycles again.
- Front hub motors allow for less maintenance requirements on the drive chain.
Cons
- Less torque at low speeds, meaning tough riding on muddy roads.
- The front hub motor will put more wear and tear on the front brake.
Rear wheel hub motors
How you prefer a rear hub motor, then here are the things you need to know to look out for.
Pros
- The use of more sophisticated technology for rear hub motors.
- Rear hub motors generally ride better on muddy roads.
- Less wear and tear on the drive chain.
Cons

- Rear hub motors can be heavy and affect the overall weight of the bike.
- Rear hub motors will be more prone to spoke breakage.
- Tyre changes can be more difficult than with front hub motors.
- The rear brakes will experience more wear and tear.
- More difficult to install, meaning that a professional may be required to do so.
- Poorer overall weight distribution, which may lead to other problems.

What are the factors you need to consider when choosing a front or a rear hub motor?

1. Overall weight distribution
Ideally, most people would prefer their e-bike's weight to be distributed as evenly as possible from the front to the back. No one wants to focus all their emphasis on one point, which can add drag to our ride.
It is easy to see that, for the time being, most of the battery packs in a normal bike are positioned in the centre or rear of the e-bike, which means that the front hub motor helps to distribute the weight forward and evens out the weight distribution of the e-bike. Thus, various experiments have shown that a front hub motor can lead to a more even distribution of weight on an e-bike. Especially in the case of rear-mounted batteries, placing the motor on the front wheel makes the bike more stable when riding.
In addition to this, the rear wheel and spokes are subjected to a lot of stresses such as the rider's weight, pedalling force, motor weight, motor power and even the size of the motor, all of which can make your e-bike wheel more challenging. E-bikes with rear hub motors have often been criticised for broken spokes, so in this module of even weight distribution front hub motors are a little more advantageous than rear hub motors.

2. Impact on traction
Although the front hub motor can handle weight distribution, this does not mean that front wheel drive is problem-free. As the front wheel of an e-bike is already light, this results in less traction from the front hub motor than from the rear wheel.
Since most of the weight of an e-bike is at the back, a lightweight front hub motor doesn't have enough traction and you'll feel the difficulty when riding. A rear-wheel drive e-bike, on the other hand, has much better traction than a front-wheel drive, which is especially important for those with mountain bikes, as they will be facing more challenging roads or even going back off-road, and then they will need better grip. So if you like extreme sports or going on mountain rides, then a rear hub motor will be better suited than a front hub motor.

3. The effect of motor position on tyres
When choosing between a front or rear hub motor you also need to consider whether you will have a flat tyre, which will be more difficult to fix if you have a flat tyre on the side of the hub motor compared to a standard car tyre. The last thing anyone wants is a flat tyre, but worse than that is if you get a flat where there is a motor.
It is your rear wheel that is more likely to get a flat than your front wheel. Why? Because the front wheel is the first to hit objects on the road, such as nails, shards of glass, stones etc. These objects may be lying flat at first, so they won't do much damage to the front wheel because they don't have the sharp side out at first. However, once they bounce up from the impact of your front tyre as you ride, you run the risk of landing its sharp side on your rear tyre as it will be run over a second time.
As we've just said repairing a hub motor blowout is much more of a hassle than repairing a standard blowout, so if you have a rear hub motor you're in for a double headache in the event of a blowout.
But both front and rear wheel hub motors inevitably have the potential to cause a blowout due to a number of factors, so it's not possible to say whether a front wheel hub motor is better or a rear wheel hub motor is better.

4. Usage and design
The rear hub motor is better suited to severe and steep terrain and is suitable for professional riders for off-road riding. In addition, urban riders who need a better riding feel can also opt for a rear hub motor, which will make their ride feel better. Rear hub motors work best on more high-end e-bikes, where the rear wheel is made from high quality components and high manufacturing standards. If you are on a tight budget then a front hub motor would be a better choice.
The front hub motor is better suited to daily commuting, more suited to riding around town and occasionally on flat roads, and is a good choice for those who just want a comfortable, safe and reliable e-bike.
As well as this, the two are presented differently on the e-bike, some people want their e-bike to look more like a normal bike then the front hub motor will be more visible, the rear hub motor is more likely to be mistaken for a normal bike and the rear motor won't be as noticeable as the brake disc can cover it.

In summary

In this article you can get a good idea of the advantages and disadvantages of front and rear hub motors, and we have helped you to list the parameters you need to take into account when buying one.
The front hub motor helps to balance the weight better, as the weight of an e-bike is usually concentrated in the rear half.
Front hub motors are better suited to riding on flat roads than rear hub motors as they do not have enough traction, which is very difficult if you want to ride on difficult roads with a front hub motor, and the more powerful front hub motors can burn when you step on the throttle.
The rear hub motor, on the other hand, is more suited to off-road riding, but while it has more traction, it is also more likely to run the risk of a flat tyre. Rear hub motors provide you with a more motorcycle-like pushing feel rather than the pulling feel of a front wheel motor.
So, whatever type of hub motor you want to choose, you need to make a more appropriate choice based on your needs. Both types of hub motor have their advantages and disadvantages, but the longevity of an e-bike depends more on how the user uses it and how it is maintained.