Mid Drive or Hub drive?

sparkysx

Pedelecer
Jan 5, 2019
145
5
Hi,

Thought I would start a new thread for this.

I am torn between getting a rear hub motor and a mid bafang motor. Both would most likely be the legal 250w. (I'm not too worried about being pulled by the cops but would be more concerned about having an accident and getting done that way)

Will these kits pull more than 15.5mph? I know we aren't allowed to, but will they anyway?


I do like the idea of the mid drive as I could put it on my other bike if I wanted to, but can't do that with the hub drive. I breifley had a carrera crossfire and did like the way that assisted more than the bosch scott sub that I test rode the other day.

cheers!
 

wheeliepete

Esteemed Pedelecer
Feb 28, 2016
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Most kits can be made to do more than 15 mph should you wish, but this may invalidate your warranty. If you ride off road alot or live in a very hilly area, you may be better off with a mid drive. Otherwise a hub will be fine. Both the bikes you have ridden have torque sensing, which applies power proportionately to the effort you put in, so you may want to try others than have pedal assist to help you decide which you prefer. The Bafang BBS and most hub kits are pedal assist.
 
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sjpt

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 8, 2018
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Hi,
I do like the idea of the mid drive as I could put it on my other bike if I wanted to, but can't do that with the hub drive.
cheers!
Do you really mean it that way round? Generally changing a hub drive (especially front hub) in and out and between bikes is fairly straightforward, but changing a crank drive is more involved.
 
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sparkysx

Pedelecer
Jan 5, 2019
145
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Yeah I do mean it that way, the other bike would be a bmx therefore a 26" hub wheel wouldn't fit.
 

Nealh

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Most kits in one way or another can go a bit more then 25km/h in fact 45km/h isn't to hard with some hub/controller/battery combo's, though range will be a lot shorter and possible over heating at continuous 45km/h. For 250w a hub is easier then CD to tinker with as a hub can take any controller (to within reason), 32km/h is sensible target to aim for with a hub if you want a bit more.

Hub vs CD is just another tug of war game.
I have 5 hubs and one BBS cd kit, out of all of them the BBS has been the most unreliable with it's integrated controller. Two GSM's CD kits both I found were wanting and both failed me ,one within 250 miles and one within 70 miles.
One was replaced under warranty and the second was returned for a refund.

To date no issues with any hub except the usual regrease or bearing replacement after a few thousand miles, no hall sensor, phase wire issues and no heat issues over volting with sensible amps.
 
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sparkysx

Pedelecer
Jan 5, 2019
145
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So I am best off getting a hub with a seperate contoller rather than one intergrated into the battery pack?
 

Nealh

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So I am best off getting a hub with a seperate contoller rather than one intergrated into the battery pack?
Integrated battery controller is neater, get a model like the Hailong where spares are available (once out of warranty worth having a spare controller for the future).

Separate controller means more wire run and somewhere to house it, easier to replace with more amp/voltage rating available.
 
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Nealh

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My next hub move is to replace one of the cadence PAS's with a Torque Sensor drive, a case of waiting to see what Woosh end up offering or a TS offering off Aliexpress with replacement controllers available.
 
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anotherkiwi

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Jan 26, 2015
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I have over 3500 km on a GSM mid drive with external controller. I rode for about 700 km without a speed sensor so unrestricted. When I got the speed sensor I did a couple of hundred km unrestricted and the motor will do about 42-43 km/h with a 36v battery and 15 Amp controller. At the moment it is running with a 44.4v battery so 735 W peak. With that battery I would have no trouble holding 45 km/h continuous ou the flat.

I also have 3600 km on a Mxus XF08 rear freewheel hub motor which will assist up to 27 km/h with 15 Amps/36v. The motor is also delivered with a 17 Amp controller and will do 33 km/h with that, you would probably get over 40 km/h with a 48v battery.

The GSM requires a healthy battery with quality cells.

Hope that helps.
 
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wheeliepete

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Last edited:

minexplorer

Esteemed Pedelecer
Aug 22, 2017
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If you ride off road alot or live in a very hilly area, you may be better off with a mid drive. Otherwise a hub will be fine.
Ive been confused by this before.my MTB ,18amp bbs01 mid drive on max PAS (KC 100% ) ,gets left behind on hills by my wifes hub drive.Which i shunt pimped to 19amps. Its a 20" wheel ,single speed (T16). while i have to drop a cpl gears lower.
 

egroover

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Aug 12, 2016
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sparkysx

Pedelecer
Jan 5, 2019
145
5
That's w

That's what I and quite a few others have, there's a big yosepower thread that Nealh started, some great advice in that thread definitely worth a read through

Do you like that kit? what sort of speeds do you get out of it on throttle?

thanks
 

vfr400

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jun 12, 2011
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It won't fit directly. Even if it did, it wouldn't work because you have no gears and your whees are too small, so it would have a very low top speed.
 
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