Hi
I'm curious to know why most folk seem to think that the rear wheel is the best place for a huib motor.
In most bikes this means a vast concentration of the weight over the rear wheel - this taking most of the weight of the rider, motor, luggage and battery. Leaving the front largely unloaded, and relatively light. I have heard many say that this improves the bikes handling, but I have to say I'm a little sceptical about this. I still ride off road motorcyles (despite the ramblers association's best efforts to ban me and my colleagues from all but the widest of tarmac surfaces - bless them) and a fundamental principle of keeping control of a motorbike off road is to keep your weight up front and maintain control of the front wheel at all times. Rear wheel slides and skids can be easily tamed with a little experience and indeed can be fun, but to loose the front wheel usually means having a meaningful discussion with the earthworms. Surely keeping some weight on the front wheel of an ebike (like the hub motor for instance) helps with maintaing control in poor conditions, especially on corners and at speed.
My old Powabyke had a centrally mounted battery, and front hub motor, not withstanding that it was generally very overweight, its actual front/rear balance was good I never felt that the front end was uncomfortably 'light'. (I use the term 'light' advisedly, since we are talking about an old Powabyke here!). In the case of my new Wisper I am still a little uncertain of this aspect of it's design. The weight is very much biased to the rear, even unloaded and although I have never had a significant problem with the handling, I am never the less just a little unsure about how it will cope with very challenging conditions. Fortunately I have not yet had to test its front wheel adhesion in serious anger as it were, but the season of mud, leaves, slurry and manure on the roads is about to come upon us, and I confess to being a little more nervous about it this time.
Perhaps it may also be worth considering ditching the standard Chinese tyres also.....
Phil
I'm curious to know why most folk seem to think that the rear wheel is the best place for a huib motor.
In most bikes this means a vast concentration of the weight over the rear wheel - this taking most of the weight of the rider, motor, luggage and battery. Leaving the front largely unloaded, and relatively light. I have heard many say that this improves the bikes handling, but I have to say I'm a little sceptical about this. I still ride off road motorcyles (despite the ramblers association's best efforts to ban me and my colleagues from all but the widest of tarmac surfaces - bless them) and a fundamental principle of keeping control of a motorbike off road is to keep your weight up front and maintain control of the front wheel at all times. Rear wheel slides and skids can be easily tamed with a little experience and indeed can be fun, but to loose the front wheel usually means having a meaningful discussion with the earthworms. Surely keeping some weight on the front wheel of an ebike (like the hub motor for instance) helps with maintaing control in poor conditions, especially on corners and at speed.
My old Powabyke had a centrally mounted battery, and front hub motor, not withstanding that it was generally very overweight, its actual front/rear balance was good I never felt that the front end was uncomfortably 'light'. (I use the term 'light' advisedly, since we are talking about an old Powabyke here!). In the case of my new Wisper I am still a little uncertain of this aspect of it's design. The weight is very much biased to the rear, even unloaded and although I have never had a significant problem with the handling, I am never the less just a little unsure about how it will cope with very challenging conditions. Fortunately I have not yet had to test its front wheel adhesion in serious anger as it were, but the season of mud, leaves, slurry and manure on the roads is about to come upon us, and I confess to being a little more nervous about it this time.
Perhaps it may also be worth considering ditching the standard Chinese tyres also.....
Phil