The Superb Electric Bicycle Hub Motor!

Not many people are willing to go riding about in something that looks different! And that was very much the case with old school electric bicycles.

But new hub motors have changed that old un-appealing look. In many cases now, it's hard to tell the difference between a regular bike and an electric bike!

So What's Inside The Hub Motor?

So what is in the electric bicycle hub motor?

Coils: Lots and lots of coils. To carry as much current (Amps) as possible, there needs to be as many coils as possible stuffed inside the hub. Well, more precisely placed than stuffed, but you get the idea... Lots of coils!

Gears: In a geared hub motor, there are gears in there! Yip, that's right. In a geared hub motor the gears are often used relentlessly, and that means one thing, they get worn.

If you decide to save a few bucks and buy a cheap hub motor, you're going to get what you payed for. So how about you actually save a few bucks in the long term and buy one that is quality made. Not only will you save some cash, you're ride is going to be much, much better. Nice and smooth!

Magnets: The magnets are the last interesting part of the electric bicycle hub motor. The magnets simply produce a magnetic field that acts against the coils mentioned earlier.

Okay, if you want more information, go do an engineering course and find all you need there!

If you don't want to apply for an engineering course, we will offer something much more valuable to you. We will advise you on what is best to buy, and what the benefits of electric bicyle hub motors are.

If you prefer a more hands on approach, you can find out more on an electric bicycle hub motor kit! With a kit you can convert your own bicycle into an electric bike.

What Problems?

So what problems do hub motors face? One issue is that hub motors increase the weight of the wheel, this is not good if you're travelling through bumpy terrain. The lighter the wheel, the easier it is to control. So if you plan to use your hub motored electric bicycle offroad, make sure it's the lightest hub motor you're willing to pay for.

Another issue, that has recently been improved and overcome, was the lack of gears with hub motors. Why was this a problem?

If you will be mostly travelling on flat surfaces like above, a hub motored electric bike without a gearing system may well be a good choice for you.

The Great Benefits Of An Electric Bicycle Hub Motor!

Here are just a few:

• More or less maintainance free.
• Low sense of gravity which improves balance.
• The electric bicycle looks like a regular bike. Which is great for the general market.

We are always honest when we write. So, here are a few downsides of hub motors:

• They can be quite heavy (depends on model).
• They increase the weight of the wheel. The heavier the wheels, the worse you're control of them.
• They can get a little hot under a large load. Can they start a fire? Certainly not.

As you can see, these are not big problems. The only main concern was with the gears. But if you're only climbing small, low gradient hills, this should not be a big problem.

Any Solutions?

Electric bicycle hub motors have a controller that can prevent overheating. For the problem with gears/range and climbing hills, you can choose from a wide variety of good electric bicycles that are geared (nearly all those under 'top bikes' (left) have geared hub motors). The Shimano hub is a favourite for many manufacurers as it's a very good system.

Enjoy this and want to find something similar?

For details on the motor itself, you can find it here.

If you're not climbing big hills however, a front/rear electric bicycle hub motor will do the job well. There are some very good rear hub motors on the market today, you can find them here!

If you like the idea of a hub motor and already own a good bicycle, a hub motor kit may be for you.

Or you can find buying tips by leaving our electric bicycle hub motor page.