Electric assistance, which one to use?
When we talk about electric bikes, we have to highlight two types of assistances for them: The HUB MOTOR and the MIDDRIVE. They are responsible for the most of available e-bikes systems.
When we talk about electric bikes, we have to highlight two types of assistances for them: The HUB MOTOR and the MIDDRIVE. They are responsible for the most of available e-bikes systems.
Therefore, below we describe a comparison between them to make your choice easier when you choose for an electric bike.
HUB MOTOR
The HUB MOTOR is an electric motor which is incorporated to a wheel cube and it directly drives the wheel on the electric bike. This kind of motor can be installed in the front or rear wheel.
Basically, there are two types: with or without intern gears.
The model with intern gears transfers the internal rotation to bearings, that it does the turning compensation for the wheel. It spins in a rotation bigger than the wheel rotation.
The model advantages are: It is lighter and more compact. The disadvantages are: the wear and increased maintenance.
When we use a without gears model the same rotation from the motor matches with the wheel rotation the transition is straight.
This model has as advantage the low, or in some cases, no maintenance. However, it has a weight and bigger size than the model with gears.
In relation to the potency, both can have the same, it depends on the tension and the amperage of the power source.
About the torque, these models are inferior if compared to the MIDDRIVE models.
In the market there are installation kits to sell theses models, and they allow you to turn a conventional bike to a bike with electric assistance.
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MIDDRIVE
It is an electric system integrated to the crank that it gives assistance to the pedals, instead of just pushing the bike forward.
The central motor works on the pedals, using the bike’s original gears to get a better relation between the power and the speed.
The motor's potency is regulated by the cycling act, It doesn’t need a manual accelerator.
Advantages:
1) Greater torque range allows for strength on the hills and speed on the straights through the use of bicycle gear ratios.
2) Less battery consumption due the better torque utilization.
3) Simpler assembly (the controller is inside the motor, releasing the external installation as in hub motors).
4) It does not require changing the wheel (rim, spokes and hub) as in the hub motor.
5) It provides an unaltered experience of cycling due the sensors in the pedals.
The disadvantage to this kind of electric assistance is the expensive cost.
So, we have the difference between the HUB MOTOR and THE MIDDRIVE assistance being: the installation location, the way how they work in the bike conduction, the dimension of the equipments, the cost difference between them, the HUB MOTOR is cheaper and also, the difference in the torque, the MIDDRIVE, provide more torque and the sensation of being in charge of the bike.
In summary, to the testimonies of the users, we can say that the HUB Motor gives the sensation that someone is pushing you and MIDDRIVE you feel the energy in your legs while the engine is turning.
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By Guilherme Gimenes
@ggimenesbr