Transforming your manual bicycle into an e-bike is arguably the most exciting modification you can make to a bike—and as any bike owner knows, there’s no shortage of modifications one can make. Speaking of variety, there’s also more than one way to make the upgrade to an e-bike. What sets an e-bike apart from a traditional bike is, of course, its motor, which assists pedaling and allows for higher speeds, less work on your part, or both. The position of that motor, however, allows for some variation. An e-bike motor may be on the hub of the front wheel of the bike or its rear wheel—with a third position possible, too. What are the differences between front and rear-wheel e-bikes? Learn more ahead. Front-Wheel E-Bikes A front-wheel e-bike is one of two hub-drive configurations: front or rear, of course. In this setup, the e-bike’s motor is on the hub of the front wheel, where the motor boosts your pedaling by giving the wheel some extra movement. With a faster-moving front wheel, you’ll find that you don’t need to pedal as hard. Front-hub motors are popular with retrofitters because of their ease of installation—simply attach the motor to the hub and get going. The front-hub motor e-bike kit from Ebike Essentials features everything you’ll need to transform your bike: a complete motor-integrated front wheel, LCD display, battery, charger, throttle, brake sensors, cadence sensors, and all the hardware you’ll need for installation. Rear-Wheel E-Bikes Just as cars can have front-wheel drive or rear-wheel drive, e-bikes too can get their power from either the front or the back. A rear-wheel e-bike has its motor on the hub of the rear wheel using the same technology as a front-hub design. It’s simply a matter of whether the motor is pulling the bike forward, as it would from the front, or pushing it forward, as it does from the rear. Like front-hub motors, it’s a relatively easy retrofit, but some cyclists struggle with the sensation of being pushed forward, feeling that it gives them less natural control over the bicycle, and conquering steep hills can drain the battery. Mid-Drive E-Bikes We’ve looked at the differences between front and rear-wheel e-bikes, but there’s a third option as well: the mid-drive e-bike, which affixes the motor right between the pedals for a balanced distribution of power. Many e-bike enthusiasts appreciate a mid-drive e-bike for its low and even center of gravity, but modifying an existing bike to include a mid-drive motor is considerably more challenging. For more advanced cyclists, Ebike Essentials also offers mid-drive kits that give riders an even distribution of weight for the smoothest ride.
