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The key difference between a mid-motor and a hub motor is the application of the power. A mid-motor will apply its assistance at the bottom bracket, while a hub motor will, more often than not, drive from the rear wheel (though bikes like Brompton’s P Line opt for a front hub motor.)
- DJI Avinox Motor
- Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 5
- Bosch Performance Line CX Gen 4
- SRAM Powertrain
- Brose S Mag
- Shimano EP801
- Shimano Ep6
- Yamaha Pw-X3
- KY Mountain Dyname 4.0
- Bosch Performance Line Sx
Best for POWER!
1. Motor weight: 2.5kg 2. Modes: Eco, Trail, Auto, Turbo, Boost 3. Power: 850W (1,000w for 30 seconds) 4. Torque: 105Nm (120Nm for 30 seconds 5. Battery: 600Wh, 800Wh 6. Charging: 1.5 hours to 75% for 600Wh battery 7. Energy density: 600Wh – 209Wh/kg, 800Wh – 214Wh/kg It’s safe to say that drone and action camera brand DJI has blown the doors off the e-bike motor market with its new Avinox drive unit. Packing some truly outrageous numbers – 105Nm and 850W with a 30 second boost mode that take...
Best for sensitivity
1. Motor weight: 2.8kg 2. Modes: Eco, Tour, eMTB, Turbo 3. Power: 600W 4. Torque: 85Nm 5. Battery: 600Wh, 625Wh, 750Wh, 800Wh 6. Charging: 5.4 hours for 625Wh battery, with standard charger 7. Energy density: 600Wh – 200Wh/kg, 625Wh – 178Wh/kg, 750Wh – 170Wh/kg, 800Wh – 205Wh/kg No more power for the latest gen 5 Bosch Performance CX motor, but it’s smaller, lighter, quieter, and way smarter, delivering the perfect amount of power at precisely the right moment. A new mounting system saves spa...
Best for reliability
1. Motor weight: 2.9kg (2.75kg for the Race version) 2. Modes: Eco, Tour, eMTB, Turbo 3. Power: 600W 4. Torque: 85Nm 5. Battery: 500Wh, 625Wh, or 750Wh 6. Charging: 5.4 hours for 625Wh battery, with standard charger 7. Energy density: 625Wh – 178Wh/kg, 750Wh – 170Wh/kg Bosch’s considerable experience in consumer electronics and motors is obvious in the highly polished Performance Line CX motor. There’s plenty of power, but it’s easy to control and ultra responsive. The modes are well judged,...
Best for wireless tech and auto-shift
1. Motor Weight: 2.9kg 2. Modes: Range, Rally 3. Power: 680W 4. Torque: 90Nm 5. Battery: 630Wh or 720Wh (250Wh range extender available) 6. Charging: N/A 7. Energy density: 630Wh – 203Wh/kg, 720Wh – 175Wh/kg SRAM’s new Powertrain takes the smooth, silent Brose S-Mag motor found in the Specialized Turbo Levo and gives it a twist, adding wireless connectivity and Auto-Shift technology thanks to integration with the latest T-Type AXS transmission. There are only two power modes, but they’re full...
Quietest motor
1. Motor Weight: 2.9kg 2. Modes: Eco, Trail, Turbo 3. Power: 565W 4. Torque: 90Nm 5. Battery: 500Wh or 700Wh 6. Charging: 6 hours for 700Wh battery 7. Energy density: 700Wh – 179Wh/kg This is the motor found on Specialized’s Turbo Levo, and while it has suffered from a high failure rate in the past, updates to the latest version seem to have cured the reliability issues. Relatively quiet thanks to its belt drive, there’s plenty of power and a nicely calibrated response that feels completely n...
Best motor for compact dimensions and crank interface
1. Motor weight: 2.7kg 2. Modes: Eco, Trail, Boost 3. Power: 600W 4. Torque: 85Nm 5. Battery: 504Wh or 630Wh (third party options vary, up to 900Wh) 6. Charging: 6 hours for 630Wh battery, with standard charger Shimano has just updated its flagship EP8 motor, but you’d never know from looking at it. Power has been increased by 80W to 600W, but torque remains unchanged, and the rattle when coasting can also be a problem on some examples, but there’s better sealing and a couple of new accessory...
Cheaper, heavier Shimano unit 1. Motor weight: 3kg 2. Modes: Eco, Trail, Boost 3. Power: NA 4. Torque: 85Nm 5. Battery: 504Wh or 630Wh 6. Charging: 5 hours for 500Wh battery, with fast charger A cheaper option to the EP801, the EP6 gets the same power and torque but packaged within a heavier casing. It’s still compatible with Auto Shift.
Punchy and effective
1. Motor weight: 2.75kg 2. Modes: Eco, Basic, Active, Sport, Power 3. Power: N/A 4. Torque: 85Nm 5. Battery: 625Wh, or 750Wh 6. Charging: N/A Yamaha’s latest motor is found on various Haibike models as well as Giant’s range of e-bikes, badged as the Syncdrive Pro and Yamaha’s own range of e-bikes, including the Moro 07. We’ve had long term test bikes from both Giant and Haibike fitted with this motor, and in both instances it has proven trouble-free. Read our review of the Giant Trance X Adva...
Best for power and torque
1. Motor weight: 3kg 2. Modes: Eco, Trail, Turbo 3. Power: 700W 4. Torque: 108Nm 5. Battery: 720Wh 6. Charging: 3hrs 55mins for 750Wh battery, with fast charger Rocky Mountain was making mincemeat of its rivals way back in 2017 with its innovative Dyname motor. Driving the chain off an idler pulley, the motor packs a hefty 108Nm of torque and 700w of peak power. And you can immediately feel those numbers when you ride it – it’s a beast. Another benefit of the design is that it uses a standard...
Most powerful lightweight motor
1. Motor weight: 2kg 2. Modes: Eco, Tour, eMTB, Turbo 3. Power: 600W 4. Torque: 55Nm 5. Battery: 400Wh with optional 250Wh range extender 6. Charging: TBC 7. Energy density: 400Wh – 200Wh/kg Bosch has finally entered the ‘lightweight’ sector with the new Performance Line SX system. The new motor looks like a shrunken Performance CX unit with a magnesium casing and two-bolt mount. Weight is a reasonable 2kg – which is not the lightest on the market, but still competitive with the 1.95kg Fazua...
- Danny Milner
The key electric motor brands using mid-drive motor placement are Bosch, Shimano Steps and Fazua. It’s an option chosen by other brands who produce their own motor systems, such as Giant...
Oct 5, 2023 · Electric bike motor types from hub vs. mid-drive, brushless vs. brushed, and the future of e-bike tech. Choose your ride wisely!
May 25, 2020 · But that Black Pepper update made a huge difference for the better, pushing the concept closer to the refined drive systems of established e-bike players while enjoying the more natural...
Jul 30, 2024 · The electric bike motor is probably the most critical part of a powered bicycle, along with the battery itself. Most users ask what could be the best motor to fit when converting their standard bikes. To choose the right one, it is essential to know the following: – classification, – differences and, – capabilities.
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May 3, 2024 · Electric Bike Motors Explained: How They Work. Both an electric bike hub motor and mid-drive electric bike motor convert electrical energy from the battery to mechanical energy (movement). Inside modern brushless e-bike motors, there are two sets of electromagnets, one static and one moving.
