Front or rear hub motor

Wynne0648

Pedelecer
May 12, 2017
56
19
Leeds
Looked at a few bikes today in Bicycle Chain store, she was quite taken with a fairly basic step through Raleigh, which had front hub motor, I did point out how basic it was and after much discussion with very helpful chap there getting in a Giant Easy+ from another store for her to try out.. It also has a front hub motor, most other hub motor bikes I have looked at have the motor on the rear, is there any benefit it being a front one. I can't say I'm taken with the Giant bike, but she likes it, so that's a no brainier !!!.
 

Woosh

Trade Member
May 19, 2012
20,391
16,885
Southend on Sea
wooshbikes.co.uk
many step through bikes have the battery in the rear rack, front motors help with weight balance. Also, you would never break spokes on a front motor because there is less weight over it.
Rear hub motors give better traction compared to front hub motors.
Middle motors are best for weight distribution, traction and low incidence of broken spokes.
Don't pay any attention to how basic a bike is, as long as it takes you from A to B in comfort and style.
 

Eglwyseg

Pedelecer
May 25, 2017
33
13
78
Malpas
Mine is a front hub motor and I find the wheel slips sometimes on loose gravel or sandy roads. I told this rarely happens with a rear wheel motor.
 

anotherkiwi

Esteemed Pedelecer
Jan 26, 2015
7,845
5,786
The European Union
If you are a cyclist there is the weight thing, I don't like all that weight in the front wheel and I am not even a "real" cyclist. Rear hub makes the back heavy but you can still chuck the front of the bike around when you need to.
 

Swinman

Pedelecer
Jun 13, 2016
66
11
Leicester
Front motors are easily repaired, most people don't look at the tyres on the bike and consider where they will be using the bike
 

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