need to hear pros and cons of buying an electric bike with front wheel hub motor

[bersh]

I am considering buying a Prodeco G Mariner 7 folding electric with 38v 9ah battery, 300w motor located in front hub. I have seen comments that this configuration creates shudder/judder. My two (now stolen) previous bikes had rear motors and I liked them.

Please help me to decide since, unfortunately, I won't get to test drive - a mail order deal-no one in san francisco, ca sells this bike....This is a 20 inch wheel bike... there are disc brakes front and back, a thumb activated throttle and no pas system (which is okay with me)...the bike weighs 48 lbs-I do not believe a lighter model with all these features is available on the market....the bersh

 

[NRG]

The mounting position of front or rear should not in itself create 'judder'. Its sometimes caused by the use of sensorless motors and controllers where from start the controller has to detect and work out which way the motor is rotating before it can apply power fully....my Alien does this, theres a small stutter from standstill as it works things out...if I push off using the pedals first it works it out in an instant and there's no stutter.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

The differences between how a bike performs between front and rear motor are small for a manufactured bike. When you convert your own bike, there's some design issues to sort out to do with strength and balance, but I would assume that Prodeco have sorted that.
The only thing that you notice as a rider is that you can hear the motor a bit more, and on very steep hills you can detect a bit of wheel-spin - especially if it's bumpy. This wheel-spin isn't in any way unsafe because the wheel is pulling you - not at all like rear wheel spin, which would be dangerous. The main advantage of the front wheel drive is better weight distribution.

 

[Mike63]

Hi...I recently started a thread similar to this ..."disadvantages of a front wheel hub"

I started it because I wanted a step through and was seriously considering a Kudos Eco.
My first ebike was a Powabyke X6 and this was front wheel drive and I came off it 3 times.
I wasn't seriously hurt on any of the occasions but 3 times was twice too many and I decided that the front wheel drive was the cause so I bought a Wisper.
This brought it's own problems but I never came off it.

With hindsight I feel that the instability was caused when I tried to turn sharply with little or no power, the front wheel went out from under and I finished up on the concrete, fortunately with no serious injury.
If I can expect the samething from any front wheel motor then I must stay clear of front wheel drive.

 

[amigafan2003]

Hi...I recently started a thread similar to this ..."disadvantages of a front wheel hub"

I started it because I wanted a step through and was seriously considering a Kudos Eco.
My first ebike was a Powabyke X6 and this was front wheel drive and I came off it 3 times.
I wasn't seriously hurt on any of the occasions but 3 times was twice too many and I decided that the front wheel drive was the cause so I bought a Wisper.
This brought it's own problems but I never came off it.

With hindsight I feel that the instability was caused when I tried to turn sharply with little or no power, the front wheel went out from under and I finished up on the concrete, fortunately with no serious injury.
If I can expect the samething from any front wheel motor then I must stay clear of front wheel drive.

Maybe the solution is to not turn too sharply?

Stating a bike has handling defficiencies when it's actually the way it's being ridden is like me saying the Westfield has a handling issue because every time I pull out from a junction with the accelerator buried in the carpet I end up going backwards through a hedge.

 

[Scottyf]

If anything it helped my bike out in the handling department. The balance became a bit sharper and easier to lift with the battery on the rear rack.

It also meant I was able to apply 2wd round corners so handled really well. If you push loads of power through to the front it can be an issue in wet weather. But in general low pwer term it acually helped grip.

Bikes naturally have more weight over the rear wheel when you sit down which means the front lifts slightly.

Even worse on a rear motor. So much so that when I ran a rear motor and battery rack it upset the handling so much I moved the battery to inside a backback to take the weight away from the rear unsprung weight.

I personally think for low powered front hubs have slightly more pro's than the rear.
The rear builds should only be for more powerful setups or off road.

 

[Deleted member 4366]

Hi...I recently started a thread similar to this ..."disadvantages of a front wheel hub"

I started it because I wanted a step through and was seriously considering a Kudos Eco.
My first ebike was a Powabyke X6 and this was front wheel drive and I came off it 3 times.
I wasn't seriously hurt on any of the occasions but 3 times was twice too many and I decided that the front wheel drive was the cause so I bought a Wisper.
This brought it's own problems but I never came off it.

With hindsight I feel that the instability was caused when I tried to turn sharply with little or no power, the front wheel went out from under and I finished up on the concrete, fortunately with no serious injury.
If I can expect the samething from any front wheel motor then I must stay clear of front wheel drive.

I suspect that your instability was more to do with steering geometry rather than the motor.

 

[fishingpaul]

I have a front wheel drive ezee torq 2,it has full throttle control from rest it is running at 48v with a 30 amp controller so it is very powerfull,front wheel drive has never been a problem on this bike.

 

[mrpscott]

I have ridden my Wisper 906 Alpino (front wheel motor) for over a year - recreational riding covering c.2500 miles - and have had no falling off problems. In fact I have had no problems at all!!