Hub motor or Crank driven.
Which one for a getting on a bit bloke?
Already decided on a step thru.
My limited experience is with a rear hub motor, hub motors just work.
Mid drive motors require you to use the bikes gears. (which you should be doing anyway..)
Due to driving the bike via the gears a mid drive can climb steeper hills, and theoretically reach faster speeds dictated by the gears on your bike. but if complying with the 15mph speed limit thats moot.
And as a consequence a mid drive motor may wear your chain quicker.
If anything goes wrong a mid drive has an internal controller, A hub drive kit is generally more modular, So in cases where repair/fix is required a hub motor set up may be easier and cheaper to fault find and fix?
As said I went hub, its got the oomph required to push me up the hills round here.
2 factors i didnt consider regarding the donor/base bike for a conversion.
1) Brakes, disk brakes are superior especially if interested in faster speeds. V brakes work but will wear out quicker. and even wear the wheel rim!!!
2) Suspension, without any suspension road conditions may limit the speed at which you can travel safely, what good is the ability to ride @ 15mph if @12mph your bouncing all over the place and loosing control?