Motors matter: ride your e-Bike with feeling

The major differences between different models of e-Bike, apart from the battery size, is the position of the assist motor and the type of peddle sensor fitted. 

Models that have a mid-drive motor or a torque sensor (detecting peddle rotation) make the feel of riding a mid-drive e-bike more like a traditional bicycle. That is, the more pressure you apply to the peddles, the more assistance the motor will provide depending on the setting you have selected on the controller.  

While the hub-drive with a cadence sensor (peddle rotation speed) gives you full power to the drive wheel when you peddle forward, depending on the setting you have selected on the controller, and gives more a of pushing feel to the ride. Higher-end hub-drive e-Bikes can also be fitted with a torque sensor (measuring peddle rotation pressure) which will give you the feel of riding the e-bike more like a traditional bicycle. 

The rider's purpose, fitness, and personal preferences will determine which type of e-bike to purchase.

Summary of differences are: 

Mid-drives

• generally cost more to purchase for the same features on the bicycle
• provide more torque to the wheel, useful for hilly areas
• uses the battery-stored energy a little bit more efficiently than a hub-drive model, typically 10% further distance on the same size battery
• have high maintenance costs due to extra drive chain wear and tear from the extra torque working through the chain and gear cluster
• torque sensors detect pressure on the peddle arms controlling the motor output, making the feel of riding a mid-drive e-bike more like a traditional bicycle. That is, the more pressure you apply to the peddles, the more assistance the motor with provide depending on the setting you have selected on the controller
• cost more to replace than a hub-drive motor if damaged

Hub-drives 

• generally cost less than a mid-drive to purchase for the same features on the bike
• provide sufficient torque to the wheel for most people's use, including MTB'ing 
• uses battery-storage energy at about 8w per km or, to put it another way, a 415W battery has about a 50km range
• have lower maintenance costs than Mid-drive models as the torque is applied directly to the wheel through the hub 
• can be fitted with either a Cadence (most common) or Torque (higher-end models) rotation sensor
• fitted with a cadence sensor for peddle rotation gives you full power to the drive wheel when you peddle forward, depending on the setting you have selected on the controller, and gives more an of pushing feel to the ride
• fitted with torque sensors detecting pressure on the peddle arms controls the motor output, making the feel of riding a mid-drive e-bike more like a traditional bicycle. That is, the more pressure you apply to the peddles, the more assistance the motor will provide depending on the setting you have selected on the controller
• cost less to replace than a mid-drive motor if damaged