Assuming motor assist is off: Which creates more drag, mid drive or hub drive?

Posted by helios1234@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 23 comments

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jim914@reddit

I’ll say the only bad thing about choosing a hub drive for my conversion is that when you loose power it’s a bear to pedal a hub but I haven’t been on a mid drive when the battery dies so I can’t speak from experience. Nicest part about using hub drive is I have zero start ability so if i want to I can just use throttle all the time especially in city commute. I didn’t do the mid drive because of clearance with all the really bad potholes in Chicago a bike shop told me more of their warranty claims get refused because of damage on the housing.

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paodin@reddit

I ride a Bosch SX gravel bike, can't feel any drag at all, rides like my old gravel bike just heavier when motor is off.

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Matter-Pitiful@reddit

My Specialized mid drive is like riding a real bike when turned off. My Aventon hub drive feels like you are pulling a giant parachute

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da4@reddit

My Lectric 750 is a great workout ride when in PAS 0 for this exact reason.

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Aquila_44@reddit

My Shimano EP801 mid-drive has absolutely no drag when the assist is off. It was not the case with my former Bafang hub drive.

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MaxTrixLe@reddit

Direct drive hubs have a good amount of roll resistance

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Overall-Abrocoma8256@reddit

My Specialized Turbo Levo mid drive motor has next to no drag when off. I would assume it has its own ratchet or sprang clutch, or some kind of disengagement mechanism.

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pioneeraa@reddit

Same with Specialized Creo 2. I can’t detect any drag with motor off.

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Late-Stage-Dad@reddit

Same with my BBSHD. The only added resistance is the weight of the battery and motor on the tires.

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BigBlock-488@reddit

Same for the BBS02

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Fit-Macaroon5559@reddit

I have a mid drive no resistance at all just feels heavier without the pedal assist!

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Ro-54@reddit

if same for same then its mid drive.Th

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Bikermec@reddit

After riding for miles with dead battery on a geared rear hub motor, it SUCKS ASS! I doubt mid drives could be any worse.

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stormdelta@reddit

Direct hub drive. It's just the nature of how the motor works, it's always "connected" to the motion of the vehicle.

This has the advantage of allowing for regen/motor braking though, and on higher end setups you can do "virtual" freewheeling to help eliminate the drag by applying very small amounts of power to the motor (5-20 watts). My Phaserunner controller has this option for example.

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nobullshitebrewing@reddit

my ride1up hub actively fights you when there is no power to it. it will gradually "clamp down" more and more until you can barely peddle at all. But turn the system on with 0 assist and it peddles fine.

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spheres_r_hot@reddit

if your pedalling its about the same

if coasting its the hub

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sissypinkjasper@reddit

My guess would be hub drive because it likely to significantly weigh more

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Atty_for_hire@reddit

This would be my guess to. I only have a hub drive. But the drag from when it’s off is noticeable.

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Hungry_Orange666@reddit

Mid drives create more aerodynamic drag, especially add on middrives that stick under BB.

Geared hubs have don't add any measurable drag, upowred bike with geared hub wheel is as fast as with regular wheel, just 2-4kg heavier.

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japakapalapa@reddit

My rear hub motor with torque sensor (FSA System HM 1.0) is virtually friction-free when it disengages, none of that sensation of braking when it stops assisting. As the ebike rolls great and is light at around 15kg it makes riding a pleasant experience even when the motor is not assisting.

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Rattlingplates@reddit

No power is no power. Will be the same drag basically. Only difference really is if your chain breaks hub will get you home.

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CollateralDmg15Dec21@reddit

My Gazelle(Bosch) mid drive , Giant(Yamaha) mid drive and Cycle photon mid drives have extremely little drag without assist.

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abagofcells@reddit

I would say least to most is geared hub motor, mid drive motor and direct drive hub motor. Maybe the first two are on par, but at lower speed I notice the drag more on my Bafang mid drive than my various geared hub motors, maybe because it doesn't get the help from the rotational force in the wheel to overcome it.