Converting hub motor to mid drive?
Posted by PubicPlant@reddit | ebikes | View on Reddit | 18 comments
Two years ago I got a 100w hub motor kit, but I really need disk brakes and the hub motor doesn't have mounting points for a disk. Instead of buying a new motor and trashing the hub motor, I was thinking of taking apart the hub motor and trying to mount it as a mid drive.
Has anyone done this before? How difficult is this conversion going to be?
Fantastic_Key_8906@reddit
Its basically impossible. You would do better in just buying a defective e-bike that already has disc brakes and then reparing it with the electrical components you have.
Dmanthirtyseven@reddit
Hub as mid used to be a thing. Many variants of attaching a sprocket to the motor and mounting it somewhere in the frame along with reduction gearing to drive a freewheel crank set. Some great builds resulted, but the cost of fabrication and trial and error would put you above the cost of just getting a modern mid drive kit. If you are interested check out the non-hub ebike forums at endless-sphere.com
IndividualActive786@reddit
Using a hub-motor as a mid-drive used to more popular than it is now, probably because actual mid-drives have been improving and becoming more plentiful.
There a several build-threads on this topic at endless-sphere.com
IndividualActive786@reddit
PubicPlant@reddit (OP)
Oh sweet I appreciate it!
godver3@reddit
You want to mount the hub motor as a mid drive? This is likely impossible.
PubicPlant@reddit (OP)
Yeah I’m planning to take it apart but was wondering what the motor mounts were like on the motor inside the hub, but you’re probably right
Rogue_Wraith@reddit
Does your bike frame have mounting points for disk brakes?
PubicPlant@reddit (OP)
Yes, but I’m getting a new bike frame either way. When I installed the rear wheel it was so wide it bent the frame and it rides like shit at high speeds
Rogue_Wraith@reddit
Why not just buy an ebike?
PubicPlant@reddit (OP)
Because it is a fraction of the cost to do it yourself and you can get far more power than what is typically sold
Rogue_Wraith@reddit
But you've already damaged one frame trying to do this yourself, don't have the correct motor for what your trying to do, and are already committed to replacing the frame and wheels - which is going to trickle down into a combination of a lot of work and a lot of money replacing other parts...
...sometimes just buying off the shelf saves significant time and money.
Informal_Arachnid_84@reddit
Apologies this isn't the answer to your actual question, but would it be viable to instead install a rotor? You can get replacement motor/hub plates for not a lot of money. (Image is an example, it may not be the type required - and you may have to do some measuring).
PubicPlant@reddit (OP)
This is a great idea. I’ll look into it
PsychologicalRole636@reddit
I wouldn't convert. Motor Gearing and the mounting of the motor would be an issue Save up and buy an off the shelf mid drive bike or decent mid drive kit . I have ridden both hub (coversion kit) and mid drive bikes (factory built ) . The mid drive is smoother with more torque on the climbs as the gears help . the hub drive is ok on the flat and a slightly higher top speed but struggles on the climbs.good branded Factory built bikes are much safer as designed for purpose
PsychologicalRole636@reddit
Do you mean 1000 watts and not a hundred? 100 watts wouldn't make much difference probably better with a standard cycle (less weight)
DuckAxe0@reddit
You would do better to sell your 100w hub motor kit and buy the kit you want. Attempting to convert your hub motor would likely result in less-than-desirable operation at best or complete failure at worst.
O2C@reddit
It's effectively not possible to do what you're trying to do. You're better off modifying your existing setup to take disc brakes or starting over from scratch.