If you’re shopping for an electric bike, you’ve probably noticed that there are two main types of motors: mid-drive and rear-hub motors. 

The difference between them isn’t just about where the motor is located—it matters for how the bike rides, too. We’ll explain how each of them works as well as the advantages and disadvantages of each style.

A mid-drive ebike has its motor mounted in between the pedals and the crankset, which helps to drive the chain back and forth from a centralized position. 

Mid-drive bikes will have a lower center of gravity allowing them to handle well at higher speeds.

Our mid-drive options have extremely responsive dual sensors: speed & cadence, which provide precise pedal-assist power to control how fast or far you go, allowing you to be in tune with the bike.

Rear-hub motors are more traditionally found where the motor is mounted at the rear wheel hub as opposed to being mounted between the pedals. Because of this, there’s a large variety of bikes to choose from, ranging from leisure bikes to high-speed options. 

Additionally, rear-hub motors are generally less expensive and do not provide as much torque as opposed to their mid-drive counterparts.

Mid-drive electric bikes are more powerful and provide more torque than rear hub motors. With upwards of 1000W of power, they make for great options for people who want a fast ride with lots of torque and speed.

Choose mid-drive options if you want to climb hills with little to no effort where the high-torque takes on all the hard work for you. 

If you want a bike that will withstand harsh conditions, then a mid-drive is your best bet, especially if you're interested in mountain biking or off-roading with your electric bike!

On the downside, mid-drive motors output an insane amount of power, which can increase wear and tear to your chain, cassettes, and other hardware if starting off in a higher gear. 

For this reason, we’ve carefully paired our mid-drive models with hardware that can withstand extreme riding however, users should always be cautious in all types of terrain when riding a mid-drive electric bike. 

They take practice and skill when coming from a traditional ebike, almost akin to driving a manual car after driving an automatic.