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Motor Theory

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Power Assisted Bikes fall into two large categories, purpose built and kits added to standard bikes.

Approximately 99% of bikes use a hub motor drive (explained below) and do not connect the motor through the gears.

Electric motors offer a number of advantages over their counterpart; the petrol motor.

  • Advantages

  • Quiet

  • Non-Polluting

  • When stationary motor is off.

  • When not in use is stopped.

  • Virtually maintenance free.

  • Can be serviced by normal bike shop.

  • Disadvantages

  • Needs a charger wherever a charge is needed.

  • Travels less distance than petrol (1 litre), typically 40-50km.

 

Connection to Bike

Gear Drive Motor.

This option is at the moment the least available option as design requirements to utilise gears can be complicated. This is were Power Assisted Bikes need to head. Two versions exist, drive through rear gear only and the eLation System that drives through BOTH the front and rear gears on the bike.

  • Advantages

  • Variable geared Drive so good take off and hill climbing.

  • Major increase in Torque over direct drive.

  • Motor also drives through gears available on the bike.

  • Only change to bike is to add special Alloy Cranks.

  • Improved use of 200W power limited by law.

  • Disadvantages

  • More complicated initial installation and design

Hub Drive Motor.

This device has the motor located in the hub of the bike wheel. These are electric driven only.

  • Advantages

  •  They are the most common option available at the moment.

  • Disadvantages

  • Direct Drive, so poor Torque for take off and hills.

  • Be careful if you decide to purchase a complete wheel and not just the hub. Most people have good quality wheels on their bikes. Even the cheaper K-Mart specials can have stainless steel spokes. The majority of hub motor wheels DO NOT use quality spokes and so the owner is left "down-grading" one of their bikes wheels.

  • Hub motors are available for both front and rear wheels. Rear wheel version are most expensive. However front wheel version have a bad tendency to slide out from under the bike in the wet or on dirt/gravel if power is not applied correctly of with the right timing.

  • Generally only available for 26" bikes.

 

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Last modified: 08/27/08