Which rolls better without power? Geared hub or direct drive?

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MotorBicycleRacing

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Jul 28, 2010
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Re: Which rolls better without power? Geared hub or direct drive?

Given the same voltage and wattage, does one hub generally roll better while NOT UNDER POWER?

Thanks in advance for any info.
Geared hub motors roll nice with no perceptable drag.

Direct drive can do regen braking but I hear they have drag, only
ridden one briefly.

PS: it's annoying putting part of your question as the post subject. ;)
 

Nashville Kat

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Apr 20, 2009
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Thanks for the answer- that concept seemed to be most implied, but you know advertisers: vague and unconcerned with details we worry over

and sorry about the title- I try to be specific and pertinent so you can decide if you want to read it.....

Th
 
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kevyleven007

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Sep 25, 2008
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geared hub motors are lighter and freewheel so its the most like a regular bike. Some direct drive motors freewheel better than others. That was one of the big selling features of brushless hub motors over brushed. You tend to not notice any drag unless your going pretty fast so mainly its just the extra weight your pushing that you notice. I'm sure it probably depends on the controller and bearings too.
 

KCvale

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I don't care much for hub drives, if the bike has gears, let a mid mount motor use them.



The back 3-speed hub free-wheels, the pedal crank arms freewheel, and the motors drive sprocket free-wheels.

You can pedal with the motor off with no drag using gears, and pedal with no drag with motor power and gears, or not pedal at all and cruise ~34mph with the 24" tires and gears.

I love the SBP system, http://sickbikeparts.com/electric-shift-kits-e-products/
Used it a lot.
If you want to see the 13 other of my center mount E-shifting builds go here http://kcsbikes.com/KCsBuilds.asp?motor=Electric&shifter=Yes

Sure it's more difficult to do, but the reward in the end is worth it :-}
 
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kevyleven007

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Would that geared system work on a modern 8 or 9 speed cassete? What about a 10 or 11 speed? Think of what you could do with one of those on a real bike!
 

KCvale

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Would that geared system work on a modern 8 or 9 speed cassete?
What about a 10 or 11 speed?
Think of what you could do with one of those on a real bike!
More gears doesn't make you faster.
The bikes you are talking about for the tour de france have only human power going up hill.
They need a lot close gear breaks.

With a motor you have superman legs.
an internal 3 or 5 work best.

Sure you can put a motor on a bike with a lot of gears, but gas or electric, the first thing to go is the front derailleur.



After that it is pretty much rear shifting to the even numbered gears skipping every other gear.

There is an art to shifting with a carousal, it's mindless with an internal hub.
 
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