macteacher

Hi all,

I was just wondering if any manufacturer out there has created a front hub electric motor that also contains front hub brakes?

I'm just looking for a slight electric assist. My bike only has hub brakes

Cheers

FMB42

I don't know of any front (or rear) electric bicycle hub motors with drum brakes. Maybe some one else in knows of one...

Meanwhile, can you give us the details on your bicycle? The brand, model, and year would be helpful in determining what can, or can't be done with your bike in regards to converting over to a front brake equipped hub motor setup.

Below are some of the ways in which you can make a front hub motor w/brake conversion:

1. Buy a hub motor kit that is already mounted to a rim brake compatible wheel followed by mounting a front caliper brake to your existing fork (or, if necessary, to an upgraded fork).

2. Buy a disc brake compatible front hub motor followed by buying/mounting a disc brake compatible fork. Another possible option would be to buy a front fork disc brake adapter that fits your existing fork (as a last resort).

Note: You may, or may not, need to change your front handlebar mounted brake lever in either of the above examples (depending on the brake cable size/type and brake lever "ratio").

Scaliboy62

I doubt you could have a front hub motor thats a drum brake too, I had a 1967 harly Electraglide great bike after I converted the brakes to disc that is. If you Google " E-Bike front hub motor disc brake " they come up, best to search " images ".
I personally wouldnt ride an E-Bike without disc brakes in the front anyways..

peSem

Hub motors are dumb enough, not to mention front mounted hub motors. But the worst is when they install both a front and a rear hub motor on a bike, making it AWD. It must be a truly weird feeling having torque on the steered wheel. These guys have built one, but even they put disc brakes on the bike.

turbo1889

Pretty smacky for a newb aren't we? Although I will certainly agree that I prefer a mid-drive or crank-drive set-up that drives through the chain to the rear wheel over a hub motor, I wouldn't go so far as to call hub motors "dumb" especially with a smart mouth tone in my typing. Putting the motor inside the hub of the wheel actually is a pretty smart way to do things if you are satisfied with only having a single gear ratio on the motor drive. Significantly reduces the complexity of the drive system especially with direct drive hub-motors and in so doing dramatically improves the reliability. Not to mention the weight savings of having the motor do double duty as the hub so you only have motor weight not motor weight + hub weight because the motor is the hub. As to front wheel drive, ever hear of a front wheel drive car? Today there are as many or more front wheel drive cars on the road then rear wheel drive and people seem to prefer the handling of a front wheel drive to a rear wheel drive car especially in adverse conditions such as winter roads with snow and ice on them. In addition by the wording you used in your post ("It must be a truly weird feeling . . .") you admit that you are putting down something you haven't even tried yourself !!! How arrogant is that ??? I have ridden a bike with just a front wheel hub motor only and although I admit it takes a little bit of getting used too, especially if it is a large powerful front hub motor once you acclimate to how the front wheel pulls under torque it can actually be an advantage in maneuverability since you can use the front hub motor to power pull yourself through maneuvers.

As to why there are so many front hub motor only set-ups out there. Well, a front hub-motor is the easiest and simplest set-up for the do it yourself-er to throw together in an afternoon in the home garage with minimal skills, tools, and time required.

Also, as to front wheel drive. Have you ever ridden a front wheel drive pedal only bike, usually a semi-recumbent low slung delta trike set-up? Odds are fairly good you did as a young kid, probably even owned one. Ever heard of a "big wheel"? They make full size versions from real metal bike parts some even with multiple speeds using IG hubs and they are darn fast and maneuverable and on flat pavement they can outrun, out-speed, and out-maneuver a conventional two wheel upright rear wheel drive bicycle.