Originally Posted by
alloo
Everyone here states that hub drives can't do hills. Hub drives can climb hills like all bikes but you have to work. Also if you get a class 2 bike, you still have a throttle to back you up if your chain breaks. I like belt drives but all bikes are going up in price. How far are you riding? Where is the majority of your ride? Is this your first ebike? Have you checked with the company that the bike can handle 270 lbs? Good luck with your search.
I didn't state that "hub drives can't do hills". I said that I believed the mid-drive BBS02 system, with 120Nm max torque running through the gears and the motor also taking advantage of me downshifting for the hill, would be more capable climbing hills than an 80Nm torque hub drive system. Are you saying that's false? Not only does it make intuitive sense, I've seen 3rd party testing videos that seem to bear out what everyone says. I also notice that virtually all the more expensive bikes have mid-drive motors, so I think there must be something to the claimed advantages. Changing a rear tire on a hub drive bike is said to be a PITA too. I do understand that hub drives (a) are less likely to break a chain since the motor power doesn't go through the chain and (b) if you somehow break the chain anyway, the motor can still push the bike, and these are advantages. They're also far cheaper, which is another advantage.
I take your point that re hill-climbing, what the bike can't do, the rider can. But besides my weight, I have some knee issues, and have been under the care of an orthopedist and a physical therapist for an ankle injury for 6+ months now. So I am not counting on powering my way up hills on my own.
Rides will mostly be 15-30 miles. Mostly on paved roads, but some mild trails, and we have a gravel road at a nearby national wildlife refuge that has wicked "washboards" for miles - it's fine in a car, but on a bike that can be torture - which is why I at least want a coil spring fork.
The Dost is rated for 300lb, the Ride1Up 700 for 275lb and the Aventon Level for 250lb. Yes, this will be my first e-bike.