A mid-drive sits at the cranks and pushes through the gearing, so its torque gets multiplied: better climbing, better weight balance, faster chain wear. A hub motor sits in the wheel and drives it directly: simpler, cheaper, nearly maintenance-free, weaker on steep grades. Neither is better. They are tuned for different rides.
Motor placement is the most consequential spec on an electric bike and the one buyers skip past fastest. Here is what the two layouts actually change, with examples off our own floor.
The two designs, side by side
| Mid-drive | Hub motor | |
|---|---|---|
| Where it sits | At the cranks or swingarm pivot | Inside the wheel |
| Torque path | Through the gearing, multiplied | Direct to the wheel |
| Climbing | Strong, works at low wheel speed | Fades on steep grades |
| Weight balance | Central and low | At the wheel, unsprung |
| Drivetrain wear | Higher: chain carries motor load | Lower: chain is passenger-only |
| Flat repair | Normal wheel removal | Wheel has a cable and the motor's weight |
| Cost | More | Less |
The Anyland Revs show the mid-drive case perfectly: a 3,000 W motor making 160 N·m at the wheel, because the gearing multiplies it. That is how it climbs with bikes wearing bigger wattage stickers. The tax is chain maintenance, because the chain carries everything.
Which should you buy?
Pick mid-drive if
- You climb real hills, on dirt or with cargo. Torque multiplication is the whole point.
- Handling matters: central mass makes the bike feel lighter than the scale says. It is why serious e-motos and the Heybike Hero's mid-drive option go this route.
- You are fine adding chain checks to your routine.
Pick hub if
- Your riding is flat-to-rolling commuting, where the hub's weaknesses never show up.
- You want minimum maintenance: no added drivetrain load, fewer moving parts.
- Budget decides: hub bikes deliver more watts per dollar, which is why most commuter e-bikes use them.
The Heybike Hero sells in both layouts, a 750 W mid-drive or a 1,000 W rear hub on the same carbon frame, which makes it the cleanest illustration of this whole article: same bike, two characters.
