Does anyone have any experience of both? Most reviews I can find comparing one to the other are from highly committed cycling enthusiasts with wardrobes full of lycra and as such they always favour the mid drive and scoff at the hub. I did find one comment from a chap who sells them for a living and he stated that hub motors almost never come back but mid drives are regularly back in his shop having new parts fitted, particularly nylon gears (why do they use them?) and one way clutches that release the motor when pedalling without assistance. There's also the extra drivetrain wear from the mid.
I have a hub motor and frankly it makes you lazy. It's too easy to twist the throttle rather than peddle and the assist is based on just rotating the pedals rather that matching any actual effort. I'm considering the Tongsheng mid drive as it's much cheaper than the Bafang and also has a torque sensor so as you add effort it does rather than the Bafang mechanism which adds effort if you merely cycle the pedals rather like my hub motor. I welcome any knowledge on mid drives or comparisons between them and hubs.
I have a hub motor and frankly it makes you lazy. It's too easy to twist the throttle rather than peddle and the assist is based on just rotating the pedals rather that matching any actual effort. I'm considering the Tongsheng mid drive as it's much cheaper than the Bafang and also has a torque sensor so as you add effort it does rather than the Bafang mechanism which adds effort if you merely cycle the pedals rather like my hub motor. I welcome any knowledge on mid drives or comparisons between them and hubs.