The motor: the heart of your e-bike… In fact, the motor of your electric bicycle determines the character of your e-bike. Motor technology is of course very important, but the position of the motor is also decisive for the riding behavior of your e-bike.
The most popular motor systems in the market are Bosch and Bafang. These two systems are known for their ease of use and reliability, so it is no surprise that these are also the systems we use for our Brinckers e-bikes.
Bosch is known to most people as a popular brand for household appliances and tools. Thanks to years of experience in technology, they have all the knowledge necessary to market a good e-bike system. The Bosch e-bike system is versatile and delivers good performance: exactly what an e-bike rider wants!
The Bafang brand is slightly less known than Bosch, but is already embraced by many e-bike manufacturers! This system is also used by, among others, Gazelle and Cortina. A nice side effect is that this system has an extremely good price-quality ratio.
Before purchasing a Brinckers e-bike, it is good to consider what you will use the e-bike for. Are you an avid touring cyclist? Then you probably need an e-bike with a large battery capacity and a powerful motor. The engine’s torque is stated in Newton meters (Nm): the more Nm, the more powerful the engine.
For a flat landscape, a tensile force of 25 to 60 Nm is sufficient. If you are looking for a more powerful engine that can also easily climb hills, choose a traction of, for example, 80 Nm.
The position of the motor determines the feel of the bicycle and also the traction. There are three locations where the motor can be found: in the front wheel hub (front wheel motor), near the bottom bracket (mid motor) or in the rear wheel hub (rear wheel motor). At Brinckers we currently only make bicycles with a front wheel motor or a mid motor.
With an electric bicycle with a front wheel motor you have the feeling that you are being pulled forward. E-bikes with a front-wheel motor often have a little less traction than a mid-motor e-bike and are therefore well suited for flat landscape and rides in urban areas. At Brinckers, the Boston and Baxter F7 have a front wheel motor. The advantage of the front-wheel motor is that it is slightly cheaper: for an e-bike with a front-wheel motor you spend considerably less money than for an e-bike with a mid-motor.
With mid-engine electric bikes, it seems like the power is coming from your legs. The engine therefore transfers its power directly to the pedals: this gives a very natural feeling. Because the motor is in the middle of your e-bike, it is very stable (good balance). In general, e-bikes with a mid-engine are a lot more powerful than e-bikes with a front-wheel motor and you can easily climb hills and mountains. At Brinckers, the Granville, Granville Sport, Brisbane and Baxter HM8 have a mid-engine.
Which motor should you choose? We cannot determine that for you! Take a good look at what you will be using the e-bike for and make a lot of test rides on different e-bikes. This way you can really experience what you like to drive.
An electric motor unfortunately makes a little bit of noise, a mid-drive motor makes more noise than a front hub motor and it also differs per brand. But also per person! What is barely audible for one person is a clear sound for the other. It is best to test the bicycles and different engines and listen for yourself if you experience it as disturbing.
