How to Choose between a Front Wheel or Rear Wheel Installation
Front Wheel
General Advantages
· Simple and quick installation
· Easy for people with little bike experience to install and remove the kit.
· Gives balance to a converted bicycle for those opting with a rack mounted SLA battery (heavy back and balance it off with front wheel).
General Disadvantages
· You may need to file away paint on your front forks so the motor fits in properly
· This type of installation is not recommended for bicycles with front shocks due to the possibility of fork failure.
· Unstable riding (eg: mountain biking, jumps, etc.) with a front wheel installation will almost certainly cause fork failure.
For those looking to perform the installation themselves, this is the easier route to converting your bicycle over to electric. Installation is simply detaching your front wheel off your bicycle and transferring your tire and tube to the conversion kit hub. Barring any problems that may arise out getting the motor to fit properly in the forks, this type of installation is easiest to get done by yourself since you avoid the more complicated parts associated with the rear wheel. People using this type of installation in conjunction with a rear rack mounted SLA battery balances out the weight placed in the front wheel and the back.
The real problem arises in a front wheel installation the motor does not fit properly. This is commonly caused by two things:
- Attempting to mount the motor into a fork smaller then the motor
Depending on the alloy of your bicycle fork, you may be able open the forks slightly to allow the motor to fit. Steel has slight flexibility while aluminum has almost none. This bending should NEVER be attempted on a fork with shocks. This is why front-shock forks are not recommended on front wheel conversions. Please check the pre-requirements before the installation (100mm or 3.75” between drop out, some model may vary).
- Powder coat paint
While this protects your bicycle from rust, it adds about 0.5 – 1 mm to the inside of the forks. Since the motor requires a precise fitting into the fork to be mounted properly, you may need to file away paint in order fit the motor properly. DO NOT over file the axle as it may cause two issues:
(a) Over filing does not allow the motor to fit snugly, raising the chance of the motor breaking loose and spinning in the fork. This could damage your forks and severs the connecting wires of your motor.
(b) Filing may generate a lot of heat, and if this heat created is hot enough it may cause metal fatigue resulting in fork breakage as well.
The axle of the motor is rectangular and must slide all the way into your fork to be properly mounted onto the bicycle. Once that is completed, you will need to see if the kit’s washers properly fit your bicycle. The washer MUST be flush to the fork otherwise instead of working with the nut to hold your motor into place; it acts as a lever pressuring the metal in your fork until it snaps.
Important points to consider if you are planning a front wheel installation
Does your bicycle have front shocks?
Does the front fork have a quick release?
Does your fender attach directly to your axle?
Do you have front disc brakes?
Rear Wheel
General Advantages
· Those looking to retain the quick release on their front wheel retain the ability to take their front wheel with them.
· Some people that wish to hide their motor generally place it in the rear wheel.
· The bicycle is a bit easier to turn in comparison to the front wheel conversion since the weight is concentrated in the back.
· You do not have to grind away any paint to get the motor to fit properly.
General Disadvantages
· If you have a cassette rather than a freewheel you will have to replace your cassette.
· Those using this type of conversion with a rear mounted SLA battery may find their bicycle difficult to control due to the extra weight.
A rear wheel conversion requires a bit more technical expertise, but runs into far fewer problems. It does not have problems with grinding or bending and hunting around for the correct washers. The only real disadvantage is that those opting for the SLA batteries have a large portion of their weight centered behind them on their bicycle. This is easily solved with using a lighter battery. This route is for individuals either have to have a fair amount of knowledge of bicycle mechanics or will have someone else performing the installation for them.
Important points to consider if you are planning a rear wheel installation:
Do I have a cassette or freewheel set of gears?
Do I have rear disc brakes? And do I intend to keep them?
Does my fender attach directly to my rear axle?
Similarities between both conversions
Though the installation process differs between the front and rear kits many of the core properties of the motor are identical. Both the speed and torque for each type of installation is the same. Also the weight of the motors and batteries are no different. The main difference is the distribution of the weight on relation to the bike. Both kits have the batteries mounted in the rear. The front motor would be more balanced having added weight in the front and back while the rear motors would have all the weight concentrated in the back.
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