Electric bicycle: What gears are there?

If you are going to buy an electric bicycle, you probably have the hub gear on your bicycle. With a hub gear you are in the right place in the Netherlands. Do you go up a lot of steep slopes? Then the hub gear is not sufficient.

In this article you can read which gears there are for an e-bike.

What gears are there?

An electric bicycle has two systems when it comes to gears: the hub gear and the derailleur.

The hub gear: what are the pros and cons?

With the hub gear you have packed all the sprockets in the hub of your rear wheel. This means there is little chance of wear and tear. You can also downshift with the hub gear when stationary, for example if you have to stop at a traffic light.

The biggest disadvantage of a hub gear is that you can only work in the Netherlands. When going up a slope, even your lightest gear is too heavy. If you still want a hub gear and you are going up slopes, then it is useful to purchase the NuVinci hub (enviolo). This is a stepless gear hub.

The hub gear: why is a direct drive important?

A hub gear has a system of gears. With this system it is possible to have different gears on your bike. The more gears a bicycle has, the harder you have to pedal. The cause of this is that you have to drive all the gears and this takes power.

The most efficient gear on your bike is called the direct drive. If you put your bike in direct drive gear, you get the most out of your battery. Tip: are you going to try out an electric bicycle? Then put your bike in the direct drive gear!

Gazelle Ultimate C8 Plus HMB 2021

Are you looking for an electric bicycle with hub gear? The 2021 Gazelle Ultimate C8 Plus HMB is a sporty electric bicycle with 8 gears. The mid-engine of the Bosch Active Line Plus mid-motor is completely silent and can achieve a range of 80 to 150 kilometers.

Derailleur gear: what are the pros and cons?

Does your electric bicycle have a derailleur gear? Then you have sprockets at your rear wheel and a sprocket at your front wheel. You can easily combine the derailleur system with a mid-mounted motor, front-wheel motor and rear-wheel motor. Ideal if you go cycling in the mountains. You also get further with a full battery because there is less resistance.

Despite the fact that this system is very efficient, there is more chance of wear and tear. This is because your sprockets and chains are exposed to the weather, wind and dirt along the way.

single speed

Actually, if you only cycle within the Netherlands, you don’t need gears. Especially not if you always cycle at a constant speed. You call an (electric) bicycle without gears, a single speed model. Yet the range of electric bicycles without a gear is very small. You often only see hipster bikes with the single speed models.

Does your electric bicycle have no gear at all? Then your bike is lighter and cheaper. This is because there is little that can break, plus your drive is many times more efficient. Would you like to know more about the costs of an electric bicycle? Read more in the article ‘What does an electric bicycle cost?’

Are you going for a drive with a chain or belt?

Does your electric bicycle have a hub gear? Then you can choose from a chain or a toothed belt. The toothed belt in particular has many advantages: the toothed belt does not stretch and no lubrication is required. However, there is also an important disadvantage: will something break? Then the parts are many times more expensive than with a chain.

Does your electric bicycle have a derailleur gear? Then you don’t have a closed chain guard. Keep your drivetrain clean by installing a front fender. This way, less dirt splashes against your pants and drive.

How do you control your gear?

If you have a derailleur gear, you almost always control it via a thumb switch. Does your bike have a hub gear? Then you operate it by means of a rotary switch. In general, turning is heavier. Especially when the weather is bad and there is a lot of rain, the cable no longer runs smoothly.

Did you know that with a hub gear you can also choose to have a thumb switch installed? Prefer to switch completely light? This is possible with electronic control. The enviolo is only available with a rotary switch.