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+--- Thread: Mid-drive ebike and drivetrain (/showthread.php?tid=145)
Mid-drive ebike and drivetrain - buzzbug - November 11, 2025
Hello! Another question from a newbie. I'm contrasting hub motor to mid drive. Does the drivetrain components such as derailleur, crankset, cassette wear quicker as all the power goes through the chain? can it handle it? Are some bikes better than others with the drivetrain components? Is there any Wattage power threshold that makes this difference? For example, would 500W mid drive motor be more wear and tear on the chain comparing to 250W? The bike has to take my leg power + additional power from mid drive motor so that is why I am wondering.
RE: Mid-drive ebike and drivetrain - galaxymorph - December 7, 2025
With a mid-drive all of the motor power plus your leg power goes through the chain, cassette, chainring, and derailleur, so compared to a hub motor those parts do wear faster, but it's generally well within what a properly specced drivetrain can handle.
Just stick to known brands for the drive train, example: Shimano
Wattage does matter, but torque and how you ride mattesr more. For example a 500W mid-drive will typically cause more wear than a 250W unit, especially in low gears and on climbs, because the chain sees higher sustained torque, yet the difference isn't extreme if you shift properly and keep cadence up.
Remember that strong riders can already put hundreds of watts through a chain, so a 250–500W mid-drive isn't doing anything fundamentally crazy, it's just doing it more often and for longer. Smooth shifting, backing off power during gear changes, and regular chain replacement go a long way, and in practice most mid-drive owners simply accept chains and cassettes as routine wear items rather than a deal-breaker.