How enclosed e-bike gear hubs work and are cared for
What's inside an e-bike gear hub
Hub Gear Notes explains how an internal gear hub works inside the rear wheel. It compares hub gears with derailleurs, looks at how they pair with a motor, and points to what makers' manuals say about shifting, oil and adjustment.
All the hub notes
- What Is an Internal Gear Hub?What sits inside the rear hub of a gear-hub bike, how it changes gears without a visible derailleur, and what to check before you buy one.
- Hub Gears Versus Derailleur Gears: The Mechanical DifferencesHow shifting, gear spacing, chain path and exposure to dirt differ between an internal gear hub and a derailleur system.
- How Planetary Gearing Works Inside a HubHow a sealed hub gets several gear ratios from sun, planet and ring gears, with no chain movement at all.
- Hub Gears With a Mid-Drive MotorWhether a mid-drive e-bike motor and an internal gear hub can work together, and what makers and Wikipedia say about the pairing.
- Shifting a Hub Gear on an E-Bike: What the Sources SayWhat a maker page and Wikipedia say about hub gear shifters and about changing gear under pedal pressure. Follow your own hub and motor manuals.
- Gear Ratio Range ExplainedWhat gear range and the number of speeds on a hub mean in plain terms, with figures published for a few hubs.
- Hub Gear Oil and Service IntervalsWhether a sealed gear hub needs oil or servicing, and what a maker's page and Wikipedia say about oil changes and wear checks.
- Shifter Cables and Adjustment MarksWhat the cable, indexing and alignment features on a hub gear are, and why makers send you to their manual for setup.