Folding E-bikes, crank or hub?

Might your difficulty be finding a folding bike with a crank motor in your price range. Here is one but way over your price. They don't seem to be as numerous as hub motors. Like many things it depends on the use you put them to. Having purchased a folding electric bike for both of us I now wish I had thought more carefully about a full sized bike. However the reality is that we don't really use them enough to change now so it is important as you mention to try and get it right.

David

Where crank drives can come into their own is for use in hilly terrain.

This is because unlike a hub drive, the crank to wheel gearing ratios apply both to the torque from the electric motor and from the rider.

The hub motor has a torque generating ability, a maximum value. Whilst the bike might have gears these only apply to the riders contribution, the gears contribute nothing to increasing the hubs torque ability.

So, what best suits is really down to the terrain you need them for.

Typically hub motors give a cheaper option than crank drives, so if on a budget and use on undemanding roads then a hub unit is the more logical choice. IMO a rear rather than a front hub will be a more "rewarding" ride.

Try Raleigh Stow-eway bikes. Remember you get a 10% discount if a CMC member (see offers). They were about £1100 but the discount will bring them in under £1000. We don't have them but have recently done some research on them and decided that the type of cycling we do to go for full size bikes. I think the Raleigh ones were hub driven.

Thank you all for taking time and trouble to reply. As you said DavidKlyne, the bike you gave a link to is way out of our price limit (and sold out!) we have gone for the Raleigh Stow -e-ways through the caravan club and got the discount, and, going on to the Raleigh website we got another £100 per bike worth of accessories and a free helmet each and free servicing for twelve months and, should you wish it up to 24months interest free credit. We liked the ride and it is rear wheel hub driven. 

just as a footnote, i am also looking to replace OH's bike (6 yrs old, a bit short of range and power by latest stds, but over 12000km completed) and found that the Ride to Work scheme has been updated.

there is no voucher limit of £1000 now and quoted savings for low rate tax payers is 32% and for higher rate, 42%.

when we have found the right bike, our son will buy it for us via his salary and we will repay him monthly.

a really significant saving and interest free over 24mths as well.....oh, and £150 to spend on accessories IIRC...

BB, isn’t that cheating a system that is in place for workers or am I misreading it?🤔. A benefit that is being cheated-surely not😢