Which gear type is best for you?
The type of gears on your bike influences your riding experience. Each gear system has its own characteristics and handles a little differently. The perfect gear setup for you depends on your regular ride and personal preference. So, what types of gears are available and how do they affect your bike? Read on to find out!
What type of bike gears are there?
There are three different gears for ebikes
Hub gear
Stepless hub gear
Derailleur gear
The type of gear affects the riding behavior, maintenance and energy consumption of an ebike.
eBike with hub gear
The most popular gear system for bikes is the hub gear. This is an internally geared system contained within the hub of your rear wheel. As a result, almost no maintenance is required. On a Gazelle, this type of hub is equipped with 5, 7, or 8 speeds. With an internally geared hub, it's best to briefly pause your pedaling when shifting gears. One of the significant benefits of an internally geared hub is that you're able to shift gears even while fully stopped.
What are the advantages of a hub gear?
Little maintenance required
No visible gears
You can also shift gears when the bicycle is stationary
Can be combined with a closed and open chain guard
Options available with a chain or the Gates Carbon Belt Drive
What are the disadvantages of a hub gear?
Difficult to maintain yourself
The hub is relatively heavy
You cannot shift gears while pedaling
eBike with stepless gear (Enviolio 380)
Silent and stepless shifting sounds pretty magical. But how does it work? With the stepless gear, also known as a CVT (continuously variable transmission) hub, you have a range you can shift through instead of a fixed number of gears. The adjustment options, or speeds, are virtually infinite with this system. You determine the level of pedaling resistance via the rotary control on the handlebars. This allows you to accelerate very gradually and intuitively.
What are the advantages of a stepless gear?
Expansive 380% ratio range
maintenance required
No visible gears
Stepless and smooth shifting
Completely silent shifting
Always paired with the extremely durable Gates Carbon Belt Drive
What are the disadvantages of a stepless gear?
You need to pause your pedaling when shifting
The hub is relatively heavy
Slightly less efficient than a traditional chain and derailleur
eBike with derailleur gear
A derailleur gear and chain setup is a classic option for many bikes both regular and electric. Because of the different gears, a large number of speeds are available. The bicycle chain cycles through the sprockets as you change gears via the switching mechanism at your handlebars. The gears are mounted on the rear wheel and connect to the pedals via a chain. This type of gear is often seen on sporty electric bicycles, due to the low weight. Our ebikes with this style offer 9, 10, and 11 speed derailleur gears.
What are the benefits of a derailleur gear?
Familiar gear shifting similar to a regular bike.
Lighter in weight
Well suited to hilly environments
You can perform the necessary maintenance yourself
What are the disadvantages of a derailleur gear?
Requires regular cleaning and lubrication
The system should be regularly tuned
Shifting is not possible when the bike is stationary
Usually paired with an open chain guard (except on the Arroyo C7 and C8)
How many gears do I need on my ebike?
How many gears or speeds you need on your ebike depends on what your regular ride will look like. Do you often ride in the city and need to accelerate quickly from a standstill? Then a large number of gears can be useful. The lighter you can set the gear, the easier it is for you to cycle away and the less energy you will use from the battery. Do you ride longer distances without significant gradients? In this case, less speeds may serve your needs just as well.
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