# Do I need a front derailleur?



## tubbyonce (May 20, 2005)

I'm wanting to add an e-bike to my collection of toys. I've been searching but unable to locate an answer to my question. Do I need a front derailleur ? I'm sure it would be nice to have, but lots of the bikes I'm looking at only have a rear derailleur. What say you?


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## matt4x4 (Dec 21, 2013)

tubbyonce said:


> I'm wanting to add an e-bike to my collection of toys. I've been searching but unable to locate an answer to my question. Do I need a front derailleur ? I'm sure it would be nice to have, but lots of the bikes I'm looking at only have a rear derailleur. What say you?


What exactly do you want because an ebike has a variety of options. Like buying a BBSHD/Cyclone mid drive kit and adding it to your existing bicycle. Buying a hub motor kit, whether it be rear or front hub, whether it be geared or direct drive hub. Or buying a complete ebike, but even then there are too many options, again with the Mid Drive, or the Bafang hub motors that the LBS stores offer, or other offerings from aliexpress or ebay or alibaba or Luna Cycle in California.

You only really need 4 or 5 gears, so a 1x7 is plenty, unless you got steep hills and you actually want to pedal hard, and say you only got a wimpy 250W (UK) power levels, then a 2x or 3x with a 22/xx/xx front setup is nice to have, depending on the power levels you wish to have and the weight the bike is handling. If you want little to no assist, and lots of power (750W power levels, USA) using primarily power, then you could use a 1 speed (1x1) and you'd be fine. If you want minimal assist but pedal hard, then you need more gears. 750W or 1000W is plenty for the average biker, but there are people out there that use more power then that, riding courteously and got the juice for the hills or cargo. Rickshaws and Pedicabs and cargo bikes carrying large weight, need more power.

To answer your question, it depends. 1x(7+) speeds is fine for the majority of average people, unless you have hills and low power, then a 3x7+ is good for that 22T gear for hill climbing.


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## RickBullottaPA (Mar 4, 2015)

No.


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## mlx john (Mar 22, 2010)

^
What he said.


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## ziscwg (May 18, 2007)

you dont need a front derailleur. You cant even put one on most bikes. It would add a level of complexity you don't need. a wide range cassette (shimano 10-51) is all you need. The shimano's are rated for ebikes and have good gear steps

the only bike I have seen with a FD was a Bull bikes a few yrs back


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## tubbyonce (May 20, 2005)

Thanks for the input.


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## rangeriderdave (Aug 29, 2008)

One of my friends uses the power mode button as a front derailleur.


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