There are few ebikes as thrilling to ride as those that feature a big rear hub motor. That being said, the LGXSHOP 20 inch 48V 1500W front hub kit converts a small wheel bicycle into an electric bike quickly and easily. However, the mass of that motor is positioned directly over the steering axis, and therefore causes a significant handling issue.
The fat tire is a partial counterweight to that mass, but it does not completely eliminate the physics problem. We recommend you check it out through our affiliate link prior to going into detail on the pros and cons of this product.
Regardless of whether you read the specifications sheet, you should know that a front hub motor will severely limit your ability to climb hills and maintain high-speed corners. That is the honest-to-goodness assessment before we break everything down.
All information below will assume you want to understand the complete picture.
Specifications and Contents of the Kit
Included in the LGXSHOP kit is a 20-inch wide fat-tire wheel equipped with a 1500W brushless hub motor, a six-pole pedal-assist sensor (8 magnet), a twist throttle, brake levers that integrate an eight-pole disc-brake caliper, an extremely basic LED display showing only battery charge level, and all of the hardware needed to mount the motor wheel onto your current front wheel along with step-by-step instructions. The aluminum alloy and iron-rated rim is good for loads up to 220 lbs. (100 kg.) The manufacturer claims IP54 protection rating for dust and rain splash, but do not attempt to submerge the motor.
You will need to purchase a separate 48-volt battery and pair it with a compatible controller. The LED display will only show battery charge level. It will not show speed, assist level, or wattage. It represents a very minimalist user interface. Fat tire 20 inch size limits compatibility to folding bicycles and mountain frames with small wheels. We provide a full catalog of e-bike conversion kits if you require additional options. Wikipedia on electric bicycles covers how front hub conversions fit into the wider e-bike world.
Motor Power & Practical Top Speed Assumptions
A 1500W brushless front hub motor has a theoretical maximum speed of 40 to 45 Km/h based upon its claimed maximum power output. In practice, assuming you have a quality 48V battery pack, weigh less than average, and ride on flat ground, you should be able to reach a top speed of 25+mph. The fat tire provides more traction due to the increased contact patch. however, it does nothing to mitigate the torque steer that occurs when placing 1500W on the front wheel. Open the throttle aggressively on a wet road or during a turn, and the front wheel could lose traction.
Even though you may achieve the claimed maximum speed during downhill runs or on windy days behind you, headwinds, heavy riders, or weak batteries will reduce your practical top speed significantly. I did not test this unit personally, so please consider the specification sheet as your guide for realistic performance figures. Since brushless motors do not utilize carbon brushes, they generally result in reduced maintenance requirements compared to brushed DC motors throughout the life cycle of your bike.
The Front Hub Trade-off
Regardless of how large the tire is, there exists a fundamental mechanical trade-off related to front-hub motor installations. As previously discussed, front hubs inherently create a physical condition where the motor wheel is heavier than a standard 20" rim, thus positioning that added weight directly above the steering axis. At higher speeds, especially when powered-up, this results in a lighter feeling and vaguer steering response. Additionally, due to the tendency of the motor to pull the bike straight ahead, once the tire begins losing traction under aggressive acceleration, the entire front-end will tend to wobble.
As a direct consequence of the motor pulling on the tire, steering responsiveness diminishes since it takes more force to resist turning the heavy motor wheel. Cornering speed also suffers since the front tire will never be able to support as much lateral load while attempting to keep pace with the motor's thrust.
While disc brakes provided by LGXSHOP help to bring you to a slower speed when riding aggressively, they cannot correct the inherent handling issues created by torque-steer when accelerating from a standstill. While LGXSHOP calls for "simple front wheel installation," it is possible that your fork may not have enough clearance to accommodate either the diameter or weight of the fat-tire motor wheel. Therefore, installing the new wheel on your bike could require some creative solutions for clearing your brake caliper and/or fork.
Therefore, if you plan to ride mostly on flat surfaces and can live with the fact that your front-end will react differently than your original bike reacted under normal conditions, this trade-off is acceptable. However, if you are looking for responsive handling in tight technical sections of trail or single-track mountain biking routes, this type of front-hub configuration will not provide what you are looking for.
PAS, Throttle & LED Display
The eight pole pedal-assist sensor mounts to your crank arm or chain stay and provides assistive power when you begin pedaling. The throttle located on your left handbar allows you to accelerate without having to peddle. Some riders like using both assist modes together for rapid starts from traffic lights. The small plastic display attached to your motor control board displays only your current battery level as either a percentage-based bar graph or numerical reading. It displays none of three critical pieces of information regarding your ride: Your current speed, assist mode selected or current watts used.
More importantly, proper pairing of controllers with each respective component is critical and often misunderstood by many riders. The LGXSHOP controller is specifically designed to operate with its associated motor, brake-cutoff sensor, throttle and PAS sensors as part of an overall system package. , throttle or PAS sensor), you may need to adjust your controller settings or risk experiencing compatibility problems with them.
The brake-lever assembly includes an automatic cutoff feature that shuts off power immediately whenever you squeeze either brake-lever as is typical on all ebikes. Five pre-programmed assist modes allow you to select exactly how much power assistance from your motor relative to how much effort you contribute via pedaling.
Who Should Purchase This Kit
By design, the LGXSHOP 20 inch 1500W kit caters exclusively to folding fatbike enthusiasts seeking electric assist capabilities without requiring them rebuild their entire bike. Due to its limited application space , 20 inch fat tire geometries represent a small universe , this kit fills that specific niche without additional adapters. Commuters traveling short distances over flat grounds who ride moderately fast will appreciate this kit’s instant acceleration and relatively easy installation process.
First-time conversion customers will likely view front-wheels swaps as a simple transition due to its ease-of-installation nature , swapping front-wheels is technically the least complex conversion procedure available. For example, riders searching for steep grade climbing capabilities or high-speed cornering agility are clearly not candidates for this type of front-hub setup.
In order to properly match your chosen 48V battery pack with this build ensure you choose a matching voltage and amp-hour rating capable of delivering at least as much electrical energy as its corresponding motor horsepower rating dictates. A battery pack incapable of providing sufficient energy will greatly degrade performance including the ability to reach maximum claimed speeds. More reviews can be found in our blog.
Compare specs side by side in the comparison table.
Match it with the right power source via the battery table.
Frequently Asked Questions
Short answers to the questions buyers ask about this kit.
Does the kit include a battery?
No. You supply a 48V pack matched to your controller and motor draw. A weak pack underpowers the motor and makes the speed claims look theoretical, so match voltage and amp-hours before you buy.
Will it fit my folding fat bike?
It is built for 20 inch fat tire front wheels, which covers most folding fat bike frames. Check your fork clearance for the fat motor wheel before ordering, since some forks lack room for the wider rim and hub.
How fast will it actually go?
The motor is rated for 25+ mph on flat ground with a healthy battery and an average rider. Headwinds, heavy loads, and weak packs pull that number down. Hill climbing is not its strength.
Is a front hub motor safe at 1500W?
It is manageable on flat ground with good tires, but the weight sits on the steering axis and torque steer is real. Ride gently on wet roads and do not expect sportbike cornering.
What comes in the box?
The motor wheel, twist throttle, brake levers with cutoff, an 8-magnet PAS sensor, a basic LED display, and mounting hardware with instructions. Battery and controller pairing are on you.
Do I need special tools to install it?
Standard bike tools cover it. Swapping a front wheel is the simplest conversion job there is. The fiddly part is routing the brake and PAS connections cleanly, not the mechanical swap.