Article

👥 Tandem

We don't recommend or support motor kits on tandems. Here's why mid-drives won't work and why a front hub isn't rated for two riders.

July 12, 20261 min read

👥 Tandem

Rider on a single-rider Bafang-powered ebike out on the open road

Straight talk: we do not recommend and do not support motor kits on tandems.

  • Mid-drive: no. A mid-drive is engineered to drive a single chain from a single crank on a one-person bike. A tandem's linked cranks and dual-drivetrain setup fall completely outside how the motor is designed to work — it won't function correctly.
  • Front hub: technically possible, but not advised. A front hub could physically mount, but it is not rated for two riders' worth of load. If someone insists on trying, we'd say disable the throttle to reduce overload risk — but understand this is at your own risk.
  • No warranty or support. Because tandems are outside our design parameters, we can't warranty or support any kit installed on one.
If you're set on electrifying a tandem, talk to a local bike shop about a purpose-built solution. The Fitment Quiz is still a useful primer on the parts involved.
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