adlai

It's on Amazon for around $300 for the wheel plus electronics minus the battery.

Looks interesting for the Regen function. Regen because this will be on a recumbent. The rear wheel has no brake already and as well a recumbent chain is not fun to change often. Hub wheel with Regen can slow the recumbent and also preserve chain life.

How is it?

Leisesturm

I would risk it. Never heard of them before this thread but the casual looking around I've done shows that CSC products review very well. I'm not seeing how regen would impact chain life though. The positive effect on brake life is deffo a selling point.

tds101 

I agree. Regen braking saves brake pads/rotors/etc. It has no effect on chain life, unless you're using a coaster brake, and I don't really think you're doing that. 😁

Doc_Wui

That's a direct drive motor, and they use the drag of the magnets to slow down the bike for regen braking. When you try to pedal with zero power, you also have to fight some of the that same magnet drive to go forward. Affects coasting a bit too. You need to maintain some battery power so the controller can keeps the coils energized to offset that drag.

People with heavy bikes who never intended to pedal very much anyway do like the direct drive motors. People who ride fast like them too, I wonder how tourers like them. Hiowever, not for me.

I bought a bike kit from CSC bikes six years ago, when they only sold on aliexpress out of china,. It was no drama. At the time, the most money I had ever sent to an unknown seller in CHina, but it was just like an amazon order, except there's no return, Now you get that amazon behind it,