It’s not that a mid-drive motor adds more wear, as you note it should be about equal to a bike with no motor. But the hub motor reduces wear, as you are applyin

It’s not that a mid-drive motor adds more wear, as you note it should be about equal to a bike with no motor. But the hub motor reduces wear, as you are applying less force to the drive train to achieve the same moving power, since the motor applies force at the wheel directly.