Experience with Nexus 8 ?

[San Marco]

Hello all

I can't believe I'm considering this but... The N+1 BUG is hitting and I was considering a drop bar winter trainer / yearly commuter (to justify its requirement). Being a fan of Genesis, I'm interested in the Day One range, particularly the 2016 model : http://www.highlandbikes.com/m1b230s23p5896/GENESIS-Day-One-20-2016

It uses a Nexus 8 hub (replacing the Alfine 8 from 2015 to cut the price down). I've read that this type is nearly maintenance free and has a good speead of gears.

Does anyone have experience using one of this hubs? Are they really bomb proof? Is it easy to change gears with the little lever sticking out of the drop?

Also, if you get a rear puncture, how easy is it to remove the wheel with the hub / disc brake arrangement, or then fit it back and get the right chain tension etc.

Any suggestions would be very welcome. Thanks for reading.

SM

 

[Piemaster]

Think there are some on here who have the Day One and seem to like them.
I've got one on the shopping bike - an xtracycle converted bike. Mine has a roller brake - a reason I went for a Nexus instead of the Alfine (as well as price) as I don't believe the Alfine can take one.
Fine for what I use it for - short journeys (shopping mostly - doh!) in the flatlands around here. Only inssue I had fitting it was getting clearance for the chainring (donor bike was a mtb triple so chainstays are quite wide) but on a new bike it obviously won't be a problem.
Gear changes are effortless, standing still, moving, makes no difference.
I've got Marathon + tyres on the bike. Not the nicest things to ride but never had to change one from a puncture.
Tyre changes. I previously had an On-One Pompino with an alfine hub - similar set-up with slot type dropouts. Not too difficult but does take a little longer to change - mine did have canti rear brakes so don't know how much difference it made.
Sequence to remove was: put on disposable gloves, slacken hub nuts, unclip gear change cable, slacken off chain tensioner and push wheel forward slightly to take off chain tension then take off chain, pull wheel back out of slot.
Reverse to refit. I did find getting the cable back on can be a bit fiddly. Chain tension should end up about the same, but I never worried too much - with the hub in the slots it won't be too far off. Indeed with the xtracycle bike there is a lot of slack in the chain even with a chain tensioner on it and I haven't found it slipping any, and it is a heavy bike with me on it and the panniers full of shopping.

 

[tyred]

I have an Alfine 8. I don't really like the bike it's installed in but I love the hub - very smooth, easy shifting, excellent gear range, should be easier to maintain than a derailleur.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Nexus 8 good.
Nexus 8 red band better
Alfine 8 best

I've used, or am using, all three and there is nothing wrong with any of them.

Hub gear wheel changes are simple (so long as you carry a spanner, and a torch if riding at night). Practise a few times at home until you have the process committed to memory. I recommend any rear mudguards are equipped with the sort of clips usually only used on the front; to make wheel removal/insertion easier.

EDIT: Not used that Microshift shifter (I have a Jtek) but have used their other bar end shifters. They work.

 

[Piemaster]

Hub gear wheel changes are simple (so long as you carry a spanner, and a torch if riding at night). Practise a few times at home until you have the process committed to memory. I recommend any rear mudguards are equipped with the sort of clips usually only used on the front to make wheel removal/insertion easier.

EDIT: Not used that Microshift shifter (I have a Jtek) but have used their other bar end shifters. They work.

I did the same trick re:rear mudguards and used a Jtek shifter. I've also got a spanner the right size for the hub nuts but with the bonus that the other end doubles as a tyre lever.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I did the same trick re:rear mudguards and used a Jtek shifter. I've also got a spanner the right size for the hub nuts but with the bonus that the other end doubles as a tyre lever.

Great minds eh?

 

[Shortmember]

A few years ago I bought a Carrera Subway fitted with a Nexus 8 hub and after just a years gentle use the hub sheared off completely from the wheel on the drive side.I have also heard of this happening to other owners.My advice is, don't touch a bike with a Nexus hub.

 

[outlash]

My Day One has an Alfine so I can't help you there (it works fine FWIW). Just out of interest, what size frame are you looking at?

 

[outlash]

[QUOTE 3979754, member: 259"]I used a Nexus 8 for literally thousands of miles on a commuting bike with no problems. But I'm surprised they're downgrading from the Alfine to the Nexus, which seems a bit strange. Penny pinching or what?[/QUOTE]

I'm guessing they're doing it to keep the cost under a grand so it's in C2W range. They probably stopped using Reynolds 531/520 last year for their own branded steel for the same reasons.

 

[San Marco]

Thank for the responses.

I hadn't considered the mudguard issue, I'll bear that in mind. Any suggestions for a simple clip on type?

@outlash : I'm looking for a 56cm frame (top tube)

 

[LetMeEatCake]

Can't tell you much about the Nexus, but my Alfine 8 has been fab. Like others have said disconnecting the hub gear is a bit fiddly, but once learnt is simple enough to do and only takes a few secs. I've also got the jtek bar-end shifter which is really easy to use - you can rock up to a junction in your highest gear, stop, then change down through all 8 gears with one flick of the lever before setting off. Magic.

Most importantly though - this advice...

carry a spanner

...is good advice!

 

[Deleted member 1258]

Thank for the responses.

I hadn't considered the mudguard issue, I'll bear that in mind. Any suggestions for a simple clip on type?

@outlash : I'm looking for a 56cm frame (top tube)

Secu clips, I use them on my fixed

http://www.sjscycles.co.uk/sks-secu-clips-for-front-mudguard-stays-per-pair-prod666/

 

[Bodhbh]

I've got the red Nexus 8 one bike..probably done about 1k miles commuting + Lon Las Cymru on it. Broadly speaking I'm happy, one or two niggles:

- the puncture issue (okay I managed so far with fixing it without removing the wheel).
- range is okay for the commute, not really for touring/hilly rides (YMMV etc etc).
- tends to slip in gear 4 before fully engaging, not always immediately after shifting either.

Doesn't it need a service after 2k miles as well? I seemed to recall reading it, but it but not looked into it yet.

 

[Moodyman]

I've run an Alfine 8 on a long distance commuter for 6 years.

They're lower maintenance but far from maintenance free. They need an annual or twice annual strip down (depending on your mileage) and regrease and very few shops can or are willing to do these. So if you are mechanically minded and don't mind taking things apart, they're a great hub for utility use.

Re punctures, the issue is overstated. It adds about two extra steps to a normal tube change. You just have to carry a spanner and practice in your garage a few times. Having said that I average less than one per year as I run tyres with very good puncture resistance and remove embedded objects weekly.

If you ride sedately or with moderate effort, you'll like the cycling experience. If you like giving it some, the hub can cope although it's not recommended injecting a lot high torque. I bust one by standing up a honking up hills.

The gears are also fairly spaced out so you're often not at your optimum cadence.

For year round commuting / utility use: brilliant.

For leisurely weekend riding: too much of a compromise.

 

[outlash]

@outlash : I'm looking for a 56cm frame (top tube)

Shame, I'm mulling over whether to get rid of my day one as it doesn't get as much use as it should. But mine's a 60cm frame so it doesn't matter.