Hub Gears?

[andylaw79]

To those that use hub gears, how do you find them compared to a derailleur gears?

I've been pondering getting a new commuter for the last few weeks and quite like the idea of hub gears. The fact that they are sealed and supposed to be low maintenance appeals. Last winter I was sick and tired of cleaning road crap off my gears every couple of days and the salt spray on the coast made it worse.

I'm currently riding a ss mtb and, although I love riding it, there are days when I could just do with a few more options. I've got a Trek 7.3 I could convert to hub geared if I decided not to buy an new bike.

The question really is, are hub gears any good and worth the investment

 

[jimboalee]

I had ( it was stolen ) a Shimano Nexus 8 speed hub in a Carerra Subway 8.

Loved it.
I could change to any gear in the line up while standing at a junction.
It would change one ratio at a time while pedalling.
It would change to any gear if I stopped pedalling, so it would go from top to lowest in one movement with a quick hesitation of pedal.

I tested this on a 12% near home and it worked a treat. Ride up the hill in top until I could turn the cranks no longer, then slam it down to lowest and hey presto, grovel up slowly.

Like all hub gears, the sprocked can be changed to move the range up or down.

 

[Steve Austin]

I use an Alfine Gear hub on my MTB. Lots of good points including, noiseless transmission, no cleaning, no maintenance, gear changing whilst not pedaling, cheap compared to a worthwhile comparable gear system.
Only really bad points is the lack of gear spread, and some of the gaps feel a bit large.

Worthwhile investment and worth getting for your SS MTB

 

[Arch]

Yup, I use a hub gear bike in winter, and it suits me fine. I like being able to shift while stationary, and it seems to be bomb-proof. Not even sure what hub I have, it was what someone had in a bits box. I only really use 3 or 4 gears anyway about town, whether I'm on hub or derailleur.

 

[andylaw79]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think I'm going to take the plunge *off to count pennies*

Now the only decision is, new bike, or convert one of the two bikes I've already got? (This option seems more likely)

No mind made up - convert the MTB

 

[MacB]

convert to start is fine, I'm having a second rear wheel(single speed) made up in case I get any problems with my hub gear. As it's the SRAM 9 speed then it would probably need to be sent to Germany for repairs. I went into choosing my hub in a lot of detail, if money is no concern then Rohloff is the choice. I couldn't justify the spend so was looking at SRAM, Shimano and Sturmey Archer. Though I chose the SRAM be aware that it's nearly 1kg heavier than any other. I also have a hack bike made up with the SA 3 speed SRF3.

Nearly 2000 miles on the SRAM and it's been great. I can't really compare to deraillers as my derailler bike is only 2/3's of the weight of the hub gear one. Certainly the hassle free reliability of the hub gear has been great so far.

 

[Bollo]

What MacB said. There was another thread here a few days ago that had some more hub gear advice.

I've a Rohloff on my commuter. They are the emperor of hubs but with a price to match, made worse by the weaker pound.

Things to look out for are....

• range - make sure the low and high gears work for you.
• low efficiency gears - some hubs, especially the Rohloff, are more efficient in some gears than others. Ideally, you should pick the chainring/sprocket combo so that you're in the most efficient gear riding at your usual pace on the flat.
• chain tensioning - this can be done a number of ways; horizontal drop-outs, eccentric bottom bracket or a chain tensioning device. All have pros and cons, especially for.....
• fixing a puncture on the rear wheel. Check that you're happy removing and re-fixing the rear wheel. Some hubs make it easier than others.

 

[andylaw79]

After a bit of pricing up over the weekend I've made my mind up, I'm going to convert the MTB. Just a couple more questions.

1) Will and alfine hub work with the Deore 8 speed shifters I took off when converting the mtb to single speed? - I suspect I'll have to get the Alfine shifter but no big deal.

2) The gear cabling on my mtb frame runs along the underside of the toptube and down the rear triangle. Will the Alfine hub work using cabling this way? All hub gear bikes I've seen have the cabling running down the slope of the frame and along the chain stay to the hub.

 

[MartinC]

1) You'll need a specific Alfine or Nexus shifter. The cable pull needed is specific to the hub - it's not the same as derailleur set up.

2) You can run the gear cable any way you like. It runs in an outer all the way to the hub so you can route it however you like. Clips for gear outer are hard to find. There are lots available for brake cable outer or hydraulic hose but I've never come across any for 4mm gear cable casing. Zip ties or tape work but aren't elegant.

 

[Bollo]

1) You'll need a specific Alfine or Nexus shifter. The cable pull needed is specific to the hub - it's not the same as derailleur set up.

2) You can run the gear cable any way you like. It runs in an outer all the way to the hub so you can route it however you like. Clips for gear outer are hard to find. There are lots available for brake cable outer or hydraulic hose but I've never come across any for 4mm gear cable casing. Zip ties or tape work but aren't elegant.

Have a look on the sjs cycles webbysite. They're one of the big Rohloff suppliers in the UK and originators of the fugly but practical 'Thorn' range of bikes. They've probably got one of the biggest and most hub-friendly spare-parts bins in the country. My LBS manager often uses their site to look up bits-and-bobs in preference to the original manufacturer's site, as sjs take their own pictures and often write their own product descriptions.

Expect to pay top dollar for anything you do order though - chainreaction they ain't.

 

[MartinC]

Andy, sorry - it's worth mentioning that www.roseversand.de are a good source of hub gear bits and a good online supplier.

 

[andylaw79]

Thanks Martin, as I thought with the shifters but worth asking. That's good to hear on the gear cable routing, will make things easier.

Slow at work today so I've been taking advantage and searching for a new mtb frame. Quite like the On One Inbred frame or the Merlin Malt 1 - I think both would make a nice hub geared mtb!

Steve Austin, just out of interest what make is your mtb?

 

[Steve Austin]

I got a dialled bikes love/hate in pastel blue. Lovely bike with a EBB so no ugly tensioners. works a treat. I'll find a photo or two later

You can run the cabling where you like, but it does look slightly odd on the top tube, as it make it enter the hub in a funny looking way.

I think Dialled bikes are releasing a new Love/Hate soon

 

[andylaw79]

Looked at the Dialled website, the Love/Hate frame is lovely - massive price hike to £350 for the frame though. Looking at a Handsome Dog XC03 frame. From What I can find out about it review wise it looks like a good frame and will take V's not many hard tail frames seem to now.

Question on the tensioning for an Alfine hub (assuming no horizontal drop outs or EBB), do you have to use the Alfine tensioner or will any tensioner do?

 

[Steve Austin]

Any tensioner will do andy