Low maintenance commuter

[annirak]

I'm starting to get a feeling of how to build this up with minimum hassle:

• Cube Hyde Race
• TRP Hylex disc brakes--The Hyde comes with hydraulic discs, so I can't *just* use cable discs, nor the ones it came with.
• Drop bars
  
• 8-sp bar-end shifter

The only real rub with this plan is that I don't really want those collosal 42mm tyres.

 

[vickster]

Put thinner ones on then?

 

[Pale Rider]

I'm starting to get a feeling of how to build this up with minimum hassle:

• Cube Hyde Race
• TRP Hylex disc brakes--The Hyde comes with hydraulic discs, so I can't *just* use cable discs, nor the ones it came with.
• Drop bars
  
• 8-sp bar-end shifter

The only real rub with this plan is that I don't really want those collosal 42mm tyres.

Seems a shame to bin those Shimano hydraulics, because they are good stoppers and reliable.

I would be thinking very carefully about the need for drop bars, there's always bar ends for a different position, or even butterfly bars which would allow you to keep the existing kit.

 

[annirak]

Seems a shame to bin those Shimano hydraulics, because they are good stoppers and reliable.

I would be thinking very carefully about the need for drop bars, there's always bar ends for a different position, or even butterfly bars which would allow you to keep the existing kit.

I was thinking more of ebay and less of bin. I really like riding drop bars. If there's a way to convert the Shimano brakes into proper hoods, then I'd rather not be out the £200 for Hylex's...

 

[LetMeEatCake]

First up - I like the sound of your quest. I did something similar a couple of years ago, so will be interested to hear what you end up with.

One thing to bear in mind is that fitting drops to a 'flat-barred' bike might give you too stretched out a position (I think drop barred bikes tend to have shorter reach to allow for correct position when riding on the hoods) - but the Cube does look nice and would likely be much cheaper than starting from a blank frame, especially if you can flog the bits you don't need...

(What I ended up with: Singular Peregrine, drop bars, EBB, alfine 8sp, Jtek bar end shifter, cable discs, Hebie Chainglider never fitted).

 

[Deleted member 23692]

Can't see why anyone want to reduce the convenience of hub gear shifting with a low tech bar end jobbie when using drop bars.

These are the chaps you want - http://www.sussex.com.tw/versa.html (they do an alfine 11 version too)

Ticks all the boxes apart from hydro discs which I can't see a way of having with drop bars

 

[Tim Hall]

Can't see why anyone want to reduce the convenience of hub gear shifting with a low tech bar end jobbie when using drop bars.

These are the chaps you want - http://www.sussex.com.tw/versa.html (they do an alfine 11 version too)

View attachment 134207

Ticks all the boxes apart from hydro discs which I can't see a way of having with drop bars

That's what @annirak linked to upthread. It sure do look like a nice bit of kit.

 

[Deleted member 23692]

That's what @annirak linked to upthread. It sure do look like a nice bit of kit.

Ahh.. didh't spot that

IMO it's the only realistic drop bar Alfine option unless you want to go for the Di2 option

 

[GrumpyGregry]

Ahh.. didh't spot that

IMO it's the only realistic drop bar Alfine option unless you want to go for the Di2 option

Rubbish.

And describing bar end shifters as low tech suggests very limited experience of using them. I've used the Versa's. Very average.

 

[annirak]

So, both the Genesis Day One 20 and the Cube Hyde Race look like they are substantially close to what I want.

The Day One 20 is almost exactly what I want, except for the cable brakes and the nexus hub.

The hyde race is also close, except it's flat bar.

I guess the question is whether the nexus hub is substantially worse than the Alfine.

The cost to update both to what I want is similar, barring the hubs.

 

[outlash]

Decent cable brakes aren't an issue. I've got both on bikes and it's the grip (or lack of) that's the problem rather than actual braking power. IME both systems have provided me with more than enough controllable braking in all conditions. Why not look around for an older Day One with an Alfine hub secondhand?

 

[simon.r]

I guess the question is whether the nexus hub is substantially worse than the Alfine.

I've used both (the Nexus for several thousand miles, the Alfine for not very long) and for all practical purposes I'd struggle to tell them apart.

 

[GrumpyGregry]

I've used both (the Nexus for several thousand miles, the Alfine for not very long) and for all practical purposes I'd struggle to tell them apart.

Used a Nexus for years. Not sure what the advantage of an Alfine was meant to be. Have an Alfine now but have hardly used it. Nexus seems to rule on commuters here in cph.

 

[annirak]

The Genesis Day one 20 really does look like the best bet, if the Nexus hub is okay. It requires no modification to get me 90% of what I want.

• The belt drive of the Hyde/Roux G8/Canyon Commuter 4.0 would be nice, but each requires a lot of modification to replace the flat bars with drops
• The dropouts on the Specialized AWOL look like a much better design, but it requires even more modification than the Hyde.
• I don't think I'll be able to get internal routing in my price range.

 

[annirak]

I have just realised that there may be a spanner in the works, where the Genesis Day One is concerned: the trailer I use has a hitch that connects to a QR skewer: https://www.thule.com/en/gb/bike-tr...tcht-cup-with-quick-release-skewer-_-20100796

This makes the pinnacle and the AWOL more attractive