Bicycle Mechanics - Internal-gear hub on a touring bike?

If I get a touring bike with the rear dropouts spaced wider than a regular road bike, are there internal-gear hubs that will fit? I think the spacing is the same as a mountain bike but I don't know if they make those internal hubs in that size. Anyone?

The only hub gear bike commonly used for touring is the Rohloff 14speed which fits into std 135mm OLD MTB/touring dropouts with an appropriate chain-tensioning system. Thorn (http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/models.html)in the UK make this style of bike.

There are several choices other than the hyper expensive Rohloff.

Shimano, Sram and Sturmey Archer all offer internal geared hubs in a variety of over locknut dimensions. You need to research a bit more to determine what, exactly you expect from the hub and what your budget is.

As I understand it your touring bike should have the same 135 mm spacing as the better mountain bikes. This is because many touring bikes use mountain bike hubs for the extra mud and dust shielding.

Link to Sheldon's chart of rear dropout spacing sizes....

http://www.sheldonbrown.com/gloss_sp-ss.html

I haven't toured but commute daily on a Shimano Alfine 8 speed with 135mm OLD. Great hub

I do tours in the midwest (i.e. fairly flat) on a Nexus 8-speed internal hub. It has worked great, but I don't think it would be suitable in very hilly areas. Then again, people have toured on just about everything!

-D

After posting the "review" below I toured around Lake Michigan with the same hub:
Brief Review (http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php?t=199406&highlight=)

http://dbg.home.att.net/featurebike1.htm

This year I plan to upgrade to the nexus 8 speed version. It will be an early summer project (after the tandems I'm currently working on)

I've been riding an '80 Fuji Touring frame built up with a Nexus-8 red band hub for a while now. I've done plenty of long rides with rolling hills and found the 48/19 gearing to be fine. If I was going to do loaded touring with hills involved I'd swap out to the 23 tooth sprocket for starters. I think you will find the Nexus-8 has enough range to tour on if you gear it correctly.

Get busy on Sheldon's calculator: http://sheldonbrown.com/gears/internal.html

And we demand pictures when you are finished!

Oh, and yes, the Nexus will fit 130mm or 135mm dropouts depending on how you use the supplied washers.

The Alfine is the latest Shimano 8 speed hub. They claim that has some improvements over the Nexus. It will take a brake disk if you're so inclined. The shifter is a rapid fire type. The price is about the same as the Nexus. I plan to buy one. Harris Cycles has them.