Bicycle Mechanics - Shimano Nexus hub

Anyone use the internal 7 speed nexus hub?

It seems a good set up with reasonable spaces between the gears. Internal roller brake, no freewheels, derailuers or chains to replace, lasts forever. Sounds to be well worth it for a wet weather commuter bike.

I never see them around here. Why would that be?

Anyone use the internal 7 speed nexus hub?

It seems a good set up with reasonable spaces between the gears. Internal roller brake, no freewheels, derailuers or chains to replace, lasts forever. Sounds to be well worth it for a wet weather commuter bike.

I never see them around here. Why would that be?

Couple of drawbacks with internal hubs.

The first is an efficiency issue. You give up a little mechanical efficiency vs. a derailleur bike. I seem to remember it as being around 8% to 10% but don't take that exact number as being gospel.

The second has to do with fixing flat tires. Internal hubs have a way of converting a 10 minute beside-the-road flat repair into a half hour (or more) shop job.

Lots of people love internal geared hubs. I'm told you can see lots and lots of them in Europe. I, on the other hand, don't understand the appeal.

Re: efficiency
http://www.ihpva.org/pubs/HP52.pdf

Re: fixing flats
My experience is with Sturmey Archer 3 speed hubs. The biggest slowdown in flat repair would be that there are no QR axles for such hubs. The cable linkage is trivial to disengage. One version is simply a hook. Another is a hookless threaded adjuster.

Biggest reason you never see them around? Cost. Sellability and economies of scale allow for 7+ speed derailers at extremely low prices. Thus even sub $100 bikes have 21+ speed transmissions. More gears=better bike, right?!?! Well, maybe.

Biggest reason to use them? Reliability. Old Sturmey Archer AW hubs are about as reliable as anything. Current Shimano or SRAM geared hubs are about as reliable as anything. They tend to be marketed for the practical and maintenace-free school of thought.

Shimano makes 3, 4, 7 and 8 speed hubs. SRAM makes 3, 5, and 7 speed hubs. I'm not sure of Sturmey Archer's current wares.

Thanks for the info.

I have to admit the thought of flats never entered my mind but it should have, that's a significant issue.

The cost of the hubs are much higher, but if your into riding for the long haul, it would seem to me they're less expensive than replacing the cogs and chains (as well as the odd broken derailuer) over and over again.

Thanks for the info.

I have to admit the thought of flats never entered my mind but it should have, that's a significant issue.

The cost of the hubs are much higher, but if your into riding for the long haul, it would seem to me they're less expensive than replacing the cogs and chains (as well as the odd broken derailuer) over and over again.

There's another issue I want to make and it's a huge one. WEIGHT! I have a Nexus 7 bike (Bianchi Milano) and that rear wheel really slows the bike down alot. If you have a heavy wheel, it will take much more energy to move the bike than a light weight rim. As a result, I find my bikes with derailuers much faster than the Milano because they don't have the friction loss from the hub (which is much greater than you can imagine) and the heavy rear wheel.

If you're going to have a commuter, the hub makes a ton of sense. I won't commute with a derailuer geared bike because the snow and mud will destroy the gears. I'm willing to compromise with a commuter.

In the same token, my weekend ride will not be a hub geared bike because I want the most efficient ride possible and that is impossible with a hub.

There's another issue I want to make and it's a huge one. WEIGHT! I have a Nexus 7 bike (Bianchi Milano) and that rear wheel really slows the bike down alot. If you're going to have a commuter, the hub makes a ton of sense.

I was thinking of using the hub on my wet-weather commuter road bike. I think I can run a faily light set up by following Sheldon Brown's example.

From http://www.sheldonbrown.com/px7.html

In the early 1970's, one of the lightest, fastest, most exotic stock bicycles available was the Peugeot PX-10. The frame was made of state-of-the-art Reynolds 531 tubing, with Nervex lugs, and the bike came ready to race, with tubular tires and cotterless cranks. I've had this frame since the early '70s... When the Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub became available, I bought one and installed it. This was a considerable improvement over the FM. In addition to being more efficient, it has a very nice spread of gears. I like it very much indeed. The hub came with a "Roller Brake" (drum brake), but this was a separate module, and I chose to leave it off, since it weighs about 1 1/4 pound (over half a kilo) which is rather heavy for a brake, especially since I only very rarely use my rear brake. I find the old Universal 61 sidepull quite adequate on the rare occasions that I use it.
While the jury is still out on the long-term durability of this hub, my initial impression on actually using one is extremely favorable. I particularly like the Rapid-Fire control unit, which is very easy to use and has a very light touch. I also am pleased at how well protected the linkage to the hub is. This hub uses a rotating ring operated by the cable, inboard of the chainstay. There are no delicate parts protruding out past the frame, as with other internal-gear hubs.

I also emailed Sheldon and asked about the time it takes to change a flat and he said it would take about twice as long as the time it takes to change a flat on a convential derailuer drivetrain.

Cool bike, but where are the spokes?

I was thinking of using the hub on my wet-weather commuter road bike. I think I can run a faily light set up by following Sheldon Brown's example.

From http://www.sheldonbrown.com/px7.html

In the early 1970's, one of the lightest, fastest, most exotic stock bicycles available was the Peugeot PX-10. The frame was made of state-of-the-art Reynolds 531 tubing, with Nervex lugs, and the bike came ready to race, with tubular tires and cotterless cranks. I've had this frame since the early '70s... When the Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub became available, I bought one and installed it. This was a considerable improvement over the FM. In addition to being more efficient, it has a very nice spread of gears. I like it very much indeed. The hub came with a "Roller Brake" (drum brake), but this was a separate module, and I chose to leave it off, since it weighs about 1 1/4 pound (over half a kilo) which is rather heavy for a brake, especially since I only very rarely use my rear brake. I find the old Universal 61 sidepull quite adequate on the rare occasions that I use it.
While the jury is still out on the long-term durability of this hub, my initial impression on actually using one is extremely favorable. I particularly like the Rapid-Fire control unit, which is very easy to use and has a very light touch. I also am pleased at how well protected the linkage to the hub is. This hub uses a rotating ring operated by the cable, inboard of the chainstay. There are no delicate parts protruding out past the frame, as with other internal-gear hubs.

I also emailed Sheldon and asked about the time it takes to change a flat and he said it would take about twice as long as the time it takes to change a flat on a convential derailuer drivetrain.

Another key benefit to the internal gear hubs is the ability to shift when caught at a red light or an unexpected stop.

As for the Nexus 7, it is more reliable and smoother shifting than the SRAM S7. The SRAM S7 is more efficient, primarily because the design only has one set of epicyclic gears engaged at a time. Rohloff wins hands down on efficiency, reliability, smoothness, but is heavier and pricier. Nexus-7 should quickly become obsolete on all fronts relative its new stablemate the Nexus-8 (available US this summer, Europe already OEM, this spring as seperate component), more advanced, higher top ratio, comparable price. If you want to go with Nexus and can wait, get the Nexus-8.

This topic has seen a few rounds but its always a good one :)

For a commuter and tourer I can't think of a better gearing system than an internal hub. The % of efficiency lost due to weight and transmission could possibly be gained by the great chain line and the lack of wear. If you wanted you could really cover up the chain and get great life out of it. It looks really uncool too, so theives would probably want to give it a miss.

Initial costs can sometimes be prohibitive but the lifespan more than makes up for it, as does the strength of the wheel.

If you had it built into good rims and got 1" tyres (assuming its on a MTB) then I dont think you would see or more importantly feel any differances with a deurallier system.

Personally I love the Rohloff (People have an issue with the $1000 that it costs, sure beats paying or rather losing that in depreciation on your car IMO)

Sturmey Archer apparently let quality slide by moving it to Taiwan, supposedly its good again with the advent of the 8spd. Shimano are always pretty good and it seems to be a Microsoft like hatred that gets people fired up about them rather than the actual quality of their wares. SRAM are very well made and superior in some ways and inferior in others (external 'Fisher Price' click box, springs to mind)

With a SON dynoub on the front and a XXXXhub at the rear you are looking at maintenance free cycling for a long time.

This is mostly on-topic, I think:

Anyone know if any of the newer internally-geared hubs can be used with a friction shifter? I'm thinking about setting up a road bike with moustache bars and a 5-to-8 speed coaster, but I really don't like the look of the newer shifters designed for internally-geared hubs.

Is there enough "click" inside the hub that it'd be possible to shift by feel with a friction bar-end shifter?

Thanks,
Y.

I've heard its possible to run friction shifters with internal gear hubs - however, I've also heard its not a good idea...

Did you hear any explanation for why it's not a good idea? Is it a question of wearing out the hub quickly or of danger to the rider.. I kinda like things that aren't a good idea, so long as they aren't a terrible idea.. :)

I've heard its possible to run friction shifters with internal gear hubs - however, I've also heard its not a good idea...

Did you hear any explanation for why it's not a good idea? Is it a question of wearing out the hub quickly or of danger to the rider.. I kinda like things that aren't a good idea, so long as they aren't a terrible idea.. :)

Yeah, I tend to like what might be bad ideas as well... well - maybe not like as much as tend to do them anyway... ugh... anyway - email Sheldon Brown at Harris Cyclery - he eluded on some message board somewhere it was a bad idea.. actually, wait a minute... http://www.cyclingforums.com/t82515.html

That's the thread it was in, but he only says its risky - you can email him for specifics... www.harriscyclery.com

eh.

There's another issue I want to make and it's a huge one. WEIGHT! I have a Nexus 7 bike (Bianchi Milano) and that rear wheel really slows the bike down alot. If you have a heavy wheel, it will take much more energy to move the bike than a light weight rim. As a result, I find my bikes with derailuers much faster than the Milano because they don't have the friction loss from the hub (which is much greater than you can imagine) and the heavy rear wheel.

If you're going to have a commuter, the hub makes a ton of sense. I won't commute with a derailuer geared bike because the snow and mud will destroy the gears. I'm willing to compromise with a commuter.

In the same token, my weekend ride will not be a hub geared bike because I want the most efficient ride possible and that is impossible with a hub.

Can you comment more on the Milano itself. I saw one in the LBS while home visiting the parent over the holidays. Was intrigued by its commuter-scooter appeal and throw-back to the days of my youth. Have been thinking of picking one up (or maybe its cheaper bretheren, the Rollo which reminded me so much of the old Typhoon) as a knock around / errand running bike. I think I can squeeze one more bike into the garage.

Anyone try the roller brake on those hubs? I saw several Milanos recently with roller brakes. Squeezing them, they all felt really spongy, and I could easily squeeze the brake lever all the way to the grip. I haven't ridden one, but in my hand, it felt really bad.

Anyone try the roller brake on those hubs? I saw several Milanos recently with roller brakes. Squeezing them, they all felt really spongy, and I could easily squeeze the brake lever all the way to the grip. I haven't ridden one, but in my hand, it felt really bad.

I've got three bikes equipped with this hub and brake combo. What you're describing sounds like the brake wasn't adjusted quite right - the roller brake adjusts just like any other brake, by loosening or tightening the cable...On the other hand, IMO, the roller brake in the Nexus 7 hub doesn't seem to have quite as much stopping power as a good rim brake, although this is offset by the fact that your rims don't wear out and they work as well in wet conditions as in dry.

I've got three bikes equipped with this hub and brake combo.

Here's a question (the answer may be obvious).

Do you have to repack the bearings like a regular hub, or are they so well sealed it isn't needed even when the bike is used in rain only conditions?

Here's a question (the answer may be obvious).

Do you have to repack the bearings like a regular hub, or are they so well sealed it isn't needed even when the bike is used in rain only conditions?


That's a good question that I'm not sure I know the answer to. My best guess is that, as a 'comfort bike' component (Shimano's characterization) the Nexus hubs are designed for longer periods between servicing than a 'regular' hub (i.e. a simple spindle hub for mounting a freewheel on), based on my assumption that Shimano assumes that the typical 'comfort bike' owner is not going to be as fastidious about servicing or as competent a mechanic as a cycling 'aficianado'. On the other hand, these hubs do still have bearings that will require periodic servicing, so the question is really about the frequency.

Parts lists and service instructions are on Shimano's European web site, but I couldn't find any specifics on frequency of servicing. Here's two of Shimano's sheets on the Nexus 7.
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/phpimages/product/exp_view/SG_7R42.pdf
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/phpimages/productserie/service_pdf/7R42A.pdf

There's more info on Shimano's European web site, at:
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/index.phtml

Since it's in frames, I can't direct you to specific pages, but you need to go to Comfort biking and search on Nexus INTER-7, where you'll find a variety of service pages and parts listings for different models.

I have had 2 bikes that I put Nexus 7 wheels on. They do shift rather well and the sleek no derailleur track-like look was also appealing. As others have said they Do weigh a ton and just try spinning the wheel to see how long it takes to come to a stop... not very long! Yes there is a lot of drag in all those parts inside. The Nexus is available in 3 types: oaster brake, hand brake and no brake. Definitely get the NO BRAKE if you are going to get any and use a good set of calipers or cantis to do your stopping. I have cracked open the hubs for re lubing every year despite the usual warning that this should be performed by an authorised mechanic. There are millions of small parts inside but they hang together in a big black greasy clump so there aren't really any parts that go SPPROOIIINNNGG when you open it. Still be careful and leave it to a pro unless you are terminally curious or broke or (as in my case) both.
The flat changing is a bit of a hassle but the newer models have a rather handy "quick realse" for the cable attachment at the hub. Also the Nexus system uses a concentric actuator which means no clumpy thing sticking out from the axle end like on the old 3 speeds.
I live in Sweden and yes they are popular here on all kind of rigs from kids bikes to exotics. People ride and commute much more here and they do so even during the winter. The in-hub gears are seen as more touble free in sand and salt and slush than exposed cassettes/derailleurs. Sheldon Brown has some good info on in-hub gears at his web site... check him out:
http://www.sheldonbrown.com/internal-gears.html

Just wanted to put my 2 cents in. I have a KHS with a nexus 7 and use it as my daily neighbor hood rider. I wondered about getting a flat on the rear so I decided to make a trial run at it and took the rear wheel off to switch out tires. I must have put something back on wrong and could not get it to shift properly and had to take it to a local LBS. They set it up properly and gave me a quick lesson on the proper way to take it off and put back on.

That's a good question,... these hubs do still have bearings that will require periodic servicing, so the question is really about the frequency.

Parts lists and service instructions are on Shimano's European web site, but I couldn't find any specifics on frequency of servicing.

I couldn't find any recommondations for servicing either so I emailed Sheldon Brown and he said he does it based on his judgement on when to repack based on sound and feel.

The next question is, is it much more trouble to repack this system? Do I need special tools or skills to do it?

There are more and more things that make this idea of a simpler system not so simple as I thought at first.

In the final analysis, I really like these hubs. They've got a nice wide range - the new 8-speed is supposed to be even better in this regard than the 7 - and they are definitely lower maintenance than a derailleur setup. The difference in weight or the slight loss of efficiency isn't really something that I'm overly concerned about, or that I even notice while riding a bike equipped with one of these hubs. I have found that the biggest issue in terms of performance is the chainring to cog gear ratio, because it can effect both your top speed and your climbing ability, and getting the right gear ratio to achieve the best balance between speed and climbing ability can take some trial and error. I also like the roller brake; it definitely works better in the rain and is lower maintenance that other brakes; and since most of your stopping power comes from the front brake anyway, I have found that a good front caliper, V-brake or disc brake combined with the roller brake in the rear makes a pretty good combination.

I couldn't find any recommondations for servicing either so I emailed Sheldon Brown and he said he does it based on his judgement on when to repack based on sound and feel.

The next question is, is it much more trouble to repack this system? Do I need special tools or skills to do it?

There are more and more things that make this idea of a simpler system not so simple as I thought at first.
If you put on an vaerage amount of mile commuting etc. you really only need to lube once a year. There is a special grease supplied by Shimano and if you let your LBS take care of it the annual cost per mile is low and you keep your fingernails clean!

Questions and problems re: the Nexus 7-speed hub

I've just registered for this forum, but have reviewed the messages in this string and thought I might add the following, in case it's helpful to anyone out there.

I bought a folding bike spec'd with the Nexus 7-speed hub. All worked fine for about three months, then the hub started making a grinding noise.

Took it into a dealer who said that even though they were an authorized Shimano repair facility, and an authorized dealer for my bike brand, and even though I could document the date of purchase, they would not perform warranty work without charging me (because I had not bought the bike from them). Much debate ensues, along with emails back and forth between me, Shimano, and the shop.

Bike shop eventually "repairs" problem (at no cost) by adjusting and re-greasing the hub.

One month later, wheel starts wobbling (slightly) on axle. I take it apart and find that the bearing retainer (which holds 11 3/16" ball bearings) has disintegrated-- and has been chewed up into shrapnel inside the hub. My guess is that the shop did not properly adjust/tighten bearing cones and locknuts, but I can't prove this.

I go to another dealer to order parts. They tell me that the ball bearing retainer is no longer manufactured, but that I can use loose bearings instead. A phone call to Shimano corporate customer service confirms this is o.k. I'm still a bit nervous. Has anyone out there installed loose bearings on a Nexus-7 hub?

Note/question on grease: everyone I've heard on this topic cautions you only to use Shimano Nexus grease for this hub. However, the LBS contacted the manufacturer of the grease they sold me-- Rock 'N' Roll brand, who claim that the drip point for this product is 365 degrees, and is fine to use in the Nexus hub. Anyone have experience with alternative lubes in this hub?

Any input/advice would be appreciated.

My only piece of advice for others: be very careful about who you let service this hub (or do it yourself).

AFAIK, the only reason a bearing retainer is ever preferable to loose bearings would be an application where there are lots of bearings and it'd be easy to lose them doing an overhaul (read: headsets). You should go ahead and pack 'em loose. Might want to double-check that when using loose bearings, you would use the same size that are in the retainer. I'm close to certain the answer is Yes.

Anyone else?

Re: the grease, I wouldn't know.. Good luck!

y.

Questions and problems re: the Nexus 7-speed hub

<snip>

One month later, wheel starts wobbling (slightly) on axle. I take it apart and find that the bearing retainer (which holds 11 3/16" ball bearings) has disintegrated-- and has been chewed up into shrapnel inside the hub. My guess is that the shop did not properly adjust/tighten bearing cones and locknuts, but I can't prove this.

I go to another dealer to order parts. They tell me that the ball bearing retainer is no longer manufactured, but that I can use loose bearings instead. A phone call to Shimano corporate customer service confirms this is o.k. I'm still a bit nervous. Has anyone out there installed loose bearings on a Nexus-7 hub?

Note/question on grease: everyone I've heard on this topic cautions you only to use Shimano Nexus grease for this hub... <snip again>

Any input/advice would be appreciated.

My only piece of advice for others: be very careful about who you let service this hub (or do it yourself).

Might want to double-check that when using loose bearings, you would use the same size that are in the retainer. I'm close to certain the answer is Yes.

Re: the grease, I wouldn't know.. Good luck!

I'd say the same size bearings, but depending on how they were originally spaced in the retainer, you perhaps might need one extra ball bearing per side? I'd check this by making sure there is a space equivalent to about 1/2 to one ball bearing in the race when the bearings are installed. You don't want too much space between the bearings, but you don't want the bearings to be too tightly packed, either.

I'm not sure about the grease, either, but it seems to me like more that one product would fit the bill. Seems like Shimano just wants to make some extra money selling you some grease, in addition to everything else...

Yoni:

Thanks for the response. Yes, I'll be using 3/16" loose ball bearings to repack. Incidentally, the manufacturer of the grease ("Rock 'N' Roll") says that the "drip point" for this product is 365 degrees. That, coupled with its viscosity, they (and the bike shop) say, should make it work fine. I'll post again to this site once I have it up and running to report on how it all worked out. Thanks for the help.

Randya:

Thanks for the tip re: bearing spacing. Yes, I bought a few extra bearings just in case this proved to be a problem. Again, I'll post a note here once I have the thing fixed (I hope).

A follow-up note:

I re-greased and re-assembled the 7-speed hub I was having problems with, adjusted the cable per the manufactuer's instructions (there are two little red marks that should line up on the cassette joint arm when the bike is in fourth gear) and test rode it: a previously-occurring problem re-occurred.

The bike shifts fine 1st through 5th gears, but when you try to shift to 6th or 7th gear, you get gears that are lower (faster spinning/fewer gear inches) than the 5th gear. Puzzling.

Is there anyone out there who has experience with opening up the gearing module inside the Nexus hub who knows how to fix this problem?

As an alternate: anyone out there who lives in the Chicago area (western suburbs) that knows of a shop with a mechanic who's done this kind of work? I've tried three local shops, and no one seems to know much about repairing these things.

Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks.

I know it doesn't help you in Chicago, but I had one of my Nexus-7 hubs rebuilt locally, at the downtown Bike Gallery, because I thought it was 'crunchy' in first and third gear. They couldn't find anything wrong, but it does seem to work better now. I get some infrequent skips, but I've never had trouble with engaging all the gears correctly. If you know what model your hub is, there are shop drawings for many of these hubs at the EU Shimano site. Last time I looked some of the drawings weren't loading so well, but I did make some downloads of the pdf files, if that's something you're interested in. Here's two examples:

http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/phpimages/product/exp_view/SG_7R42.pdf
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/phpimages/product/exp_view/SG-7R46.pdf

It seems like there should be a mechanic somewhere in the Chicago area who's familiar with these hubs...

I was thinking of using the hub on my wet-weather commuter road bike. I think I can run a faily light set up by following Sheldon Brown's example.

From http://www.sheldonbrown.com/px7.html

In the early 1970's, one of the lightest, fastest, most exotic stock bicycles available was the Peugeot PX-10. The frame was made of state-of-the-art Reynolds 531 tubing, with Nervex lugs, and the bike came ready to race, with tubular tires and cotterless cranks. I've had this frame since the early '70s... When the Shimano Nexus 7-speed hub became available, I bought one and installed it. This was a considerable improvement over the FM. In addition to being more efficient, it has a very nice spread of gears. I like it very much indeed. The hub came with a "Roller Brake" (drum brake), but this was a separate module, and I chose to leave it off, since it weighs about 1 1/4 pound (over half a kilo) which is rather heavy for a brake, especially since I only very rarely use my rear brake. I find the old Universal 61 sidepull quite adequate on the rare occasions that I use it.
While the jury is still out on the long-term durability of this hub, my initial impression on actually using one is extremely favorable. I particularly like the Rapid-Fire control unit, which is very easy to use and has a very light touch. I also am pleased at how well protected the linkage to the hub is. This hub uses a rotating ring operated by the cable, inboard of the chainstay. There are no delicate parts protruding out past the frame, as with other internal-gear hubs.

I also emailed Sheldon and asked about the time it takes to change a flat and he said it would take about twice as long as the time it takes to change a flat on a convential derailuer drivetrain.

I dont see any spokes? :eek:

Randya:

Thanks for the help. I had found the drawings a couple of weeks ago, which were indeed a big help in repairing the hub. After I had so many problems finding someone here in Chicago who really knows the Nexus 7, my wife told me, "It's because this isn't a biking town. If we lived someplace like Portland, I'm sure you'd find someone who could fix this." I laughed when I saw where you lived.

I'll keep looking. In the meantime, I'm spinning in 5th gear and have a letter in to Dahon, maker of the bike, asking them for some help.

If I ever do discover exactly what's causing this problem, I'll post here.







I know it doesn't help you in Chicago, but I had one of my Nexus-7 hubs rebuilt locally, at the downtown Bike Gallery, because I thought it was 'crunchy' in first and third gear. They couldn't find anything wrong, but it does seem to work better now. I get some infrequent skips, but I've never had trouble with engaging all the gears correctly. If you know what model your hub is, there are shop drawings for many of these hubs at the EU Shimano site. Last time I looked some of the drawings weren't loading so well, but I did make some downloads of the pdf files, if that's something you're interested in. Here's two examples:

http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/phpimages/product/exp_view/SG_7R42.pdf
http://www.shimano-europe.com/cycling/phpimages/product/exp_view/SG-7R46.pdf

It seems like there should be a mechanic somewhere in the Chicago area who's familiar with these hubs...

My Globe 7 has a Sram 7 hub and I absolutely love it. Nice spacing between gears and very positive shifts. I often get stuck at stoplights, so being able to shift at a stop is quite a luxury. Mine has an external thing-a-ma-bob on the outside of the hub that attaches the shift cable. Maybe this is the "Fisher Price clickbox" referred to earlier. To remove the shift cable, you just loosen a thumbscrew and the assembly comes off the hub. Nothing goes out of adjustment, etc. I don't know how the Nexus works, but I think this is a good deal. On my bike that box is protected by a metal guard, so you can't crash/tip over and damage it. Weight really isn't and issue on the commuter.

Braking wise it is good, but I think rim brakes may be better. 75% of the time I use my front rim brakes anyway, and add the rear only if it's a fast stop. I know changing front pads is a breeze, so I give them the most work. One thing I like about the coaster is knowing that I will have a brake regardless of how rain or snow affects my rim brake.

Pat