Mountain Biking - Surly Karate Monkey w/ S3X 3-speed-fixed hub and freewheel

So I've been wanting to get a 29" mountain bike for a good while now. I enjoy mountain biking on my geared 26" and I do some longer single speed rides on the road. I'd like to mix both of these for my next bike, but I'd also like to be able to ride the bike to the mountain (8 miles away). I'm thinking of getting a Karate Monkey and building a rear wheel around the S-A 3-speed fixed hub that will hopefully be available in the next few months. I'd thread a White Industries freewheel onto the hub and it'd be a nice feeling internally geared hub that way.

I'd mount the shifter on the seat tube so it is out of the way, and I'd have the gearing set up so that the high gear was for riding to the mountain and the low gear was for climbing up the mountain. I can get around 70 gear inches in the high (for road) and 44 in the low (for the mountain) with the same gearing, which seems pretty perfect on both ends.

Am I just trying to be weird, or does this setup make sense to anyone else?


S-A S3X 3-speed fixed. Accepts a freewheel to allow coasting.
http://img198.imageshack.us/img198/3453/s3xlockringpic220081226.jpg

Sounds like a great idea. But one word, don't get your hopes up that it will be available soon. We have been waiting for that hub forever, and it seems like it will never come out. They even had a few release dates come and go last year.

The shifter on the seat tube sounds like a good idea, but it my take a beating there. I dunno.

I'm missing something; what's the point of mounting the shifter to the seat tube?

Out of the way.

Why not use something like Alfine or I Motion?

I know I'm a little noobly when it comes to ss thingies, but how would you thread a freewheel on to a splined hub?

I know I'm a little noobly when it comes to ss thingies, but how would you thread a freewheel on to a splined hub?

The top of the splines are threaded to accept a freewheel.

Out of the way.

Of what?

Of what?

Those pesky fingers.

Why not use something like Alfine or I Motion?

They have too many gears and are heavier and more expensive than that s3x will be. Also, the driver system seems to be a lot nicer on the s3x.

Basically, not functionally out of the way but fashionably.

They have too many gears and are heavier and more expensive than that s3x will be. Also, the driver system seems to be a lot nicer on the s3x.

Fair enough.

Basically, not functionally out of the way but fashionably.

Also, I'll want to be able to pretend like there is just one gear while I am riding the bike. When I get to my destination I'll be able to reach down and flip the lever to transform into mountain mode.