Dahon.Steve

>>>>The overall range is said to be 340%, wider by a notch than the Shimano or Sunrace Sturmey alternatives (both just over 300%) and the ratios are apparently very evenly spaced (comparable with Rohloff, they say). The current prototype weighs around 2300g. There will be a one-piece aluminium shifter and brake unit also incorporating a bell.

Thankfully the new hub gear does away with the protruding clickbox of other SRAM hubs.

Suggested gear combinations (presumably for full-size wheels) are 33 to 38 tooth chanrings and 18 to 22 tooth sprockets. <<<<<<

Velovision reported Sram will produce a 9 speed internal hub! I can assure you, this hub will find its way in folders from Dahon. I'm going to ask Josh Hon if he intends to build any bikes with the 9 speed in 2007/2008.

I think this is good news overall as the Rohloff remains the standard by which all hubs are judged. I suspect, we'll see a 12 speed hub from Shimano or Sram within 10 years and hopefully this will lower the price of the Rohloff. This is not really necessary if they can just make the nine speed hub that can withstand a 24 chainring and at 34 tooth sprocket, it will be fine for touring.

Anyway.. This is good news.

folder fanatic

I look foward to all the new technological developments in the long neglected area of the internal hub systems. Although I am perfectly happy with my 2 forty years apart versions of the Sturmey-Archer AW hub, sometimes the long distance extreme terrains call for a more flexible system like the derailleurs were covering for the last 50 or so years. I am so glad that there will be more choices for the serious touring cyclist that prefer the protected unit of the internal hub systems as I do.

Dahon.Steve

I agree.

The AW-3 is rock solid and mine was indistructable. The hub was never low enough for the large hills but was fine for city riding. In fact, I prefer the AW-3 over the Nexus 7 or 8 because the bottom gear of the three speed was about as low as the Nexus! The AW-3 is lighter and had one gear that wasn't effected by friction losses like the Nexus.

jasong

Doesn't the Nexus 8 fix the friction loss problem?

CHenry

What is the source of this information?

Gordon Petrie

Steve Dahon mentioned VeloVision magazine in his message. There is a news item on the magazine's Web site entitled "SRAM announce new 9-speed hub gear". You can read this item in detail together with a picture of the new hub and a number of comments from contributors at the following URL - https://www.velovision.co.uk/cgi-bin/...l?storynum=739

Gordon Petrie

CHenry

Thanks. I have now seen a few references online. SRAM haven't announced it on their website yet, though.