My buddy and I rode the CDN GDR route last summer on Surly Pugsleys each running a Shimano Alfine 8 speed IGH. We carried camping gear, food and clothing for 5 days + water we topped up twice a day.

The hubs were flawless and the gear range was more than adequate for fully loaded dirt road touring. One day in particular was mostly uphill for 130kms with a mtn pass at the end. We each walked our bikes once or twice per day on the steepest climbs, but our walking pace was usually the same as the rider who stayed on his bike so no practical benefit to staying on the bike. Neither of us was in great shape or had done any mountain touring that year.

That same hub has been to Burning Man, Baja Mexico twice as well as lots of winter biking in Alberta. So far it has not missed a shift and continues to run flawlessly.

One big advantage for this setup is that in dirty, dusty, muddy, sandy conditions the hub just keeps on shifting perfectly and needs next to no maintenance.



Touring on a 11 speed Alfine won't be a problem. You'll get the most benefits from a IGH if you can skip the chain tensioner and run it in a frame that allows you to tension the chain another way [horizontal drop outs or eccentric BB]

As for reliability I'm doing everything I can to torture test my Alfine - so far it's been A+++.

BTW - if you want an expedition touring bike a lower cost look at the Surly Pugsley. Since the front wheel is also a rear drive wheel you can back up a cheaper IGH like an Alfine with a fixed gear or SS front wheel and not have to stress about an unlikely IGH failure. You can run a Pugsley with 29er MTB rims so you don't need to run 4" tires...XRs, Supremes would work great.