Originally Posted by
Fenway
I use that hub on a daily basis and honestly don't notice any drag even with the lights on. Mind you this is with 38mm tires which already have some rolling resistance on an upright hi-ten bicycle weighing 35lbs+, so your experience may vary.
It is my understanding that the generator part of the hub in both the Archer and Shimano Hubs are made by Sanyo, so the only real difference aside from the addition of a drum brake mechanism, may in fact be the quality of the bearings. Perhaps a mechanic has opened a hub to do a comparison at some point?
Good to know. I plan to put it on a more performance-oriented build, but nothing race-ready -- it's a 650B bike that I hope will serve double-duty as a commuter and a moderately nimble weekend ride. It will certainly come in a few pound lighter, so we'll see if the drag proves noticeable. If so, I'll try a bearing swap and report back.