Taking the rear wheel off my Alfine 8 speed has not been an issue. You need to release the shifter cable which is pretty straight forward. I love the IGH since it has been almost maintenance free. I have it cleaned once a year. I have had the bike for almost four years and commute daily. Very nice that you can shift without having to pedal. Also with just the one shifter you don't have to do any thinking. I also tow a small trailer and have not had any issues. Have had up to 60 lbs on it. Agree that fixing an IGH would be beyond my abilities, however it has been very reliable for me.