Originally Posted by
tjspiel
One niggling concern is the use of grease as a lubricant in the 8 speed Shimano IGHs. It increases drag in cold weather.
Eventually I'd like to try an oil bath with the Alfine but probably won't do that the first winter.
that is annoying. given the fact that IGH's seem like an absolute match made in heaven for a winter bike drive-train, why does shimano go and use a grease that increases drag inside the hub during cold weather? i rode my alfine 8 all last winter without noticing an increase in drag, but last winter was a completely fake winter (i was riding to work in shorts and t-shirt in january, WTF?).
we'll likely have a real winter in chicago this year. if i notice the cold weather having a negative effect on the performance of my alfine hub, how difficult is it to perform this oil bath procedure? will most LBS's perform such service?