Originally Posted by
Newspaperguy
Are any of you riding bikes equipped with an internal gear hub? I'm interested in going that route for a bike to use around town, especially in winter conditions, but I'd like to know about the advantages and drawbacks of such a system.
I've never owned an IGH-equipped bike, but I've ridden a few, and I suspect that they'll become the norm for non-racing bicycles in the near future. They are a bit heavier, but if you're already hauling groceries or books, an extra half-pound is a non-issue. They have a lot of advantages, such as low maintenance and a pronounced lack of oil stains on one's pants after a sloppy ride. More importantly, they're the only type of gearing that's compatible with belt drive systems, which, once the glitches are worked out, will almost certainly make chains obsolete.