Originally Posted by
jralbert
I gotta say, it's this kind of thing that makes me wonder a bit about the sudden popularity of IGHs. They're touted as 'zero-maintenance', so folks pick them up imagining it'll be like a car: it just works whenever you need it. Just like a car, though, when things don't work you quickly discover that the system is very complicated, and requires a lot of tools you don't have. No roadside fixes for you; get ready to pay the shop rate. You can't even change your own tire unless you're packing wrenches. So people get sucked into the "bike as unfixable objet d'art" idea, and lose the once-common ability to perform at least basic roadside maintenance. Electronic shifting brings the same fear for me: at some point, that system will b0rk, as all firmware-driven electronics surely must, and no matter what tools I have I'll not be able to fix it. I really enjoy the relative mechanical simplicity of a derailleur-geared bicycle.
Probably for the same reason, I'm firmly on the 'pump' side of the pump/co2 debate. A pump is simple, won't run out, and will basically work forever; co2 is consumable, limited (screw up once and you're out of co2), and expensive. I've had every kind of flat on all manner of tires, and never been failed by the frame-mount Road Morph that rides on every one of my bikes.
I went into the IGH/Roller Brake thing with my eyes wide open. I knew exactly what it meant in terms of roadside repairs, but decided in favor of the bike in spite of that. I'm in a lot of stop and go situations, often having to come to a sudden stop right at the bottom of a hill, which means starting up again from a dead stop when I didn't have time to downshift before the stop. Being able to shift into a low gear without pedaling is very helpful in that situation. I ride in all weather, so having hub brakes is great. I wanted tires as close to bomb proof as I could get, and the Marathon Pluses give me that. My bike isn't simply beautiful to look at (though it is that too); it's also like a reliable work truck. And all of the features that make it that way are also the things that make it hard to fix a flat roadside. For me, the trade-offs are worth it.
I'm really hoping I can match I-Like-To-Bike's 12-year record!
Edit: Not making a roadside repair doesn't mean I'm going to pay the shop rate. I'll fix the bike myself. I'll just do it at home or at the co-op if the repair is more complex.