Rob_E

I've done some searches and read some threads, but I thought I'd open up the topic again and see.

I mostly commute, but I like to load up my bike for some trips on occasion. Up to now, I've been using a Nuvinci hub. I love the shifting. I have no problem with the range. I haven't gone over any mountains, but for the moderate hills I travel through, it does fine. I have gotten off and walked up a few hills when fully loaded, but I feel like has more to do with being old and fat than it does with having too high of a low gear.

Problem is that I think I just wrecked my third hub. I think it's time to try something else. The only hubs with comparable range are the Rohloff and the Alfine 11. Rohloff has priced me out of that one. The Alfine 11 I could almost afford if I squint funny at the price and drink cheap beer for a couple of months. But I don't know how reliable it is, especially considering that I've trashed multiple Nuvinci hubs, which are supposedly fairly robust.

So what hub can I really abuse, and still get a decent gear range out of? If the Alfine 11 fits the bill, I'd consider it. If an 8 speed is more reliable, that would work too, and be easier on my wallet. With my first Nuvinci, I ran it with a compact double up front. I didn't shift it regularly (in fact I ended up removing the derailler). I just left it on the big ring around town, and pushed down to the small ring when I was loaded up for a trip. That worked fine, and I figure I can do the same with whatever my next hub is, unless I go with the 11 speed, which seems like it has enough range without using the double up front.

So an IGH that can handle an old, fat guy mashing on and can go low enough to climb some hills with a load. Any takers?