Maybe not all, but certainly most users of IGH are not using any kind of front mech. San Francisco? Really? I've been there... once. I wouldn't consider riding there a single day without a front triple and wide range cassette in back. YMMV, but not all that much. The IGH with a front triple would be fine I suppose, but you now have a derailleur to deal with and for those who have a problem with them... ... A Schlumpf drive is one front solution but unless I way miss my guess the cost of them puts them out of reach for this scenario. Pssst. As a cycling minded individual considering the West Coast of the U.S. you might be interested in a bike friendly little town about 600 mi. north on I-5 called Portland, OR. You may have heard of it. Reasonable hills (bridge approaches included), plenty of bike locking facilities, an improving network of bike friendly controlled intersections, and weather that is somewhat wetter, but nearly as mild. Check it out. Lower real estate prices... ... You may not even need gears. Plenty o' FG/SS afficianados here. I'm not one of them though. FWIW.