Originally Posted by
andiewithanie
...so heavy bike, heavy rider, and a couple of heavy hills - i feel like this is a fair amount (or perhaps even too much) to ask of an IGH?
I'm 210 pounds. I've got a Nexus 8-speed hub with over 8,000 miles on it and an Alfine 11 with over 5,000 on it. Routine maintenance: annual oil dip for the Nexus and oil change for the Alfine every 6-700 miles. Neither of these hubs is terribly expensive; you may be thinking of the Rohloff Speedhub, but that's pretty much in a league of its own. I'd venture to say that the most important thing about IGH reliability, aside from regular maintenance, is keeping the shift cable adjusted so the hub isn't slipping and damaging the gears.
Steve