Originally Posted by grolby

Rear-wheel removal is really a non-issue. It takes perhaps 40 seconds instead of 10 - pretty negligable. It is true that a hub tends to be heavier, but remember that it's replacing an entire drive train, not just the cassette - all in all, it's not too bad. And in less-than-perfect weather, derailer gears need regular lubrication and cleaning. Efficiency is a red herring, in my opinion - the losses are so minor in most gears that most people simply won't notice, and a dirty derailer drive will get less and less efficient as it gets gritty and grimy. A good internal-gear hub always works right when you need it, and you only have lubricate it perhaps a couple of times a year.

Singlespeed might work for you, but it isn't really an option for a lot of commuters. Do you live in the flatlands, or in the city? When I was commuting 11 miles each way to a part-time job, over hill and dale, with some climbs and strong winter and spring winds, I would have been in a lot of trouble without gears. I also have a bad knee. Singlespeed are wonderful and a lot of fun, but to claim that they are a more ideal solution for most commuters than internal-geared bikes is pretty ridiculous. A lot of people either need or want gears for their commutes!

What's nice about internal gearing is that it has most of the benefits of a singlespeed bike in terms of maintenance, but gives the rider multiple gear ratios. This is excellent for commuting, since most commuters that I know of want a reliable, easy-to-maintain, always ready-to-go bike with multiple gears available. Unfortunately, it is true that internal gears are heavier, more expensive, and often have a smaller range of gears than a derailer drivetrain can provide. Lots of folks are willing to put up with maintaining derailers due to these disadvantages, especially because derailer maintenance only gets to be really problematic in winter. More and more people are making the switch to internal gears, though, because of all the advantages named. For all-weather riding, I think that internal-gear hubs are clearly superior.

I suggest that the OP go for it, and tell us how it works. I'm planning for my next commuter to have a Nexus-8 drivetrain, too, probably on a Surly Cross-Check. It'll be nice to hear how that, or something similar works out for others before I make the leap.