I must say I'm a bit astounded that any commuter gives a damn about 1.3 lbs, especially if it cuts maintenance and improves reliability. Hell, my weight fluctuates by more than that daily. I carry 8 packs of soda, several days worth of clothes, books, all sorts of random crap in my bags.

The Rohloff sure looks nice, but there's exactly zero chance I'd pay that kind of money for one. It'll be a Nexus for me. I'd like to hear from someone who has experience with the 7 and 8 speed for a comparison. I hear people saying the 7 drags a bit in the bottom two gears; does the 8 fix that?