Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 44,162
Likes: 6,382
From: New York, NY, and High Falls, NY, USA
Bikes: 1962 Rudge Sports, 1971 Raleigh Super Course, 1971 Raleigh Pro Track, 1974 Raleigh International, 1975 Viscount Fixie, 1982 McLean, 1996 Lemond (Ti), 2002 Burley Zydeco tandem
What do folks think of the NuVinci hubs? We have discussed them before, but I've had some time on them by now. My opinion is lower than before. First of all, some here have said that they're set up wrong if I don't get a high ratio. I think they're set up the same way (roughly) and I just can't get a high enough ratio. More importantly, I think I notice the inefficiency compared with a geared hub. Last week, I rode 6 miles with my wife. I was on my bike, and she was on Citi Bike with a Nu Vinci hub. Her normal moving average is 10 mph, but we moved at 7.8 mph. Of course I can't prove the hub was the reason for her lower speed, but it might have been a factor. Bikes with the Sturmey-Archer 3-speed are the rarest in the fleet, as they went from SA to NuVinci fairly quickly. Too bad. Does anyone know the company's stance on these hubs? Have they proven reliable and durable? One thing I do like is the micro-adjustability.