Originally Posted by
sweeks
This is true, in my limited experience with several Nexus 7 and 6, and one Alfine 11. Also, the Nexus hubs are "Low Normal", meaning that they go to the lowest gear when cable tension is released.
Alfine hubs are "High Normal". I suspect this is related to the direction the cable pulls around the Cassette Joint.
Yeah, the manual also points out Shimano use the force of pedaling to assist shifts in a certain direction:
So that trick can only be used for upshifts or downshifts, I imagine, depending on the hub design.