alhedges

That's a feature, not a bug...on MUPs I barely have to use my bell at all because the peds hear the clicking behind them.

I'm a fan of gear hubs, but they do have their drawbacks - derailleurs replaced them because der's had a much wider gear range than the 3-speed hubs available at the time...and der's still tend to have wider gear ranges than newer hubs.

WRT folders, front derailleurs and triple chainrings are more problematic than rear der's because of the fold; that's why I compromised on dual drive for my Bike Friday. And if I didn't frequently travel to hilly Kentucky, I would have gone with a simple 8-speed hub; that would simplify things even more.

For most people, derailleur maintenance isn' t much of an issue - not true if you are a year-round commuter, of course...but if you mostly ride your bike on nice days, your derailleur will run pretty well, for years.

And I have heard anecdotal stories about - specifically - nexus 7's that only lasted a year or so of regular commuting. Typically by heavier riders with commuter-loaded bikes - but that suggests that there is some room for improvement of the hubs.

On the other hand, it is much cooler than I imagined just being able to select a gear while at rest. Even with dual drive, just dropping down to first on the hub is enough to make starting up again really simple, and it would be nice if I could do that with any gear.