Originally Posted by
kamtsa
I have a new entry level NWT with 24 gears and twist shifters and the gearing is less then perfect. It makes all kind of irregular clicks and clacks and the shifting at some combination is non deterministic (e.g. in center chaining and rear gear #6). I guess that you get what you pay for so I consider to upgrade it.
1. What should I expect from a higher end derailleur based gear, will the operation be smooth precise and deterministic? any recommendation for a good gear system?
2. Does it make sense to upgrade to an internal hub? If so, any recommendation for a good internal hub that will fit the NWT? (I presume that I will not need a front derailleur). The Rohloff 14 is not out of question but it really need to be perfect to justify the price.
Any suggestion will be greatly appreciated. The bike runs well in general but the gearing requires constant attention (including micro adjustment of the front derailleur so it does not touch the chain) which distract from the fun of riding the bike. I tested today a Dahon Vitesse with internal hub (for my son, he is also looking for a folder) and I was surprised how smooth the ride and shifting.
Thanks,
Kam
You can see
my NWT with Alfine here. If you want to swap to a Shimano IGH you'll need to get one built up into a wheel and buy a shifter for it [they come separately]. You'll also need a chain tensioner. You can run it with a single chainring or use a double for a wider gear range.
I'm a fan of Rohloffs [I've got two] and one would definitely give you the gear range you need with a single chainring, but honestly if you are going to add a $1500 hub to your NWT I'd sell the current one and get BF to build you a Rohloff specific NWT. You'll be a lot happier in the long run.
As others have noted you can probably improve the shifting of your existing system at low cost if you take it to a good bike shop.