I am thrilled with my Alfine. I ride a Giant Seek with the Alfine and the hydraulic disk brakes and the bike amazes me: reliable is the key word. The gears work, the wheels stay true and the stopping power is beyond what I would have previously thought possible.

Alfine alone is likely not the key because (IMHO) the entire bike works well together.

I have no experience with other IGH hubs or the like.

I paid $900 CDN for my Giant Seek 1 and think it the best value purchase I have made in decades.