I've a Milano for about 3 1/2 years and it's been great. My only complaint is that it's geared too high - perhaps the new 8 speed version extends the range of ratios. I often carry alot of stuff when I commute and had about stopped using the Milano because I moved to the bottom of a mile long hill a couple of years back.

To solve this, I just put a double chainring on the bike (28/38) and now I have all the low gears I need and can again haul my BOB trailer with the Milano. It's a poor substitute for a Rohloff, but I don't have $1000 for a new hub lying around right now.

It is harder to change a rear flat with an internally geared hub, but what I've done has been to remove the tube and patch it while leaving the wheel on the bike.

a few ways:
someone tells you who has measured the route (i.e. for events or well travelled routes);
you use an inclinometer which gives you the grade right at the spot you are standing;
you see a road sign that warns you of an impending 10% grade and you pee yourself cuz you're toting 100lbs of crap on a tour through italy . . .

Is it possible to make a performance bicycle with an internal gear hub?

Does anyone have any information or feeback on this bike?
http://www.schwinnbike.com/products/...ail.php?id=666

Would a nexus hub be the same width as my current hub + gears? My bike's a 2004 Giant Cypress so I would assume it has the current standard width hub, whatever that might be. I'm slowly morphing it into my "winter" bike (as winter approaches... I'm hoping to buy a new good-weather-bike next spring). One thing that might be nice would be the internal hub rather than the rear gear set I have now. That way I still have gear change ability even if the bike gets iced up.

Jeff --

I looked into coverting my Specialized Crossroads about four years ago. The main problem is that derailleur bikes have vertical dropouts, rather than the horizontal ones required for internal gears, singlespeed, and fixed. The solutions are to braze in a new set of dropouts (expensive) or add a chain tensioning device called a singulator (which, like a derailleur, may not be happy in ice and salt). I concluded that buying a new bike was the more economical solution. Buying a singlespeed frame and moving your components over is another possibility.

Paul

Actually chain tensioners are much happier in salt and muck because they don't have much in the way of moving parts, unlike a derailer which not only has the chain passing through an S-bend but--much more importantly--needs to be able to smoothly move laterally.

The real issue is that it looks like the Cypress uses a 135mm rear triangle spacing. Grab a ruler and check it out sometime to be sure. You'll want to measure between the inside faces of the dropouts. This has been the standard mtb spacing for many years and is the standard for 8/9/10-speed freehubs as well.

Unfortunately, the Nexus-8 only comes in 130mm, I believe. It's not clear to me if you could add spacers to space it out to 135. I've never seen one in person.

I was thinking I would simply leave my existing rear derailer as the chain tensioner... just fix it in position (side-to-side) and disconnect it. Any reason why that wouldn't work?

2.5mm washers on each side doesn't seem too extreme, sounds like I ought to be able to space it out. I'll measure to double-check my existing spacing though.

One more. Call your local Public Works or state transportation department.

How tough is it to change a flat on a Nexus equipped bike? I've had an Electra Sunny Garcia for a couple of years and haven't had a flat yet. I guess I should give it a close look one of these days.

Just about any bike can be fitted with an internal geared hub by replacing the rear wheel. If the has verticle dropouts then you will need some kind of chain tensioner like the Surly Singulator. The most difficult part will be the shifter. I think you can make Shimano style index shifters work with a hub gear but I'm not sure. Otherwise you will have to find room for the included shifter which is usually a grip shifter or occasionally a thumb shifter.
Craig

I've been comparing my 8 speed to a 7 speed(thinking about converting the Surly) and from what I've read the major difference between the two is the 8 basically adds a lower gear to the bottom of the 7's range.

BTW,used the Milano for last night's Pirate run. Much fast riding with up/down hills. Zero probs. Gearing was low enough for climbing and I never ran out of gears while descending. I heard an occasional click while shifting,but otherwise absolutely no sound from the hub. Never jumped out of gear,and the only thing I fealt when shifting was an increase or decrease in resistance. There was a touch of drag,but it didn't cause me nearly as much effort as the time I rode my Sedona. I also noticed it seemed to coast a bit easier than most of my other bikes.

Not tough from my experience. I don't know about the Nexus hubs with integrated roller brakes and such, but on mine you just release the brakes, unbolt the wheel, and slip the cable end out of its slot on the hub. The cable goes in and out very easily with no tools. No harder than a regular derailleured bike, IMO. Of course, as pointed out earlier, you can just get the tube out with the wheel in the frame.

That'll work fine. Set the limit screws to hold it in place and rock out. The only issue is that the bend adds more friction to the system. If you can arrange it so that the chain only engages one jockey wheel you'll probably be happier though it might look stupider.

I have to disagree with this love fest for internal geared hubs. They are heavier, less efficient, have less gear range, and the rear wheel is much harder to remove and replace when changing flats. In my experience derailleurs don't require much maintenance at all. If you want a simpler bike for commuting in a flat area get a fixed gear or single-speed bike. I ride fixed gear in San Francisco, all you have to do is get out of the saddle and stomp on the shorter hills and do your best to avoid the mega steep ones.

It's true, they are a bit less efficient but many people will never notice. Heavier? Are you carrying a set of clothes, tools, lights, maybe rack and pans. Some fenders? Lunch? Heavier seems to be relative. As for less gear range, modern 7 and 8 speed internals have about the same range as a classic 10 speed. It's not quite a triple, but then that's probably ok most of the time.

On the other hand, you don't have to deal with your rear cluster turning into an iceball in the winter, do ya?

http://static.flickr.com/27/48587282_c9803ec2ab.jpg

Sure. I made Bob Rodale a custom frame and set it up with an early SA 5 speed years ago. Wonderful to ride, very quiet and none of that junk hanging off.

Perhaps I'm confused, but I don't see any way to remove (or remount) a tube on a wheel bolted to a bicycle. The tube would have to be broken somewhere, which, of course, would ruin it.

- Warren

you pull the tube out of the tire, but not totally out of the rear triangle. you patch it while it's hanging out there, then re-insert. you don't actually have to take the tube out of the frame to patch it.

it works if all you want to do is patch it, you just have to be a little nimble with your fingers. if you're like my office mate who replaces his tubes any time he gets a flat you'd be out of luck

How cold will you be riding? My son ran a 7 speed Nexus one winter and it wouldn't shift properly below 0F, eventually failing.
Maybe replacing the oil with Mobil 1 would have done the job.

How cold will you be riding? My son ran a 7 speed Nexus one winter and it wouldn't shift properly below 0F, eventually failing.
Maybe replacing the oil with Mobil 1 would have done the job.

I've had no trouble with Sturmey Archer 3 speeds at any temps.

I guess it depends on the type and weight of the bike. I have two fixies but my grocery-getter is a German-English 3-spd that I built up into a SS. Even after all the aluminum crap I installed it still weighed 32lbs. Needless to say I was unhappy with it as a SS so I installed an almost new condition Shimano 3S hub and shifter. It's about 36lbs now (with Wald basket) but much easier to live with now going up that honkin' hill to the grocery store.

I also kind of like that ticking sound in high gear. Kind of like a grandfather clock or metronome but faster!

I've commuted on my SRAM Spectro 7 speed and SRAM Torpedo 3 speed at -10° F. without problem in the past three winters. Over 25 years ago I commuted in temperatures as cold as -15° F. on a S-A S5 hub; also with no problem (outside of getting cold toes and learning about the disadvantage of metal zippers at such a cold temperature.)

How do you find the leak if the puncture hole/cause is not obvious with the tube still on the wheel/frame? Especially in windy, (road) noisy, or dark conditions by the side of the road.

I'm in Boise, Idaho so one never knows! Teens and 20's are not unusual here.