Robert C

I have four IGH hubs in the household. I got a NuVinci N360 for my commuter bike. Frankly, it is great.

My daughter got a Nexus 8 for her touring bike. She was a bit unhappy with the effort involved in changing flats. I posted about it here and the general consensus was that a part was missing. The bike was also not an ideal fit; as such, it got passed on to another relative and she replaced it with a custom bike with a Rohloff. She is extremely happy with the Rohloff.

I also got a NuVinci N360 for my wife's trike. It was a great choice; I base that on the fact that it gets used and, while she wants another trike, she wants a NuVinci on her next trike.

I also have a NuVinci N380 on my trike that was rigged for touring.

I think you can tell that I am sold on IGH systems. For a commuter, or other utility bike, I think they are great. The only place that I feel they fall behind is competition bikes.

JonathanGennick 

I surmise that today's prevalence of derailleurs over IGH hubs is from a combination of: 1) Emphasis in the industry on racing, 2) The promotion of "more gears is better", and 3) High cost of IGH hubs having more than three speeds, and 4) Possibly the weight of such hubs.

I'm looking at my 1973 Sears catalog. On the "Touring Lightweight Bikes" page there are two derailleur bikes, two IGH bikes, and one single-speed coaster-brake model. Derailleur bikes are only 2/5 of the models on that page, and both IGH bikes are three-speed.

The facing page is racing bikes, and all three of those are ten-speed, drop-bar, derailleur bikes.

The kids bike page shows a girl getting a three-speed IGH, and the boy gets the 10-speed. Go figure.

There's a utility- and tandem page showing an IGH tricycle bike having a huge basket in the back, and also a folding IGH cargo bike having built in racks front and rear. Both those bikes are three-speed IGH.

Growing up in that era, I recall IGH three-speed bikes being fairly prevalent and common. But IGH hubs get expensive and heavy as you ramp up the number of gears. I'm guessing that the 10-speed boom and then all the subsequent "more gears is better" marketing from the industry led to the demise of IGH relative to derailleurs. Because a good IGH hub with 8 or 11 gears will cost as much or more just for the hub as some entire 27-speed derailleur bikes. Someone looking at price will just buy the cheaper bike.

CrankyOne

Completely agree.

I'm another fan of Nuvinci. My only two complaints are that they are a slight bit wider than other IGH's and sometimes can't shift while stopped. The width can make getting a wheel back on a bit more difficult. Fortunately I rarely have to remove a rear wheel. Neither of these would keep me from getting another. I'm planning to convert my bakfiets to Nuvinci sometime in the next year or so.

jade408

Hmm, I had a similar problem - I took it to a shop and got it fixed. I picked the shop that sold lots IGHs and the mechanics were super experienced with the Alfine hubs.

No problems since! I don't know what they did but it was quick and inexpensive. I did find lots of shops I wasn't comfortable with doing the work though.

I am definitely love my IGH - though I am sort of thinking I might want more range. A Rohloff would be a ridiculous splurge but I am tempted!

tamnalan

Curious about the Sturmey Archer X-RF4. The gearing seems perfect for a 16" wheel folder with belt drive. How is the reliability?

wphamilton

I wonder if any of the participants from '08 and '10 are still around to update with their experiences with internal gear hubs?

I think they are a great idea, but the drawbacks of slightly less efficiency and more weight, and the compromise of fewer gears, has always put me off from seriously considering it.

fietsbob

Added a Sram I 9, as part of a Bike Friday 'Season Tikit' to the 2 Rohloffs in bikes , and the BSR, in the
M3L Brompton/mountain drive. [IGH+IGC]

mattia76

I only have my commuter with an n330. But my buddy was a Specialized rep for 20 years, and is no longer even in the industry, so I trust him. He told me the IGH systems coming out now are fantastic, and he owns several.

NikBikes

I've been running an IGH + Belt drive and its super nice just to ride and put away without a second thought. Plus it feels great!

fietsbob

I did, my AW3, and triple cog cluster, and cottered triple crank bike I built up in 1957, used 3 Huret down tube shifters..

My 3 cubed, 27 speed.. the 2 high and low are easy, the one in the middle you have to hit the right spot.

CreakingCrank

Meh. An IGH replaces the rear derailleur, front derailleur, cassette, extra chainring or two, and two shifters.

Alfine 8 w/shifter are about $210. What would the above components cost assuming decent quality?

fietsbob

3 speed Sturmey Archers make it through Estate Sales.. of a few generations and keep on going..

heywood

I'm finding that slippage around the 5th gear a problem.. no shop has been able to solve it and I have to re-center it in the little window every 20km or so.. no way I'm able to stand in the peddles anymore for fear of gear slipping.. outside of that it's a great bike. Yes changing the rear tire is a pain, I've done the slipping the tire off the rim and patching trick. It works well for some flats but not all and eventually you'll have to remove that rear wheel. I'm going to keep it for short 20km< trips around town, I've got a derailleur e-bike assist for distance I'm going to get a single speed in the spring (just because) and next bike I'm looking at the LHT..

acidfast7

Yes, if you have an IGH-ready frame, then it's a no-brainer.

If not, I wouldn't risk it.

Banzai

Only a consideration for Rohloffs.

acidfast7

If "it works" is good enough for you.

ThermionicScott 

If "all over Europe" counts as a niche, I guess.

JonathanGennick 

Is it because in Europe there's more an emphasis on bikes as transportation?

fietsbob

54:15 x 349 16" wheel on Brompton is good enough most of the time where I am..

Recently added a Sram i 9 IGH to my folding fleet.. too bad they are throwing the good IGH designs from the Sachs take over
over the side.. off the fantail..

in favor of all that 12 speed 10 -42t cassettes for the single ring 29er crowd..

JonathanGennick 

It is too bad, isn't it? I've always liked the look of their three-speed hub because it doesn't have the shifter mechanism hanging way out sideways like on Shimano's.

ThermionicScott 

I'm sure that's a big part of it. Culturally, they just don't seem to be as resistant to them as us Americans.

acidfast7

They're cheap and can be run without maintenance for a decade or so, which is about the lifespan of a bicycle used daily in a European city.

A bike is just like a pair of shoes. Buy one and use it/them until it falls apart.

Banzai

I think we've been over this before, and when we did, I wasn't the only one to point out your utter lack of understanding regarding the Alfine, (or most others) and why you don't need a purpose built frame. Or why amongst the dozens of limitations the Shimano lawyers put on the Alfine in the fine print, not a single one of them is "Alfine will only function properly on a frame specifically engineered to run the Alfine." It's why Shimano, a company that will state marginal cross-compatibility with warnings of bloody death for groups that are highly cross-compatible, makes a variety of fitments to allow the Alfine to fit darn near any frame.

The only specification is that the spacing needs to be 135mm in back.

fietsbob

Sturmey-Archer | X-RF4


a recent addition, simplifying the 8 speed, with 3 overdrive gears rather than 7..

reliability? ask again in 10 years and see if anyone bought one today.

acidfast7

Sure, we can go down that road again if you want. I'd still prefer an apology, but that will never happen here.

I stand behind my arguments as before and if you choose to ignore them, it's at your own peril.