I used to think that, and I definitely need gears to trailer my daughter, but otherwise all I can say is that it was a pleasant surprise to find that not to be the case around here.

I advice against getting a 4-8 spd IGH for your riding pattern. People tend to project all kinds of fantasy wishes into IGH's imagining them to be zero maintenance everlasting devices immune to wind and weather. IGH's have their uses, but they actually need maintenance just like any other mechanical device. The last official Shimano doc I have seen says that a Nexus 8 spd IGH needs an overhaul every 5000 km (3100 miles, but much lower intervals if used in bad weather), but someone well informed on IGH's on this forum says Shimano now recommends 1000 miles per overhaul, which is total in line what local mechanics in my country says. The 1000 miles rule is for all weather high mileage fast commuters, if you are a fair weather low mileage commuter the service interval can be much longer.

Overhauling a Nexus IGH isn't a trivial affair at all and probably isn't cost effective to do many places in the world, so now Shimano has a new procedure where you just simply dip the entire innards of the IGH in a special oil (70-100$ per 1 liter can).
IGH's need maintenance too, and if you don't, then the IGH will simply die. I know several people who wrecked their Nexus IGH's within a year or two and talked to dozens of people with the similar experiences. Eg. the bearing races on a 8 spd Nexus are easily pitted, but since the races are part of the hub shell that isn't sold as a spare part, this means buying an entirely new hub or rear wheel.

For all practical purposes Shimano IGH's are disposable items that aren't cost effective to repair; if the hub develops shifting problems you adjust cables or perhaps flush it in oil, if that doesn't cure it, you exchange the entire gear hub.

Here are some pictures of Nexus IGH's where road salt or water has entered the inside of the hub:
http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfr...t/nx7brokn.jpg
http://www.yellowjersey.org/photosfr...t/alf8rust.jpg
http://www.astounding.org.uk/ian/hubgear/mangled.html

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Regards

My commuter is an old Schwinn Continental converted to FG. I too have a freewheel which I've stopped using (one less moving part!). FG is really great especially in the winter, as has been mentioned above.

Currently I'm running 50x16, but that is just because 50 is the size of the big ring on the used crankset I slapped on. (See http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread...dapter-Problem for the full adventure.) 50 is really too tall for the stop and go of commuting, so I got a 46 which I will install as soon as I get the chance (after the holidays etc).

I was motivated by the exact same issue - winter maintenance. Before I caved in I was highly skeptical of the whole FG/SS "fad". Now that I'm riding one, I have truly seen the light! Go for it!

I should note though that I live in Chicago. For the most part, our only hills are bridges and they are pretty small and brief.

I should also note that a 3 speed conversion or restoration IS on my list of future projects.

My 4 speed Nexus malfunctioned after less that two years of commuting which is way under 1000 miles. There was grit inside and it was skipping and grinding. The LBS said it'd cost me almost as much in labor to fix this one as 2/3 the cost of a new one. I looked inside and this thing has like hundred parts, impossible to overhaul it by yourself. I said forget it and had that wheel rebuilt for singlespeed. On my new DIY commuter bike I went with regular RD and cogs.

Adam

How did you do that? I've thought of doing something similar but every time I read about it there is the issue of different O.L.D. for IGH hubs and various frames. It seems they all use different dimensions (120 for SS/FG, 130 for road, 135 for mountain, and who knows what for IGH).

My routine is to let the Spring Rains clean off the sand and salt from my Sachs 7 speed hub equipped bike, no other maintenance or cleaning besides a squirt of silicone spray about once a month. I replace the $5 chain about once a year with 5000 miles of use. I've changed the front and rear sprockets once in 35,000+ miles. I'd rather waste my time on the Internet that futzing around cleaning bicycle parts that don't need it.

I almost never agree with you, but this is spot on.

Sure, Sachs (Super 7) /Sram Spectro 7 speed IGH's have a better reputation than Shimano regarding durability, but consider yourself very, very lucky to have been able to ride +35000 miles over seven? years without even repacking the hub bearings.
I have seen several failed S7 hubs, in all cases water ingress had caused rust, corrosion, and pitting of the races. Nothing special about that, that is the most common way for all hubs to fail, but on the other hand hand it also a failure mode that can be prevented by maintenance like bearing grease repacking. There is nothing magical about IGH's, without maintenance they will fail prematurely just like any other hub.

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Regards

This has gotten a little out of hand... IGH's and derailleurs require maintenance and are subject to destruction due to the winter elements. Plain and simple. Going SS will make your bike ALOT more reliable in the long run while requiring ALOT less maintenance. You still must clean and lube the chain, clean sprocket, repack bearings, etc. You will not however have to adjust the derailleurs due to cable stretching etc. You will not have to clean and lube the derailleurs to get all the sand and road salt off. You will also not have those parts to break on you during your commute. IMO, Its a great conversion if your body and commute are willing.

all in all, hills or no hills, singlespeed is just simple and straightforward. only 1 cog and easy to maintain as opposed to multiple gears. and you get a better workout if ur going uphills! lolz

I doubt that S/S or fixed gear hubs are any less susceptible to water ingress and would "need" just as much cleaning and maintenance to avoid rust, corrosion, and pitting of the races as any other type of typical hub. Chain and sprocket wear should be about the same as any IGH.

BTW, 35,000+ all weather miles in seven years of commuting is correct.

If a "better workout" is what you are after make sure to get the heaviest bike available; under inflated tires will help too. For added workout boosting, add a couple of sandbags to your messenger bag or rear rack; low maintenance is an extra benefit.

The appeal of converting to SS is substantial but, given all the variables (hills, limited warm up time, wind, etc) I've chosen to stay geared all these years. In addition, I've only recently started taking better care of my drivetrain. I used to do the bare minimum as on a year round commuter bike, cleaning seemed futile. Instead I'd replace the entire drive train every Spring. This year, as a means to improve performance more than anything else, I decided to start using a chain scrubber with an organic degreaser-big difference. Pedalling efficiancy is improved and I hope to lower wear and tear and extend the life of those parts. I know that SS would leave me wishing for more. More top end, more climbing gears, more choices to spin into a wind, etc. My 29er MTB is SS and I love it for all the right reasons but, for my daily, all-season commuter? I think that ship has sailed.

Do I have to apologize for laughing?
That was funny.

How about spending a fraction of that on a beater off CL or such. Something that you're not going to feel the need to perfect after sloppy rides. In the good weather I alternate a fixie & an 18-speed. Right now I'm riding a $10 yard sale rebuild, I keep it up but I don't sweat it.

if you ride ss/fixed exclusively for one year, starting with a 'soft' gear and slowly building up your ability to spin at +100rpms for an extended period of time while increasing your ratio every few months when you get back on a geared bike you will be a missile. trust me, not having the option to downshift or upshift greatly improves your physical range. power and endurance/stamina will increase dramatically.

i'll be commuting this year with my roadie converted to ss, my old fixed gear conversion will be relegated to 'family-bike' status[add brakes - pull kiddie trailer] and i'll be buying a proper track bike again.



edit: i noticed that i can climb hills on a fixed gear much more aggressively than on a ss. this probably has something to do with momentum and my less than adequate, non-peloton pedal stroke.

There's no "dead spot" on a fixed gear. Wheel momentum carries your foot through it. I've noticed it too; I climb like a monster on my fixed, but there's some slogging when I flip back to the singlespeed side.

Well... Whatever you decide, dont get rid of your multispeed parts. I just went back to gears today and loved it. I think instead of converting your bike, you should wait and buy a separate SS bike.

What have you noticed about your ability to aggressively descend hills, especially down hill curves on a fixed gear?

exactly. it eliminates my inadequate pedal stroke. im riding to work, not in the peloton. haha



just fine crushing a downhill fixed. previously, on an actual track bike, pedal strike was less of a concern when cornering with the higher bb shell but on my conversion i have gotten a bit nervous on occasion.
i dont think its possible to corner as hard on a fixed gear as you can on a bike that freewheels with the ability for static foot placement and perfect body positioning without pedaling. we arent even factoring gnarly toe overlap here. truth?

My snow bike has 9 speed XT set up and it freezes sometimes. I would like to change it to a IGH, but I only have this winter to worry about. Besides, the guy who won my Cross Check on ebay flaked, so I have no dough for it anyways.

I have gone SS for commuting and I love it.

That being said, it really depends on the route you take. I have a route with just a couple of medium hills, only one where I have to stand up. If your commute is hilly don't do it. If it is reasonably flat with maybe one or two hills, go for it.

I rode a fixed gear in Iowa City in the early 80's (all year round, I was carless in college). I did have to add a frt brake, riding down Market towards IMU was too much when I had a Pagliai's pizza in one hand. You're young, it'll make you a better rider. I used to ride out Mormen Trek Road to BlackHawk Ave in the spring, that ride on a fixed gear will make you fit, straight into the wind with rollers!

Riders reported in the cycling periodicals of the day of covering up to 50,000 miles on their Sturmey-Archer three speeds with a hub maintenance regimen of only adding a little oil through the hub's oil port on a regular basis. They claimed they never opened the hub shells during this period of use. This was around 100 years ago. See "devolution".


It's actually pretty easy to add a lubricator to a new SRF3.

tcs

FYI, most of the posts on this thread about IGH service are old info. The newer Shimano Nexus (8R30/31 and 8R35/36 and Alfine are very well sealed as is the SRAM i-Motion 9. There's no need to drop $100 for Shimano's "special" lube, synthetic ATF is beng used by many folks with good results, only $5 per quart.

Here's a link that explains the differences between old and new Nexus hub's sealing:
http://www.astounding.org.uk/ian/hubgear/index.html