My last bike had an Alfine 8 so same poison.

Thanks!

I am evaluating all sorts of new. Disc brakes and more! Hoping for a great replacement.

I like that you're treating this as an opportunity to explore new options.

I read the beginning of your other thread on the theft of your bike so I hope you have that sorted for your new bike. (I never read the conclusion, if there was one).

Cost and efficiency wise, any of the Shimano Alfine's would work. I know you say you want more range and I wonder if your front chainring was a little large and you could go with a lower tooth count to help with bottom end but lose what you probably don't use on the top end, especially on a city bike. The Rholoff is a proven well built system. You certainly can't go wrong there.

My favorite is certainly the Pinion, at least in theory. Having the weight in the middle of the bike makes so much sense to me. It would seem like a better balanced bike front to back. For custom Ahearne bikes
makes use of the Pinion. https://www.ahearnecycles.com/shop-b...s-mixte-pinion

Good luck with whatever you chose. It sucks to lose a bike, but there is a joy in getting a new one. .

https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/bikefor...4f8d46d92d.jpg

Let me set your mind at ease: IT SHIFTS GREAT UNDER A LOAD!!! I have a Priority bike with the Nuvinci 330 and I live on the top of a small mountain so I ride up/down hills regardless where I go, and that's where the Nuvinci excels. When I hit a hill, I usually prefer to tackle it out of the saddle. As the hill gets steeper or shallower, I adjust "on the fly" using the Nuvinci. It's my favorite bike and it is because of the Nuvinci that I say this.

Shimano's cable to hub connector, like Nuvinci is fussier a cable end fitting goes in a notch .. on the drive side...

I find R'off external shift box, on other side easier (Thumb-wheel bolt removes it) & they offer a QR Axle.. so puncture repairs are easier...

Bought My 1st one cheap , because , previous owner was on other coast & not inclined to find out how to fix things...

2 external seals replaced* & it's as good as new..


*US Service center 11 years ago was 1 guy in Berkeley...







....

The bike in the picture is $2850 for just the FRAME. Fork extra $500, powder coat is $500 WTF.
Parts like Rohloff or Pinion "average" $3,500.

From the bleacher seats
 

So, you are now paying for her new bike? how generous (or price wouldn't bother you)


I have a local friend doing a powder coating. Biz. if I just leave my small stuff long enough , it gets done at same time as a big ticket job, using same color..

for cheap..






...

Sounds like you've made a decision but I'll add this for others reading. We have a bunch of Dutch bikes (omafiets, opafiets, bakfiets) from Workcycles, Batavus, Gazelle, Fietsfabrik, and others. These are for ourselves and guests.

Among them we've Sturmey, Shimano, Nuvinci and Rohloff hubs. For my wife and I the bikes with Nuvinci is the preferred option. The variable gearing that allows you to pedal at whatever rate you want and ability to shift under load and do so smoothly is absolutely wonderful. For winter I put studded tyres on the front (or sometimes F&R) of a couple of bikes for us to use when the bikeways aren't clear and I've found it interesting how much we try to use our Nuvinci bikes instead of these even when there is some ice and snow to deal with.

Nuvinci have so far been bullet proof for reliability. My one desire would be greater range but it's not really a huge issue for our riding. I did put a smaller front chainring on my wife's for a lower granny gear.

On the efficiency thing... We're not racing in the tour. I'm not sure how much the extra inefficiency of the Nuvinci realistically factors in to daily riding. We're typically riding about 13-15 MPH and I don't notice any more effort needed with Nuvinci than with others. I frequently let others ride my Nuvinci bike so I do go back and forth between it and others quite often. I am also planning to swap the Shimano on my bakfiets for a Nuvinci this year.

FWIW, I can be a quite anal weight/efficiency weenie for my road bikes where every little bit theoretically counts and may, using my imagination, make the difference in staying with a group for 40 miles or loosing them with 1/2 a mile to go.

Thanks for the tips! If it wasn't such a mixed bag with the one local shop that seems to know Nuvinci it would have been my front runner.