OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
The fat wheels put me off a bit, I like the idea of maintaince free gears though.
Arg, why did I have to read that email?
- Thread starter Andrew_Culture
- Start date
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The fat wheels put me off a bit, I like the idea of maintaince free gears though.
Wobblers
Euthermic
- Location
- Minkowski Space
Depends on the hub. I've got an Alfine 8 on my Dahon, which gives you (surprise!) 8 gears. It's range is roughly the same as a 11-34 cassette, but it has large gaps between 4 -> 5 and 5 -> 6.
That Alfine 11 on the Day One has 11 speeds, and I believe the setup gives a similar range to conventional compact gearing.
It would be possible to do this sort of thing on the cheap with a lower price hub with fewer gears. For my commute three or four speed would work- get a suitable frame with disk mounts (and clearance for fat tyres in the winter in my case). I've certainly thought about it.
Having said that I don't see derailleurs as being high maintenance, simple (say) 8 spd setup on down tube shifters, single chainring up front, just keeps working with minimal attention- usual chain maintenance and lube pivots at intervals- and parts are cheap (I bought a- rather grimy- 105 8 speed mech for a penny on eBay once and had it on my commuter for two years). Hubs and enclosed chain (with stub axle wheel mount for easy puncture fixing) would improve matters but not many options there at the moment.
Having said that I don't see derailleurs as being high maintenance, simple (say) 8 spd setup on down tube shifters, single chainring up front, just keeps working with minimal attention- usual chain maintenance and lube pivots at intervals- and parts are cheap (I bought a- rather grimy- 105 8 speed mech for a penny on eBay once and had it on my commuter for two years). Hubs and enclosed chain (with stub axle wheel mount for easy puncture fixing) would improve matters but not many options there at the moment.
OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
My commute (when I actually had a job!) was so flat I did it with no gears!
OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
I'd forgotten that I stayed this thread!
I still love the look of that bike, it could help me get the best time round the local reservoir
I still love the look of that bike, it could help me get the best time round the local reservoir
My commuter is a three speed steel road bike. Absolutely perfect for anything but serious hills.
I'd forgotten that I stayed this thread!
I still love the look of that bike, it could help me get the best time round the local reservoir
Do you mean Alton Water. A nice ride once you get up the hill past the ski slope. I have never ridden round it but ridden past it a few times en route to Manningtree.
OP
OP
Andrew_Culture
Internet Marketing bod
- Location
- The People's Republic Of Suffolk.
It's a total joy, there are only a few hills on on section and you could probably get round it fairly easily on any old bike.
Cyclopathic
Veteran
- Location
- Leicester.
I also don't see many maintenance advantages in hub gears. There is still the element of making sure they are set right and there is still cable wear and maitenance plus tha additional hassle that it is to get the back wheel on and off in cases of un planned deflation due to ingress of foriegn bodies to the tyre and innertube. With derailiers you can just pop the wheel out and in no problem. No awkward setting the chain to the right tension and all that.
Smurfy
Naturist Smurf
- Location
- Smurfette's Kitchen
If you need an excuse to re-mortgage, a full custom frame with Rohloff hub and split rear triangle for belt drive is the way to go 
biking_fox
Legendary Member
- Location
- Manchester
Depends on the set-up. A Rohloff for example, has no adjustment necesary at all (not in 5 years anyway), no cable wear (there is one internal cable thathas been changed every 3 years or so), and the hassle of a wheel change is less than a derailuer. Unclip two twist cable clips, and you're set.
For the record Rohloff is a 14 gear hub - even spacing all the way through, 325% gear range - about the same as a MTB tripple. Feels like about the equivalent of 1.5 tooth increase in cassete cogs per gear.
Roadrider48
Voice of the people
- Location
- Londonistan
It is nice.
