greyhound_dog_1
Regular
Sorry if this has been asked many times before, I have read many posts on various sites but not managed to draw any firm conclusions.
I am moving from fair weather cycling on a cheap mtb to all year round cycling in various UK weather conditions, including if I'm brave, snow, post-snow corrosive slush, driving rain in sub zero temperatures, and so on.
To hub gear or not to hub gear, that is the question. If I do go hub for a hybrid bike, it will be Alfine 8 for my price range (Giant Seek 0, On One Pompetamine etc).
Reasons I was thinking I'd go for a hub gear bike:
- I want the bike to last at last 10 years @ 3000 miles a year, in all weathers, and only want to do maintenance once a month consisting of degreasing and re-oiling, then maybe other big stuff annually (chain replacement, lubrication of cables etc etc).
- Heard derailleurs can be a problem in winter weather...?
- I will be riding in all sorts of weather, and I hear hubs are more reliable etc.
- Tried a Nexus hub'd bike a few years ago, and was really quite taken with the smooth silent and reliable shift quality, so much nicer than my bike. I'd imaging the Alfine8 would be better still, and more reliable. Not tried one yet.
- Stationary shifting was just so cool, though in practice I only occasionally find myself in the wrong gear at a standstill.
- I also like the idea of silent freewheeling (though I think this needs to 501 Alfine-8 with roller bearing clutch not the 500.)
- It makes the bike look so much nicer!
- I'm considering getting this new Cytronex e-bike kit when it comes out. Small loss of drivetain efficiency is not too much of an issue under motor power.
- I did not notice a difference in efficiency on my 10 minute test of Nexus. Though this was comparing a brand new Nexus hub with a very worn basic Shimano derailleur, worn rear cassette and very stretched chain, so perhaps not a meaningful test.
Reasons a hub concerns me:
- Higher cost, and smaller choice of bikes.
- I'm having issue with my car gearbox, so having a non user-servicable 'gearbox' on my bike may make me paranoid if it starts to make noises as well!
- More complex maintenance, local bike shop cannot relubricate them for less than £100 they say. I'd have to do it myself using advice from hubstripping.com.
Now I was set on the hub, but then every single bike shop I have visited recently to try a hub geared bike do not stock them, and I went to four. One also told me that some Alfine 8's have had to be returned to the manufacturer as they cannot fix faulty ones, leaving the rider with no bike for months. When I asked about derailleurs in winter, all of them told me that most people do not have issues with freezing drivetrains, providing they have a monthly clean and oil and not kept outside. Freezing cables yes, but that would affect hub as well. They said derailleurs are easily work on. They could have said all that precisely because they don't sell hub bikes however...
So really what I want to know from Alfine 8 users, is:
- Long term reliability. How long have you used it for, in what conditions, and is it still running nicely? Does it get less efficient with age? Have you had any problems?
- What servicing have you done on it, and was it difficult?
I do hear of people degreasing the Alfine 8, and using auto gearbox oil instead, to get better running. Looked on hubstripping.com, seems complex but I can usually follow instructions. Not as simple as 'spray chain and cogs with degreaser, rinse, spray with bike oil' though.
Also a question to derailleur users in winter;
- Has anyone had problems, or never had problems? Snow, ice, freezing, leaves, grit etc. Has anyone used both hub and derailleur and finds hub better for winter? What about a 'good quality' derailleur, are they less prone to cacking up?
Basically if I degrease and re-oil my chain and cogs every month in the winter, will a derailleur setup last 'a long time'?
I'm thinking if I'd have to replace my cassette and chain every one or two years vs never needing to replace my hub internals for the 10 year life of the bike (so say just a new chain every 3 years) it would make sense to use the hub.
I'd be interesting to find out how long hubs last vs derailleurs when riding 3000 miles a year. If I have to replace the entire hub at year 5, then there was little cost benefit. Don't know really, I suspect that running costs are probably about the same? I'd've had 5 years of nice hub riding though, so that's worth something I guess.
Ease of adjustment is said to be a benefit of hubs. Regarding derailleur adjustment, I have a cheap one and the only 'derailleur adjustment' issues I have had, have been down to cables. With the new better quality cables and grease it hasn't needed adjusting in 2 years.
Regarding the advantage of less maintenance of hub, I am happy to do a monthly degrease and oil of chain and cogs anyway, and that is still required for the chain of a hub bike. So doesn't seem much less maintenance to me.
Obviously I need to try an Alfine 8 at some point, and I intend to pay a visit to PlanetX/OnOne showroom to try a Pompetamine at some point. As I liked the Nexus hub, I'm sure it will feel really nice, and a much nicer shifting experience than a derailleur.
But in terms of practical issues of maintenance and reliability, I can only base my decision on others experiences. I'm just worried it might go wrong in a year. Thanks!
I am moving from fair weather cycling on a cheap mtb to all year round cycling in various UK weather conditions, including if I'm brave, snow, post-snow corrosive slush, driving rain in sub zero temperatures, and so on.
To hub gear or not to hub gear, that is the question. If I do go hub for a hybrid bike, it will be Alfine 8 for my price range (Giant Seek 0, On One Pompetamine etc).
Reasons I was thinking I'd go for a hub gear bike:
- I want the bike to last at last 10 years @ 3000 miles a year, in all weathers, and only want to do maintenance once a month consisting of degreasing and re-oiling, then maybe other big stuff annually (chain replacement, lubrication of cables etc etc).
- Heard derailleurs can be a problem in winter weather...?
- I will be riding in all sorts of weather, and I hear hubs are more reliable etc.
- Tried a Nexus hub'd bike a few years ago, and was really quite taken with the smooth silent and reliable shift quality, so much nicer than my bike. I'd imaging the Alfine8 would be better still, and more reliable. Not tried one yet.
- Stationary shifting was just so cool, though in practice I only occasionally find myself in the wrong gear at a standstill.
- I also like the idea of silent freewheeling (though I think this needs to 501 Alfine-8 with roller bearing clutch not the 500.)
- It makes the bike look so much nicer!
- I'm considering getting this new Cytronex e-bike kit when it comes out. Small loss of drivetain efficiency is not too much of an issue under motor power.
- I did not notice a difference in efficiency on my 10 minute test of Nexus. Though this was comparing a brand new Nexus hub with a very worn basic Shimano derailleur, worn rear cassette and very stretched chain, so perhaps not a meaningful test.
Reasons a hub concerns me:
- Higher cost, and smaller choice of bikes.
- I'm having issue with my car gearbox, so having a non user-servicable 'gearbox' on my bike may make me paranoid if it starts to make noises as well!
- More complex maintenance, local bike shop cannot relubricate them for less than £100 they say. I'd have to do it myself using advice from hubstripping.com.
Now I was set on the hub, but then every single bike shop I have visited recently to try a hub geared bike do not stock them, and I went to four. One also told me that some Alfine 8's have had to be returned to the manufacturer as they cannot fix faulty ones, leaving the rider with no bike for months. When I asked about derailleurs in winter, all of them told me that most people do not have issues with freezing drivetrains, providing they have a monthly clean and oil and not kept outside. Freezing cables yes, but that would affect hub as well. They said derailleurs are easily work on. They could have said all that precisely because they don't sell hub bikes however...
So really what I want to know from Alfine 8 users, is:
- Long term reliability. How long have you used it for, in what conditions, and is it still running nicely? Does it get less efficient with age? Have you had any problems?
- What servicing have you done on it, and was it difficult?
I do hear of people degreasing the Alfine 8, and using auto gearbox oil instead, to get better running. Looked on hubstripping.com, seems complex but I can usually follow instructions. Not as simple as 'spray chain and cogs with degreaser, rinse, spray with bike oil' though.
Also a question to derailleur users in winter;
- Has anyone had problems, or never had problems? Snow, ice, freezing, leaves, grit etc. Has anyone used both hub and derailleur and finds hub better for winter? What about a 'good quality' derailleur, are they less prone to cacking up?
Basically if I degrease and re-oil my chain and cogs every month in the winter, will a derailleur setup last 'a long time'?
I'm thinking if I'd have to replace my cassette and chain every one or two years vs never needing to replace my hub internals for the 10 year life of the bike (so say just a new chain every 3 years) it would make sense to use the hub.
I'd be interesting to find out how long hubs last vs derailleurs when riding 3000 miles a year. If I have to replace the entire hub at year 5, then there was little cost benefit. Don't know really, I suspect that running costs are probably about the same? I'd've had 5 years of nice hub riding though, so that's worth something I guess.
Ease of adjustment is said to be a benefit of hubs. Regarding derailleur adjustment, I have a cheap one and the only 'derailleur adjustment' issues I have had, have been down to cables. With the new better quality cables and grease it hasn't needed adjusting in 2 years.
Regarding the advantage of less maintenance of hub, I am happy to do a monthly degrease and oil of chain and cogs anyway, and that is still required for the chain of a hub bike. So doesn't seem much less maintenance to me.
Obviously I need to try an Alfine 8 at some point, and I intend to pay a visit to PlanetX/OnOne showroom to try a Pompetamine at some point. As I liked the Nexus hub, I'm sure it will feel really nice, and a much nicer shifting experience than a derailleur.
But in terms of practical issues of maintenance and reliability, I can only base my decision on others experiences. I'm just worried it might go wrong in a year. Thanks!
